It’s that time of year again! As we look forward to the new year and the mysteries it beholds it’s time to look back at the year gone past and appreciate the games that have made 2017 a fantastic year for games. So without further ado here, in no particular order, are my top 10 games of 2017.

  1. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

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A game that has won many accolades for its wonderful storytelling and immersive experience, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is the first game on our list. From the first minute to last, Breath of the Wild has captivated audiences young and old. Nintendo has not only revitalized the franchise, they have set the bar from which open world games would now be judged upon.

 

2.      What Remains of Edith Finch

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The first of the horror games to make the list, What Remains of Edith Finch is a lyrical experience that puts players in the shoes of the titular character as she explores the reasons behind her family’s demise. This is a game that succeeds in recreating the joys of reading a book, but that taking it a step further. Taking players into the pages of the book only to end realizing it was not real.

3.      Cuphead

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Embracing the animation style of the early 1930s, Cuphead’s gameplay is anything but whimsical. This punishing side-scrolling platformer makes every progress that much more meaningful, giving players a sense of accomplishment with each step forward.

  1. Resident Evil VII

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It’s no surprise Resident Evil VII has made its way here. The game brought the series back to its roots, ditching the First-Person Shooter gameplay in favor of exploration styled gameplay. Leveraging on the dark aesthetics and theme, the Resident Evil franchise looks to be fresher than it has ever been before.                       

  1. Little Nightmares

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Yet another horror entry on this list, this eerie yet charming game provides players with a haunting, yet introspective narrative. With its tense cat-and-mouse styled chase scenes enhanced by the enthralling visual and audio design.

  1. Super Mario Odyssey

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Where Nintendo succeeded in world building with Breath of the Wild, they did the same for level design in Super Mario Odyssey. The game was a masterclass in level design, making what may seem like the most difficult puzzles accessible, giving players a multitude of ways to solve it.

  1. Horizon Zero Dawn

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Horizon Zero Dawn was a game that received plenty of hype when it was first announced at E3 2015, and boy did it live up to that hype. Guerrilla Games created a marvelous post-post-apocalyptic world where machines reigned supreme and mankind were still struggling to find a foothold once again. Horizon was proof that in an open world setting, developers need not create random busy work for their players. Instead, with a little bit of effort, things like side quests could be neatly folded into the game’s narrative creating a holistic experience for the player.

  1. Persona 5

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Sexy and stylish, Persona 5 was an experience to behold. From the soundtrack to the characters and the narrative. It is plain to see that this was ATLUS’ labor of love. While it was building on the same sort of themes that runs through the Persona franchise, finding one’s true self, Persona 5 took it a step further by taking a bunch of lovable outcasts and throwing them together to form a band of vigilantes desperate to right the wrongs of the world. With a host of strong characters surrounding the silent protagonist, it is no surprise that the character development in the game was second to none.

  1. Nier Automata

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Nier Automata was a masterclass in game design, bringing together different gameplay style and genres to form a cohesive experience. From the run of the mill hack and slash, to bullet hell, there’s something for everyone. The game’s story was also an experience to behold, it also helps that the character herself, 2B, was also captivating. You can catch our interview with Nier Automata’s Director, Yoko Taro, and Producer, Yousuke Saito, here.

 

  1. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

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Perhaps the biggest surprise of 2017, PlayerUnknown’s Battleground, better known as PUBG, was a hit from the get-go. The intensity of the game never really dies down throughout the match, and players are forced to keep a constant lookout for adversaries, while looking for the frying pan that would bring them to sweet sweet victory.