2017 Game of the Year Day 3

Welcome back for day 3. Today we start down the homestretch toward the top 10 best games of the year, but today we have some major obstacles to get over. Let's get down to it.

Day 1

Day 2

Just a reminder that these lists are filled with spoilers. you've been warned.

Mass Effect Andromeda presents the Mass Effect Andromeda award for Most Disappointing game:

• Mass Effect: Andromeda
• Outlast 2
• South Park: The Fractured but Whole

Dishonorable Mention:

Outlast 2- I love the first Outlast. It is a game that sticks in my mind anytime someone brings up horror games. The sequel, however, isn't so great. It has its moments, but it feels like it was too ambitious for its own good. The levels are too open for the game to really build the tension the first game had, and when the game goes back to being tightly designed in the flashbacks, it somehow gets even worse. It also seems to be more reliant on shock in ways that detract from the horror. Arguably the worst part about it is that to find out what's actually going on, you have to go so far out of your way only to find the most forced connection to an original game I've ever seen in a sequel. If you want the experience of being crucified or witnessing a childbirth, then this is your game, but if you want a well-designed horror game, there are many other options.

“Runners-Up”:

South Park: The Fractured but Whole- The Stick of Truth was my #2 game in 2014. While there are a few improvements there are many ways that this game doesn't step out of the shadow of its predecessor. Overall this game wasn't bad, just a major disappointment.

Mass Effect Andromeda- Mass Effect is my favorite thing in existence. How Dan Ryckert feels about Metal Gear is how I feel about Mass Effect. This game was so disappointing that I named the award after it and listed it as 2 of the top 3 most disappointing games of the year.

“Winner”:

Mass Effect Andromeda- I was heartbroken upon finishing this game. Not because it was bad, but because it wasn't. It has quite a few great moments, and the last few missions are actually rather good. The rest of it is just a soulless mess that betrays everything the Mass Effect franchise was. I honestly wish this game was completely terrible because that's easier to get over than a game that has many flaws but is still okay in a few ways. Brad Shoemaker nailed it when he said it felt like a straight to DVD sequel. It just happened to be a straight to DVD sequel of 3 of the best games ever made. From now until it gets unseated, this category will now be known as the Mass Effect Andromeda award.

Best Surprise

• Destiny 2
• Life is Strange: Before the Storm
• Resident Evil 7
• Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

Runners-Up:

Destiny 2- The only reason this game makes the list is because I hate the original. I honestly don't know if it's better or worse than the original, but I do know I liked it more.

Resident Evil 7- When I played the demo thing, I had no hope for this game. Upon playing the full game, I found that I could not have been more wrong if I tried. The first ⅔ is easily the best horror game made in years. Despite a weak third act, this game was absolutely a massive surprise.

Winner:

Life is Strange: Before the Storm- After Mass Effect Andromeda, the SAG-AFTRA strike, and the different team working on it, I was prepared for another massive disappointment. Much to my delight, this game is not only good, it's downright better than the original in some ways. With how much this series means to me on a personal level, I don't know what I would have done if it were bad, but thankfully I don't need to worry about it.

Best performance:

• Katie O'Hagan as Mia in Resident Evil 7
• JB Blanc as Rost in Horizon: Zero Dawn
• Ashly Burch as Aloy/Elisabet in Horizon: Zero Dawn
• Lance Reddick as Sylens in Horizon: Zero Dawn
• Valerie Rose Lohman as Edith in What Remains of Edith Finch
• Rihanna DeVries As Chloe in Life is Strange: Before the Storm
• Kaylie Brown As Rachel Amber in Life is Strange: Before the Storm
• Claudia Black as Chloe in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
• Laura Bailey as Nadine in Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
• Scott Ragowsky as Scott Ragowsky in HQ
• Melina Juergens as Senua in Hellblade

Honorable Mention:

Scott Ragowsky as Scott Ragowsky in HQ- 100% of the reason I keep playing HQ is because of how over the top the host is.

Rihanna DeVries as Chloe- While it is a shame that Ashly Burch wasn't able to reprise her role, Rihanna Devries fills in as a solid replacement for all three episodes.

Runners-Up:

Ashly Burch as Aloy/Elisabet- Ashly Burch is quickly becoming one of the most prevalent actresses in games and for good reason. She breathes life into both of these amazing characters and elevates them to being two of the most memorable characters of the year.

Kaylie Brown as Rachel Amber- Rachel Amber is everything she needed to be and this performance is a large part of the reason why.

Winner:

Melina Juergens as Senua- What makes this performance remarkable is that Melina Juergens was working on the game and filled in for the testing of the motion capture tech. She was so good that they decided to keep her as Senua, and the fact that she beats out some of the most talented voice actors around shows that they made the correct decision.

Trap Trebek presents the Woke Woolery award for Best New Character:

• Aloy- Horizon: Zero Dawn
• Elisabet Sobeck- Horizon: Zero Dawn
• Sidon- Breath of the Wild
• Sir Gilman- Pyre
• Rachel Amber- Life is Strange: Before the Storm
• Steph- Before the Storm
• Mikey- Before the Storm
• Sister Grace- Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
• Super Spech- Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
• Horton- Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
• Scott- HQ
• Senua- Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Dis-Honorable Mention:

Cayde-6 from Destiny- In my review, I mentioned how much I hate this character. I really hate Cayde-6. So much.

Honorable Mention:

Scott from HQ- The man with as many nicknames as Austin Walker, Scott is the sole reason HQ is as entertaining as it is.

Aloy from Horizon: Zero Dawn- As much as I believe Aloy should replace Lara Croft as the quintessential female video game character, she doesn't really compare to three characters that make this list. I adore this character to the point that I spent $30 on an Aloy sackgirl keychain, but I think there are a few better characters this year.

Runners-Up:

Sir Gilman from Pyre- Pyre has a cast of great characters, but none are as honorable and downright overpowered as Sir Gilman. During the actual rites, Sir Gilman is the fastest character in the game and can lead to absolutely lopsided victories for your team. Beyond that, he is still a lovable character who just wants to prove himself to the world. What's more relatable than that?

Rachel Amber from Life is Strange: Before the Storm-Throughout Life is Strange, you heard everyone talk about how amazing Rachel Amber was. In Before the Storm, she turns out to be everything she was made out to be and so much more. She is the near perfect girl that juxtaposes Chloe being a train wreck. Over the course of the game, her and Chloe become each other's anchor and this leads to some fantastic moments. The quality of Rachel's character leads to the final decision being one of the hardest choices I've ever had to make in a game.

Winner:

Elisabet Sobeck from Horizon: Zero Dawn- Elisabet Sobeck was the brains and heart behind Project Zero Dawn. She is also not one to take any nonsense from anybody. She is built up as a godlike figure in the world, and her actions throughout the story only justify this. Her arc is brought to a beautiful close at the end of the game and is what elevates her above any of the other characters of the year.

And that'll do it for day 3. Tomorrow, Day 4, we get serious. The heaviest hitting categories come tomorrow as I run down the things that need to Please Stop, Best Story, and finally, Best Gameplay. Hope to see y'all tomorrow and thanks for reading.

You can follow me on Twitter @_CJ_Pricefield