Just gonna keep it short and sweet, here are my top 5 games from 2017. Side note: These are games that I played for the first time in 2017. Hence the inclusion of a game or two on this list appearing, despite coming out a year or so earlier. And no replays, otherwise FFT would win. Anyhow, here we go:
5: Shovel Knight
I know, I know, I’m coming to this game a bit late, but said wait was worth it. Playing this religiously during every free second that I had during a week-long vacation was, sadly, one of the best parts of the vacation. The colors, the nostalgic side-scrolling, the fluid controls, and the unique and charming boss battles were all fantastic.
The Switch port came with the two DLC expansions available at the time and they both added context to parts of the story, new gameplay mechanics that feel uniquely their own, and extended the life of the game, as a whole. Get this one, folks.
4: Dark Souls 3
I can’t believe I’m finally into these games and I owe it all to an annoying friend that demanded I play Bloodborne (a vastly superior game). I finished the base game right before the start of 2018 and am currently working through the DLC because I’m a glutton for punishment. The world, the combat, the invasions, the struggle, and the rolling are all worth the price of admission. Try But Hole, indeed.
Visually? Stunning. The music? Excellent. The boss and enemy design? Disgusting, haunting, and a joy to see. The feeling you get upon toppling one you’ve fought 38 times so far (Pontiff, you cad)? Priceless.
3: Life is Strange
I know, I know, three of these games didn’t come out in 2017, but goddamn it did these all topple any of those other games. What, was I going to give the win to Mass Effect: Andromeda, with its clunky mechanics and lackluster plot? Or Final Fantasy XV with its open and boring world and lackluster plot? Or any of the other games with gameplay issues and lackluster plots? No, I’m giving a spot to a story driven game with emotional weight, an interesting and consistently appealing art style, a simple set of engaging gameplay mechanics, and a story that I still think about, often.
I have yet to play the prequel and, honestly, I’m nervous to do so in fear that it will tarnish or dilute my opinion of the prime game. I don’t want that to ever happen. Again, as I said in my review, this game won’t make it on my Top 10 list or probably in a Top 50, but as far as games I played in 2017? Few managed to stick as much as this.
2:Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
#1 is Mario Odyssey. It was a tough call but in the end I had to decide which had more impact in a long-term style, and the truth is, Breath of the Wild would win only if I allowed the initial punch of first starting the game to cloud my overall judgement. Having said that, there is way too much to say about this game in a simple year-end recap so I’ll just stick to my main points:
-The game is huge and beautiful
-Climbing is a joy and gliding is just as impressive
-Bosses are challenging if not repetitive and sparse
-If you don’t like the music, screw you
-There is more charm in this open world than almost all the Elder Scrolls combined
I have sort of started the latest DLC but the controls don’t mesh with Dark Souls’ so I’m wrapping that up, first. I was going back and forth between the two games but constantly downing Estus like an idiot during invasions due to button mapping confusion. This will not do.
1:Mario Odyssey
For as much fun as Zelda was on the Switch, if this Mario game had come out first? There’d be no stopping the sale of the console. There are a few games in every console’s lifetime that are pure magic and charm. This is already one of the Switch’s and its unfair that it came so early in the cycle. I have nothing major to add here that you haven’t seen in a billion other reviews, so I won’t dwell. Just know that I go back to this game for a few moons every few days and, even though I’ve toppled the game’s larger (and, arguably largest) challenges, the soaring majesty and accomplishment of this title will have me recommending people buy the console itself just for this one game. A must play, a must own, a must experience.
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Come back some other time for a movie list, or something. I dunno. Happy New Year and welcome to 2018!
-Skyler
PS: Best game I played in 2017, period, was still Rocket League you fools.
skylerbartels 