My gaming highlights of 2017!

It’s the end of the year and that can mean only one thing, it is time for our end of the year lists. So here I am with my top 10 of games of 2017. You might notice that some games are missing, where is Mario, where is Zelda, the answer to that is easy, I don’t have a Switch (yet). These 10 games are just the games that I played this year.

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  1. Resident Evil 7

The return to the suspense horror genre one might say. Resident Evil 7 was a game that actually brought a smile to the fans of the original games. Clever use of the usual suspenseful cliches still cause a threatening atmosphere for the player. Yes, there are some predictable moments in the game but mostly it is enjoyable and brings back good memories to the original games. I am not a big fan of the horror genre but this game really had me excited about the atmosphere and did not feel like a traditional Resident Evil game which might worked in it’s favor though I have to say that as the end came closer the game went back to some of the usual tricks of the franchise. Still, a solid number 10 on my list.

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  1. Wipeout: The Omega Collection

2017 marked the return of a legendary racegame. After the PSX, the PS2, PSP, PS3 and PS Vita it was finally time for the franchise to make it’s debut on the PS4 and it didnt disappoint. I was preparing myself first with Wipeout on the PS Vita and once this game came out I noticed that the bigger screen actually makes it a bit easier to play. Loved it from the beginning until the very end, just a pity that I am not good enough to make it till the very end but still a lot of fun, absolutely a worthy racer for people who just want to have fun with friends and a bit of competition.

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  1. Little Nightmares

I am not a big fan of the indie scene, my personal opinion is that it is a bit overrated though that mostly is because of their style and well, their general lack of quality that they used to bring. Over the last couple of years actually they have started to get more appealing to me and thanks to the PS Plus program I have actually played quite a lot of indie games on my PS Vita (love that handheld). But Little Nightmares is not really an indie and it was not part of the PS Plus program. Still I gave it a try and I have to admit that it was quite a ride. It is challenging, sometimes a bit frustrating but overall it was actually a lot of fun. Sure the game is a bit twisted but I enjoyed it, it is a unique game that made me want to keep on gaming. It gives you something to think about in this consumption economy and I love games that give us something to think about while bringing an interesting story to the screen.

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  1. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Who knew, a spinoff from the Uncharted series could be this awesome. Meant originally as DLC and included in the season pass they eventually decided to make this a full release game for a gentle price. I loved the gameplay though I had a bit of problems with the lack of diversity when it cames to the areas that we go through. Where Uncharted usually takes us through a huge diversity of environments it is actually a pity that this spinoff does not do that as much as I like to see. In the end, I loved the chemistry and interaction of the characters, I loved the gameplay which was a lot of fun but perhaps after the amazing Uncharted: A Thiefs End the bar was perhaps a bit too high even though it was originally meant as DLC and to be honest, it feels that way but what a ride, a rollercoaster that I did not want to miss.

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  1. Star Wars: Battlefront II

Perhaps the weirdest choice perhaps in this top 10 but it is one of the games that brought me the most fun online. I am not a huge fan of online multiplayer, I prefer actually the single player adventures but Star Wars: Battlefront II brought a huge smile on my face all the time when I was playing it online and I have to admit, it still does even though I am not so good at it. The lootboxes might be considered as pay2win but truth be told, because I am already not so good at the game it does not really bother me that much because I am getting shot and killed anyway. I am just there to have fun and with the fantastic singleplayer I have to admit that this game is one of the better Star Wars games I have played in a long time. There, I said it, I really enjoy this game.

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  1. Mass Effect: Andromeda

Maybe a controversial pick due to all the criticism it received (and some of it might be deserved) but what a game. It is huge when it comes to scale, so many things to discover in this universe (and it had so much potential as well) but it could have been so much more. Unfortunately the studio behind Andromeda did not get the chance to work it out, they were forced to work on fixing the animations and lip sync so in the end we were left with a game that left the fans with so many unanswered questions that I wonder, was this what Bioware imagined in the beginning with this game? Or was it such a mess to begin with that they just did not care enough to fix this and all hopes were already fixed on Anthem? In the end, I loved this game, I loved the characters and interaction but perhaps they could have done more with it? Maybe more exploration, more like Mass Effect 1? Maybe more aliens to encounter? Perhaps still a sequel of the original trilogy, giving us a peek on how the civilizations rise up from the ashes? They say this is not the end of the franchise so fingers crossed for a phoenix rising out of the ashes.

