ResetEra Games of the Year 2017 - Voting Thread (READ THE OP) [Ends Jan 21st 8:59am EST]

abrack · Jan 19, 2018

Does anyone know why the vote receipt counts one of my votes like this:

Gravity Rush 2[/B] - Just so fun to fly around the world. I

Is that gonna screw up my ballot? I don't see how that line is different than any of the other ones, so I'm not sure why it's the only one with the [ /b] and more text included.

EDIT: Fixed it, still not sure what was causing the issue but I just deleted that entry and retyped it and now it's fine.

Courage · Jan 19, 2018

abrack said:
Does anyone know why the vote receipt counts one of my votes like this:

Is that gonna screw up my ballot? I don't see how that line is different than any of the other ones, so I'm not sure why it's the only one with the [ /b] and more text included.

Remove the space after the 2 and add a space before the hyphen.

Courage · Jan 19, 2018

NieR: Automata -

One of NieR: Automata's many impactful moments comes in its intro to Route B,

where a desperate machine tries to wake up his seemingly dead brother. You take control over the machine and slowly make your way to collect a bucket of oil in an attempt to rescusitate him. The oil splashes his brother's face; nothing changes. The camera then zooms out to a smug 9S remarking no matter how much oil he gives him, 'you can't make a machine your brother.' There's plenty examples of this in the game, where machines are perceived as inferior to the androids, but it's more significant here as the machine, separated by the context of his collective's efforts, wants to save his brother, an innately animal-like instinct, yet still gets shrugged off as gibberish by 9S; almost as an ironic preview of what's to come.

It's also an example of how NieR: Automata's best moments are playable, even when intensely focused on storytelling.

NieR: Automata continuously subverts player expectations, without feeling cheap, but elegant and in line with its internal logic. Like most meaningful postmodern art, it operates on a metatextual level, and oftentimes its characters feel like pieces to a grander message. Yoko Taro, who as an auteur employed several narrative and gameplay tricks like this in the previous game of the series, NieR, never lets the player feel comfortable, as one begins to uncover the game's true nature piece by piece. Its world is revealed by its side quests which contribute to its world building and add flavor via its unique characters and quest designs,

whether it be walking a little machine girl home, while she asks how babies are made, or talking about existentialism with an incapacitated nihilistic machine head that soon realizes its fate and dies.

Even when repeating its content, the game convinces the player that it's imperative to its progression and thematic purpose. This is bolstered by its alien soundtrack complementing the desolate remnants of the past civilization these androids and machines inhabit. Platinum Games were recruited to provide a more frictionless experience mechanically, where a generous yet addictive chip system is present to customize your kit, and facilitate the fluid combat animation work. The game resonates as much as it does because of its interactivity fitting its storytelling mold when need be, by dynamically shifting perspectives and mechanics. When Nier's structure loosens, it enables Yoko Taro to harmonize the game in such a way that makes it profoundly special. Its emotionally cathartic final ending is the culmination of that. NieR: Automata isn't satisfied with just exploring what it is to be human. Instead it asks: what is it to be alive?
Super Mario Odyssey -

Super Mario 64 is unrivaled in its level design and gameplay options as a 3D platformer, effectively building fleshed out sandboxes for the player, in a time where 3D gaming was still a novel and unexplored concept. The abundant physical space was there to acclimate players to the third dimension; it's years later that Super Mario 64 turned into a speed running favorite due to the combination of its freedom of approach and Mario's moveset. Since then Nintendo wasn't able to effectively return to that philosophy, even with Super Mario Sunshine, which is somewhat divisive for a Mario game. Cue Super Mario Odyssey, the return to those early 3D Mario roots. Mechanically speaking, it brings back Mario's extensive moveset, while adding elements to his repertoire that now seem essential, such as the jump to 'cappy throw' to 'leap into cappy'. It also brings back open ended sandboxes, wrapped in the most conceptually bizarre Mario game to date, constantly feeling like a surreal acid trip in the Mario universe. Mario travels the world and finds himself in places like New ̶Y̶o̶r̶k̶ Donk City to a forest filled with decrepit machinery to a Japanese themed Bowser castle. And to add on it to its strangeness, the game's most innovative mechanic is mapped to a single press of a button: possessing other creatures, or even inanimate objects, with cappy. This smashes boundaries in how a Mario game can be played, making it more like a puzzle game in a sense, than a point A to point B platformer. Every nook and cranny in these worlds are filled with Moons, the game's material currency and objective, as a way to entice exploration and experimentation with these new abilities. Even when possessing someone or something, it feels natural, reinforcing Nintendo's mastery at streamlining and crafting mechanics that just feel good. Although the most ambitious Mario game ever created, it's also the most touching and personal Mario game, often feeling like a tribute for the series, embedding fan service and evoking nostalgia gracefully throughout the game. It's a strong reminder why people fell in love with Mario in the first place.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild -

Removing the shackles of previous Zelda game tropes and conventions, Breath of the Wild evolves the series by distilling what a Legend of Zelda game should be. Once Link step offs the plateau, there is a boundless sense of freedom in its world, with Nintendo encouraging tower climbing, and unlike any other Ubisoft inspired open world game, the player physically uncovers their surroundings instead of being spoonfed places of interest; You use your map as a physical guide, placing pins and exploring different landmarks that may seem intriguing. It constantly emphasizes the joy of discovery and wonder of exploring the unknown, something I personally haven't felt since Morrowind or Dark Souls. Hyrule is Breath of the Wild's beating heart, with a myriad of systems governing the way you interact with it. Link can manipulate the weather, the physics engine, skill set of runes, and environment during fights. It leads to dynamic encounters that allows for experimentation, not unlike other systems driven immersive sim styled games. There's also many moments to slow down and appreciate its beautifully serene landscapes, imbued by the ambience of the game's understated score. Look in the distance and you'll always see something new to find, whether it's a village, an NPC getting attacked by enemies, a Korok seed puzzle, a shrine, an interesting piece of architecture with a crack in the wall revealing a chest. With Breath of the Wild, Nintendo recaptures the essence of the long-running series, harkening back to its very first game, while also setting the standard for its contemporaries in how it authentically feels like an adventure.
PLAYERUNKNOWNS BATTLEGROUNDS -

Revolutionary in how it's reshaped the shooter landscape at a time where other Battle Royale style games or mods were present and anything 'survival' related on Steam hit critical mass. It's ultimately a simple premise: drop down this map alone or as a team and be the last one(s) standing. Getting there is what makes PUBG so compelling, as the map isn't a restricted space, but a sprawling sandbox that enables a variety of play styles. Wanna drop at Military Base and fight it out at the start? Go ahead. Wanna take it slow and loot the breadcrumb of settlements around Gatka? Sure. Wanna grab a car, move outside the zone and start edging in towards the end? These are all viable strategies, and while RNG does play a factor, dying in PUBG and getting sent to the menu rarely feels cheap. Especially with the recent kill cam addition, it has a very addictive 'one more round' loop to it, as one gradually improves their shooting, positioning, looting efficiently, driving, whatever it may be. Its intuitive in its tactical depth and systems, with its overhauled ballistics model informing your shooting, the added vaulting, which feels organic in gameplay, and the improved driving physics, allowing for hijinks. It's that dynamic, emergent game flow and no match ever feeling the same, which gives PUBG its legs and keeps people hooked and even entertained when watching someone else play. And when everything goes right, nothing feels better than the final screen, prompting the immediate screenshot capture to proudly proclaim you won a chicken dinner.
What Remains of Edith Finch -

What seems like a twee game at surface, What Remains of Edith Einch tells a dark tale of the cursed Finch family. It follows Edith exploring her childhood estate and learning about her deceased family members. Their rooms were essentially converted into memorials, giving backstories and personalities to each of them via their intricate detail. The gameplay segments consist of their final few hours, and the events that lead to their deaths. The marriage of gameplay and narrative is what makes What Remains of Edith Finch so special. They're inextricably tied to how the game conveys its themes and characters. For example, one of the characters secludes himself in the basement to escape the curse; he eventually loses his sanity by his monotonous daily routine, starting by opening a can of peaches. The game manages to accentuate that by having the player repeat the act of opening the canned peaches again and again to reflect the character's cycle. Eventually he gains his freedom by breaking out of the basement even though he dies soon afterwards. Without spoiling one of the best moments, the game manages to escalate these sequences organically that fit each character's arc distinctly. The game's personal examination of the Finch family's circumstances makes its message more poignant in the end: even if death is an inevitability, life is intrinsically beautiful and worthwhile. The legacies and memories of those you love remain eternal.
The Evil Within 2 -

Sebastian Castellanos finds himself tormented by his past, drinking his sorrows away at a bar, before found by Kidman, his partner from the first Evil Within; she gives him a glimmer of hope that his daughter, Lily, is still alive. Evil Within 2 is fundamentally a game about a family torn apart and a father trying to undo his mistakes. While the first game was a more oppressive, claustrophobic game in its lighting and mood, its sequel is more naturalistic and expressive in its lighting, and gives itself more space to breathe, while retaining focus to the story of its main character. Sebastian has more options this time around, diverting away from the first's meticulous Mikami directed gameplay sequences into something more emergent; taking place in semi-open hubs for most of it. Playing on Nightmare, the challenge feels just right, although more encouraged to play with stealth, as every bullet matters. This leads to tense combat situations where efficient killing is mandatory: whether by stunning enemies with an electric bolt while they're in water, or finishing them with a melee move as they're stun locked, a la RE4. It's an interesting space to explore, as some houses even have distinct encounters and segments built around them, such as revisiting Sebastian's past in a surreal manner. The game knows when to ramp up in horror, with some of the latter chapters strictly turning into psychological horror, as Sebastian must overcome his guilt so he can find his daughter and escape STEM. It's not particularly well written, but weirdly affecting in how it presents its themes. More of a companion piece in gameplay but a step up in Sebastian's characterization, The Evil Within 2 is a worthy sequel to its predecessor.
Sonic Mania -

Injecting new life into the stagnant Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, Sonic Mania is not only a return to form but perhaps the best Sonic game ever made. It incorporates classic levels while evolving 2D Sonic gameplay in refreshing ways. Act I of every classic stage is mostly unchanged other than some flourishes here and there, but it's with Act II where Whitehead & co. flex their game design muscle by showing a clear path to move the Sonic series forward. Inventive mechanics within levels that have a natural ebb and flow to them, giving space for exploration and platforming, but also high speed thrills which organically transition the player from one part of the level to the next. Sonic Mania doesn't stop with remixed levels though, as new zones have an intangible familiarity to them, as if they always existed in the Classic Sonic pantheon. Studiopolis Zone has that Casino and Carnival Night Zone charm, with its vivid colors and dynamic background in perfect concert with the fittingly bouncy music: "LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!" Press Garden is an inspired mix of the series past industrial and winter levels and a feudal Japanese aesthetic also reflected in its music where the icy synths and guitar riffs come together effortlessly. It's a well realized and executed game, made with a sincere reverence by those who grew up with Sonic; a necessary revitalization and for the first time in years there may be a bright future for the series.
Cuphead -

Even with Breath of the Wild's massive world and NieR: Automata's transcendental storytelling, Cuphead still feels like the most ambitious game of 2017. The painstaking detail and dedication to 1930s rubber hose animation is remarkable. Cuphead's focused creative vision permeates every aspect of the game. The variety of big band jazz, the character and environmental designs, the grainy filter, the audio crackling and popping. It also helps that it's a well designed game. There's as much meticulous craftsmanship to this game's boss designs as there is to its aesthetic. Not since Shadow of the Colossus have I wanted to replay a boss fight just for the joy of engaging with it. It mixes platforming, bullet hell sections, and forces the player to learn enemy attack patterns. It eventually settles into a beautiful rhythm that matches other run and gun platformers in their heyday, notably games like Gunstar Heroes and Mega Man X. As American as it is, Cuphead almost feels foreign. There's almost a sinister undercurrent to it: a juxtaposition of its unique, upbeat style and seeing Cuphead (and his pal Mugman) obtaining these soul contracts one by one, as the Devil waits for their delivery. There's really nothing else like it.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard -

2017 felt like the year of long running series rediscovering themselves. Even without playing Resident Evil 7: Biohazard in VR, there's a level of care in the way its designed that would make it enjoyable for any survival horror enthusiast. Its closest parallel is the very first Resident Evil, just from a different perspective. Instead of the lavish Spencer mansion, the player is thrown in the swampy, gritty Baker estate. There's a sort of intimacy to its it claustrophobic setting combined with the change to first person that makes it such compelling horror. The Baker family are outright terrifying antagonists. Jack's nemesis-esque stalking is a tense cat and mouse game, while also having to explore and solve puzzles, culminating to a ridiculous boss fight that is quintessential Resident Evil. Marguerite's boss design is some otherworldly physical metamorphosis that would make David Cronenberg blush. Lucas Baker sets up traps and an involving puzzle room, mixing up the gameplay. Another piece of classic RE design is a labirynthine ship level that starts the player out with nothing. It's commendable that Capcom found a way to reinvent the series once again, making Resident Evil feel fresh yet familiar.
Gravity Rush 2 -

A compelling way to incentivize exploration in an open world is by making moving around engaging mechanically. Games like Super Mario Odyssey, NieR: Automata and Breath of the Wild manage to do this well; Gravity Rush 2 manages to excel in it. Like other open world superhero classics, traversal is integral to its game design. Gravity Rush 2 scratches that same itch, using its world as a nonlinear playground that the player can use to fluidly shift from one place to another, moving and sliding on building surfaces, a la Hulk Ultimate Destruction and Prototype, and collecting gems which serve as a crumb trail of rewards, a la Crackdown, used to upgrade Kat. Kat is a charming protagonist, as is most of the cast of the characters in Gravity Rush 2. The game's colorful, vibrant art style, comic strip cutscenes, lighthearted tone and whimsical soundtrack feel like Studio Ghibli decided to compete with Disney in their superhero and animated film space. In contrast to its cheerful tone, Gravity Rush 2 does get more serious when tackling social issues, like its unjust class structure. This is reflected in its topography: Jirga Para Lhao's bustling marketplace separates its affluent society which reside above, and its impoverished slums which are below. It surprisingly adds thematic weight to its world, with this inner-city conflict forcing Kat to overcome her naivety and side with the people being oppressed by this system. Waypoint has a great article elaborating on how the game tackles this. Although Gravity Rush 2 can be messy, with its own share of anime trappings and questionable design choices, there's a dreamlike quality to its world and characters that make it irresistible. A flawed gem worth seeing through.

