Top 10 Best Video Games of 2017

When it comes to gaming, 2017 was a year to remember. Whether you were into action-packed adventures, heart-pounding challenges, or deep, story-driven experiences, there was something for everyone. Some of the most talked-about games of recent memory were released this year, spanning a variety of genres and pushing the boundaries of what video games can offer. From stunning open worlds and creative indie gems to nostalgic favorites reimagined, it was a year that had gamers buzzing.
The Top Ten
1 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

I don't think it's perfect. I really enjoyed playing the game, and am still about halfway through the main "defeat Ganon" quest line. I wasn't a fan of the opening in the Great Plateau, but it significantly improved once I got the paraglider. The divine beast dungeons and boss battles were enjoyable.

However, I think the game should allow more than six saves at a time without requiring an external drive. Overall, I have positive views and agree that it's one of the best games of the year.

This game is absolutely the best in 2017. It offers the most limitless experience in open-world gaming history. I'm puzzled as to why people compare Zelda to Horizon Zero Dawn. Horizon Zero Dawn fell short in open-world design, lacking a sense of freedom. In my opinion, it has a better story than Zelda but nothing more. Zelda stands out the most among all the video games this year.

2 Super Mario Odyssey

Barely has any flaws. The game is fun, has a ton of content, the best controls ever in a 3D platformer, and even manages to have a very well-balanced difficulty. It's pretty accessible during the first part of the main game, becoming harder towards the end and absolute hell in the post game.

You'll likely spend at least 100 hours to complete it 100% the first time around, and every single Power Moon you collect feels rewarding. Every riddle and puzzle feels fair but challenging at the same time, and believe me, there's a ton of them. Definitely a must-have for Switch owners.

3 Horizon Zero Dawn

With Horizon: Zero Dawn, Guerrilla Games has made a stunning transition to the world of open-world action RPGs with a brilliant new IP. Though there were a few graphical hiccups and nitpicks I had about the skill tree, there's no denying the fact that the game is a masterpiece in its own right.

The mysterious narrative, strategic gameplay, and beautiful world make this a title worth exploring, and one you won't want to miss. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a few more side missions to track down.

I do love games like The Legend of Zelda and Skyrim, and I think this one should be up there too with those awesome titles. The visuals, music, story, and heroine in this game all stand out as being top quality. The makers of this game should be proud of themselves for making this masterpiece.

4 Cuphead

The old '30s cartoons have a really nice charm for people who like good old cartoons. Imagining a modern cartoon or video game that represents these days in this style is incredible. The animations and backgrounds needed to be done with paper and ink to appeal to the eyes and achieve this exact style.

For some people, the "pay the price for playing with the devil" story may seem strange or dark, but there are actually plenty of '30s cartoons with a wacky representation of hell, including Walt Disney classics like Hells Bells from 1939.

5 Persona 5

My first Persona game was the fourth installment. I've loved the series ever since. I was eagerly awaiting the fifth installment, and it's finally here. The social links are improved, thanks to Kawakami's confidant. The main cast is more interesting, and the dungeons are more detailed, moving away from generic mazes. I'm hoping the Phantom Thieves will meet the Persona 4 cast.

The storyline is amazing, though a tad bit messy, characters are nice and well-constructed, and the animation is simply magnificent. Why the heck is this TOP 3? Sure, 3rd is good, but this stuff is worth 2nd or 1st.

6 Nier: Automata

Yes, I know it's been four years since this game came out, but this is when I finished it. I finally finished Nier: Automata, and it truly lives up to its hype. The story is really interesting, with many twists and turns that lead to 26 different endings (even though only 5 are necessary). The graphics are beautiful, and the weapons are unique, as they have their own story the more you upgrade them.

The gameplay and controls are also incredible. Everything about this game screams awesome, especially the soundtrack!

7 Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

I feel really weird for thinking a racing game is the best game of 2017, but there are some possibilities. It had a brand new battle mode that was improved with four new modes, as fans were upset with the MK8 battle mode. They introduced wireless play! This is a mode where you can have a friend come over with their Switch, and play on wireless mode without needing internet.

The new characters were a hit. People were very happy when they heard Dry Bones had returned. Also, King Boo was exciting, and Bowser Jr. to come, after somehow he wasn't in MK8. That's all for now folks. See you later.

8 Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

A wonderful remaster of a great series of games. Just as awesome and frustrating as I remembered.

I see someone saying that Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy should be number one, and I agree!

This release was really well done. Activision did something right for once.

