The Best Game of July 2017

The Best Games of July 2017

Honorable Mention: Black the Fall

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

Staff Writer Tom Hopkins: If you played Inside last year then you’ll be seeing similarities constantly when playing Black The Fall. The dark aesthetic, the focus on puzzle platforming, and the world that clearly has a purpose beyond simply being the backdrop to your adventure all spark memories of Playdead’s excellent game. Thankfully, Black The Fall’s design and subtle story keep it from being overshadowed.

You play as an un-named machinist who is attempting to escape from communist rule. Along the way, he finds a vital device and a robot dog companion that will help him with the challenging puzzles that lay between him and freedom. These puzzles are fun, unique, and you never encounter the same type twice, keeping the journey fresh. While many of the puzzles have simple solutions, the variety that stretches throughout the game will force you to think outside the box and will have you struggling from time to time.

The Best Games of July 2017

Honorable Mention: Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

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Associate Editor Hayes Madsen: The Final Fantasy series has a long and storied history with divisive entries, because of everything from storytelling to complete overhauls of gameplay. One such divisive entry was Final Fantasy XII, a game that introduced a brand new combat system based on tactical gambits, along with the most expansive world we’d seen in a Final Fantasy game to date. With The Zodiac Age, XII receives some much needed updates and streamlining, making it the absolute best version of the game available.

The addition of a fast forward button is an absolute godsend for the game, letting you speed through particularly grindy or lengthy segments of the game. At the same time, other additions like an altered job system, HD textures and graphics, reworked loot and chests, and the ability to bring up a map while running around make the game play, and feel better than ever before.

Final Fantasy XII’s story still remains one of the most engaging found in the series, filled with political drama and worldwide conflicts so far reaching, your party feels like they are just a small piece of a larger puzzle. The Zodiac Age brings back one of the more overlooked Final Fantasy games in a big way, providing one of the most expansive RPG experiences of the year so far.

The Best Game of July 2017: Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy

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Staff Writer Taylor Danielle: Begging for a remaster of your favorite game can be a double edged sword. While it may be exciting to stroll down memory lane, you might also come to the harsh realization that your favorite game from decades ago just wasn’t really as great as you thought it was, or at least doesn’t hold up anymore. Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy took every bit of possible bitterness out of an incredibly sweet trip down memory lane. The remastered collection of Crash games captures the series original character and challenge, while also making just enough tweaks and adjustments to make the gaming experience feel fresh again overall.

It’s only fair to note that the N. Sane Trilogy wasn’t free of flaws. The trilogy could have used some much-needed improvements to the driving mechanics in Crash Bandicoot Warped but you have to give the game credit for some of the tweaks it made to the variety of enemies and obstacles that came your way. Certain enemies with actions that were a bit too difficult to predict had far more obvious tells this time around so you could actually made a well-timed decision about how to navigate through each level. Not only that, but the classic soundtrack paired with vastly improved visuals just makes it difficult to stay disappointed about the stiff driving mechanics for too long.

Overall, Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy was a classic remake done right. It allows you to relive the magic of 90s platformers while also giving the entire experience a gorgeous makeover across all aspects of its art direction. And let’s not forget the treat of having Coco Bandicoot available to play in all three of the games this time around.

That does it for our July 2017 Game of the Month. Congratulations to Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy! What do you think were the best games from last month? Let us know in the comments.