**[VOTEBOT] Thanks for your vote. Your vote receipt is available at here. **

Iva Demilcol · Jan 19, 2018

Persona 5 –

Some people may not agree with me here but I consider Persona 5 the popular game with the most political message out there. Despite its flaws, Persona 5 presented you a series of arc after arc filled with stories that you could find in newspapers and websites, all of it mixed with fantasy and the occult; the supernatural atmosphere of the dungeons and the improvements to the dungeons compared to the ones of the previous games, the superb character designs, the dynamic battle system, the catchy soundtrack, the incredible UI… all of it made Persona 5 stand out in a year filled with dozens of incredible games.
Splatoon 2 –

After the surprise that was Splatoon, it was great to see the series return this time on the Switch. Splatoon 2 is a clear improvement over its predecessor with more options for character customization, new weapons, a better single player campaign, new characters, new locations and new game modes, one of which –Salmon Run- is one of the best modes of the game. Together with Persona 5, Splatoon is the game that I've spent most time playing this year.
NieR:Automata –

The child of Yoko Taro and Platinum games is one of the most pleasant surprises in the game industry of the last few years. It's a game filled with odd design choices wrapped around a simplistic but incredibly flashy combat system; a game that starts strong, becomes stale for a while and then transforms itself in a rollercoaster of pure insanity mixed with philosophical questions I never knew I had.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 –

I haven't finished this game yet, but regardless of that I don't think my opinion of it can change for the worse. I am one of those persons that likes to challenge the idea that the original Xenoblade Chronicles is a "masterpiece" so I was expecting a flawed game from the very beginning but so far Xenoblade 2 has managed to amaze me due to its complex but fun battle system and its marvelous game world.
Little Nightmares –

I'm a sucker for this kind of games. The puzzles are not that complex, but being mostly defenseless most of the time and the creepy atmosphere and the cryptic stories are what make these games so appealing to me.
For Honor –

It's weird for me to write about an Ubisoft game when talking about the best games of the year. Ubisoft kind of lost me several years ago but For Honor's combat system felt really fresh: it feels like Soul Calibur and Dark Souls at times, and a couple of game modes are very Musou-like. The graphics and in general the overall presentation is super impressive, to say the least.
Rise & Shine –

Everyone's going to talk about Cuphead when it comes to 2D action games because the game is quite good. But since I haven't played it yet I'll mention Rise & Shine instead. It's a pretty game with nice shooting mechanics, pretty backgrounds and a cringey sense of humor.

**[VOTEBOT] Thanks for your vote. Your vote receipt is available at here. **

bak4fun · Jan 19, 2018

It's weird how every year, when comes time for the GOTY ballot, I say to myself that this year I will play and finish more games, and I will make my ballot earlier so that I could write a bit more than a few words on why I like the game that are included in it... Maybe this year will be the one....
Let's get to the list and my barely coherent babbling about why I like these games.

NieR: Automata - I have a hard time writing about Nier . Should I talk about the solid combat system? the best soundtrack of the year? the cool bullet hell aspect? The characters? the ENDING? the flaws of the games? The story and how it is delivered? The feeling that it is an author's game? the different theme? Probably, maybe, in the future... I should at list talk about why it is my game of the year, and it is how the game touch a bunch of ideas and themes and how they resonate differently for different players, just how it should be. Just going through the last few pages for some it was about the bleakness of the world and hope that can still be found in it, for others it was the meaning of existence, or it was leaving something behind to start anew, or even it was about love, sentience and humanity. For me, it was about the relationship that are formed between conscious beings, be it love, family, friendship or even with strangers through a game and how they affect the one that are part of the relationship, bringing them joy and pain, enabling them to go against their nature, to go against their own "laws", or sacrificing something of value to help others.... I am still thinking about that from time to time, and that's why no other game could have taken that top spot
Horizon Zero Dawn - A short list of why horizon is so good : the world, I want to explore the world of horizon, what happened to it, how the society fell and how it was rebuilt, and the game delivers, the combat and the enemy, I it just feels good to fight these huge robot dinosaurs, the graphics, there is no denying it, it looks incredible.
Resident Evil VII: biohazard - Only played in VR and it changed everything, For the first time, I really felt uncomfortable playing a game.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus - So much memorable moment in this game, can't wait for the next one
Yakuza 0 - It's a Yakuza game, it might be the best one, main plot is a serious crime story but there is also the side missions, and yep it's weird and funny now
Prey - An arkane game set in space. Also it's good
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy - The best uncharted since 2, the sense of place is great, the characters work great together, the exploration part is cool, it's more of what I like about uncharted
Super Mario Odyssey - Even with me not being a big fan of 3D platformer, I have to say that I was surprised how much I liked Super Mario Odyssey once I let go of the completionist aspect and just enjoyed the different worlds
Assassin's Creed: Origins - Nothing revolutionary, but it doesn't need to be, a huge map that feels good to explore, a satisfying stealth system and a combat system that is much better than the previous entry.
Destiny 2 - It would be weird for me to not have destiny 2 on my list, it's my most played game this year. I really liked it and it still feels awesome to play but I have mixed feeling right now with how bungie treats his players, so yeah ....
Cuphead - How it looks and sounds deserve an honorable mention, I just wish I like how it feels to play cuphead more.
Nioh - I need to play more of it, but I liked what I played so far
Picross S - It's picross so it's good, but this one is not great, too short and easy, the second puzzle system is not as good

**[VOTEBOT] Thanks for your vote. Your vote receipt is available at here. **

A1an · Jan 19, 2018

Horizon: Zero Dawn - An original concept, that has re-defined the gaming landscape, from story, visuels to gameplay this is the next level in gaming design.
Forza Horizon 3 Hot Wheels - A great addition to a great game, if you want to drive side-ways and upside down faster than is possible then this is the game.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard - Resident Evil has gone back to it's roots and back to it best, it is as simple as that.
NieR: Automata - Platinum games at their weirdest and best, NieR is a game that simply draws the player into the world.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus - A game that drags you back screaming into the shattered body BJ Blazkowicz a top draw revenge-em up with the action turned up to eleven!

**[VOTEBOT] Thanks for your vote. Your vote receipt is available at here. **

Rich Uncle Skeleton · Jan 19, 2018

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - I got bored with the Ocarina of Time formula over a decade ago and rolled my eyes when Nintendo pitched this game with the cliche "See that mountain?" schtick, but I ended up having something like a religious experience with it. It's hard to pinpoint what makes this game so magical, but I think there are three key intertwined components -- a robust physics system, organic puzzle solving, and awe-inspiring exploration. Nintendo created an incredible world with a bunch of systems that interact the way they logically should (9 times out of ten if you ask "I wonder if I can..." the answer is yes), then encouraged you to manipulate those systems to overcome obstacles however you see fit. I so often felt rewarded for poking at the systems, trying things that the game never even hinted at but just make sense in that world, and even after 150 hours with the game, I saw streamers doing things that never dawned on me. This plays into the puzzle-solving too: In so many games, solving puzzles amounts to figuring out the thing the developer wanted you to do, leaving in your wake a long list of reasonable guesses that should've worked but didn't because video games. No so with BotW: my solutions often felt like my solutions, to the point that several times I wasn't even sure if what I did was the intended method. And tying all this together is a big, deliberately laid-out world to explore, with surprises to be found everywhere. Never have I had such a sense of wonder exploring a game world. These elements add up to not just my favorite game of the year, but one of my favorite games of all time.
Cuphead - In a world without BotW, this would be my number one with a (finger-)bullet. Like most people I was amazed by Cuphead's visual style but worried it would be all flash and no substance. How wrong I was! I died many times before seeing the credits, but I almost never felt frustrated, because the controls are so tight and responsive. The bosses are all unique and well-designed, not just visually but mechanically as well. Each one feels like its own distinct nut to crack. And the weapon variety adds a ton of depth. Each one is extremely useful for at least one boss, and not in a boring "fire guy is weak to water damage" kind of way. Instead the game encourages you cook up an effective strategy that gels with the shot-trajectory of your chosen gun. I spent 60 hours getting all the achievements and doing a no-death run, and my only significant complaint is I wish there was more of it!
Horizon: Zero Dawn - I enjoyed Horizon's narrative more than any game since The Last of Us. Watching the pieces fall into place and sussing out the mystery of how we ended up with robot dinosaurs everywhere (!) was enthralling. (I never thought they would produce a feasible explanation for that conceit but I stand corrected.) It combined a thought-provoking sci-fi premise with a moving human element, and doled it out with just the right pacing to keep me anxiously awaiting the next info drop. The gameplay is also very satisfying, with a big box of tools and a lot of different approaches to take against a variety of enemies.
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle - It's XCOM-lite with those annoying rabbid characters, and yet somehow it actually works? It even has some original contributions to the genre, like the teammate/enemy bounces that can be chained together, and quality of life stuff like showing what your shot percentage will be for each target from a given square while you're moving.
Super Mario Odyssey - Odyssey has a ton of charm and polish, and Mario's moveset feels great. I just wish this platformer had more of a focus on... platforming. Still I had a great time bouncing around the game's colorful, ridiculous worlds.
Undertale - I'm playing this for the first time on PS4 because I never got it on PC. The writing is excellent.

Other games I played a significant amount:

Dream Daddy - I'm playing through this with my wife and enjoying it somewhat, but we tend to play it for 20-30 minutes at a time before it loses our interest. The writing is pretty charming and funny, but the quirky, "lovable dork" tone can get a little grating after a while.
Nier: Automata - This game has a lot of neat ideas, both in terms of gameplay and narrative, but for me it didn't stick the landing on any of them. I got all five endings because of the "just stick with it" buzz, but I mostly found it a chore to play.
Tricky Towers - A very cool idea -- physics-based Tetris -- that I tired of pretty quickly.

Games I still need to play:

Hollow Knight
Steamworld Dig 2
Nioh
Snipperclips

**[VOTEBOT] Thanks for your vote. Your vote receipt is available at here. **

Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule · Jan 19, 2018

Zelda Breath of the Wild - Not only the most fun game i've played but a new fresh start for my favorite videogame series. A new hope the videogame.
Persona 5 - I still can't comprehend how the Persona team is able to create this kind of experiences made exactly for people like me.
Super Mario Odyssey - Pure joy, the game shows love in every corner, at this point i have blind faith in whatever the mario EAD team comes up with.

**[VOTEBOT] Thanks for your vote. Your vote receipt is available at here. **

Raysoul · Jan 19, 2018

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - I'm contemplating if I would give the top spot to BotW or to XBC2. Gameplay is one of the most important factor, so I would give that to BotW. However, the music and the story are so good that it really gives XBC2 an edge. While BotW is a much more polished game than XBC2, the latter provide so much spectacle and emotions that it overshadows all the blemishes for me. I would personally call it a tie with BotW, but XB2 has more over the top elements like Bayonetta or The Wonderful 101, and it resonates with my style of gaming.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - This would be my GotY if not for the awesome story and music of XBC2. The gameplay and environment is well designed, and all elements come up together. The music is made with the gameplay design in mind which nicely compliments the ambience of the environment. The environment is so beautiful that I purposely avoid teleporting to a shrine and force myself to ride a horse to reach my intended destination. The combat is not W101 or Bayonetta tier, but it is more solid than most action games.
Super Mario Odyssey - Fun! Fun! Fun! This is a solid game, with solid OST and solid gameplay. My inner kid is full of joy while playing this game.
Splatoon 2 - While the final campaign boss was a letdown, all other things are solid for me. The music is surprisingly different, but fresh. The core gameplay is still fresh and fun. Bonus points for being a GaaS without any microtransactions or loot boxes.
Golf Story - A combination of golf and RPG is surprising. This games oozes with charm, and it let me smile everytime I play this game.
Fire Emblem Warriors - The solid gameplay is improved by adding Fire Emblem like strategy. Unlike Hyrule Warriors, my team is finally helpful in combat. The artstyle and music is also on point.
Stardew Valley - This is the best version of Harvest Moon. Totally addicting.
ARMS - I didn't like the game at first, but after trying the Global Test Punch, it pulled me into its world. The gameplay is so solid that it asks me to play it again and again.
Pokken Tournament - The Switch version of Pokken is slightly improved over the Wii U version, but it still retains the solid gameplay that I liked.
Overcooked - This is the best multiplayer game on Switch. Easy to play, hard to master.

**[VOTEBOT] Thanks for your vote. Your vote receipt is available at here. **

shinobi602 · Jan 19, 2018

Welp, time to get mine in.

