2017 was the year of the video games. I haven’t played this many amazing videos in one year since I went to school and I can’t stop smiling about how amazing this felling was. I felt like a kid staying up late in summer to just play video games. I embarrassingly admit I took out a good chunk of time from hanging out with friends to play video games but I knew 2017 was the year I had to. So here are my five favorite games on 2017.
Persona 5
I waited so long for this game but it was so worth it! This is one of my favorite games I have played in years. Persona 5 best captured what it is like to play an anime. This game melds style, art, music, story, and character together to create an experience that anyone that is a fan of anime would love. This game isn’t just a game for anime fans but anyone that loves a really compelling story with captivating characters.
What I love most about Persona are the relationships that you make and how much I care about them. I laughed as we banter about high school problems and cried with them when they are going through heartbreaking pain. This was achieved so well in the writing and what makes it so unique is that since I am the one developing these relationships they feel like they are my connections.
The game I am most excited for now is Persona 6 and that is without knowing absolutely anything about it other than the studio is probably working on it right. Persona 5 was so good that I can’t wait to see what the next in the series bring. Take your time Atlus but just know that this game more than any other is the one I am most excited for.
The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild
Breath of the Wild is one of the best games I’ve ever played in my entire life. It brought childhood memories when I was waiting for school to be over so I could go home and play video games except it is work this time. Probably not a great thing to admit, but hey I always get my work done and it took a game like Zelda for me to have this moment again.
I loved exploring this world and discovering things on my own. What made it so magical was how it used its open world so well. So many games say that everything you see can be explored but this was the first to not only deliver but make the steps to get their fun. I didn’t realize how impactful that difference would make since I’ve played open world games before like Grand Theft Auto to the very recent Horizon Zero Dawn.
Zelda Breath of the Wild has a beautiful world to explore. When I played this game at E3 I knew I knew that his game was going to be something special and am so glad that it met my expectations. All the hype that this game got was well earned. Now if only they had a better save system because I would totally play this game again if it didn’t mean losing everything I earned in the game.
Horizon Zero Dawn
Horizon Zero Dawn was the most technically beautiful game I got to play last year and it was also a ton of fun. I knew Sony wanted this game to be a franchise game but was so surprised that the first game felt so complete when you finished it. It could have left so many questions but it answered most of them while leaving just enough for you to want more.
This is the most technically graphically game I have ever played and the team at Gerullia deserves so much praise. Not only do the graphics look amazing but the art made the world breathtaking where traversing the landscapes was enjoyable from just looking at the amazing details and colors. How they were able to able to get the draw distance to look that amazing blows my mind even after watching the video they released explaining how.
I normally get overwhelmed by massive open world games but Horizon was able to balance the expansiveness of its world with a path that was always easy to follow. I missed out so many massive open world games before because I felt so lost which is totally my fault but still unfortunate. I can’t wait to see what Guerrilla does next in the world of Horizon.
Super Mario Odyssey
There were so many times Super Mario Odyssey was able to give me an uncontrollable smile and I don’t even like platformers all that much. What can I say, I am just not that great at video games even though I play a lot of them. The infamous Nintendo polish though is able to refine this game to the point where pinpoint skill only enhances the experience.
Mario 64 was the last 3D Mario game I played so it has been a long while. If you loved Mario 64 you owe it to yourself to play Super Mario Odyssey to see where Mario has come since his first debut in the 3D world. In fact, that game has so many homages to past Mario titles that it reminds you how long Mario has been contributing to the gaming world.
Super Mario Odyssey is one of my favorite games to play on the go since I don’t have to take it too seriously. I can just pick up and play just having random fun around the different levels. My favorite level though has to be the Metro Kingdom and platforming around the city. I remember when I first saw it thinking that the humans looked too ridiculous but now I just can’t get enough of interacting with them.
Doki Doki Literature Club!
I am not a fan of horror games and unfortunately for me, I knew that this game would one. What I didn’t expect was for me find the courage to finish the game. After I finished the game I found myself watching hours of YouTube videos of people playing the game and finding hidden secrets a coward like me couldn’t find.
Doki Doki masterfully played with my expectations even when I was expecting the worse. It had the ability to drive my curiosity with its unique storytelling interaction. It messed with my mind in ways I haven't felt since playing The Stanley Parable. I want to say more but the less you know the better this game will be.
This is a game I can recommend to anyone that is open minded. Personally, I would never judge a game for its art or because it's a dating game, but the reality is people do. It’s a shame too because they miss out on some of the best experiences in all entertainment. For the amazing price of free and just a couple of hours, you can have your mind totally shocked.
Other Notable Mentions
PlayerUnknown’s Battleground
The phenomenon that is PUBG is a game that every online gamer should play. I don’t even like shooters all that much but this was something special. I enjoyed this game thoroughly and see why it has exploded among the competitive community.
Emily is Away Too
Emily is Away earned itself in my top 5 favorite games in 2015 so I was excited to play the sequel. If this game didn’t come out in one of the best years of gaming it would have probably also been in my top 5 favorite games.
A Normal Lost Phone
If you want to play this game and are open to unique different experiences then play this game on your phone. This is the only mobile game I ever paid for and it was totally worth my purchase. The less said about this game the better.
Dream Daddy: A Dad Dating Simulator
When I heard about this game I knew I wanted to play this game. I love the themes that this game explores and the characters are all filled with depth to create a great interactive story. Not to mention all the amazing cosplay that came with this game.