Game of the Year Watch 2017

This game of the year watch will consist of my top five games of the year so far, as well as biggest surprise, biggest disappointment, and a short list of honorable mentions. I have not played every game that has released this year, but I have made it a priority to play as much as I can. Without further ado, lets get into it.

Lets get the BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT out of the way first. This was a game I was semi-excited for, having previously only dabbled in its predecessors. While this is in no way a bad game, it feels years old and like it was developed in a vacuum.

Mass Effect Andromeda at its core is a deep character driven game, filled with goofy animations, mundane missions, and a hand holding mission structure. The past couple years have given us amazing open world experiences that completely overshadow what Andromeda achieves and its truly a shame. It also doesn't help that the game looks how it plays, with outdated graphics and hideously cluttered menus.

Next on this list is my BIGGEST SURPRISE, which is the delightful Gravity Rush 2. This was a game that released before any of the heavy hitters this year and got the chance to shine.

The game's unique movement system made it a blast to explore the world's floating cities. The art direction was also complementary to the very Japanese style of storytelling. What holds Gravity Rush 2 back are a lackluster story and a few missions that totally betray the game's mechanics completely. I hope that a third game can someday be released, it definitely has the opportunity to be a massive success.

Now lets get to my TOP FIVE games of 2017 thus far.

NUMBER FIVE: Persona 5

I've never played a Persona game before and am not a fan of turn base RPG's, but Persona 5 somehow has completely engaged my interest with it's slick design, fantastic characters, and engaging premise. The moment to moment gameplay has you doing mundane activities like going to school, working a part time job, or taking down an evil gym teachers castle (not so mundane). There's such a variety of things to do in Persona 5, that even after 15 hours of game time, I feel like I haven't even scratched the surface.

NUMBER FOUR: Horizon Zero Dawn

Sony's first huge exclusive game of the year released in the form of Horizon Zero Dawn from developer Gorilla Games, the makers of the Killzone franchise. Alloy is a great female protagonist that leads you through a rather interesting campaign that took me roughly 25 hours to complete. I was pleasantly surprised with just how well the game actually plays with combat, hunting, and crafting. These elements create a semi-deep experience.

The above average gameplay and beautiful open world can't quite overcome the traditional open world vibes this game gives off though. Tallnecks are your typical Ubisoft "towers" that unlock areas on your map and the mission structures are lazy at times. It overall feels like a game of checking off the boxes, but the package as a whole is great.

NUMBER THREE: Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

I have never actually owned a Mario Kart game and because of that never really put time into any of the previously released games in the franchise. Now that I own Nintendo's newest console/handheld hybrid, I dove at the chance to play the newest Mario Kart, and have loved every minute of it.

Not only has it been just plain fun to play, it's core mechanics are flawless and the game is packed with nearly 50 tracks and a handful of modes. I have also had the chance to utilize the three player couch coop with my girlfriend and sister, which has been a blast. Mariou Kart 8 truly captures what games were 15 years ago.

NUMBER TWO: Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

The more and more I thought about Resident Evil 7, the more it moved up on this list. I had never played a Resident Evil game before, nor did I feel like I needed to. But the change to first person and the refocus on survival horror was massively appealing, more so than the series usual third person action oriented gameplay.

Resident Evil 7 boast gorgeous visuals, haunting atmosphere, and an overall excellent game design. The Baker residence is a masterclass of level design and became a character itself as I found all of its secrets and dangers. The puzzle focused way of moving about the house to get to the bottom of what happened to this corrupted family is an absolute absorbing experience and I can't recommend it enough. I also played about half of the game in VR and wow, what a surreal way to play this fantastic game.

Before I unveil my favorite game of the year so far, here are some HONORABLE MENTIONS.

Nioh takes advantage of the Souls style of games and puts a nice twist on it. But the lack of a truly connected open world and odd spike in difficulty makes this game fall off the list for me. I do like the attempt of actually telling a story and world build, but its so obviously a Souls inspired game and while I like most of the things it implements, the shortcomings stand out even more in the shadow of the Souls games.

Outlast 2 is a great sequel of a game that most likely inspired my number two pick. The new location is vast and scary, with the camera element very enjoyable. The slick graphics don't make up for the trial and error enemy encounters though. The game is a good experience though and I would recommend the game to any horror fans.

For Honor is Ubisoft's latest attempt at creating an online only multiplayer experience that exceeds to certain extents. The core combat mechanics are unique and I like the experiences it offers on the battlefields. But the game lacks much depth beyond the combat system and the campaign is a tacked on afterthought.

NUMBER ONE: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Yep, you guessed it. What's there to say about Breath of the Wild that hasn't already been said. The game transcends the typical open world genre as well as previous Zelda games to create something so simply magnificent. Every mechanic in the game is created and placed so that the player can truly do anything you can think of. Nintendo has completely taken the reigns off the player and just pushes them into the huge game world.

I have put in 30 hours into Breath of the Wild and plan to continue to visit it even after beating the game's final boss. There is a sense of magic while playing this game and it can't be explained, only experienced; and it's something I have never experienced before, which is why The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is my favorite game of the year so far.

Thanks for reading and let me know what you think of my list in the comments and leave your own list if you'd like.