Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Wildlands – 71
Best 2017 Ubisoft Games According to Metacritic
The listed Metacritic scores have been calculated by using a weighted average system. This is because, on Metacritic, multiplatform titles are not only scored differently for a given game, they’re also reviewed by a varying amount of critics. Therefore, to find an accurate average, we have taken into account what percentage each total represents the total number of reviews across all platforms.
Wildlands is the first Ghost Recon title in the series to revolve primarily around a cooperative multiplayer design, and the results are a mixed bag. On the one hand, Wildlands’ enormous sandbox and emergent gameplay cater for all manner of experimentation and strategic freedom. Unfortunately, though, repetitive mission design, a limited progression system, and woeful technical issues drag the overall experience down. What’s more, there’s hardly any depth to its often whimsical narrative and the game’s characters aren’t memorable.
Ultimately, Ghost Recon: Wildlands is really only enjoyable when played with buddies as a cooperative experience. It really does feel like what is essentially a giant Bolivian playground — something that strangely belies the series roots in serious, tactical simulation. It’s entertaining enough, but there’s not enough substance to make this the must-play title that fans of the long-standing series were surely hoping for.
Just Dance 2018 – 73
Best 2017 Ubisoft Games According to Metacritic
Just Dance 2018 brings with it a fresh list of the latest all-new pop tracks, as well as one or two new features. The most notable of which is a separate kids-only mode, making the transition to age-appropriate music a little easier for families. As in previous games, new players are also given access to Just Dance Unlimited, with over 300 tracks from older games, but this is only temporary and requires a subscription after three months.
Ultimately, the base Just Dance package is a rehash of the exact same gameplay formula that Ubisoft has been repeating for some time. Perhaps, you could say that Just Dance is so refined at this point that there isn’t much in the way of new content required. But if it’s released as a brand new game, it needs to be judged as such, and Just Dance 2018 didn’t convince most critics it was a package worth splashing out for.
Star Trek Bridge Crew – 76
Best 2017 Ubisoft Games According to Metacritic
Ubisoft has a record of experimenting with different gaming platforms, and the developer continued its foray into VR in 2017 with Star Trek Bridge Crew. Although the game’s 76 Metacritic average doesn’t immediately catch the eye as a must-play title, the game has enjoyed a fair amount of praise for its general design and stunning attention to detail.
A VR experience is supposed to transport you to another world, and Star Trek Bridge Crew absolutely captures the immersion of commanding the Starship Aegis. It’s every Trekkies wet dream, but it’s also a heck of a lot of fun even if you’re not up to speed with the franchise. Static VR experiences seem to work best in general, and Bridge Crew doesn’t have to worry about movement or having to combat motion sickness. Do not, however, let that fool you into thinking this title is void of action and intensity. There’s all the thrill of making split-second tactical decisions from aboard your Starship as you battle Klingons across the galaxy.
For Honor – 78
Best 2017 Ubisoft Games According to Metacritic
For Honor’s brutal melee combat is all about careful strategy and timing. It’s deeply complex, and it’s spawned a new type of PvP multiplayer that certainly piqued the interest of the gaming industry… for a while. Unfortunately, For Honor’s player base has dropped off considerably since its launch. A lackluster campaign, frugal economy, and balancing issues seemed to cause interest and support to quickly dwindle.
That all being said, though, For Honor still deserves plenty of credit for its unique and inventive melee combat that is super entertaining to play. Honing your skills and learning to read enemy patterns is a real blast, and refreshingly, progression feels genuinely tied to your own skill-level rather than leveling mechanics or loot. You feel as though you’re becoming a better warrior with every game. It’s just a shame that various shortcomings meant the promising IP never really got into its stride properly.
South Park: The Fractured But Whole – 81
Best 2017 Ubisoft Games According to Metacritic
It would be easy to mistake South Park: The Fractured But Whole as nothing but a whimsical video game that plays the tropes of its famous license. But not only is this brilliantly written game one of the funniest ever made, it’s also an extremely entertaining RPG experience with surprising depth to its systems. The Fractured But Whole’s combat starts basic, but it soon evolves into something much more complex than the previous game’s.
Of course, the story and characters are its standout quality. The various parodies that comprise the game’s narrative deliver genuinely funny moments, and although some of the jokes miss the mark or feel slightly out of place, it’s almost as good as the television series throughout.
Yes, there are some slight problems with navigating around The Fractured But Whole, and some of its simple puzzles mechanics repeat themselves enough to become ever so slightly frustrating, but overall it’s an excellent South Park game. In fact, it’s just an excellent game in general.
Assassin’s Creed Origins – 83
Best 2017 Ubisoft Games According to Metacritic
The return of the Assassin’s Creed franchise has surely been one of 2017’s big triumphs for Ubisoft. By taking the series back to the drawing board with an all-new emphasis on RPG mechanics, overhauled combat, and an interesting origins story; Assassin’s Creed is once again right back at the top of the pile.
Origins is perhaps the most stunningly detailed open-world Ubisoft has ever created. The painstaking reconstruction of an immersive and convincing reconstruction of Ancient Egypt is hugely impressive. What’s more, the stories within its world are also a cut above previous entries in the series, with writing that does well to explain the struggles of life in Ptolemaic Egypt. The main protagonists, Bayek and Aya form an interesting duo, and the alternate history tale of the Creed’s formation contains enough twists and surprises to make it interesting until the end. Little wonder that the game has received critical acclaim.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle – 85
Best 2017 Ubisoft Games According to Metacritic
Assassin’s Creed Origins might have made a bigger noise, but Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle might just be Ubisoft’s best work in 2017. What a welcome surprise this strategy RPG was, adding to the console’s exceptional first year on the market with what is undoubtedly the best third-party developed title so far. Almost out of nowhere, Ubisoft stunned us with a crossover title featuring Nintendo’s stable of iconic characters that feels every bit as high in quality as Nintendo’s first-party offerings this year.
Critics adored its cutesy aesthetic and charming story, but it was the excellent XCOM-like strategy gameplay that really impressed. Sure, Some of its tougher levels force players into a trial-and-error tactics, but a good mix of enemies, objectives, and character abilities keep Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle enjoyable through to the end.