Horizon Zero Dawn - I really don't even know where to begin. I've always enjoyed Guerrilla's Killzone games to a certain degree. Killzone 2 was the pinnacle of the series for me, and I appreciated what Guerrilla had brought to the table with that franchise. When we first saw what Horizon really was, I was absolutely stunned. The team that brought us Killzone had created a game like this. The world is so lush and mesmerizing that I stopped at every new town I discovered, every clearing, every outcrop, every river just to take it all in. Exploring the world was satisfying. The sounds, the art direction, the characters, the environmental variety are all absolutely breathtaking. The machines are so incredibly detailed that I shake my head at the idea of how long it took to design them. Aloy became one of my favorite characters this generation and that sprouted out from her wittiness, her smarts, her bravery, and really just her all around charm. The story genuinely gripped me from the very beginning and I was actually motivated to figure out just what the heck was going on - what happened in the past? Why is Aloy special? What was Project Zero Dawn? As if all of that wasn't enough, I love the combat. While the melee action could use improvement for a future game, fighting enemies at range with the various bows was so smooth and fun. I just can't wait to see where Guerrilla takes us next.
Assassin's Creed: Origins - This took me completely by surprise. I've been a fan of the Assassin's Creed series since its inception over 10 years ago, and while I've appreciated them and enjoyed them, I felt Assassin's Creed II and Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag were the only truly "great" games in the series. That changed with Origins. I'm still playing it today and the reason is due to the revamp treatment given to the franchise by the Black Flag team. Everything is overhauled. Movement and controls are really the most fluid in any action adventure game I've ever played. Whether I'm riding a camel or horse, swimming, sailing a boat, walking or running, or flying Senu in the air, it's smooth as butter. The parkour is a sinch. Combat is completely redone to what felt like a mix of Dark Souls and The Witcher to me, which I loved. Bayek is up there along with Ezio and Edward Kenway as my favorite protagonist in the series and that stems from his humor, his thoughtfulness in his actions and his personality as a father. That clicked with me as a dad. He loves children, and that's ever more present from his personal loss. I can't even speak enough of the world of ancient Egypt. The team at Ubisoft built one of the most believable worlds in a game I've ever experienced. The map is not only MASSIVE, but filled to the brim with details. Every town and city feels unique. There are shopkeepers bargaining and selling, soldiers roaming the streets, dogs, cats, birds and all kinds of animals going about their lives, stonemasons doing their work, butcher shops, leather tanners, people sailing down rivers...it feels so incredible alive and I'm adoring every single second of it.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - This was actually the very first Legend of Zelda game that I've beaten. I've dabbled in the series in the past, getting fairly far into Ocarina of Time, Majora's Mask, Link's Awakening, and a couple others, but for some reason never finished them. This one clicked with me to the point that I clocked in over 80 hours at the end of it all. The world is massive and it was such a blast discovering shrines and completing puzzles, finding Korok Seeds, meeting all the quirky denizens of all the towns and seeing what their little problems were all about. As a big fan of engaging narratives in games, I'll admit this disappointed me in Breath of the Wild. The story was ultimately somewhat forgettable, but I was mostly ok with that for some reason and I think that's simply because of how fun everything else was. The dynamic systems in place were nothing short of insane. Running outside in thunderous weather? Don't wear any metal lest you get struck by lightning! Is it windy out? Set some grass on fire and fan it with your giant leaf and watch it spread. Climbing a surface in the rain? Good luck, you'll slip. I probably didn't even encounter every in-game system either. What a detailed world, and one I also loved playing around in. I'm happy to have spent the time I did with it. Can't wait to see where they take the series next.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm - The original Life is Strange was one my top games of 2015. Dontnod built a world that sucked me right in. I cared so much about the characters I interacted with. I experienced happiness, sadness, dread, anxiety, confusion, anger...rarely has a game ever made me feel the way Life is Strange did. Before the Storm was more of that but in a slightly different light. Experiencing Rachel and Chloe's relationship made the original feel so much more impactful in hindsight. There was so much happy potential in their future throughout the game, and by the end, I'd never felt a pit in my stomach like I had with this. It's really just a testament to the incredible writing and narrative team at Dontnod. I love the studio so much and I'm so happy they gave us this IP.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy - It's a little strange for me to say that I don't feel The Lost Legacy was talked about enough in 2017, but for a year with dozens of fantastic games, it makes a bit of sense. There was just so much good stuff out there. What started out as DLC blossomed into one of my favorite games in the series. In fact, it's my favorite after Uncharted 2 and 4. The visuals were absolutely stunning as expected from Naughty Dog (think I took over a hundred screenshots lol), the combat was punchy and dynamic, as much as or even more so than Uncharted 4, and for the first time in the series, we got a pseudo open-world in which to explore and play around in - with a map! Chloe and Nadine's relationship felt real and I cared for both of them. All of it culminated in one the most action packed and gripping cinematic gameplay sequences I've ever played in a game at the end. Damn that was good. Naughty Dog continues to prove it's one of the best in the business.
Yakuza 0 - I'm ashamed to admit it, but this was my very first Yakuza game! And damn am I happy I decided to take the plunge and see what this series was about. Kiryu and gang are such a memorable, larger than life cast. Rarely has a game sucked me into its story as quickly as Yakuza 0 did. A true mob story. I wanted answers. I wanted vengeance. I wanted revenge. I wanted to kick some ass. All of these feelings raced through my mind with every mission that I completed. There were so many amazing plot twists that I honestly couldn't get to grips with anticipating what was going to happen next in the story. Combat had an awesome beat 'em up feel with additional customizable layers sprinkled in. I'm so happy I took a chance with this, as I'm currently going through Kiwami next.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus - Over 3 years later and it was finally here. The New Order was one of my favorite games of 2014 and that's because Machinegames delivered one hell of a reboot for the Wolfenstein franchise. I was pumped to finally play The New Colossus and it really didn't disappoint. The shooting felt just as frantic and in your face as its prequel, the mission variety was great, the cast of characters was better than ever, and I was enamored with the chemistry between BJ and Anya. It was nice to see that affection and romance blossom in such a dreadful time and place. The New Colossus seriously delivered some moments that took me by complete and utter surprise and I won't forget them anytime soon. I love the series and, like a lot of other games on this list, can't wait to see where the studio takes it next.
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier - My love for Telltale's The Walking Dead continues with the third entry this time. While we don't get to play as Clem this time around, she was still prominent in almost every episode and I kind of felt a sense of...pride seeing her continue to grow into a strong woman? It was a nice feeling. She can truly take care of herself now and kick anyone's ass. You go girl. The overall story wasn't as emotional or impactful as the original game, but there were some pretty high stakes throughout and I have to say, I loved, loved, loved Javi and Kate's relationship here. Probably Telltale's best when it comes to a genuine bonding between two characters. Had a great time and looking forward to the final season. Though I don't know if I'm ready. *breathes in*
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - Always been a fan of Ninja Theory's games, especially Enslaved: Odyssey to the West and DmC: Devil May Cry. They know how to do action, and Hellblade had plenty of it but it was more nuanced than their past games. They built a unique world filled with beautiful art direction and a sense of place. I felt for Senua. I have not had a lot of exposure to mental health issues, and it's a stretch to say this game exemplifies the subject with 100% accuracy, but, it felt like an eye opener. I wanted Senua to be ok. I wanted her to succeed, to be free and to be happy. This was amplified by some of the most incredible acting I've seen from any video game character. To hear that this was her very first acting job...yeah, it blew me away. Combat felt slow but methodical. It felt real. I'm so happy the game ended up being a success for the studio because they deserve it.
What Remains of Edith Finch - I didn't know exactly what to expect, but I'm more than happy with the results. Giant Sparrow delivered an incredibly somber experience that I won't soon forget. Every memory hit me, and some felt like a gut punch. Some had me sitting and staring at my TV thinking "Did that just happen? Oh my God...". The world was beautifully rendered, the writing excellently written, and the narrative wonderfully told. I'm glad I got to experience this.

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BananasWithGuns · Jan 19, 2018

Assassin's Creed Origins - Origins was the runaway best game of the year for me. An incredibly constructed open world, a great main character, an enjoyable story and solid combat came together to form the best thing we've seen out of the Assassin's Creed franchise in quite a while and one of the best games I've played in recent memory.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm - This prequel turned out better than I ever could have hoped. The removal of the time rewind hook from the first game was barely noticeable as a cast of phenomenal characters combined with an absolutely engrossing story resulted in this being of the most special experiences of the year.
Cuphead - It's hard to describe just how incredible Cuphead is. The art and animation is truly second to none and really allows the fantastic design of the bosses to shine through in a big way. The gameplay itself is also very tight and refined which is a big part of what makes Cuphead such a joy to play.
Middle-earth: Shadow of War - Despite being a game that turned out to be very polarizing, it's a game that I found a ton of enjoyment in. Yes, the final act is the poster child for terrible design but it couldn't take away from just how incredible the rest of the game is. The Nemesis system shines in new and interesting ways and the moment to moment combat and gameplay is truly fantastic.
Tacoma - This is a game that really caught me surprise and I wasn't expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. Fullbright managed to create a game where you're all alone on the space station yet you never actually feel alone due to the great cast and story that you get to know and experience through the data/memories you uncover throughout the game.
Mass Effect: Andromeda - By this making my list it obviously means I enjoyed it more than most. Yes, the game has plenty of issues that have been well documented but the core of the game was something I found to be very strong when all was said and done. The crew and squad ended up being one of my favorites in the entire series and the main story turned out to be really enjoyable and interesting, especially in the latter half of the game. Factor in the fantastic combat and it's a game that, while I'd admit could have been better, still turned out to be something very enjoyable.
What Remains of Edith Finch - For a game that takes place inside of a single house, the amount of variety and creativity is truly second to none. The overall plot is very intriguing and some of the individual stories you experience are absolutely captivating.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus - While this is a game that I felt was very uneven to the point of frustration in some instances, it's still one that I found myself having a lot of fun with. The story is enjoyable enough to carry the game through the weaker first half and into the second half where the gameplay and pacing begin to flourish and allow you to truly feel like a Nazi killing badass.
RiME - A beautiful world that is accompanied by beautiful music. RiME truly left me with a sense of wonder and intrigue as I worked through puzzles to uncover both the world itself and the story hidden beneath it.
Injustice 2 - The production values here are off the charts. The game looks beautiful and the attention to detail is incredible. The equipment and loot system also had me on the brink of addiction for a little while.

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Deleted member 11025 · Jan 19, 2018

Life is Strange: Before the Storm - A prequel that nobody asked for, by a different developer, with a non-union voice cast, and no supernatural powers. This game being good would have been a pleasant surprise. The fact that it's great feels almost like a miracle. It gave further insight into Chloe, who's one of my favorite characters ever. It fleshed out Rachel Amber, someone that I honestly didn't care about at all, and made her into such an interesting character. It recaptured a lot of what made the original Life is Strange such an excellent game while also adding enough to make it a distinct, unique experience. Sure, there are some flaws (Rachel's parent's voice acting immediately springs to mind) but overall this is an excellent game and one of my favorite narrative games. Oh, and the soundtrack is ridiculously good. Daughter is amazing.
Tekken 7 - I usually stick with 2D fighters, but Tekken 7 is one of the best fighting games I've ever played. A huge cast of interesting characters and easy to learn/hard to master controls made this a hit with friends and family. I'm still absolute shit in online play but it's been so fun learning a new system that's so different from the fighting games I usually play.
Pyre - Bastion is a top 5 GOAT game for me. Transistor is top 20. I had huge expectations for Pyre and while I wasn't as blown away like with Supergiant's previous games, I think Pyre might be their most interesting release. An RPG with basketball as a sacred strategy game and a visual novel-like presentation for character interaction. I've never played anything like it. I really enjoyed the characters as well, with Jodariel and Sir Gilman being the workhorses for my Nightwings.
Night in the Woods - With a premise that hits incredibly close to home, this is probably the funniest/most depressing game I've played this year. Great writing and music in particular.
Horizon Zero Dawn - A beautiful game with fun combat, a great lead character (Ashly Burch is in so many games I enjoy) and one of my favorite video game settings. Also, it has robot dinosaurs.
Shovel Knight: Specter of Torment - Another excellent Shovel Knight campaign. Not quite as good as the original but almost as good. The new mechanics took a little getting used to but once they clicked, this became a blast.
Puyo Puyo Tetris - Maybe the best casual local multiplayer game I've ever played. I somehow had never played a Puyo Puyo game before and this was a wonderful introduction.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - The best version of the best Mario Kart game.
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds - The first few rounds I played had some of the most intense moments I've ever experienced in a video game. The magic kind of wore off a little after a while but it's still a brilliantly designed game.
Persona 5 - A good game with a lot going for it but also a ton of flaws. The further I've gotten from it, the less I like it but it's definitely the most stylish game I've played in 2017 and Shoji Meguro killed it yet again with the soundtrack.

2017 had too many good games. Still need to play Sonic Mania, Hellblade, Nier, Yakuza, Arms, Edith Finch, Tacoma, Hollow Knight, Wolfenstein and probably more. I hope 2018 is a slow year.

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Hieroph · Jan 19, 2018

Miitopia - This took me completely by surprise. This game just doesn't stop giving! I'm still playing it!
The Legend Of Heroes: Trails Of Cold Steel - Love what Falcom has done here and with the series. Like JRPGs? Play this.
Undertale - One incredible game. This is basically art.
The Disney Afternoon Collection - This is pure fun in a great package. We absolutely need more like this.
Shantae Half Genie Hero - Need to replay Shantae and the Pirate's Curse again to see how it stacks up after HGH but this is one fine Shantae game.
PICROSS e8 - Picross is perfect for those quiet moments and settling down. It might be impossible to get tired of filling in squares.
Metroid: Samus Returns - Not the best Metroid game out there but still pretty damn great, and it's awesome to finally have an official remake of Metroid II.
Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap - Love what they did with this classic. More retro games should see updates like this.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - It's Mario Kart 8, and MK8 is still great. Now bring on MK9.
Knack II - SAVED THE TRUE GOTY FOR LAST!! No, seriously, it's a very fun game. No joke.

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Psoelberg · Jan 19, 2018

Havn't prioritized playing games much in the previous year, so here's a ranked list of all the games I've played in 2017. All of them have elements that I more or less enjoyed, so they all deserve to be on a list:

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo once again recaptures the essence of being a child playing that one perfect game. BotW almost gave me the same feeling of playing a Team Ico game; the spiritual adventure - and I love it. A breathtaking journey through a wonderfully crafted world that kept rewarding me throughout the experience.
Assassin's Creed: Origins - This took me completely by surprise. For me AC games have always had a lot of potential - but never reaching it. Origins is the first game an AC game actually succeed. And I'm very optimistic about the future of the franchise.
Rain World
Horizon Zero Dawn
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Mass Effect: Andromeda
Star Wars Battlefront II - Have only played the single player part. The story was somewhat acceptable, but the art design and sound design really hit the right spot.