9 Assassin's Creed Origins

I can understand why this isn't very high on the list, because the reputation of Assassin's Creed wasn't all that good, and neither were any releases since the Ezio trilogy, apart from Black Flag. Skipping a year did good to the series though, and resulted in Origins, a great video game.

This game was amazing and should have been first, just before Call of Duty WWII. The story was amazing. Also, I've played 80 hours of this game and still haven't explored all of the map. The map is bigger than The Witcher 3. However, I was annoyed that there wasn't any multiplayer.

10 Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

In my opinion, this is not only the best video game of 2017 but also my favorite "Resident Evil" game. Don't get me wrong, the other games are good, but this one is my favorite. I appreciate the fact that, instead of playing as a trained professional who encounters bio-weapons on a day-to-day basis, we get to see the Resident Evil universe through the eyes (literally) of an average everyday man.

Additionally, as I previously joked, the game is in a first-person perspective, which is a brilliant way to scare the player and make them feel like they are there, even without virtual reality. Virtual reality is also an option in the PlayStation 4 version of the game. This game manages to both scare my pants off and provide an enjoyable experience. The combat system is effective as it gives you the feeling of being an untrained fighter, making you feel more vulnerable. You also need to be aware of your supplies and inventory space. The game forces you to make choices on whether to craft certain items or others, adding survival elements.

Overall, I would give this game a 9/10. It is brilliant, but there are two things that I feel prevent it from getting a 10/10 score. The first is that the story has a few plot holes, particularly if you play some of the DLCs. The second is that one particular boss in the game, which I won't spoil, is quite disappointing. I don't even feel that it should be classed as a boss as there is no skill element at all. This is disappointing as I found him/her to be an interesting character. But apart from those two points, I highly recommend this game to anyone, regardless of whether you have played other Resident Evil games or not.

The Contenders
11 Injustice 2

I don't know about you, but this is a pretty cool game, and I don't even like playing video games!

Good story, characters, combat moves, and costumes. Even the villains are awesome. New characters like Hellboy, Raider, Starfire, and Black Manta should be higher.

This is amazing. Definitely better than the prequel, and its graphics are really good. The gameplay is so good it's like a great cheeseburger. 10/10.

12 Sonic Mania

Sonic Forces was a disappointment, but at least we got a Sonic game this year that was amazing. I absolutely love this game. The controls are spot on, we see Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles in their true form, the soundtrack is catchy as hell, it's visually stunning, and it actually has a high emphasis on going fast!

The new zones could easily become fan favorites, and the returning ones are stellar, too! Also, there are quite a few substantial changes in the second acts of returning levels with platforming elements that are super fun to use! This game takes everything that made previous Sonic games great and brings it here. Highly recommend to Sonic fans and newcomers alike. It's an amazing value for $20!

13 Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon

It's really great and one of the best Pokémon games we have gotten in a while. I'm enjoying playing it, but it has one critical problem: it feels like glorified 40-dollar DLC. Only the post-game is very different from the originals, and not much else has changed.

Most of the NPCs stay the same, and the lines of dialogue and storyline generally stay the same. The Ultra Recon Squad were cool, but they were also kind of boring. They added a bunch of side quests, which are okay, but there still is not a place where I can get more Power Point Ups. Ultra Sun and Moon were great, but they definitely could have made it more different, or given us the third game that stays "Ultra" but also combines the two for a more complete experience.

14 Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus

There's a great game buried under Wolfenstein II, featuring tight shooting and a callback to the action-packed fun of retro shooters. However, to get to that, you have to sit through mounds of boring cutscenes with goofy dialogue and bland characters. The game should have taken an "action first" approach, similar to the Doom reboot.

More realistic than Call of Duty WWII, and that says a lot. Wolfenstein goes back to the old school consoles when 3D games were just coming out. The storyline, along with the graphics and gameplay, are phenomenal. Everyone who likes FPS should have this game. What can be more fun than taking down Nazis?

15 Call of Duty: WWII

This game is really good. It has a lot of action and story to it. I am surprised that this game came out when it did. There was a Call of Duty set in World War I, but that one is pretty old. This is a really good improvement on WWII. I think that it should have put you on both teams like WWI did, but it is still a really good game.

I'm really excited for WWII. Mainly because I was really tired of the "Futuristic Warfare" concept. I'm glad that Call of Duty is returning to what made them a big hit in the first place. Really pumped!

