The Best Games of December 2017

The Best Games of December 2017

Honorable Mention: Life is Strange: Before the Storm

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Starting with a couple of honorable mentions, check out the Twinfinite’s Staff picks for our best games of December 2017 which includes of course, our Game of the Month!

Guides Editor Chris Jecks: Acting as a prequel mini-series to satiate fans ahead of DONTNOD’s Life Is Strange 2 (placeholder title), Before the Storm shed some light on the relationship between the blue-haired badass Chloe Price, and the goody-two-shoes Rachel Amber. Considering how special Life Is Strange is to its fanbase, seeing an entirely new developer take the reigns of this three-part series may have had some fans a little concerned. Now that I’ve finished episode three, though, I honestly can’t tell you whether I prefer the original series or Before the Storm. They are both so great.

Though it may lack a supernatural twist, Before the Storm manages to make this more grounded story feel just as interesting. Its backtalk mechanic plays into Chloe’s standoffish and fierce personality, opening up new routes to overcome a challenge by intimidating her opponent in a war of words. When the option is there, you’ll always want to use it, and it acts as a fitting replacement to Max’s time control ability, even if it isn’t used quite as much.

Life Is Strange, for the most part, though, is about YOUR decisions changing the way the story plays out, and for me, this is where Before the Storm just feels one step ahead of its predecessor. Each and every tiny decision you make will ultimately change something later on in the game. It could be as subtle as the background in a certain scene, or what happens in the ending montage once you’ve finished contemplating that final, tough decision, but it’s visible. It’s not moving bars behind-the-scenes that ultimately do nothing. It’s right in front of you and this makes replaying the series and changing how your Chloe acts with the world far more worthwhile than other episodic, decision-driven series out there.

Deck Nine absolutely get what Life Is Strange is all about and that shines in every detail of the game. From the believable and relatable characters, to that artsy visual style, oh, and let’s not forget the soundtrack. The OST by Daughter constantly nails the mood throughout, while the licensed tracks dispersed throughout feel just as at home as Alt-J’s Something Good or Foals’ Spanish Sahara did in the original.

Deck Nine has managed to deliver a prequel that feels so true to a series that they didn’t even create. There’s a ton of tidbits, one-liners, and standout moments in Before the Storm that fans of the original series will absolutely love, and though I’m still left with a lot of unanswered questions, they’re not enough to detract from another fantastic getaway in Arcadia Bay.

The Best Games of December 2017

Honorable Mention: Xenoblade Chronicles 2

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Senior Editor Hayes Madsen: The Nintendo Switch has had an impressive first year to say the least, and Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was a great way to close things out. This pseudo-sequel takes place in the world of Alrest, where humanity lives on the backs of massive titans that roam the world. Xenoblade Chronicles 2 matches both the scope and scale of the previous two games, while making improvements to the overall flow and presentation.

Combat is a bit more streamlined visually, but manages to be every bit as complex with your characters taking the role of Drivers, who can each equip up to three different Blades, or support characters. This complexity carries over to the multiple different systems within the game, like the economy and Dev Level of each area, or the way you need different levels of skills to explore the world and find secrets. The new anime art style works well, and the world of Alrest has some absolutely stunning locations, matched by one of the best soundtracks in all of 2017.

Xenoblade Chronicles 2 is an incredibly ambitious game, with a cast of characters that manage to be both charming and memorable. In a year already packed with great titles on the Switch, this one deserves a special mention.

The Best Game of December 2017: PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

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Contributor Ian Gibson: It is undeniable that PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds was one of the biggest games of last year, seemingly coming out of nowhere and overtaking titles like Dota 2 and Counter Strike: Global Offensive as the top played games on Steam in a matter of months. The developers at PUBG Corp (previously known as Bluehole) have shown the video game industry how to correctly handle early access titles, continuously giving the game updates which not only fixed bugs and glitches, but added content to make this battle royale game completely worth the 30 dollar price tag.

PUBG shines whether you are going in solo or with friends, with the random nature of the game ensuring that no two games ever play the same. This random nature keeps players on their toes, forcing them to adapt to the conditions they find themselves in every match. Players in the ending minutes of a match will find their heart racing as they realize that true victory is only a few clicks away. Whether you even reach the end of a match, PUBG thrives off of the “just one more game” mentality, which will see yourself clicking that “PLAY” button more times than you can count.

That does it for our December 2017 Game of the Month. Congratulations to PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds! What do you think were the best games from last month? Let us know in the comments.