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AegonSnake · Jan 19, 2018

Horizon Zero Dawn - This isn't just a great looking game, it's easily one of the greatest looking piece of art I have ever seen in any medium. The cinematography, art design and foliage here are nothing short of spectacular. But none of that would've mattered if the gameplay wasn't so engaging. The combat is so refined, so responsive, exhilarating and challenging, it made me dread these machines and frantically look for bonfires like I would in Souls games. It shits in everything from Zelda to Witcher and Skyrim. It defines what makes a game great. Gameplay. Story was a little underwhelming, but Aloy is easily the best character of the year and the story had some great moments towards the end. This is my GOTG.
Assassin's Creed: Origins - I loved Black flag but did not expect this. It's Witcher 3 meets Assassins Creed with almost Horizon quality and my god does it work. I was mesmerized by the world and addicted to the combat and upgrade systems. Everyone loved Zelda for its world but AC Origins easily had the best world in a game since maybe AC2.
Uncharted Lost Legacy - A true return to form. A lean, mean and frantic uncharted game that ends in easily the greatest uncharted setpiece in history. Chloe was amazing and the game was full of great moments like the elephant scene and nadine pushing chloe into the water. Naughty Dog still got it.
Nioh - A dark Souls game set in Samurai Japan with flashy as fuck Ninja and Magic moves. I mean what an amazing combo. the game is brutal but the combat is so goddamn sublime it makes me wonder how I ever played Dark Souls in the first place. I have no idea wtf is going on in the story but these just might be the coolest cutscenes i've seen this gen.
Gran Turismo Sport - A game I had written off as a vapid GaaS entry in the franchise. How wrong was I. PD has reinvented, no revolutionized online racing on consoles with this game. They teach you how to be a better driver, a more honest driver and then pit you against the best of the best where finishing 10th is considered an achievement. the graphics, the driving physics and the overall racing is so good it's hard to put it in words.
Mass Effect Andromeda - Yes, it has issues. Yes, it's not as good as the original trilogy but again, the gameplay here is fantastic. I loved exploring new worlds and just blasting fools with OP biotic powers. The story really picks up towards the end and some of the loyalty missions are as good as the series best. Liam's mission is easily the funniest mission I have played this gen.
Destiny 2 - Despite all its issues like last gen visuals, 30 fps cap, weird mechanics heavy raid and poor end game content, i still put in over a 100 hours playing an exquisite shooter. once again, gameplay reigns supreme and no one does it better than bungie.
Call Of Duty World War 2 - I hate CoD Campaigns but this one surprised me. Going back to med packs helped create this tension that other games simply lacked. The setpieces are pretty cool but I really liked how the visuals and shooting transported you back to WW2.
The Legend Of Zelda Breath Of the Wild - A flawed masterpiece is what I would've called it if the gameplay was better. Right now, i will just call it a great game. The entire game seems to revolve around shrines and getting karoke seeds and that is simply not incentive enough to keep playing the game. Games like Mass Effect, Horizon, AC Origins, Nioh and even stingy old Destiny reward you for going the extra mile and making you more powerful or giving you abilities to make the game more fun. Zelda gives you more inventory space and health. My favorite part of the game was grinding for the Master Sword and then it broke. Easily one of the most boring games I have ever played. the dungeons and setpieces are the only reason why this game is on this list. the game needed more of that and less running around aimlessly.

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PinkCrayon · Jan 19, 2018

Divinity: Original Sin II - There were many good games this year, but many of them fell short of being great. DOSII did not. Improved combat from the first game along with excellent characters and narrative writing made this game one of the best I have ever played.
Playerunknown's Battlegrounds - Stripping out the superflous elements of the genre, PUBG boils it down to what matters: gunploay and stategy. With over 300 hours played and over 100 chicken dinners, I won't be dropping this game any time soon.
Prey - A fantastic addition to the immersive sim genre, playing the game without any abilities really highlights all the different ways traversal and combat problems can be solved.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus - Many people slept on The New Order in 2014, but luckily this sequel got the attention it deserved in 2017. While being extremely poignant for the times we live in, Wolfenstein also delivers on the video game front with crazy cutscenes/story beats and satisfying gunplay.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - Senua's journey in to Helheim was a deeply moving experience that was greatly enhanced by the impressive audio and visual aspects of the game.
Xcom 2: War of the Chosen - Well thought out improvements to an already excellent game make War of the Chosen an expansion I will return to for years to come.
Life is Strange: Before the Storm - A game that should have probably not even existed rocketed on to my list with the impeccable episode two. Seeing Chloe and Rachel's relationship blossom from awkward teens to "let's leave town tonight" showed me that Deck Nine understood exactly what made Life is Strange so good in the first place.
Cuphead - More than enough has been said about Cuphead's style, so I will gladly add my voice to the choir. What an absolute masterclass of art and gameplay.
Observer - The absolute right way to make a "walking simulator" type game. The world of Observer is a cluttered, incoherent, synapse overloading mess, and it works perfectly.
Snake Pass - As someone who typically stays away from platformers due to their simplicity, I enjoyed the unique control scheme and level design of Snake Pass immensely. Shame about the game icon on the switch tho.

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Fjordson · Jan 19, 2018

Persona 5 - Was tough to decide between this and Yakuza 0 and I'm honestly not quite sure what is compelling me to put this over Y0. It just feels right. I loved the cast, loved the music, the overall design of the UI and the various menus is peerless and the balance between teenage social sim and supernatural dungeon crawler is the best it's been in the series. Both sides of the game are about equally strong since I feel like Atlus improved in a major way when it comes to dungeon design and combat. I was never bored when in dungeons, merely anxious to get back to hanging out with friends or leveling up social stats like in past games.
Yakuza 0 - Yakuza been one of my favourite series for a while now, so I expected this to be really good, but I didn't expect the best game in the series. Playing as a young Majima was an absolute joy and the 80's setting was a great change of pace for the series. Also, it features an incredible localization of a fantastic script. In classic Yakuza fashion, the game manages to deftly balance serious crime drama, slapstick comedy and heartwarming positivity and optimism.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 - CRPG's have seen a bit of a resurgence over the past few years and I couldn't be happier about it when it's giving us games like Divinity 2, certainly the leader of the new school of CRPG's. Combat never gets boring due to the sheer number of tactical options, the various classes are distinct and interesting to use, the amount of choice and the weight those choices actually have on your party and the world around you is fantastic and the writing is always on point. A wonderful balance between dark fantasy and whimsical humour, never straying too far in either direction.
Assassin's Creed: Origins - Origins is definitely the surprise of the year for me. Assassin's Creed hasn't captured attention in years. Not since we were running around Italy as Ezio. But Ubisoft has managed to pull me all the way back in with Origins. Much like Assassin's Creed II, the winning combo is the setting and the main character. Playing as Bayek, the last medjay of Egypt, was so much fun and the Ancient Egyptian setting worked on just about every level. It's an incredibly varied world packed with detail and things to do and see. The game also shakes up many traditions of the AC series in a positive way and makes the game feel fresh compared to past entries. Combat has been completely reworked, you level up now and there's a completely new RPG gear system. I was skeptical when I first started reading all the positive impressions and about these new systems, but in the end it all worked beautifully and resulted in the best Assassin's Creed in years.
Cosmic Star Heroine

There were a lot more good games last year, but the order gets a bit hazy after the ones above. Figured I'd keep it to my absolute favourites. Overall a truly fantastic year.

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Napalm_Frank · Jan 19, 2018

Well it's that time of year again. It's almost depressing how many games I expect to really like (honorable mentions to Horizon, Mario, Ys, Uncharted, Night in the Woods and the list goes on and on and on...) that I didn't have time to get into before the voting. And then there are the games I have a positive impression on but haven't dove quite deep enough to feel good including (Zelda, Yakuza, Hat in Time, Danganronpa) at this point. If only there was more time to get it all done but in a year like this it would never be enough! But on the other hand I already have so many games I liked and have spent a lot of time in that I cannot fit them even with the honorable mentions included. Final shoutout to Toukiden 2, Cuphead, Kingdom Hearts 0.2 and Project Diva Future Tone, good stuff! It was easily one of the best years in gaming ever, I'll be playing 2017 backlog for years to come.

Persona 5 - Well, this didn't exactly come as a surprise to me. Expected it to be masterclass and for me it was. Really meaty turn-based JRPG with likeable cast and great soundtrack is my jam. When it is all said and done it really feels like you were on this amazing journey and you are sad to leave the characters and the world behind. Quoting words of one Michael Huber: you almost want it to keep going for another 100 hours. Gameplay portion especially is a big improvement over 4 and I love how you get all kinds of new gameplay perks by advancing the social links. Of course good to see actual level design in the dungeons too!
Hollow Knight - Unlike P5 this game came as a total surprise for me. Never really heard about it until I got it from a Steam sale for almost too cheap and gave it a go. It is by far the best ''Metroidvania'' I have played. Gameplay is just rock solid all around and I especially love how much optional and missable stuff there is. You really get meaningful rewards and secrets if you go out of your way to seek them out, exploration done right. There is so much mystery to the world, it basically feels like 2D Bloodborne in many ways. But that would be selling it short, it's so much it's own thing. The hand drawn animation is very charming, the characters are extremely likeable despite being very light on screentime or dialogue. I just cannot come up with anything I actively disliked about it. And even after I was done with the meaty main game I was still hungry for more, the game haunted my thoughts for weeks after finishing it. Easy recommendation for the cheap price it goes. Best deal of 2017 even without the discounts.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 - This game is absolutely ridicilous. First of all, GREAT turn-based battle system, absolutely love it. But the thing that truly makes it great is the actual roleplaying side of things. You have so much freedom in customizing your character, basically almost making up your own character class, and just all the ways you can affect the game world (and how it affects you) with different skills, racial talents, dialogue options ect. It's pretty much as close as you can get to a video game representation of Dungeons and Dragons, everything great about traditional PC RPG's you can find in this game.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard - Resident Evil is BACK! Feels great to say it. One of my all time favourite series and I was so done after 6, was very sceptical about 1st person perspective and ''Outlastification'' of the game but it turned out better than I ever could have hoped for. It's Resident Evil 1 and Texas Chainsaw Massacre put in a blender and the result is a great mix of survival horror, camp, nostalgia and something completely new. Also a big shoutout to the best villain of 2017! All of my rekindled hope for Resident Evil 2 Remake (one of my favourites of all time!) can be credited to this game. Just warm feelings all around and I have yet to even touch the VR side of things! When I eventually get the headset this will be the first game I pop in no question.
Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy - And another one of my favourite series that is BACK! Not much to say about this one, impressive remasters/remakes for great price. Games are just as good as they have always been. Big thumbs up for making Coco playable and adding time trials and sprint to Crash 2, adds a very meaty extra layer to the best game in the collection and a huge hook to keep revisiting the levels. The only real bummer are the load times, shave a few seconds off and we are golden.
Nioh - Combat system and gameplay is what carries this game above and beyond. Great customization and interesting character builds and weapon styles. The thing that keeps Nioh from greatness is that it's a bit too bloated. I wish I had done fewer side missions and that it had a few more enemy types. Also the story is almost total nonsense and I'm not gonna lie, it was a bit hard to follow at times as a person who has no idea on history of Japan and the historical characters and events that appear in it. I really wish I could have connected to the narrative more but as said when it comes to pure gameplay it's top tier. I think Nioh 2 has all the cards to be something truly masterclass.
The Evil Within 2 - While I like the first one a bit more this ended up being another very solid survival horror game along with RE7, good times! This game reminds me of Silent Hill Downpour of all things with the more open ended exploration of the town with some actually interesting stuff and surprises in there to be discovered. I just wish it was just a bit more grimy and disgusting like EW1 or RE7 but overall it's a solid sequel.
What Remains of Edith Finch - I'm not a big fan of ''walking simulators'' but this is definately how you should do those. Absolutely killer pacing, really imaginitive gameplay sequences with great variety and just great overall atmosphere. The game is really short but it uses it to it's advantage, not one dull moment and can easily be completed on one sitting. It feels like you just watched a really great movie. Also featuring a really cozy house as the main location is always a bonus.
Gravity Rush 2 - While GR2 is not the most solid game when it comes to core gameplay it more than makes up for it with charm, vibes and music. The characters are as likeable as ever, it feels good to just fly around the world and take in the artstyle. Treasure hunts are also really fun 90% of the time so good thing they extended the server life, such a friggin tragedy that it had to come to this.
SteamWorld Dig 2 - Just a solid, solid game that feels good to play. Digging feels great, collecting gems feels great, upgrading your character feels great and the puzzles and secrets are pretty good overall. Combat is extremely basic but everything else easily makes up for it.
Sonic Mania - Although I never was incredibly into the old Sonic games I do have fond memories of 2 and 3&K. Sonic Mania is pretty much the best one of that formula. While there are still some of those trademark cheap enemy/spike placements it doesn't really ruin all the other good parts of the game. The music especially is very good. Also great to see Sonic in something not embarassing for once!
Nier:Automata - While it didn't grab me quite as strongly as some people here it still has some really strong stuff in there, especially the soundtrack. Some of the sidequests were a bit too pointless and I would have been better off focusing more on the main story but it's still certainly a very unique ride and I'm really happy that a game like this ended up being successful.

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stoff · Jan 19, 2018

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - As many others have said before: This game - like no other before - made me remember why I fell in love with this medium in the first place. I loved every second of exploring this new and immediately iconic rendition of Hyrule. Without any doubt my clear GOTY.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia - What a wonderful surprise this was! Announced out of nowhere; a beautiful new rendition of the obscure "black sheep" of the franchise. Echoes gives me hope for the future that the series has found its feet again.
ELEX - Another return to form; this time for Piranha Bytes. Manages to really bring back the depth and ambiguity of their Role Playing style. ELEX sucked me in, despite its utterly unappealing setting which is something I truly have not foreseen.
Snipperclips - Thanks for giving me the best video game family time this year. A wonderfully imaginative game concept not only to play but also to observe.
Splatoon 2 - An even better version of the most fun multiplayer shooter I know. I've spent countless hours this year with its loud chaotic nerve-wrecking matches.
Super Mario Odyssey - A great ride with fun and charming ideas around every corner. Unfortunately, it lacked the tightly designed linear platforming challenges I am truly looking for in Mario games.
Fire Emblem Heroes - Part of me hates putting it here, but this is truly the very first Mobile Game that managed to grab my attention. I hate it for its business model - but love it for the nostalgia of my favorite game series.
ARMS - This was probably the very first Fighting Game I clicked with. Wished I would've had spent more time with it, but Splatoon came too soon.
Persona 5 - Yes - it is too long. Yes - it is too inconsistent. Yes - it might not have reached the heights people had hoped for. But it was still a wonderful ride and I am glad I sat through it.
Pyre - There are so many great design choices in Pyre, that I would want to acknowledge. I really wished the game itself was more fun to play.

