Friday, December 01, 2017

Top 10 Video Games of 2017

Well, it's that time of year again. Time for me to look back at the games I played over the last year and try to whittle them down to the 10 that stood out to me the most. As is my usual MO, I'll begin by stressing that these are my personal favorites of the year. I'm not saying I'm right. I'm not saying you're wrong. You may agree. You may disagree. I'm just here to give props to the people who put in some incredible work to entertain my dorky self. 

This year was a little tougher for me when it came to choosing 10 because a lot of my gaming time was spent on games that didn't come out in 2017 (and, according to the rules I have set for myself, disqualifies them from appearing on the final list). Not only did I spend time re-visiting some of my favorites from years past (The Wolf Among Us), I also invested a large number of hours in games I haven't been able to put down since first picking them up (Overwatch, LEGO Dimensions).

Before I begin the list, I'd like to give props to the games that almost made it into the Top 10. Sniper Elite 4 was just as much head-asplodin' fun as I hoped it would be, Persona 5 probably would have made it if I'd been able to finish it (I forgot to mention that even though I love video games, I'm not very good at them), LEGO Marvel Superheroes 2 is the massive sandbox I'd heard it was going to be (in a good way), and even though I didn't play the first one The Evil Within 2 still drew me in and kept me on the edge of my seat.

NOTE: Although my list is numbered, it's not in a specific order, but is instead an attempt to keep my jumbled thoughts organized. If it's on the list, it's a favorite, and #10 comes just as highly recommended as #1. So yeah. Just get 'em all and you'll be good.

OK, here we go...


10. WHAT REMAINS OF EDITH FINCH

If you know me, you know how important storytelling is, and if you played What Remains of Edith Finch, then you know why it's on the list. More than just the heart-breaking analysis of the Finch family tree, this game stands out for how the story unfolds.

Told in a non-linear style that makes the player fill in the gaps and put the pieces together on their own, it's a smart game that refuses to spoon feed. The writers are particularly skilled at creating suspense by allowing the story to unfold exactly how you expect one moment (that moment on the swing!), how you least expect the next, and then letting you think you know how it's going to unfold (I was convinced I was going to slice off my hand in the fish cannery) and letting you dangle in excruciating anticipation.

Special kudos goes out to the talented Valerie Rose Lohman who voices the main character in a wonderful performance that very easily could have veered into the melodramatic but instead balances out the fantastic with realism, grounding it all and adding a sorrowful truthfulness to the proceedings.

9. THE WALKING DEAD: A NEW FRONTIER

Considering how long Telltale Games has been cranking out titles in The Walking Dead franchise, there's really no excuse for the stories to have remained as good as they are. The series doesn't seem to be getting the buzz it once did, but that's through no fault of the storytellers. The Walking Dead: A New Frontier is another stellar addition to the collection and the writers continue to hammer out compelling stories that do exactly what the cliffhanger ending of each episode is supposed to do: Leave your palms sweating at what just transpired and eager to get to the next chapter.

In A New Frontier we're introduced to Javier and his family, a new set of characters that struggles with the line between right and wrong and explores what happens when loved ones end up on opposite sides.  

I was especially impressed with the writing staff in this go-around because nothing is sacred. The heroine Clementine, whom we've grown to know and love throughout each iteration, is growing up and her choices aren't always the most heroic. I love that she does things I don't agree with and there's something oddly commendable about her good guy white hat gradually becoming grayer and grayer.

8. SOUTH PARK: PHONE DESTROYER

I've tried Gwent. I've tried Hearthstone. I've never been able to connect to a card playing, PVP game much to the chagrin of my card-playing, PVP game-loving friends.

I thought nothing could distract me from my other mobile game staples like Ballz, Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff, and The Simpsons: Tapped Out...but then along came ManBearPig and company and I. Am. Hooked. 

South Park: Phone Destroyer, to me at least, doesn't seem incredibly different from its competitors on paper, but once you add these so-wrong-they're-hilarious Coloradans into the equation, you have my attention.

Yes, there was a bit of a learning curve, mostly because this isn't the genre of game I excel at, but my enjoyment helped me stick with it, despite one four-hour stretch early on where I didn't win a single PVP match. Normally I would declare enough is enough and set the game aside but this time around was different. I finally figured out what I needed to be doing, regrouped, and came back a bit stronger and wiser. I still lose a good percentage of the time, but I'm having way too much fun while I'm losing to care.

7. DISHONORED: DEATH OF THE OUTSIDER


Speaking of not being very good at games, I'm horrible at stealth games. Like really, really bad. I can sneak up on a guy and choke him out and feel all successful and ninja-y for a few seconds, but eventually it's all going to go horribly wrong, usually sooner rather than later. I push a wrong button, I get spotted and panic, and before you know it, it's a free-for-all. Swords are swinging, guns are firing at nothing, and I'm sprinting headfirst into walls.

Because of that reason, I really shouldn't have enjoyed Dishonored: Death of the Outsider as much as I did. Sure, you can go in guns blazing if you'd like, but as bad as I am at stealth, I'm even worse at handling blazing guns. This game is so much fun, though, even trying to be stealthy is a heck of a good time. No matter how slowly I crept, how much time I spent planning an exit strategy, I knew it would go sour and I also knew I'd be failing with a big stupid grin on my face.

I've enjoyed each installment in the Dishonored series and once again Bethesda managed to one-up themselves. Introducing some clever and fun mechanics into the gameplay I was already familiar with injected the entire experience with a shot of adrenaline and kept me on my toes. With a huge variety of secrets and challenges to find and play through on each level, there's plenty of replay value to be had. And trust me, it will be had.