When 2017 began, I had no idea that it would be such a fantastic year in gaming. It’s been crazy how many great games I would play through the year and picking my top 5 was incredibly difficult. I meant to mention this in part one, but these numbers are largely superficial. I love each of these games and often times I think I could rearrange these games in any order be satisfied with the rankings. My top 5 games made me proud to be a gamer. Knowing that these titles came out and were so good gives me hope for the industry. These are my favorite games of 2017.
#5: Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
Platforms: PS4 (played), Xbox One, PC (Nintendo Switch version coming in 2018)
Developer: Machine Games
Publisher: Bethesda
Release Date: 10/27/17
Nazis became a part of the news last year in an unhealthy way. Thankfully, Wolfenstein II came along and gave us a healthy way to take out our aggressions against a violent ideology that almost destroyed Europe over 70 years ago.
Wolfenstein II picks up right where the last game ended. The game tasks you with not only keeping your merry band of resistance fighters alive, but also liberating the United States of Nazi control. The story is fantastic. BJ Blaskovitz is slowly becoming one of the most interesting and well written modern day video game characters.
While Wolfenstein: The New Order touched on the rebooted version of BJ and his thoughts on the new Nazi world, Wolfenstein II spends more time covering his past and how it reflects his present. From the beginning of the game, BJ states that he knows he isn't going to live much longer and perhaps that's because he doesn't want to live anymore. His entire world is gone and he spends his days killing an endless supply of soldiers from the world’s one ruling power. The first half of the game has a sense of dread that culminates in total defeat for BJ and the player. I can't say too much more about the story without spoiling it, but the ending is much more satisfying than the end of Wolfenstein 1, even if it fails to deliver a climatic gameplay finale.
Speaking of gameplay, Wolfenstein II plays really well. The level design is still strong, but slightly more post-apocalyptic than the first title. Levels take place in a variety of locations across America, a stolen German u-boat and even Outer Space. There are some beautiful areas here, but they don't have the same level of polish and detail as the first game. This could also be said for many of the games new characters as they feel one note and one dimensional.
The actual combat is largely unchanged from Wolfenstein 1. It's a nice mix of brainless shooting and stealth, but I always felt like you died way too easily in the game. Absorbing bullets on the higher difficulties should have been taken into consideration with a little more care. And whatever you do, play the PC version. I played this one on console and really began to feel the difference a mouse and Keyboard make.
Wolfenstein III is coming down the line. Probably sometime in 2020. I loved both Wolfenstein I and II and can't wait to get my hands on it. Machine games has managed to take a long standing shooter series and turn it into a finely crafted narrative that is still fun to play. It's one of the best shooters of this generation.
#4: Super Mario Odyssey
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: 10/27/17
It had been far too long since we had a proper 3D Mario title. I enjoyed Super Mario 3D Land and Super Mario 3D World, but neither of them managed to capture the same feel as previous Mario titles. Odyssey takes us closer than ever before while going even further in its open level design and making one of the most enjoyable experiences of the year.
The one thing that Super Mario Odyssey nails is theming. From the start each of the games playable kingdoms is finely crafted. It follows the standard Sand world, ice world, water world, etc formula, but brings a ton of life and style to each of them. My favorite kingdoms are those that don't follow the norm. I loved exploring the luncheon kingdom where everything was made of food or the kingdom inspired by feudal Japan that was a gauntlet of a challenge. The highlight is definitely New Donk City in the Metro Kingdom. This has been plastered all over the marketing for the title and for good reason. It's a jungle gym of platforming challenges that culminates in one of the game’s best moments.
Mario’s movement is even better than before. Almost all of Mario's old tricks are available as new ones. The most important is Cappy, your new companion. Cappy can be used to hit enemies or to give you a nice double jump. His most important asset is the ability to control the game’s many enemies. Many of the game’s challenges and boss fights revolve around capturing these enemies with Cappy and using their unique abilities to overcome obstacles. It's a crazy idea that works wonderfully and is one of the most important additions to Mario since FLUDD in Super Mario Sunshine.