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VierasTalo · Jan 19, 2018

XCOM 2: War of the Chosen – Firaxis continues to prove that they can make the best expansion packs in the business by revamping a poor sequel into the best game of the series.
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds – The greatest horror game of 2017 is all it aspires to be as an experience which more than makes up for what it lacks as an actual game.
Yakuza 0 – I have tried playing several Yakuza-games as they've come out since 3. This is the first time it clicked for me. A "new" start, unhinged from the baggage of the sequels, is the perfect entry point.
Rez Infinite – It's Rez but it's like, you know, infinite. It's (fake) vector line heaven.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus – A masterpiece in game storytelling. Only rarely as uneven as it's predecessor. If it had an ending it'd be #1 with a bullet (or several).
Fire Pro Wrestling World – The fact that someone made a good wrestling game for the first time in six years is wonderful.
Nioh – I may not be the biggest fan of the loot-heavy systems within this game but it's heavily drenched in that Feudal Japan -atmosphere save for a few missteps in design and coupled with a highly aggressive combat system. Love it.
Persona 5 – This series continues to go places all of it's own, and growing as a thing in the process. Radical shifts in content and perspectives will undoubtedly drive people away from it but I can't help but adore it.
Emily is Away Too – A successful follow-up and a more accurate nostalgia trip for me than something like Kingsway.
Crawl – Continues to be my go-to on the two occasions per year I actually get people to play a game with me live.

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MentalZer0 · Jan 19, 2018

Nier: Automata - Don't know, Don't Care
Cuphead - My head is a cup
Nioh - More Amrita, please
Prey - Arkane understands the thing
Assassin's Creed Origins - Egypt is a wonderful place
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - I like puzzles, yes I like them a lot :)
Horizon Zero Damn - Aloy is the Queen and robotic dinosaurs are cool
Persona 5 - That's my jam
Injustice 2- Every battle defines you
Gran Turismo Sport - Time is a valuable thing

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Deleted member 14377 · Jan 19, 2018

Pyre - Well written game that deserves more attention. Amazing, endearing cast. Felt extremely immersed as the reader. Cried at the end!
Divinity: Original Sin 2 - Phenomenal game. Had a blast running through it with my Wife in co-op. It's the game with most hours on my list!
The Evil Within 2 - Amazing improvement on the first game. Great story, cried at the end
The Sexy Brutale - Amazing twist on a cliche of an ending, super clever puzzles, fun cast. Cried at the end!
Nier: Automata - Gorgeous game, great atmosphere and fun combat. Really love the storytelling.
Night in the Woods - Eels, Era.... Eels...
Prey - Amazing sim, enemy variety be dammed.
Battle Chasers: Nightwar- Fun, grindy RPG that won me over on it's art direction!
Resident Evil 7 - Resident Evil's return to form. What a fucking spook ass game!
Hollow Knight - Great metroidvania, got soured on it during a second playthough. The traveling is tedious D:

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Net_Wrecker · Jan 19, 2018

Yakuza 0 -

The isn't the best playing game on this list, this isn't the best looking game on the list, this isn't the best sounding game on the list, this isn't even the most consistent game on the list. What Yakuza 0 is, though, is a plot that grabs you by the neck and drags you along for one of the most engaging, entertaining stories in 2017. It's not unique in its storytelling, content, or presentation, but where it succeeds is smart usage of its meager budget to provide memorable moments. Moments ranging from larger than life 1 v 1 contests of pride, honor, fire, and vengeance, to moments that are so far on the other end of the spectrum that you would get whiplash if you stopped and thought for a second about how large a tonal shift you just witnessed. A tremendous localization breathes life into all these moments, allowing this big 1980s Japanese underworld cast to shine in all of their flamboyant glory, somehow managing to never lose the player in its maelstrom of family names, organizations, and alliances. It's dark, it's funny, and it's invigorating in its biggest moments. By the time you reach the credits and the game has turned over every plot thread it set up through this 40+ hour story, you will be left satisfied. It's a thorough experience that stretches in a lot of different directions to entertain you, perhaps illegally, and with questionable morals. This is not the Yakuza series carving a new path, but this is the series operating at full power.
Sonic Mania -

My childhood. I played through this and thought about people and places I haven't seen in a long time. I showed it to friends and family with a goofy look on my face. "REMEMBER THIS?" I played through it in SharePlay co-op with furry expert Xtortion multiple times and we damn near broke the game via debug mode. Christian Whitehead, Tee Lopes, and all the other fantastic people from PagodaWest Games, Headcannon, and SEGA that worked on this not only created the best fan game ever, but they made the first great Sonic game since 1994. They found that spirit again. They found that design again. They found that funk again. That bop, that rhythm, that SOUL™. T'was the 90s again, for just a second. I seent it.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy -

aka Band Aid of the Year aka Oh Naughty Dog Remembered How To Make A Great Uncharted aka Last Year's Model Strikes Back. I'm not going to be long winded here, if you've followed my Blog™, Myspace™, or even swiped right on my Tinder, you've heard/read me drone on with this series, so I'll just say this: In only one year, a "Not the A Team But Not the B Team Either" group of folks inside Naughty Dog managed to make the second best Uncharted game, and prove that there is still life left in this franchise. This is a gorgeous game that brought the fun back to Uncharted after Nate's dour finale. WHEWWWW those spectacular last 2 chapters- basically a love letter to the wild energy of THE Uncharted Set Piece; a muscular display of talent and iteration by Naughty Dog, doing what only they seem capable of doing without even so much as a flinch at updating and BESTING their most iconic scenario. That madness caps off a breezy, light hearted, smoothly paced romp, on top of having the best puzzles in the series, and puts a stamp on what some of us have been saying since 2009- Chloe is the one. If Nathan Drake wants to go home and be a family man, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is the backdoor pilot that takes a defibrillator to strutting through a poor village, destroying all the artifacts, and killing all the bad dudes who definitely maybe shot at you first.
Thimbleweed Park -

Adventure game legends Ron Gilbert and Gary Winnick spearhead this Kickstarter funded throwback, reaching to golden age adventure games of the 80s/90s to craft this charming, smart, meta, faithful spiritual successor that leverages genre tropes to twist them to point of breaking, winking at you, and with you, all the while. They know what they're making, they know you know what you're playing, everyone knows when these games were hot, everyone knows what Era® this game is being released in. I don't think I played anything in 2017 that was as acutely aware of itself, its audience, and its place in history as Thimbleweed Park. It's a celebration of the genre, of 80s pop culture, of videogames, and of a very specific kind of nerd. Part Twin Peaks, part X-Files, part Maniac Mansion/Monkey Island, and all joy.
SteamWorld Dig 2 -

Pure fun. Vibrant visuals, tight controls, and a briskly told story rest on one of the most gratifying and well paced progression loops you'll find in a Metroidvania. With every venture back into the mines, caves, and pits of this robotic steampunk-western world, you come back with jewels to be traded for upgrades that aid you in digging deeper with more efficiency. Over time you become something of a mobile construction site that can basically remain underground indefinitely (or at least as long as your inventory space allows) giving you access to more secrets and challenge rooms featuring just a bit of puzzle solving, asking for a bit more platforming dexterity, and handing out a bit more story progression. SteamWorld Dig 2 isn't doing a ton that's completely new, but it's polished to a mirror sheen and never gets out of character.
Night In The Woods -

The post-teen years existential crisis projected through the narrative-adventure game, using the dying breath of small town, rust belt USA to examine routine, goals, failure, nostalgia, ambition, depression, and generally facing every day feeling lost in life. This is an engaging narrative focused adventure title that will not appeal to everyone- Mae, a sarcastic, sometimes abrasive, and often self-pitying 20 year old protagonist can be painfully recognizable though not always likeable- but if you can find something in this unique, goofy, flawed group of anthropomorphic animal characters to latch onto, you might be able to appreciate their human flaws and outlooks as much as I did. None of this would work without good writing and the game has that in spades, with snappy and humorous text based conversations that paint a clear and unique portrait for every oddball personality you meet, using the routine of day-to-day life to flesh out the characters, the town decaying around them, and the relationship between both. There are one-off gags, there are self contained slice of life vignettes, there are overarching stories and themes, there are weird little interactive mini-games, and all of this is wrapped in a small town vibe tinged with just enough drama and strangeness to give the game a jolt whenever it seems to be getting too cozy or down on itself. So check this out if you want to do some crimes with Gregg. Gregg rulz.
Horizon: Zero Dawn -

(+ The Frozen Wilds expansion) So I've cooled on Horizon just a bit because of the expansion. It absolutely makes you fear the machines again and shines a light on the incredible combat system in Horizon, while also polishing up the writing and presentation, but it also exposes some of the game's faults in traversal and world interaction/dynamics more than I would've admitted while I was swept up with the base game. But make no mistake, swept up I was. Guerilla Games accomplished a frankly near impossible task on their first attempt at the genre: Making an open world action-RPG with lore deep enough to create intrigue, a story solid enough to create drive, a central character sturdy enough to shoulder the narrative, and mechanics great enough to keep the game fun. LOUD GASP, this team which beforehand had MAYBE 1 good linear FPS to its name over a decade of "almost but not quite" just made Sony's Next Great Franchise. Aloy is here to stay, this world is begging to be cracked open and explored through a trilogy (or maybe even a SAGA :O), these overwhelming machines never stop being fun to encounter, and oh yeah it's also one of the most gorgeous and technically impressive games you have ever seen in the history of vidyagames (like seriously, I took well over 1500 screens of this game). Like I said to start, there are big and obvious targets to hit in future Horizon entries that can improve the experience (some of which I won't even get into here), especially in the wake of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but those didn't stop me from putting 100 hours combined into Horizon and its expansion in 2017.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus -

This is the most brash, most angry, most absurd, most bewilderingly and comically socially relevant game of 2017. While I do have to admit disappointment that it isn't higher on my list due to some strange design decisions and a general unevenness to the way the game handles as an action-shooter (including possibly the WORST player damage feedback I've ever come across), Wolfenstein II is filled with enough fury, catharsis, and style in its story alone to make it. MachineGames went completely crazy on this thing. It's not as subtle in its handling of "tough guy by day, poet by night" BJ Blazkowicz, nor is it as human in its portrayal of your loveable resistance group, but in the place of those qualities we have a game that is profoundly more head scratching, and outright audacious than anyone called for it to be. That same great acting direction that MachineGames has had since the days of Starbreeze is also present, and the game can still slow down to get to the heart of these people, but this time it's side by side with more kinetic and stylish cutscene direction, and more emotional and hard hitting first person narrative scenes than they've ever had. This is a series where story matters, and the production efforts are dripping off of these scenes, working hard to let you know. And even despite my comments regarding gameplay, there is still an extremely physical, satisfying first person shooter here, with full body awareness and MUCH improved lighting and effects fueling your warpath as you paint what feels like every Nazi bunker in existence red…well, more red, with blood and guts. Seeing as Bethesda's valiant effort to be the home for singleplayer FPS's isn't paying off the way we'd all hope, I don't know how many more of these kinds of games we'll get in the future, but if this was the dark and wild middle chapter for MachineGames' Wolfenstein series, it left me excited for what's sure to be an explosive ending. The New Colossus isn't as balanced a package as its predecessor (including not having NG+ in this one which is a huge misstep), but there are enough MachineGames idiosyncrasies here to make it work.
Gravity Rush 2 -

Ahh, the first post-Trump game I played, way back in January 2017. Feels like a lifetime ago. It was the perfect game to play at that moment. Going from the Vita developed original to this PS4 sequel sees a massive jump in scale, visuals, and atmosphere making for an even more magical half French comic, half Studio Ghibli world for you to bounce around in. With gravity manipulation traversal that continues to feel incredible (now featuring 2 more styles with their own pros and cons), a protagonist that retains all of her positive-outlook errand girl charms, and lots of quaint world building quests playing out in their own pockets, Gravity Rush 2 is a game filled with personality and style. The reason I couldn't put this higher even if I did spend 80 hours with it and had a blast is that with the aforementioned jump from the Vita to the PS4, you expect more from the mission design. There are standout moments where the production values and set pieces are leaps and bounds from what the first game offered, but those are few and far between. A lot of the quests, while featuring humorous dialogue and goofy scenarios, play out in a kind of strange staccato, lacking design that really makes the mechanics shine, and lacking the kind of inventiveness you'd want from a game with this much character. Still though, the beautiful world, gorgeous artstyle, fun traversal, and bubbly characters bring a lot to the table.
A Hat In Time -

This game has been overshadowed by its own issues, rightfully so given it's an easy thing to fix, but still, I didn't play Odyssey last year so this was as close as I could get. It's cute, it does some interesting things with presentation and plot to get around the grind of a collectation and its fan funded budget, and takes you across some solid platforming obstacle course style worlds in the vein of Super Mario Sunshine. The hat switching gimmick is a cool remix of traditional platforming abilities which culminates in a big gauntlet world where the game gives you free reign to accomplish what you want, mixing and matching abilities in almost Zelda-like fashion leading up to the ending. The whole thing feels dropped out of an alternate universe 2004 where wacky PS2 era level based, 3D collectathons ala Psychonauts kept flourishing. It's just too bad about the… other thing.

