It’s a great time to be a gamer — between 2015’s The Witcher 3 and 2016’s Uncharted 4, you might feel as though you’ve read that frequently over the past couple of years, but 2017 has, so far, taken things to the next level. Surely we’re in the midst of a vintage year that is absolutely bound for the scrapbook and destined to be remembered nostalgically for years to come.
As passionate gamers, we’re being treated to our fix from all fronts, with exciting new hardware here or on the horizon, and a tidal wave of awesome games to boot. Let’s cut to the chase, though: cool as it has been to play the latest Zelda on Nintendo’s Switch, and as tantalizing a prospect as Scorpio’s 4k 60fps gameplay is, the outstanding quality of the games is absolutely at the heart of why 2017 is looking oh-so-juicy.
What is especially remarkable is that there’s has been something for everyone; no overload of open world games or barren spells between differing genres here. We have been indulged with some of the best examples of games across a multitude of different genres, one masterclass after another. So much so that Twinfinite can’t help but compile a list of all the titles we feel are instant classics, and even though we’re only in April, that already prove 2017 is one of the strongest in years.
Nioh
Nioh puts a fresh spin on a gameplay formula heavily inspired by the Souls series. More than just a “Souls clone,” Nioh stands apart by meshing together a creepy feudal Japan setting with contemporary Yokai-style monster enemies. Add to the mix some brutally difficult but sumptuous-to-handle gameplay, and Nioh feels every bit as accomplished as the franchise from which it takes inspiration. In fact, we’d argue that its faster paced, more arcade-like combat feels more exciting.
Nioh stands right beside Bloodborne as PS4’s definitive hard-as-nails action RPG.
NieR: Automata
NieR has risen from the ashes of poorly rated preceding title and stunned us all with the superb NieR: Automata. The title has been a revelation, a breath of fresh air that has not only reinvigorated the NieR series but arguably the entire games industry. There hasn’t been anything this fast-paced, frenetic, and varied in combat for years – combining hack and slash action, side scrolling, and role playing in one sublime mashup.
It is this coming together of different elements that keeps NieR feeling fresh throughout. In similar fashion, the game’s rocking score and excellent sound design also combine wonderfully to create a funky, unique ambience to the game. Add in a flamboyant but unforgettable story and a cast of engaging characters, and the sum of NieR’s parts come together to produce an absolutely must-play gaming experience.
Horizon Zero Dawn
One of the most highly anticipated games in recent memory, Horizon Zero Dawn has delivered on the promise of its hype. It perfects the best features from the most beloved open world games over the past decade and wraps them up in a wonderfully unique narrative setting. Horizon has it all: graphics, gameplay, characters, and a brilliant science fiction story. It stands tall as one of the best examples of its genre.
Horizon’s accessibility allows it to be played as a pick-up-and-play action game, but its density and many side quests give players the option to take a more measured approach, too. The game’s massive sandbox isn’t to the detriment of its excellent story, either; void of excessive side quest padding in games such as Fallout 4 or restrictions with linearity as seen in Fantasy XV’s closing chapters. Horizon Zero Dawn balances story and open world competently throughout its entirety.
Horizon is arguably PS4’s definitive exclusive game; a showpiece that is satisfying to play as it is pretty to behold. A must-own title.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Near perfect review scores across the board pretty much tell you all you need to know about The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Zelda might have been a critical darling over the years, but this latest entry really does justify all the fuss made over it. Breath of the Wild is an instant classic, not just proving a highly competent first foray into open world gaming for the series, but also setting a new benchmark standard for the whole genre.
Go anywhere, do anything – we’ve heard it all before, but Zelda really does deliver traversal that makes everything before it feel obsolete. Any building, mountain, or tree can be scaled across a massive open world that just begs exploration. That, in combination with the short and sweet challenge of its many shrines, pretty aesthetic, and typically excellent combat make this the series high benchmark. Breath of the Wild will be one seriously hard game to knock out of the Game of the Year discussion.
Persona 5
Turn-based JRPGs are out of the industry mainstream? Yeah right, not if the Persona series has anything to say about it! Persona 5 has totally rejuvenated the genre – a typically wonderful blend of high school drama and dungeon crawling, eye-popping visuals, and a new standard for turn-based combat. Darker than its predecessor but still packed full of comic relief and brought to life by yet another cast of endearing characters, we could not have asked for more from Atlus, who remains a bastion for innovation in an ancient gaming genre. Indeed, Persona 5 iterates wonderfully on turn-based combat, finding new ways to keep the strategic combat feeling fresh and exciting amid an ever-increasing pool of action RPGs.
Persona 5 is a totally unique gaming experience, and believe us, once it has its hooks into you, you won’t want to stop playing it.
Resident Evil VII
If Resident Evil’s tired gameplay had long felt like a veteran boxer on the ropes, struggling to keep pace with fresh talent, then Biohazard is its rumble in the jungle, springing to life and stunning us all with a return to form. This is Resident Evil reinvented, doing away with mainstay characters and third-person gameplay, modernizing the series with a flavor more in-tune with popular titles like Outlast. Abandoning the tropes that had become series mainstays since its origin was a risky tactic, but it’s a gamble that has ultimately paid off. Biohazard has made us excited for the future of the Resident Evil franchise, and that isn’t something anybody has been able to say for a while.
Oh, and we dare you to play Resident Evil VII in VR!
Published: Apr 20, 2017 10:16 am