Reverse order so I don’t spoil the surprise!
7. Sniper Elite 4: This franchise has been okay for a while, but hasn’t quite managed to put it all together. I think SE4 does that. It has the best level design in the series with large, open maps. It also has pretty good stealth, with new hiding spots and better ways to play with the enemies. Rebellion have tweaked everything just enough and the colourful Italian setting is refreshing.
6. DiRT 4: I liked this more than Rally for a few reasons, but the big one is that all the tracks are random. Sure you can see the pieces after a little while, but still you have to pay attention due to speeds coming out of certain corners and other factors. It has better mp and career modes as well. Just nailing a rally course is incredibly satisfying.
5. Assassin’s Creed: Origins: Initially my impressions of this sequel were poor, but with time it became more and more likable. I finished over 100 side quests (!) and most of them were actually quite good, without too much repetition. The world is stunning, with massive draw distances. Every area feels different and the atmosphere is incredible. Tasks can be completed quickly, which is a big reason the large world works so well. Stealth is a bit mixed but sneaking into forts and taking down captains or looting chests without being seen is fun. Biggest problem is that the actual main target assassinations are terrible, which is a bitter pill to swallow. If you get over that though, you should have fun. I rate it about middle of the series, but it is quite unlike the rest of the titles.
4. Prey: Destined to be a favorite due to the gameplay style. It’s little bit of system shock, deus ex, and bioshock mixed into one. Just being able to navigate the Talos space station and find codes or hidden areas is neat. It’s all about dynamic gameplay that adapts to your choices and actions. Would have liked even more depth, and it is not as good as those previously-mentioned games, but still the type of game I’d love to see more of. Plus it’s GLOO for YOU, too.
3. Darkwood: This is my dark horse in this list. To be honest I was pretty close to not even finishing the game, which speaks more about my laziness than the actual game. It’s a top-down horror/adventure/survival game that takes place in the woods (and yes it is dark). What makes it so great is how everything works together. It’s not easy, but you are rewarded for persistence. Every night you are assaulted by monsters and if you survive you get nice rewards to go out and collect resources and then survive again. It’s a slow and methodical type game where you creep a bit forward each time and learn the woods, but it nails the atmosphere.
2. Outlast 2: Liked this sequel far more than the original. It is less rigid and has more variety. The open environments just allow more natural hiding spots like in water barrels or in a corn field. It also switches the horror elements cleverly as you jostle back and forth between a dream sequence and the real world. Story could have been more prominent, but def one of the most improved sequels for me and a solid horror adventure.
1. Horizon Zero Dawn: Another winner for the PS4. There is so much to like about this game. The world is obviously wonderful, but the robots that inhabit it are great. They stalk the landscape and you are encouraged to fight them, or attack them from the bushes. The actual gameplay of firing arrows into weakspots, running around like crazy, and using different damage types seems quite polished. Then you have things like the ropecaster to hold them down and traps to setup. It’s a game that’s just quite enjoyable just to roam off in one direction and see what there is to find or what creatures there are to fight.
Plus the attention to detail is insane. It is probably the best looking game in 2017 because of how much work has gone into every piece. The characters look amazing and their lip syncing is among the best in the industry. Even their clothes and hair just seems so carefully designed. And what’s best of all is that almost none of the characters share the same face....that’s just an insane amount of model work. I found the story interesting, especially because of its post-apocalyptic setting, but the delivery could have spread out more. Lot of good games this year but H:ZD is one game that I think the developers pretty much achieved exactly what they wanted.
Honorable mentions
Star Wars Battlefront II: Yes it has loot boxes (paid ones were removed) and a bad campaign, but it’s the best multiplayer game in 2017 for me. Just fun arcade shooting with a great setting, awesome visuals, and much better balance (regarding heroes etc) than the previous game. Has a really fun starfighter mode too. With a bit more free content and support, the game might be even great in a few months. I’ve put in probably 50-60hrs worth online and still have great fun.
Observer: Blade Runner the game, better than Bloober Team’s previous game.
Resident Evil 7: The first 2/3rds of this game is pure gold in both setting and pacing. I hope they replicate it for a sequel.
Detention: Horror/Abstract point and click adventure with an interesting story
Mass Effect Andromeda: Much worse than the previous games but on the whole it isn’t bad. I still have a soft spot for sci-fi with interesting characters. With another year in the oven it could have been great.
***Not 2017 releases but played in 2017***
Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun – Didn’t come out in 2017 but I played it early in the year and would say without hesitation that it would have made my top 7 list last year. Commandos-like game done with precision and loved every minute.
KOTOR – I am way way way late to the party on this one (2003). While I didn’t like the combat much, the actual story and characters is excellent. It practically consumed my thoughts when I was playing it. Finished KOTOR2 just recently which might be even better when it comes to characters and story, sadly the ending is a bit of a letdown even with the cut content mod.
Below are the 62 games I finished in 2017 (+ pubg)
Stardew Valley, Until Dawn, STAR WARS Jedi Knight II - Jedi Outcast, Assassin's Creed Syndicate, Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun, D4: Dark Dreams Don’t Die -Season One, Gunpoint, Killzone Shadow Fall, Dishonored 2, Resident Evil 7, Phoning Home, Sniper Elite 4, Stories Untold, Night in the Woods, Horizon: Zero Dawn, Kona, Mass Effect: Andromeda, FlatOut 4: Total Insanity, Outlast 2, KOTOR, Little Nightmares, Prey, What Remains of Edith Finch, The Walking Dead: A New Frontier, DiRT 4, Conarium, The Fan, Leaving Lyndow, Hue, Headlander, Aragami*, The Book of Unwritten Tales, Submerged, Aporia: Beyond The Valley, Scanner Sombre, The Fidelio Incident, Observer, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, Peregrin, Tacoma, The Rodinia Project, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy, Beat The Game, Darkwood, Archaica: The Path of Light, Project Cars 2, Hob, Slime Rancher, Middle-earth: Shadow of War, South Park: The Fractured But Whole, Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus, Call of Duty: WWII, Guardians of the Galaxy: The Telltale Series, Star Wars Battlefront II, Black: The Fall, Assassin's Creed: Origins, Rise of the Tomb Raider Season Pass, Destiny 2, Life is Strange: Before the Storm, Finding Paradise, Last Day of June, Grow Up, & PUBG (mp only)
2017 was a bit under average for me in terms of gaming. There were no truly great games and most of my top seven, while good, would struggle to break my top seven in previous years. I played far more games this year than any other year, so my average experience is probably a bit lower because of that which might be the reason I found it under average. Certainly not a bad year, though.
Hope everybody had a good year and/or holiday break. Bring on the games for 2018!