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Xtortion · Jan 20, 2018

Net_Wrecker said:
furry expert Xtortion

i'll take it

JCX · Jan 20, 2018

Persona 5 - Without giving too much of the story away, Persona 5 is one of 2017's most relevant games. It's a game about rebelling against society, but specifically those aspects of society that entrench powerful men in their positions. I usually don't care about story in videogames, but P5 made me care. Thus is on top of P5 being easily the most stylish game of the year. Seamless transitions into and out of battles, the battle choreography, menus, and even loading screens show the wild effort Atlus put into polishing this game. The OST is the most thematically cohesive album of the series. "Blooming Villain", "Willpower", "Last Surprise", and "Jaldaboath/Our Beginning"
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - I'm about halfway through, but XC2 is my shit. Yes, the protagonist regularly says "We'll defeat you with the power of FRIENDSHIP" in the middle of battles. This is a game that knows what it is, and does the most with it. XC2's art design serves up superb views (this game needs a photo mode). Mitsuda's music in XC2 surpasses the original, highlights being "Counterattack" , "Incoming!"
Splatoon 2 - Having played 300+ hours on the Wii U original, I wasn't sure Splatoon 2 would stick with me, especially since it changed super jumps and removed the gamepad map. Fortunately, the pro con works great, and the added modes have kept me playing most of the year.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle - I love strategy games, but I'm also a bit burned out on Fire Emblem. The mechanics are simple enough for newcomers, but challenging enough for strategy game players. Hardcore tactics go down far more easily when painted with the colorful pallette of the Mushroom Kingdom.
Super Mario Odyssey - You can turn into the a T-Rex or a Goomba or a piece of meat. The best Mario game in years is secretly a 3D Kirby game and I love it for that.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadow of Valentia
ARMS
Nier Automata
Final Fantasy XII Zodiac
Miitopia

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Net_Wrecker · Jan 20, 2018

Xtortion said:
i'll take it

I was debating that or anime zipper connoisseur, but I figured the zippers aren't as acceptable a lifestyle choice.

Benji · Jan 20, 2018

Horizon: Zero Dawn - Man this game blew me away in every way. Loved the open world, the stunning graphics, combat, story, and Aloy herself. The fantastic expansion The Frozen Wilds just cemented this as the best game of 2017 for me
Nier Automata - This game placing so high on my list is a big surprise to me. On my original playthrough of Route A I enjoyed it but thought the game was a solid 7 / 10. However after playing through the games other paths and ending it shot up the list
Life is Strange: Before the Storm - I was originally a bit worried when I saw it would be a different developer and a prequel. However the team delivered a beautiful game worth of the LiS name
Tales of Berseria - A great cast of characters that makes it my 2nd favorite Tales Of game ever
What Remains of Edith Finch - A beautiful short experience that doesn't overstay its welcome. Fantastic narrative with unique gameplay elements to keep you engaged
Call of Duty WWII - A very strong campaign, great productions values, and a great feeling multiplayer. One of the best "bang for your buck" titles of 2017 and a nice rebound for the franchise
Resident Evil 7 - A huge turn around the franchise and the first entry for a while that actually made me legit scared on many occasions. Hope to see the franchise continue in this trajectory
Destiny 2 - The game is plagued with issues, and I haven't played it much after the first month at all. But the time I did spend with it I did enjoy. If only it didn't feel like for every 1 step forward D2 takes from D1 it takes 2 steps back
The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild - A fantastic game and the best Zelda in years. I do think the game has some issues and shortcomings but what it does right it does so well it still gets a top 10 placing on my list
Super Mario Odyssey - A great, solid 3D platformer. Lots of great moments that made me smile

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BY2K · Jan 20, 2018

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Breath of the Wild is, in one word; Freedom. The freedom to go anywhere you want. The freedom to do anything you want. The freedom to do it any way you want. This isn't just the most freedom Nintendo has given its players since the original Zelda, it's the most freedom Nintendo has given its players period.
Super Mario Odyssey - If I wasn't such a huge fan of The Legend of Zelda, Mario may have taken the #1 spot here. Alas. Super Mario Odyssey is just an absolute joy to play and just lose yourself in the game. No game this year has made me smile as much as this game did. If you do not have the biggest smile on your face while playing through the New Donk City Festival and climax of the game, you are soulless.
Resident Evil VII Biohazard
Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle
Sonic Mania
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Metroid: Samus Returns
Cuphead
Nioh
Nier: Automata

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Xtortion · Jan 20, 2018

Net_Wrecker said:
I was debating that or anime zipper connoisseur, but I figured the zippers aren't as acceptable a lifestyle choice.

Sonic >>> KH

Tricky I Shadow · Jan 20, 2018

2017 was an amazing year for games!

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - So far I have put in 320 hours and I consider this to be the greatest game Nintendo has ever made. It's a masterpiece. What else really needs to be said?
Super Mario Odyssey
Resident Evil VII Biohazard
Splatoon 2
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
Nier Automata
The Evil Within 2
Horizon: Zero Dawn
Gravity Rush 2

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Chie Satonaka91 · Jan 20, 2018

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - An absolutely incredible experience, it truely created a vast world that I enjoyed getting lost in.
Super Mario Odyssey - Pure joy to play, between the polished platforming and movement objects, the varied enviroments and fanservice/throwbacks, i couldn't stop grinning playing this game.
Splatoon 2 - A worthy follow up to my game of the year 2015. Improved over the original and added so much more, my most played game of 2017.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Beautiful music and a really likable cast. Throw in a fun combat system and varied enviremnts (and a good story) make this my favorite rpg of 2017.
Yakuza 0 - It's more Yakuza, and now set in the 80's with disco dancing, money flying everywhere and a playable Majima, what's more to love? A lot of great references and foreshadowing to the later games.
Fire Emblem Echoes Shadows of Valentia - Really liked the art in this one, along with the turnwheel that allows you to undo mistakes. A number of things such as dungeon crawling, and full voice acting made me really like this one.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle - A lot of love was poured into this one, Ubisoft really nailed making a great Mario game with a Ubisoft twist. Fun game play and a gorgeous artsytle.
Stardew Valley - First time playing this one, i got sucked into it and put around 60/70 hours into it. Really addicting, but also really relaxing.
Yooka Laylee - Banjo Kazooie is my favorite game. I kick-started this one and don't regret it a bit, has the same charm Banjo Kazooie held for me. Not quite as polished, but it's a fun 3d collectathon platformer, and had a lot of fun with it.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - I actually bought a Wii U for the original release, I wish Deluxe had a bit more content, but I've had a blast with the re-release. Playing the game Locally with a ton of people was a real joy.

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Rock And Roll · Jan 20, 2018

The Legend Of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - What makes this such an incredible game upon reflection is that almost everyone who plays it has a radically different experience with it. By shaking up a series that was growing stagnant by removing the linearity, Nintendo created an absolute masterpiece that is special to countless people for countless different reasons. It may have it's problems, but it's influence will be felt for decades and you can not deny Nintendo knocked it out of the park.
Resident Evil 7 - Another classic franchise got a much needed rebirth this year. After the past 2 mainline entries lacking horror and ranging from decent to unplayable, Capcom decided to hit the reset button and go back to the series roots. It pays off magnificently. The Baker residence is everything you loved about the mansion and features some of the best boss fights in any of the games. The future once again looks promising for Resident Evil.
Horizon Zero Dawn - Without a doubt the best new IP to debut this year, Guerrilla Games have created a series that many of us are already anxiously awaiting the next entry. I reallly enjoyed how taking down the dino's were puzzles in itself, you had to figure out how to best attack each machine. It combined puzzle solving and combat in a fluent manner. When you finally take down something towering over Aloy, you feel like a champion.
Metroid: Samus Returns - After what seems like an eternity, we finally have a Metroid game worthy of it's status among the other entries in the series. A much needed remake of an unforgiving Game Boy classic, Samus Returns gives us Metroid fans a reason to FINALLY be excited about the future of the series.
Nier: Automata - I think this game provides a solid argument for having a "cinematography" category for GOTY. The way the camera pulls out during certain battles and repositions to create gorgeous backdrops is honestly better than a lot of movies I have seen. The music is phenomenal too and on top of all that, it is a really fun game to play due to its fast paced battles.
Steamworld Dig 2 - It's been a few years since the release of the original Steamworld Dig, but when it released I remembered nothing but positive comments/impressions. You would think Image and Form wouldn't have much to improve on due to the overwhelming response of the first title, yet somehow they managed to make an even better game. There are more gadgets to make digging/traversing the map easier and they create a way more entertaining experience. I also had a lot of fun with the boss fights. Can't wait for SWD3
Splatoon 2 - By far the game I spent the most time with this year, yet somehow not as high as the others. Splatoon 2 is a fantastic game which improves upon the original control wise/mechanically. However, the online experience has been pretty brutal for most, as plaza posts often display some meme of connection error messages. I wish Nintendo would fix the online for this game, as it is a great game that could be fantastic if it can get a smoother online experience.
Super Mario Odyssey - Mario Odyssey is a great entry in the mainline series, though I feel it falls short of it's predecessors (Galaxy and 3D World). However, I can see why those who grew up preferring SM64 and Sunshine were enthusiastic about Odyssey. It gives the best "open world" feel to a Mario game so far as it is crammed pack with fun ways to navigate each world. The crazy combos that you can pull off with Cappy are endless and the game oozes style (looking at you, 2D sections).
Cosmic Star Heroine - Made by our very talented forum members at Zeboyd Games, Cosmic Star Heroine delivered on the 16 bit RPG experience many of us have been craving. What sets it apart was the unique battle system that used cool down management and combo stacking in a brilliant way. I was constantly having to think rounds in advance like a game of chess. I'm hoping Zeboyd can give us another game fleshing out the battle system more and improving on this indie gem.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy - Undoubtedly the best Uncharted game since UC2. It fixed the problems most of us had with UC4 and gave us a more action packed experience as opposed to lengthy walking sections/character interactions. I can't help but feel the game wasn't given enough love by Naughty Dog though, it did feel a bit wonky to control at points. I really wish they give us another Chloe/Nadine adventure that has the polish of the other games.

All in all, easily one of the best years ever for gaming. Count yourself lucky if you got to play a bunch of them last year, as I don't think we'll see something this magical again for a long, long time.

Honorable mentions, in no particular order:

80s Overdrive, Dragon Quest 8, Snipperclippers, Etrian Odyssey V. Also shout out to Cuphead which I unfortunately did not get a chance to play but I'm sure it would have had a spot in the top 10.

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OneAndOnly · Jan 20, 2018

Rock And Roll said:
.

Please place your list in an ordered list. Highlight your list and press the ordered list button in the toolbar. You dont need to write the numbers out.

DOATag · Jan 20, 2018

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - For me this game surpassed every expectation of game design and the sense of wonder and exploration it instilled in me is something I can only wonder how long it will take for another game to replicate
Horizon: Zero Dawn - From a developer I expected nothing of, came a masterpiece in storytelling. Few games have delivered for me such an engaging story from beginning to end
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - A masterful design in audio, visual's, story and gameplay that use's an extremely unique narrative hook to provide gameplay elements in a new light
Life is Strange: Before the Storm - A game that had everything going against it, delivered a product that many would argue is superior to its predeccsor
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus - This game blew me away, literally and figuratively. Everyone I know has played and loved this game. No one I know has played its predecssor
Golf Story - I picked this game up and didnt put it down until I beat it. From start to finish I had a smile on my face
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds - From the first 5 seconds of any match to the last 5 seconds of any match, I can have a sense of hype and tension that no other shooter has given me.
NHL 18 - it is my unwind game. I come home and play it.......

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maja · Jan 20, 2018

Assassins Creed Origins - This turned out to be my favorite game of the year. Looks great and plays very fluid.
Horizon: Zero Dawn - I really the game and its original world. Hope to see Aloy again soon.
Hollow Knight - Gigantic metroidvania. Pretty hard, but good to control.
Divinity: Original Sin II - Haven't finished it yet. Great so far.
Mass Effect Andromeda - For the 30-40 hours i played it, i had a decent time. Not as bad as i was made to believe.
Prey - I loved the pretty great space station and the indirect story telling.
Nioh - Great combat, i found it just a little too long in the end.
Middle Earth Shadow of war - The first 3 Acts where great, Act 4 was just grinding. Overall i liked it alot.
South Park the fractured but whole - I had a lot of fun with it. Overall it was less memorable than the first on.
Wolfenstein II The New Colossus - Great story! A little bit let down by the combat encounters and the level design.

