Best of 2017
Updated over the year.
Updated over the year.
The joy of pure exploration, line of sight discovery, and emergent, open world moments married with Zelda’s refined approach to action-adventure and puzzle design has resulted in one of the all-time greats. It's the richest interpretation of Hyrule to date, nostalgic yet disorienting, infused with a melancholic coziness reminiscent of Studio Ghibli. Enchanting and engrossing for hours on end.
My intro to the series. Came for the goofy charm, tonal whiplash and slice of life Japan ambiance but did not expect one of the most impressive game stories in years told alongside. A sprawling, slow burn crime drama with strong characterization, hype encounters, memorable side missions and emotional notes that are earned. Solid brawler mechanics as well, never too difficult but satisfyingly brutal.
A sublime narrative experience and a potent dose of magical realism. There's a strong sense of forward momentum as you explore and float through the Finch clan's morbid history, with unique presentation twists and effective voice acting. Deceptively dense with some of the best environmental storytelling the genre has to offer. Couldn't put it down and it's lingered in my head ever since.
This is the definitive DJMAX collection I dreamt up in my head but never thought would ever come together. The familiar charts and button patterns translates nicely to the big screen, complete with detailed stat tracking and unlock challenges to pour over. The soundtrack is huge, with 146 songs at launch and regular DLC expansions, encompassing over a decade's worth of platforms and licensing deals. Also the UI design is 100% class.
Another immense undertaking in a year full of long games. The quality is unmistakable though, with tactical combat that rewards outside the box thinking and meaty quests with multiple solutions and little hand holding. Every line is voiced and the tone is an improvement over its predecessor, striking a nice balance between hard fantasy tribulations and lighthearted world building.
There’s a meticulous attention to detail in Pyre, from little interactions with trinkets to layered and surreal wastelands that are paintings unto themselves. This is a lore heavy choose-your-own-adventure visual novel at heart; a tale of faith, revolution, ritual and kinship. It’s also a 3-on-3 fantasy sport that’s robust enough to work as a standalone competitive experience once the story concludes. Pyre’s disparate influences won't be to everyone's tastes, but it quickly became the Supergiant creation I personally adore the most.
A captivating puzzler and fragmented narrative experience, carefully constructed and poetically presented. The distinctive hand-drawn art style draws you in, the puzzle mechanics are tactile and layered, and the environmental storytelling elicits sensations of childlike wonder, religious reverence and impending dread. Not a long or difficult game but excels at what it sets out to accomplish.
Intoxicatingly stylish, almost to the point of excess, yet still cohesive in its delivery of information. It's a fresh Persona game to get lost in, a compelling place to call home for a year and my favorite iteration of Press Turn combat to date. Some characters, arcs and concepts are stronger than others but the central themes pay off before the end and elevates the game past its blemishes.
Nintendo magic is all over this one, from big ideas like the Cappy mechanic to measuring out just the right mix between fresh environments and concepts and nostalgic warmth. Loved the design focus on density of secrets to uncover, placing exploration and discovery at center stage in a 3D Mario game while still delivering the platforming goods as the game opens up.