I liked these games in < 2017 >
Here are the games I've played in 2017 and sorta, maybe, even almost liked! As we all know I hate all video games so I need to remind myself when I actually don't hate some of them.
And here they are!
List items
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Released: Feb 7
A real great action RPG that combines some of my favorite genre mechanics into one neat package. Hubworld, costumes, skills. Hopefully there is a sequel in the works.
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Released: February 24
This game features some gorgeous art, a haunting atmosphere and some satisfying metroidvania gameplay that fans of the genre should really dig. I sadly have not finished it yet, but it's up on my list of games I need to get back to as the beginning few hours were definitely a lot of fun.
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Released: Feb 28
Who would have thought Guerrilla would go on to make an open world game about robot dinosaurs? While Horizon has a lot of rough edges, the core gameplay loop was a unique enough experience to keep me going even when the story hit a lull midway through (who cares about the sun god, tell me about the robots dangit!). Much like Nioh, the potential for an amazing sequel that builds on a lot of the core mechanics is very exciting.
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Released: Mar 7
Nier was a game that was recommended to me on these boards and despite it not being the best playing thing in the world, there were a ton of unique ideas there that kept me going - and I was rewarded with a really great story as well. Automata does what any good "sequel" should do - it evolved and improved upon the elements that were lacking in it's previous iteration, while continuing to deliver on the things that made the first game so special. Bizarre and extremely Japanese, Nier Automata definitely brought the heat when it comes to innovative storytelling. The gameplay still feels dated for a 2017 release, but at least they made it much more enjoyable to get to that F ending.
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Released: May 5
At this point I consider Arkane one of the best and more underrated developers in the industry. Either that, or they have a John Malkovich window into my mind are and developing games that appeal specifically to me. Dishonored 2 was one of my favorite games of 2016 because of it's open ended nature and freedom in tackling various situations in different ways. Prey takes that same freedom and ingenuity and then combines it with a sci-fi motif that is a beautiful ode to System Shock 2. I loved exploring this brand new world they created and at this point can't wait to see what Arkane will do next. It will take a lot to knock Prey off it's perch as my game of 2017.
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Released: 2013 (played May 2017)
After playing Horizon I was very intrigued to check out Shadow Fall as it was the last game Guerrilla worked on before their breakout open world hit. Shadow Fall is a clunky shooter that has a lot of interesting ideas it plays with but never executes on quite well. Surprisingly there are a lot of similarities to be gleamed between Horizon and Killzone, and you can clearly tell both were made by the same studio. It was also a little heartbreaking to play, as being a launch game Shadow Fall utilizes all the PS4 gimmicks that have since been abandoned by developers. I really do wish more games used the touchpad in some meaningful way. I didn't technically enjoy this game, and the ending is just awful, but I find that it's an interesting companion piece to Horizon in a really weird way. I mean whaddaya know, Guerrilla are still not all that great at writing human beings, but they sure make pretty looking sci-fi tech.
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Released: Sept 15
A standalone DLC to Dishonored 2, Death of the Outsider was a continuation of the franchise that promised to reveal some backstory on the Outsider as well as a few other key characters to the series. Overall I had fun with it but while the gameplay continued to be excellent, I do think it is the weakest entry in the Dishonored franchise to date.
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Released: Sept 26
An indie game that stole my heart with it's early trailers, Ruiner is like Hotline Miami infused with a cyberpunk vibe and modern graphics. Unfortunately it was not as pure in it's gameplay as Hotline and the and as much as I tried it never really clicked with me like I wanted it to, but I still had fun laying waste to street punks and soaking in the Neuromancer style - and if nothing else, Ruiner is just oozing with style.
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Released: October 27
The direct continuation to New Order, Wolfenstein is back with an even crazier storyline that delves into some strangely timely topics. BJ is back on the grind, murdering nazis for a better tomorrow. Overall I believe that I enjoyed the experience of this game more than the gameplay itself, which while fine, is not a shooter I could heartily recommend based purely on it's mechanics. Still, even despite a lackluster ending that feels like an entire third act of the game had been cut, Wolfenstein II is one hell of a ride.
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