The soundtrack is phenomenal and this is the best looking Mario game ever. The way the music is incorporated into gameplay is fantastic. It’s truly a treat for your eyes and ears to play Super Mario Odyssey. The call backs to past Mario games is also perfect. It doesn’t spend too much time screaming “remember this?” but it never forgets its roots. Perhaps my only complaint is a lack of Donkey Kong although he has never appear in a mainline Super Mario title. There’s also a ton of different outfits to purchase in the game. They’re all cosmetic which is sad. I really wish they would have taken the time to give the costumes extra benefits to enhance the gameplay.
The only problem Super Mario Odyssey has is its collectables. For a collect-a-thon, it has some underwhelming collectables. Coins are here, just like in every Mario game, but is used as a currency. Also used as a currency are purple coins. These coins are found in the various kingdoms and can only be spent there. Each kingdom has a set number purple coins as well. The final collectible are Power Moons. These are scattered across levels and having varying degrees of challenges to get them. Sometimes, however, there’s no challenge at all. You simply walk over and grab the moon. With over 900 moons in the game it oftentimes feels underwhelming to collect the moons as finishing a hard platforming challenge or simply finding a moon in the wild gives the same reward. There definitely needed to be some sort of tiering to the moons.
I love Super Mario Odyssey and it’s one of the best 3D platformers ever made. It’s so much fun to play and is a sight to behold. But as good as it is, it couldn’t beat out one other 3D platformer.
#3 A Hat In Time
Platforms: PS4, Xbox One and PC (played)
Developer: Gears for Breakfast
Publisher: Humble Bundle
Release Date: 10/5/17 (December 2017 for consoles)
In a year with so many great games and a revival of the 3D platformer, it’s no small feat to say that A Hat in Time is the best 3D platformer of the year. I first heard of A Hat in Time in 2013 when the game’s kickstarter was revealed. Since then I’ve kept an eye on the title as it has slowly, but surely developed into one of the best looking 3D platformers out there.
The story follows Hat Kid, a small child in a spaceship who is travelling home. On her ship are a large amount of Time Pieces. While traveling over a planet, a mafia man appears at her ship requesting a bribe. Hat kid refuses and the mafia man breaks her ship causing all the time pieces to fly down to the planet below. Now you’re tasked with collecting all the time pieces to power up your ship and go home.
The best way to explain the describe the title is to take your favorite aspects of 3D platformers and other Nintendo titles and mash them up into one of the biggest love letters to gaming. The title has some of the best controls of any platformer. I love running through the game’s five worlds and jumping, dashing and crawling my way through obstacles. You’re given a lot of tools along your journey to help hat kid find the time pieces. You’re given badges as well as different hats that give you different ways to handle combat, puzzles and platforming.
There are a total of five worlds with 40 time pieces scattered across them. Each of the worlds are incredibly fun to explore and play through. The only lacking part is the final world which just becomes a gauntlet challenge of one level. The bosses are also great especially the world 3 boss. I loved how every level was something new and different. I loved this game in general. I even completed the entire, a rarity for myself.
The game looks great, but has some issues with animations in cutscenes. It sounds great too with one of the year’s best soundtracks. It’s also super cute. There’s so much charm in a hat in time that I had a smile on my face the entire time. I have very few complaints about it except for the lack of theming in some worlds. Sometimes you’ll solving a murder mystery and then you’ll be making a movie. It still stands as one of my favorite games of the year as well as one of my favorite games ever.
#2: Nier: Automata
Platforms: PS4 (played), PC
Developer: Platinum Games
Publisher: Square Enix
Release Date: March 2017
I knew nothing about the Nier series going into the year. I came out praising Nier:Automata as one of the best action games ever made with a story that left me thinking far longer than any other title.
