2017 seemed to be the year that the entire world just unanimously decided:
“Okay, that’s it! We’re going mad!”
Crazy headline on top of crazy headline seemed to become the norm and not even gaming could escape this landslide into the abyss, but to only focus on all the drama (of which there’s been A LOT) would be doing 2017 a massive injustice, because 2017 was also responsible for some of the best games I’ve played in recent memory. There are lots of reasons for you to want to lose yourself in a virtual world, and a short respite from the crazy that was this year seems as good as any to me right now, so join me, as I sit here curled up on my couch, listening to the rain and sipping coffee, while I tell you all about my favorite games (in no particular order) to get lost in from 2017:
Horizon Zero Dawn
PlayStation 4
Genre: Action Role-Playing
What is it about: You are Aloy, a hunter and archer who is living in a world that is overrun by robots. Having been an outcast her whole life, she sets out on a journey of self-discovery and faces the dangers that kept her sheltered.
Why I loved it: It reminded me of why I fell in love with gaming as a little girl by letting me get drawn in completely into its world and never want to find my way out of it… also it’s really REALLY pretty.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RRQDqurZJNk
Night in the Woods
PC, MAC, iOS, PlayStation 4
Genre: Adventure
What is it about: You play as a cat person named Mae, you’ve recently dropped out of college and returned to your hometown to find unexpected changes, and soon find yourself in search of a missing friend.
Why I loved it: This is truly a story focused experience. You spend all your time exploring, interacting and adventuring around the world, it’s like a movie where you get to be in control. Perfect for a rainy Sunday when you just need to relax.
Resident Evil 7
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC
Genre: Survival Horror
What is it about: You take on the role of Ethan Winters, a 20 something man who is searching for his wife, Mia, who went missing suddenly and mysteriously. This search leads him to a derelict plantation inhabited by the ‘disturbed’ Baker family who don’t intend to ever let him leave, at least not alive.
Why I loved it: I have a soft spot in heart for any ‘scary’ / story driven game, and this one struck the balance just perfectly. I got to spend a long weekend staying up through the night, wrapped up in a blanket, pretending my life was at risk and experiencing a near constant adrenaline rush by surviving. Heaven (don’t you be judging me).
Adventures of Bertram Fiddle EP 2
PC, iOS,
Genre: Point and Click Adventure
What is it about: You get to play as the renowned Bertram Fiddle, an explorer whose wife has insisted he gets a ‘real job’. All is not lost, however, as his job working as a telegram salesman soon leads him on his greatest adventure yet.
Why I loved it: It’s the perfect mix of ridiculous humor, puns, puzzles and casual seriousness. It’s a game that you can relax while playing and yet still find yourself, at times, stumped… and if you’re me then you’ll find yourself stumped a LOT and soon turn this single-player game into a ‘the whole family plays together until one of you help me solve this bit’ game.
Prey
PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One
Genre: First-Person Shooter
What is it about: You are Morgan Yu, who is either a male or a female protagonist depending on your preference. You’re just casually exploring a space station where research into hostile alien species is being conducted, until some of those hostiles escape, your goal? find a way to make it out alive.
Why I loved it: When I was little I remember watching my mom play games like Doom and Wolfenstein and I was always so intrigued by them. As an adult, I played those games myself but I found myself always left wanting more, and that’s where Prey comes in. It has all of the running and shooting but accompanied by a badass story to boot.
The Little Acre
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, iOS
Genre: Point and Click Adventure
What is it about: This is a simple story about love and family. You play as multiple members of the same family and you spend your time between a little Irish Town and a mysterious magical world you access through the garden shed.
Why I loved it: I’m still going to write a full review about Little Acre and why I loved it, so I’ll just keep it simple now – I loved it because it reminded me of the relationship between me and my dad.
Hellblade
PlayStation 4, PC
Genre: Action Adventure
What is it about: Set in the time of Vikings, you take on the role of a Celtic warrior named Senua, who travels into hell itself to fight for the soul of another. This is a game inspired by Norse mythology, Celtic culture and has a whole lot of heart.
Why I loved it: Hellblade taught us that no matter what, no one is broken and no one deserves to be treated like they are. This game is art and an eye-opening look at mental illness.
Cuphead
PC, Xbox One
Genre: Run and Gun
What is it about: Recapturing your childhood and practicing not losing your temper. You play as either Cuphead, or if you’re playing with a ‘friend’, as Mugman, through this crazy world where everything and everyone wants to kill you, in order to beat them, take their souls and repay your gambling debt to the devil.
Why I loved it: I actually have no idea, something about the seemingly ‘friendly’ artwork, glorious music combined with incredible difficulty just make me want to be better than everyone else at this game.
The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
Nintendo Switch, Wii U
Genre: Action Adventure
What is it about: As is to be expected when you play a Legend of Zelda game, you play as Link. This time around you’ve awoken from a century-long sleep to find that you’re still tired… no, you actually find out you need to defeat Calamity Ganon in order to save the kingdom of Hyrule, but I’m sure the tired thing is true also.
Why I loved it: This was the game that undoubtedly made me fall in love with the Nintendo Switch, it’s everything I love in a game all rolled into one. It’s peaceful, action-packed, beautiful and ruthless – with just the right amount of puzzles thrown in.
Hollow Knight
PC, MAC, Nintendo Switch
Genre: Metroidvania
What is it about: Insects. I’m serious, you play as ‘Knight’ a bug who is on a quest to save the rapidly deteriorating and abandoned insect kingdom of Hallownest, uncovering secrets and finding answers to ancient mysteries along the way.
Why I loved it: It managed to draw me in and tell me a whole story through feelings, not words. Its beauty lies in the ambiance of the game and how it can make you appreciate and fall in love with the Platforming genre even if you weren’t a fan to begin with. Also a great example of: “Money doesn’t make a game great”.
Super Mario Odyssey
Nintendo Switch
Genre: Platformer
What is it about: Mario’s iconic hat, Cappy, gets possessed by a spirit that lets him take control of other characters and objects. Together, Cappy and Mario set forth, as usual, to save the forever being kidnapped, Princess Peach.
Why I loved it: This isn’t the Mario game from your childhood, but it also kind of is. This is the game you’d get if your childhood Mario had a baby with the 2017 Legend of Zelda game. It’s an open world exploration based experience that lets you reminisce back to your childhood while delivering an experience that is like nothing Mario has done before.
Assassin’s Creed Origins
PlayStation 4, PC, Xbox One
Genre: Stealth Action Adventure
What is it about: As with the previous Assassin’s Creed games, you play a fictional history of real-world events, only this time it’s set in ancient Egypt. You take control of Bayek, and at times his wife Aya, as they try to protect the good and innocent people of Egypt during a time of major upheaval.
Why I loved it: Simple answer, It’s Assassin’s Creed. More detailed answer, It’s Assassin’s Creed that’s set in Egypt and I CAN GET A UNICORN MOUNT. Seriously though, when my only complaint is that it doesn’t have a jump button then you know it’s pretty damn good. Also, I have a full review of this coming up so I don’t really want to say anything more 😉
Some of these games might look familiar to you, and some of them might not, this is all part of my master plan to get you hooked on gaming so that I’m not the only one dead tired at the start of 2018 because I wanted to play ‘just one more hour’.
I’ve put together not just your typical AAA games that everyone loses their mind over, but some of my favorite Indie ones that might have slipped through the cracks as well.
In 2018 I want to get to know all you readers a little better, and what better way to do that than by starting a conversation with you, so let’s talk about this:
Do you agree with my picks and what were your favorite games of this year? let’s discuss down below.