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Jimrpg · Jan 20, 2018

Yakuza 0 - I knew after playing this, this was my favourite game of all time. It wasn't something I could declare on the spot, but six months later, its clear to me, no other game has in my opinion made such a compelling game in all the ways that a game can possibly be measured. The most important aspect, is that Yakuza 0 is a blast to play. It's an open world, but the area is tight and littered with things to do, and so many choices for the player at all times. At pretty much any point in the game, you can choose from one of the 10 or so mini games, or go beat up some thugs, make money through cabaret management or accumulating property. The story is also incredible. Gone is the lengthy bloatedness of Yakuza 5 of which it took 50 hours to beat, and in comes a more streamlined, easy to understand, but just as deep origin story of Kazuma Kiryu and Majima Goro. They've also managed to introduce new characters and old that blend in well with the Yakuza timeline so that its seamless with the saga. A more difficult job than said. Finally as I want to keep it short, I literally don't have any complaints about the game, maybe one, protecting the girl Makoto in the missions gets a bit fiddly, other than that, I loved everything about the game.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception - In any other year, this would be my game of the year. Unfortunately it came up against my favourite game of all time Yakuza 0. Nevertheless Utawarerumono: Mask of Deception commands a spot in my Top 10 games of all time, possibly number 5 and is a contender for my favourite Visual Novel ever (with the other contender being Steins;Gate). What makes this game great is the writing and the characters. The game in general moves at a fairly languid pace, kind of like the main character really, that though doesn't mean its boring, because its anything but. it just takes its time to flesh out the detail of the world and the characters. The characters are also lovingly detailed and I came to love all of them. The art style and music are also amazing and I still listen to the soundtrack (and have the songs in my head) to this day. I don't have much more than to say, if you're at all interested in VNs, this is an absolute must play. It's just a top quality product. There are some strategy RPG missions, which makes it not a pure VN, but they are great at breaking up the story and offer something different. The game is still more VN than strategy RPG though.
Utawarerumono: Mask of Truth - More of the same, though it starts off perhaps not as intriguing as Mask of Deception, because a lot of the opening hours deal with the closing of Mask of Deception. Though I haven't finished it yet, the game feels oozes high quality and production value and is one of the best VNs I've played.
The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel - After seeing some mixed reaction to this, I was cautious about the title, but I've found that I've enjoyed almost everything about the game so far. The story delivery is rather forced and a couple of the characters are written to the brink of being unrealistic for impact purposes only (looking at you Mathias), but overall the combat is pretty fun and I like most of the characters. I'm quite a fair way from finishing, but I think I'm enjoying this more than say the last 20-30 hours of Nioh.
Nioh - Nioh is a wonderful first effort from Team Ninja to blend in elements of Ninja Gaiden, Dark Souls and Diablo, three of my favourite games. Despite on paper looking like an odd mix of games, they work really well in execution. I was especially impressed with how the loot system worked, particularly as I thought it would lead to moments of spiked difficulty or make it too easy in some cases. It didn't and only gave the player more reason to continue playing to find better weapons and armour. The controls were also amazingly well thought out, most things were one or two button presses away and the flexibility in combat between the different stances and movesets and weapons was extremely accessible as a result. In fact this would really be number 3 on my list if it wasn't for the fact that it was really 20-30 hours longer than it needed to be with a story that was not worth the extra time.
Yakuza Kiwami - Yakuza Kiwami is a great game on its own, and the fact it gets a remaster shows how highly Sega regard this seminal title released 10 years ago. It's just that it releases six months after the already perfect Yakuza 0, and gameplay flaws from 10 years ago have reared its ugly head. Things like fetch missions that are part of the main story stay in tact here and some of the side missions don't have the flair or quirkiness from more recent games. That said its the Yakuza experience, and one of the better stories of the series. For new fans who want to see how it all started, its definitely better to play this over the PS2 original.
Pro Evolution Soccer 2018 - I don't know if its a copout to list this in here as its a very similar game to every other year, but I continue to have fun with the series. Once the data packs for real teams are added, PES 2018 plays brilliantly. There are as always annoying little quibbles, but buying this Day 1 was very worth it as it always gets plenty of play time.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands - I picked this one up late last year and was lured in by the open world and graphics and they definitely didn't disappoint. But true to (ubisoft?) form, this has one of the worst plots and the most boring dialogue for a game I've played this year. I mean in the scheme of things, its not 'diabolical' but for a AAA game with a team of 500(?) people, would it kill them to write a decent story for once, especially a game that carries the Tom Clancy name. The gameplay, game design and game progression also feel like it was designed overnight as it's basically a drive here and kill these bad guys and rinse and repeat. But this feels like a GTA/Just Cause clone honestly in the Bolivia wilderness and that's not such a bad thing.
Gran Turismo: Sport - As a mostly single player gamer, I skipped GT:Sport Day 1 mostly because I was fine with going back to the PS3 and playing GT5 and 6 and playing through the campaigns there. I also don't have PS Plus, so I'd be missing a large portion of the game. Thankfully news broke of the updated GT:Sport single player campaign at around the same time as Black Friday sales so I got this rather cheap at AU$29. GT:Sport isn't the best racer I've played yet and I have a feeling Forza 7 drives better than this though I haven't tried it, but its good enough and fun enough to make my Top 10 particularly at the discounted price.
Dragon Quest VIII - I have been meaning to play this for the last 10 years (my PS2 copy is still sealed), so when it finally came out again on 3DS, I bought it without hesitation. Despite it not looking as good as the PS2 version (I prefer the less saturated colours), the QoL improvements mean that the 3DS version is the one to play. As I have only just started, number 10 is the highest I feel I can really put this right now.
The Legend of Zelda: BOTW - I've had two sessions with this game, and came away with it decidedly mixed. I played about 5 hours when the game came out and was blown away much like most people were by the scale of the game, the huge mountains, the seemingly endless exploration and the natural barriers the player has to overcome, crossing a river, traversing a mountain. It just felt like real tramping. On the second playthrough a couple of months ago, all the flaws of the game reared its ugly head, the jankiness of the combat, the literally diabolical lack of stamina, the collection of materials and cooking, the ridiculous controls, the weapon degradation, the boring dialogue, the dated sound effects, the rather average performance on the Wii U. I'll finish the game this year and it may go higher in the list, but I'll go into it with a lot less expectation this time around because if I don't, the flaws are going bug me the entire time.

Commiserations to games I bought but haven't played yet - Horizon: Zero Dawn

Commiserations to games I really wanted to play but haven't had a chance to buy yet - Nier: Automata, Final Fantasy XII HD, Assassins Creed Origins, Divniity: Original Sin 2

**[VOTEBOT] Thanks for your vote. Your vote receipt is available at here. **

Tizoc · Jan 20, 2018

https://www.resetera.com/threads/re...an-21st-8-59am-est.11841/page-35#post-2648420
My ballot ok? Didn't feel like I needed to write for all the games.

Tricky I Shadow · Jan 20, 2018

Tizoc said:
https://www.resetera.com/threads/re...an-21st-8-59am-est.11841/page-35#post-2648420
My ballot ok? Didn't feel like I needed to write for all the games.

Sure is!

TheGreatLugia · Jan 20, 2018

NieR: Automata - This might be my favorite video game in half a decade. I don't think I've ever experienced storytelling in a video game like in NieR, and it has an excellent story to tell with some wonderfully written characters. Pair that with a fluid combat system, memorable bosses, unique sidequest stories, and a jaw dropping soundtrack, and you've got one of the most powerful video game experiences in recent years. My biggest fault with it is that it was the most glitch filled game I played this year.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Out of the handful of open world games I've played through, I think this is the best one. The sense of discovery when both traversing this game's environment and messing around with this game's mechanics are both top notch. It offers almost complete player freedom without sacrificing much in terms of location design. Two of the game's sacrifices that sting a bit more are probably variety in enemy design and dungeon design, even though I love the game's shrines and enjoy its main dungeons more than most players might.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - As excited as I was for this title, I'm a bit surprised at how close it came to overtaking Breath of the Wild as my top Switch game of the year. It probably would have if it had gotten a few more months of polish, but as it stands this game excels at everything I look for in an RPG. From a highly rewarding combat system to memorable characters. From interesting locations to a strongly told narrative. From hours of wonderful music to solid pacing for a lengthier title. It hasn't been too long since I finished the game, but I have a feeling this is going to be one of those titles that sticks with me for a long time.
Persona 5 - This is another RPG that does so many things right for me. I love the dungeons, the characters, the style, the combat system, the soundtrack, and the themes of the main narrative. This is easily the most polished RPG I've played this year, as well. That being said, the characters might have resonated with me a bit less than the ones in some of the other RPGs on this list. I also think this game's main story suffers a bit more from awkward pacing at times when compared to that other really long RPG on this list. However, all the time this game demanded was still very well spent.
Super Mario Odyssey - I can tell it's been a standout year for video games when a brand new 3D Mario entry barely makes my top five. This is easily my favorite of the sandbox 3D Mario games, but it doesn't quite reach the highs of my favorite 3D Mario entries, which are the more linear Galaxy 1 and 2. I enjoyed every second I played, but I didn't experience as many jaw dropping moments as I had hoped for. That might be since much of what I'm doing as Mario feels pretty similar to other entries even if the structure and presentation have changed. An example is how even though the capture mechanic is a lot of fun, its mechanics don't feel that different from traditional Mario power-ups to me. That being said, the kingdoms are quite well designed, Mario feels great to control, there are some fun boss encounters, and there are a couple of tracks I can't get out of my head.
Horizon Zero Dawn - This game's combat against machine enemies feels wonderful, it has two great characters with Aloy and Sylens, its presentation is excellent, and its world's history ended up being a lot more interesting than I expected. This game is especially impressive considering it's Geurrilla Games' first RPG.
Splatoon 2 - This game solidly builds on the first entry's excellent foundation. The new stages and weapon types are well designed, the soundtrack is energetic, the singleplayer campaign is on par with the original's, and the horde mode is more fun than I expected. This game easily has the most fun multiplayer I've played all year.
Metroid: Samus Returns - I've never played the original Metroid II, but I think this remake does an excellent job of bringing it up to par with Fusion and Zero Mission. Despite using 3D character models instead of sprites, the game's controls are quite fluid. The locations are well designed and enjoyable to explore in search of every power-up. Some of the brand new and redesigned boss fights are a lot of fun, as well, and the desolate atmosphere is well accounted for by the visuals and the music. While I can't comment on this game's quality as a remake without playing the original entry, I think it marks a great return to form for the Metroid series.
Tales of Berseria - After feeling disappointed with Tales of Zestiria, I was pleasantly surprised at how attached I grew to this game's cast and how engaged I was with its central narrative. The combat system is also a lot of fun, if quite easy on the default difficulty setting, and the field design is an improvement from Zestiria although still not great in my opinion. Unfortunately, I also think this has one of the weakest soundtracks in the series. That being said, I think this is a very solid RPG overall.
Pokemon Ultra Sun - This title is only on my list because there weren't any other new games I played this year. I think Pokemon Sun is excellent, which leaves me disappointed in saying that Ultra Sun is possibly the weakest enhanced rerelease in the Pokemon series. It doesn't have enough changes from the original release to warrant two versions instead of one, and some of the changes made the game weaker than the original release a year ago. I was especially disappointed in the new story climax which feels more generic to me than the climax built up in the original Pokemon Sun. This game is better than Sun from a technical and mechanical perspective, but I can't bring myself to call it a better experience overall. I can only recommend it to players who skipped Sun and Moon and want to play the newest release.

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Shayla · Jan 20, 2018

Splatoon 2 - (NS) This may be my favorite game of all time. The fact that I played just over 400 hours just in 2017 days it all. And that's in half a year! Loved Splatoon 1 on WiiU, but only played 345 hours since I hate playing tv games. When Splatoon 2 became portable my Play Time and fun with it truly shined. So much fun playing all maps and modes. Never a bored moment. Here's to many more hundreds of hours!
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - (NS) And this may be my favorite single player game of all time. Simply amazing to explore the world for the first 80 hours. Then 100%ing Shrines, Side-Quests, speedrunning, Master Mode, and other DLC brought me up to 205 hours in 2017. It's so fun just to walk around.
Persona 5 - (PS4) Like I previously said, I hate tv games, but loved Persona 4 Golden so I pushed through this at 10 hours a day for 10 days straight just to be done playing on tv and go back to portables. Nonetheless it was an amazing game from beginning to end. Great cast of characters, fantastic music, and awesome story. Hopefully I never have to play a TV game again.
Super Mario Odyssey - (NS) Having a more open Mario after so long was great! The Toads and NSMB style was no more and I hope it continues. I enjoyed getting every Power Moon!
Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony - (PSV) I love Danganronpa and had to get this. Sadly I think the first four cases felt like more of the same, the fifth case was pretty great, but that sixth case. That is simply the best story moment I have ever seen in my life.
Arms - (NS) Managed to play 85 hours in 2017. It was great just to play 15 minutes at a time. Great gameplay and a fantastic set of characters.
A Rose in the Twilight - (PSV) A great experience from beginning to end. The music and atmosphere was superb.
Yomawari: Midnight Shadows - (PSV) Sadly, compared to the last Yomawari, this one had many more cheap deaths and will be hard to replay. But still a great experience, especially each and every boss was really great.
Stardew Valley - (NS) I only played 20 hours but can already tell I'll play many more in 2018. A great surprise for me.
A Flame in the Flood - An enjoyable survival from beginning to end. Great to figure out how to do stuff, a surprisingly coolending, and a fun to master endless mode.

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jariw · Jan 20, 2018

the legend of zelda breath of the wild - The only 11/10 game I've ever played. A game where the game became my very own experience. The game has some flaws, and so do all living humans.
steamworld dig 2 - One of the most polished games I've ever encountered, with many small QoL additions on the Switch. Such a huge improved sequel.
mario + rabbids kingdom battle - Surprise #1 of the year. And great music!!! Really looking forward to the DLC expansion.
super mario odyssey - A very solid 3D Mario entry.
battle chef brigade - Surprise #2 of the year. Such a fun game - and such a joy to play!
gorogoa - Surprise #3 of the year. Short game, but worth every minute. A game that I still think about.
thimbleweed park - A very well made Switch version.
golf story - Surprise #4 of the year. That this game turned out as good as it did is mind boggling. Heaviest work out for the HD rumble in any game so far.
splasher - Excellent 2D platforming.
mario kart 8 deluxe - Mario Kart 8 is still a fantastic game that I had lots of fun with.

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Tizoc · Jan 20, 2018

Tricky I Shadow said:
Sure is!