16 Doki Doki Literature Club!

Surprisingly intellectual, sad, creepy, heartfelt, and overall disturbing, all at the same time. The dating-sim artwork initially put me off playing this game, but after some convincing from online sources, I decided to try it out for myself, and wow. The soundtrack is superb, and the characters are surprisingly nuanced. Even though I thought I had predicted the twist, I was still completely shocked when it occurred.

Another thing to note: this game really loves messing with your mind. Many players may find themselves having an existential crisis at some point after experiencing the whole thing. It's an excellent game, in my opinion, but be warned... this game is not what the cutesy art style would have you believe.

It's definitely worth checking out for anyone who loves psychological horror.

17 Splatoon 2

Splatoon has long been my favorite game, boasting amazing graphics, great gameplay, an unbelievable soundtrack, and is a must-play for any Nintendo fan.

Splatoon 2 might honestly be as good as the original, offering fantastic visuals and gameplay, new weapons, stages, and characters, and still a pretty good OST. Although I do not own a Switch and have only been able to play Splatoon 2 at my friend's house, if you have any spare money, I highly recommend getting this game. You will not regret it.

Such a fun and enjoyable game! I never played the original Splatoon, but this game is great!

18 Danganronpa V3: Killing Harmony

The worst game of the series, but it is an absolutely brilliant game nonetheless. When 16 people with distinct personalities get trapped in a school, you'll find yourself attached to at least one of them.

Fantastic visual novel/murder mystery, highly recommended to have played the first two since there are spoilers and they are great as well. Also, it has a lot of post-game content if you are a completionist.

This game has only been out for three weeks, and I have already played it five times. Please save me.

19 Forza Motorsport 7

Well, I was able to get 10 hours of the game in the last week of 2017, and from what I've experienced, it is the best game - at least in the racing category - of what is otherwise a terrible year in gaming.

It's a very good game with loads of nice cars too. The modes are awesome. The car list was okay, but they added the Chiron, so it's the BEST racing game of 2017. Just saying.

20 Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle

Taking selfies is what makes Rabbid Peach so funny. She's great, and the cartoon violence is fun. Before this, I always wondered what it would be like if the Mario universe had guns, other than those in Bowser, Bowser Jr., and the Koopalings' clown cars.

Why is this so low? This game is awesome!

Should be higher than A Hat in Time.

21 A Hat in Time

Why is this game so low? It's proved to be one of the best games overall, not to mention being great in its own category of 3D platforming, perhaps second only to Super Mario Odyssey.

22 Hollow Knight

Hollow Knight might be the best Metroidvania of 2017 I have ever seen, due to its exploration, combat, and healing aspects. You have to defeat over 140 types of enemies and 32 bosses. The game also includes a bit of platforming, but I consider it to be 95% backtracking and such. I highly recommend playing this game. The controls are easy, but the animation doesn't work very well. You have to adjust the resolution to improve it.

The best part of the game for me is the bosses. They are mostly optional to defeat and have a good combat system. The bosses in Hollow Knight have a Dark Soul-ish combat style, but unlike other Metroidvania games like Environmental Station Alpha, Xeodrifter, or Cave Story, they don't show their health bars. Anyway, check it out on Steam if you haven't already. If you don't have Steam, download it and then buy the game. Remember, it's best played with a controller.

23 Night in the Woods

This game is so much more than what it appears to be. It may not be for everyone, but there's no denying how much heart was put into this game. Not only is it one of the best games of this year, but it's arguably the game that most people will relate to.

The story is fantastic, the humor is amazing, the emotions are real, and the game is just plain awesome. At the very least, it should be above Call of Duty: WWII.

I could talk forever about this game. It's good, but it's not for everyone. If you can relate, it really hits close to home.

24 Xenoblade Chronicles 2

I literally have no idea how this is in last place (at the time of writing this). Out of all the games I've played in 2017, this is the one game that made me truly feel like I wasn't just playing a game, but living an experience. The music, the story, the characters, the gameplay, all of it was truly wonderful. I don't think a video game could ever live up to how much this game has wowed me.

Much better than Zelda BOTW, which was my favorite game before I bought this. Amazing story, fun gameplay, interesting characters, and a soundtrack that gives me goosebumps or brings a tear to my eye every time. This game is a must-play if you like RPGs.

25 Playerunknown's Battlegrounds

Even in mid-2018, I think this is better than Fortnite. Thankfully, it's ranked higher than Fortnite.

With the right people, this game will never get boring!

Should be number one in my opinion. So much fun.

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