The story is a sequel to 2010’s Nier, but it isn’t necessary to know the story of Nier to enjoy Automata. You play as 2B and 9S, two androids sent to earth to destroy evil robots and make the planet habitable again. Automata weaves a tale that spans multiple endings and covers themes like existential horror. I loved our main protagonists 2B and 9S as they dealt with their own existence. Perhaps the most telling of Nier’s story is how long it stuck with me. No other game made me rethink the actions of the characters more than Automata did. It slowly crept its way up my list of favorite games. And, to be honest, I still don’t think I can truly explain what happens in Nier:Automata, with or without spoilers.
The gameplay is fantastic. It’s Platinum Games finest work. It’s part RPG, part hack n slash and part shoot em up and it all works. I questioned the shooter sections at first, but quickly began to grow on me as they broke up the pace of the game. I also enjoyed the titles 2D-style sections. I also liked how the game’s different characters all played different enough to warrant the various playthroughs. I was a bit burnt out during the second playthrough of the game, but by my third I was hooked. I completed endings A-E to get the full story and loved every moment.
Nier: Automata is one of the best titles of the last year. My only issue is that the world can often times feel empty, but that’s hardly a complaint as the world is supposed to feel empty. It’s simply fantastic and I hate that the words I’m writing here to describe it do not do the game justice.
#1: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Platforms: Nintendo Switch (played), Wii U Developer: Nintendo
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: 3/3/17
The Legend of Zelda is my favorite game series. Breath of the Wild has long been one of my most anticipated games since its announcement in 2014. After all the delays and switching it to a brand new game system, Breath of the Wild meets my every expectation. It’s one of the greatest games ever made and my personal game of the year. Here’s why.
Open-world games have long become stagnant with their own use of time-wasting mechanics. Breath of the Wild throws those things out the window. Open world games have told players no for too long while Zelda tells them yes. Yes, you can climb this mountain. Yes, you can solve the puzzle this way. Yes, you can tackle a combat challenge this way. It’s about being truly open and allowing players to play the game they want to play. No other game has ever really hit this note outside of titles like Minecraft. But there are still rules and depth to all of this. You can do anything in combat, but your sword will eventually break. This means that you can’t rely solely on one thing the entire game. Yes, you can walk around with no clothes on, but you’ll freeze to death in the colder areas. It’s these core concepts that make this Zelda game one of the freshest experiences of the year.
The game is absolutely beautiful. Hyrule has never looked better to me. I love the mix of water colored high fantasy with futuristic techno machines. It’s something that past Zelda titles have always dabbled with, but seeing it in Breath of the Wild feels like the first time the series has really nailed the style. The soundtrack is calm and ambient. It isn’t a sweeping score like past titles. It’s much more subtle in what it wants to tell the player. Breath of the Wild also features voice acting, a first for the series. It’s hit and miss here, but it isn’t overused to the point of becoming annoying.
The sense of scale is also magnificent. I love traveling through Hyrule, something that is out of the norm in most open world games. Everything has its place and nothing is overused. This most notable when tackling the game’s many side quests. Being able to explore this version of Hyrule and meeting the various people and creatures along the way is something I won’t soon forget.
If I had to point at a flaw for Breath of the Wild, it’s the story. Breath of the Wild features memories and cutscenes throughout that showcase the new voice acting, but it never really hits the epic feeling the rest of the game invokes. Even the “story” expansions that came later in the DLC couldn’t fix this problem. It feels like a waste because the potential was there. Zelda has never been known for its story or lore, but Breath of the Wild scrapes by with the bare minimum in this department.
I’ve talked about Zelda a lot. Breath of the wild is a game that I could spends hours discussing and it’s incredibly difficult to explain why I loved this massive game in just a few paragraphs. Simply put: It’s amazing. It’s one of the best gaming experiences I’ve ever had and it’s something you shouldn’t miss.
That’s all! I had a ton of fun playing games in 2017 and I look forward to playing many more this year. Thank you guys so much for reading this and let me know what your favorite games from the last year were
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