Thanks

VegiHam · Jan 20, 2018

Persona 5 - This is the year of games I love getting fantastic sequels, but the best of the bunch is Persona 5, a game which kept me engrossed and entertained for a solid few weeks of unhealthy addiction. It's an improvement and refinement in every way over its predecessors and an absolute joy; with a fun positive message that really resonated with me.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Another sequel to one of my Goats, Xenoblade is a spectacular journey full of breathtaking views with a killer soundtrack. I look forward to continuing to play it for months to come.
Super Mario Odyssey- Raw fantastic bouncy Mario fun with an amazing new possession twist; distilled down into a package I can play in bed.
Horizon Zero Dawn - Amazing sci-fi storytelling and world building in a gorgeous world with some pretty damn good, if unoriginal, gameplay.
The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild- So I've been pretty vocal about my dissapointment with this game. It wasn't what I wanted, the story was weak and the dungeons were lame. But I can't deny it was still a fantastic adventure I'd've truely loved if I'd had no expectations; with a ton of engrosing shrines and an amazing world with the best open world traversal I've ever seen.
Sonic Mania - 2D Sonic, or as my older brother calls it "proper sideways sonic" is back; and was a really good game to have on my Switch over the holidays to play multiplayer. This is one of the few on my list this year that wasn't an intensely addictive obsession for me; but rather a short burst for fun now and again one, and it excels at that.
Picross S - As someone who played every Picross E game on 3DS, I loved finally playing the game in HD. This game is unapologetically a shiny graphics update and a level pack. But that's exactly what I wanted and what I got.
Apollo Justice Ace Attorney - The secret best Ace Attorney got a 3DS port this year. It still rocks and everyone still needs to know that.
Layton's Mystery Journey Katrielle and the Millionaires' Conspiracy - This game is trash and you shouldn't play it. It's the weakest Layton game, and the only one with genuinely broken logic in its puzzles. But it gave me a dose of that genuine Layton joy and niceness that I needed at a really dark time in my life. I will forever privately love it but never inflict it upon anyone.
Undertale - I held of on making my list for the year because I wanted to have an opinion on this game, but I just ran out of time. The two hours I played have me thinking I'm going to love the rest. It's quirky, strange, and really really interesting, so it earns a place at the end of my list for now.

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魑魅魍魎 · Jan 20, 2018

Horizon: Zero Dawn - one of best games I've played in 2017. Fantastic setting, story and gameplay.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Nintendo really outdid themselves with this game. A wonderful experience and beautiful game.
NieR: Automata - At first I didn't know what to think about this game but platinum and square came together and made an action game, art.
Super Mario Odyssey - no other platformer in 2017 cane beat Mario and Odyssey proves it in spades. Loved how Odyssey blended Mario from the past and present. Such a nostalgic experience.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy - If Naughty Dog ever made a tomb raider game Lost Legacy would be it. Chloe is such a great protagonist with Nadine as her accomplice, I hope we do not see the last of them or this series. Drake can retire now.
Persona 5 - A niche Japanese RPG that I didn't know I wanted. Fantastic art, story and characters.
Gravity Rush 2 - Almost forgot this gem. I loved the art-style and gameplay

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LardHomers · Jan 20, 2018

The Legend Of Zelda Breath of the Wild - My Switch tells me I've got 270 hours in this game, making it my most played game of all time. I really don't know what to say that hasn't been said. A real treasure. I can't wait to see what's next in store for this franchise.
Super Mario Odyssey - After being disappointed in recent 3D Mario games, Odyssey was my dream Mario game come true. Sprawling open levels with full camera control and absurdly tight controls. The best feeling game in existence.
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe - Like so many other games, I skipped this one on Wii U. Jam packed with content, looks and runs like a dream on the Switch and it's just so much fun!

I unfortunately have yet to play several of 2017's heavy hitters, most notably Gravity Rush 2, Nioh, Nier Automata and Cuphead, and I'm sure they would probably all be on my list. I'll get to them this year though..

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OneAndOnly · Jan 20, 2018

arbok26 said:
.

Please put your list in an ordered list. Highlight it and press the ordered list button in the toolbar.

Caspar · Jan 20, 2018

Divinity Original Sin II - One of the most immersive and engaging western RPG's I've played in a long while. Introduced me to the CRPG genre, despite the opening hours being among the most difficult in the game. The characters are elevated beyond the usual fantasy tropes, all being fully fleshed out believable people (and lizards) with their own morals, beliefs and personal goals. The combat system is incredible, lending itself to endless experimentation and build re-specing. It's hard to find fault, the whole package is so immaculately presented and Larion Studios deserve all the success in the world.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - I don't have much experience with the Zelda series but this one had me hooked from beginning to end. No game captures the essence of adventure quite like this.
NieR: Automata - Like many people this was my introduction to Yoko Taro's work, and what an impression it made. The graceful Platinum swordplay brought me in but it was the bonkers and often emotional narrative that kept me going through multiple playthroughs. When the credit sequence rolled for the final time I had the feeling I'd witnessed something very special. Such a rare, self-assured gem of a game.
Yakuza 0 - Taught me a lot about whiskeys.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus - id Software continue their brilliant run with more great gunplay (at least on PC with k&m) and utterly unhinged story telling. So many memorable moments.
Resident Evil VII Biohazard - After finishing the demo about 20 times I had doubts that the full game would live up to my expectations, but I was mostly proved wrong. After an astonishingly creepy first chapter the game opens up to superbly tense classic Resi Evil puzzle solving and exploring, just as I had been wishing for. Sure the final third is a bit of a drag but that didn't prevent me from playing through four times in total, partly to unlock every secret but mainly to be back on that intricately designed Louisiana plantation, picking up keys, solving shadow puzzles and sneaking around Jack Baker with my heart in my mouth.
What Remains of Edith Finch - A 2-hour walking sim with more innovative gameplay ideas than most 20-hour blockbusters. An example of how to effortlessly tie a narrative into the very fabric of the games mechanics.
Splatoon 2 - My kind of multiplayer shooter, just really relaxed and joyful. The free content is consistently high quality and the Splatfests always pull me back in.
Super Mario Odyssey - I'm of the belief that 3D platformers are an outdated and limited genre of game, and as such the Mario series does little for me, but props to Nintendo for making jumping around on stuff fun again. The hat is the key, giving you wonderfully playful toys like the Pokio, the Uproot and the Gushen to mess around with for just enough time as to not get bored with the mechanic before moving on to the next little surprise. I'll never share some peoples undying love for Mario but Odyssey was a fun date and I'd go on another one.
Doki Doki Literature Club - This game put me in a depressive slump for three days and made me wish I'd never played it. Alas it is a remarkable thing, and became even more so once the Reddit community had divulged all its secrets. Not an enjoyable experience but an essential one.

The other top 10 contenders (alphabetical):

Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
Horizon Zero Dawn
Life is Strange: Before the Storm
Nioh
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
Prey
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
WipEout Omega Collection

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Phendrana · Jan 20, 2018

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Pure magic. Possibly my favourite game of all time. It's been said a lot, but this game honestly made me feel like a kid again. I was utterly engrossed. I'd spend all day at work waiting to get home so I could jump back into Hyrule again. I've put 160 hours in so far, and still pop in every now and again to mess around on the bike.
Resident Evil VII - Return to form for the series imo, and the best VR experience I've ever had. Great cast of characters, and was genuinely unsettling at points.
Super Mario Odyssey - The game is just pure fun to play, so it was easy not to dwell on how repetitive finding most of the Moons became after a while. Possessing enemies with Cappy offers some great variety and help things from ever becoming boring. I even enjoyed saving up all of the coins to buy the outfits and stuff like that. It's all just super charming, which isn't a word I use often.
Nier Automata - Fun combat, interesting story and fantastic soundtrack.
Uncharted: The Lost Legacy - Big fan of the series, and loved the dynamic between Chloe and Nadine.
Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia - Admittedly dull map design, but the VA is great and the character art is series-best level imo.
Splatoon 2 - My multiplayer game of choice.
SteamWorld Dig 2 - Surprise favourite. Super fun gameplay loop.
Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice - Beautiful game with some of the best VA of all time.
Metroid: Samus Returns - Prefer AM2R tbh, but still really enjoyed this.

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Karu · Jan 20, 2018

Yakuza 0 - Incredible writing across the board, confident directing and a fun combat system make Yakuza 0 perfect in almost all ways. Never has a game surprised me in such a way, stayed with me through-out the year and thinking back is still blowing my mind so thoroughly. One of the alltime greats I personally have played. Majima's introduction alone earns it the top spot.
Gravity Rush 2 - This is not a flawless game, far from it. But if I dare say, the gravity mechanic is the single most enjoyable gameplay mechanic of 2017 and beyond and it never gets old. Add the music, the characters and the quirky little additions here and there and you get, what I consider one of the best games of 2017.
Splatoon 2 - I never got the Wii U, but if I was sure of one thing, it was that as soon as I get my hands on Splatoon or a potential follow-up, I am going to fall in love. And so I did. The unquestionable multiplayer king of the past year and a front-runner for the best experience you can get on your little Nintendo Switch.
Super Mario Odyssey - The definition of joy through and through. While every world manages to surprise the player in one way or another, what really sticks out, is the way the set pieces make you go "WOAH" on a regular basis.
SteamWorld Dig 2 - As far as indie games goes, Dig 2 takes the crown. Addictive, relaxing while also offering challenge, atmospheric and explosive. I was never a big fan of the first one, but the follow-up utterly convinced me and it may have only taken 10 seconds to do so.
Gran Turismo Sport - It didn't invent the Safety Rating, but it sure showed me personally how such a simple letter grade can revolutinize online racing to not make it viable, but emerssive and kind of addiciting. Add fun solo challenges and you have an incredibly polished racer on your hand.
Horizon: Zero Dawn - The story and setting is good, though the dialogue and the character lack basically on all fronts, BUT Horizon carried me away anyway as the combat is incredibly fun and creative. This is a very solid foundation for what I am sure will be one of Sony's biggest and brightest franchises going forward.
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age - While I started lots of Final Fantasy games, I rarely manages to go through them – the sluggish and boring combat systems, the tedium of progression and ridiclious road block "game changers", there are many factors at play. Zodiac Age not only does away with most of these, it also delivers in the writing department and general cutscene direction in a way that totally caught me off-guard in a similar way Yakuza 0 did. Ironcially I haven't finished this game either, but one thing's different: I can't wait to get back.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Quality of Life should be what (almost) all developers should strive for in their video games, I am and will forever be convinced of that. And despite Xenoblade Chronicles 2 failing miserably on that particular front, it still got it hooks in me, with several (maybe too many) mechanics and gameplay loops tangeling in front of me, while delivering an over the top anime-epic that is not perfect or… good, but really, really, really fun. They could do with the shitty fan-service garbage, though. Seriously, why is this still a thing? (I know why, and it saddens me).
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - Up until January 2018 I considered this game a disappointment after 20 hours of play. But because I still didn't consider it a bad game, I wanted to give it another try. And I am glad I did. What this game does with line of sight and exploration is just incredible and easily the hallmark of this experience. I think the period of tedium in the beginning that almost broke my back, is a mistake to an extend, but on the other hand I can see all the reasons why it had to be that way. Nevertheless, Breath of the Wild narrowly earns a spot on my Top 10 list, only beating out Night in the Woods ever so slightly.

As per OP, here are five Honorable mentiones...
Night in the Woods - Simply put, I do not like the ending, but overall Night in the Woods is really, really good. The writing is in the top class of 2017. The characters, the quirks, the town, the dialogue – it all meshes together so incredibly well. Definitely by far and away the best game of 2017 where you can choose with which friend you hang out any given day.
Nex Machina - Another game in the category of "pure joy" that stayed of the list for the fact that I am not a classic arcade fan and highscores mean basically nothing to me. That Nex Machina (and Resogun before it) still so utterly impress me is a testament to Housemarque's quality. Count me to those who were disappointed by there recent admission that this type of game just isn't working anymore in a commercially viable way.
Nier Automata - The gameplay can get repetitive, the second act no matter the narrative reasoning can become tedious. But on the other hand, the music, the scenery and setting, the creative twists and turns in regard to both gameplay and story – all these elements made Nier Automata a worthwhile experience. It didn't leave such a big impression on me opposed to many others, which is why it is only a honorable mention, but regardless one of the more unique games of 2017 for sure.
Sonic Mania - I have never played a Sonic game before Mania, so I didn't know exactly what I expected, but man… if this game isn't just jolly and good old fun? The music, the elaborate stages, the speed – it all just comes to together in a really satisfying way.
What Remains of Edith Finch - This game's story is… okay. The characters are… meh? But what still delighted me was the design behind those elements like the walking speed, the text placement and narration, which combined made for an incredibly paced experience, that had also several unqiue twists on gameplay, that were not necessarily fun, but enhanced the story that was told. While game subsequently suffered in the exploration department, the good overall outweigthed that decision.

Games that didn't make the cut, but could have: Persona 5, Nioh, Mass Effect Andromeda, Yakuza Kiwami, Golf Story, Ys Origins

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bunkitz · Jan 20, 2018

Didn't play much new games last year, sadly, but all I played were fantastic games.

Persona 5 - The game has an excellent soundtrack I literally listened to everyday for several months because I couldn't get enough of it. It is oozing with style everywhere, from the menus, to the victory screens, battle HUD, battle animations, and just everything! Its story may have some weak moments later in the game, but the cast more than made up for it. They were such a fun and lovable group that I could just watch them all day doing the most mundane things and I'd consider it time well spent. The dungeon-crawling half of the gameplay was utterly perfect too. Everything flowed smoothly and the gameplay loop was just so much fun. From meticulously planning your Persona builds, to doing Baton Passes with your teammates and exploiting enemy weaknesses, it was such a blast. The social sim half was enthralling as well and I couldn't wait to spend more time with my friends and colleagues. Who knew watching two guys bond over ramen could be so much fun, right? It was the best 300 hours I spent on any game.
NieR:Automata - On the surface, the combat seemed quite simple, which made it easily enjoyable, but there's depth to be found in it and its supplementary systems. Throw in a superb soundtrack that can easily rival, if not beat, Persona 5's, and you'd already have a pretty great game. The real star, however, are the characters and story. The themes and topics the game tackles are so rarely seen in games, yet Yoko Taro manages to pull it off so damn well. And the revelations you uncover as you play through the game, especially the later parts of Route B onwards, had me craving for more. And the ending, especially Route E's, was just amazing. I've never played a game quite like this, and it's one I'll surely never forget.
Horizon Zero Dawn - The game is drop-dead gorgeous, the premise itself an incredibly exciting idea, and the core gameplay was just thrilling all the way through to the end. I never knew what the phrase "the thrill of the hunt" truly meant until I played this game. To top it all off, the story didn't falter anywhere. It didn't turn out to be something cliche or cheap like I expected, and had me at the edge of my seat whenever they would uncover some more truths. A truly exceptional game all throughout with the melee/human combat as its only blemish.

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