The Top 10 Games of 2017

As 2017 comes to an end, it's a good time to look back at the games that made gamers' year. Here are the best games of the year, in no particular order.

11.       Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

This is Nintendo's latest installment for the ever popular Legend of Zelda series, as well as the flagship game for their newest console, the Switch. Nobody gave much thought to the hybrid home and portable console, to begin with, but the game has allowed ideas and creativity to flow. It also breathes new life into the series by changing certain aspects of the lore and gameplay, yet keeping the core features of a Legend of Zelda game intact. Players are definitely recommended to give this game a chance.

22.       Super Mario Odyssey

Another one of Nintendo's staples, Super Mario Odyssey, takes Mario on yet another quest to save the princess. This time, however, the game offers open-world exploration, as well as the ability to take control of the various characters that are a part of each level. These characters have different abilities that are helpful in progressing through each level. Some players have taken the challenge of not using these characters and completing the levels on their own.

33.       Persona 5

High School has never been more exciting in Persona 5. The protagonist is a mild-mannered student by day and a thief by night. He and his band of fellow troubled students (including the talking cat) solve mysteries and unearth conspiracies by changing the hearts of those involved in the conflict. You can play the game and watch as they shake up Shibuya and crawl through palaces to find treasure, all the while attempting to juggle school, social lives, and searching for the freedom that every teenager desires.

44.       NieR: Automata

Nier Automata is a weird and wacky game that features androids 2B and 9S. The game is set in the same post-apocalyptic world as the original Nier and follows after the most recent game of the series. There is a war between the humans and an invading machine army, which places the androids in the middle of the fight. They were originally sent as proxies for humanity to fight in the war. However, the plot thickens as the game features an ending for each letter of the alphabet. There is no requirement to have played the original game in order to enjoy this game.

55.       Horizon: Zero Dawn

Horizon: Zero Dawn is a more futuristic Monster Hunter, where players hunt machines that are acting like living creatures as well as wildlife. Protagonist Aloyis searching to find out who her mother was, so she trained to become a brave and to win a boon that the tribe’s Matriarchs grant to the those that earn it. The answers that she receives only result in more questions. As she discovers more about herself and the world around her, she finds that there are more to the ruins of the old world scattered about as well as the machines that they are hunting.

66.       Cuphead

Many players say that Cuphead is a difficult game to play. Playing through the game will more than likely result in multiple deaths, but as the saying goes, “Failure is the best teacher.” It will be frustrating and stressful, but the best thing about the game will be to finally beat the boss and all the failure and time invested into the game will be worth it. This game is not for those who easily give up or like a challenge.

77.       Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus

Shoot, hack, slash, and explode your way through Nazi-controlled America as BJ Blazkowicz in this first-person shooter. He can dual wield most of the weapons in the game to double his efficiency in spilling blood as he tries to liberate the country that prizes its freedom the most. Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus features new weapons, characters, and equipment for BJ to utilize. Be sure to adjust your game settings to what is comfortable.

88.       Resident Evil 7

Follow Ethan Winters on his search for his wife in a derelict plantation where the Baker family lives. As a civilian, Ethan doesn't have high combat ability so there is less of a focus on action and more on survival. In some encounters with the family, he will only be able to incapacitate them and will have to run away or hide to avoid them. Resident Evil 7 is a good addition to the series, however, is receiving some backlash in regard to the complaints about the ending along with the boss battles.

99.       Assassin's Creed Origins

Discover the ins and outs of the Creed and explore its origins in this game. It is more RPG-like than its predecessors with the skill progression, and while the open world can be wholly explored, certain areas are blocked, requiring certain skills in order to access them. The game has also reworked the combat system, creating opportunities to injure specific body parts or a chance to miss entirely. There are of course some problems still, but it is leaps and bounds better than what has been released in the past installments of the series.

110.   Injustice 2

Injustice 2 provides answers questions such as ‘Who would win in a fight between Batman and Superman?' or ‘Can so-and-so villain take on so-and-so hero?' Then again, it can depend on the players. At any rate, this fighting game lets players pit hero against hero, villain, or themselves if they so choose. With the DLC, they can even add the Ninja Turtles, as well as other third-party characters to the mix. There's even a single player campaign for this game.

Also, a special mention goes to:

111.   PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds

PlayerUnknown’sBattlegrounds is the Hunger Games of video games. The only exception is that there are no sponsors to help with timely supplies, so players really have to search for weapons and equipment. The PC version of the game recently moved out of Early Access, moving into the category of a full game. Bluehole has also released a port for the Xbox near the end of the year, effectively expanding the player base and hinting at the possibility of cross-platform play. While the ‘completed' version is still problematic, players still love it.