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  1. Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice

Another indie title though this time with a big studio behind it. Senua’s Sacrifice was a game that was perhaps the biggest surprise of this gaming year. Ninja Theory set a challenge for themselves to show that an AAA title can be delivered on a small budget and boy did they deliver. They brought a bit of a brutal challenge that was probably inspired partially by the Souls games to the PS4 and they did everything by themselves, from production to distribution, it was all their own hard work and it brought an amazing story which even helps to inform you about mental illnesses and how to cope with them. Senua’s Sacrifice is an emotional story which will exhaust you in the end but dont let this stop you, once you have finished it you will also feel very satisfied and fulfilled. This game will stay with you for a very long time, you will treasure it’s memories and it’s lessons. Maybe it should have been higher on my list because even writing this brings back emotions but it was an amazing year in gaming and if this game would have been released in 2016 it would absolutely have been my Game of the Year. Can’t wait for a sequel though I wonder if it would still be as powerful as it is right now.

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  1. Wolfenstein II: The New Order

The story driven first person shooter returns to retake his crown. In an adventure that takes you in 15 hours across the USA in order to liberate the country from their Nazi rulers. The story might look like something you have seen before but when you take your time and look for the different stories that you can locate while you make your way through the game you will discover that this game goes so much deeper than you first imagine. There is a lot of humor in this game and of course it is over the top and at some moments even absurd but it all fits perfectly in this crazy universe that it takes place in. But this game is more than just a story driven first person shooter, it is also perhaps the revitalisation of the single player games. I believe that it took courage from Bethesda to create this game and to release it. It is just a shame that games like these dont sell well for full price simply because people think they are not getting their moneys worth and that is unfortunate because personaly this game entertained me much more than Destiny 2 and kept me glued to the screen for hours in a row.

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  1. Horizon: Zero Dawn

From the creators of the Killzone series it is perhaps the biggest surprise of the years. Who knew that a studio that takes a huge step of their comfort zone could create a game that is so amazing. Everything works in this game, gameplay wise (me with a bow and arrow, wow, I never use that weapon in games because of the way the aiming works), story wise (so deep, so very surprising and twists that brought me joy), audio wise (the soundtrack is amazing) and the graphics. This game is perhaps the only reason you need to buy PS4 Pro because this game looks jawdropping good, even better if you play it on a 4K tv with HDR. This game might convince you to buy such a tv and the PS4 Pro. I could not detect any big flaws in this game that would convince me to stop playing this game. A smooth experience and almost the game of the generation if it was not for my number 1.

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1. Nier: Automata

My number one game of this year was perhaps the hardest game that I played this year and that is the wonderous Nier: Automata. Maybe we can call this game the masterpiece of game director Yoko Taro who is known for is sometimes crazy style of games. With the help from Platinum Games and Square Enix he was able to create a gem of a game that combines different game styles into a game that is both eery as amazing. It brings a soundtrack that will bring tears to your eyes, a story that is bold but could even be realistic in some ways that you could not imagine. I am absolutely not one that is a fan of games as tough as the Souls series (Bloodborne manages to make me cry with the difficulty level at some moments) but I just had to go through with this game and once I finished it I was just flabbergasted, this was an amazing ride, what a game, what a sensation. This is a game that you will only get once in a console generation. If you havent tried it yet I just want to say: why are you still reading this? There is a legendary game to play! It is one of the best games I have ever played and absolutely the best game of 2017!

So there you have it, the 10 games that I enjoyed the most this year. They are of course just my personal opinion and I know that I am missing some awesome games but as I stated before, I dont have a Switch so I can’t judge Mario and Zelda though from what I have seen and heard about they would have deserved a place in this list but because I havent played them I also can’t judge them.

I can’t wait for 2018 and see what the new year would bring when it comes to gaming but I am certain it will be just as good, if not better. Have a great new year, thank you for reading, drop a comment if you want and be safe with the fireworks!


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