The Best Games of October 2017
Honorable Mention: Assassin’s Creed Origins
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Starting with a couple of honorable mentions, check out the Twinfinite’s Staff picks for our best games of October 2017 which includes of course, our Game of the Month!
Reviews Editor Zhiqing Wan: After taking a much-needed break and skipping out on 2016, Assassin’s Creed Origins is back, and this latest entry feels fresh and exciting once more. It’s undoubtedly the largest Assassin’s Creed game yet, and the open-world of ancient Egypt is an absolute delight to explore. Yes, the game does still follow Ubisoft’s tried and true formula of unlocking map icons by synchronizing viewpoints and infiltrating enemy outposts to earn experience and some sweet loot. However, the tweaks made to the Assassin’s Creed formula make it feel a lot more refined and less like busywork.
This is thanks in no small part to the game’s open-ended nature. Being able to pick up multiple side quests at once and pursuing them at your own leisure with no fear of failure for leaving a mission area is extremely liberating. Ubisoft has put a lot more effort into making these optional missions feel critical to the game’s world and story, and the added RPG elements also compel players to see everything there is to see. The combat system has been overhauled completely, and while it does definitely have a few serious kinks to iron out, Ubisoft is definitely on the right track here. The deeper equipment and progression systems in place also make players feel more involved when leveling up Bayek, and it’s safe to say that the RPG mechanics have certainly helped Origins shine.
We wish the main story was more engaging, but as it stands, Assassin’s Creed Origins is a stellar open world RPG that we thoroughly enjoyed exploring from start to finish.
The Best Games of October 2017
Honorable Mention: Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus
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Staff Writer Tom Hopkins:Â Disintegrating Nazis with a laser rifle in a crocodile infested Manhattan was always going to be fun. The New Order, the last full Wolfenstein title from Machine Games, featured fluid and challenging gameplay, and that is no different in The New Colossus. There’s plenty of options for how you approach a situation, with running in all guns blazing working just as well as the quiet, stealthy option. The variety of enemy types, well-designed locations, and powerful weapons make for a immensely fun shooter.
However, it is everything else that ties the action together that elevates Wolfenstein II above almost every other first-person shooter. The story that The New Colossus tells is jaw-droppingly brutal at times, yet is also filled with both emotional and hilarious moments that stand out among everything else released this year, in any genre, for their cinematic quality and shock value. That story is made so effective by the unique cast of characters involved. B.J is a rock solid killing machine but he worries about how his impending death will affect his new family. Irene Engel is one of the most sadistic and compelling villains to grace video games since Far Cry 3’s Vaas, and Grace is a determined, ambitious leader. Each of those characters, and the dozen or so more that play a part, are voiced perfectly and are what stand out from start to finish. The gameplay is excellent but it is the insane crew of revolutionaries we get to know that make Wolfenstein II an incredible shooter.
The Best Games of October 2017
Honorable Mention: South Park: The Fractured But Whole
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Editor in Chief Ed McGlone:Â Admittedly, South Park: The Fractured But Whole caters to a very specific audience. If you dislike South Park, playing through The Fractured But Whole is probably going to be a painful experience for you. It’s filled with fart jokes, and references from the show that you wouldn’t understand or appreciate that much. But that’s fine, because this game isn’t for people who fall into that category.
If you’re a fan, and you at least can tolerate RPG style gameplay, The Fractured But Whole is a must play. It’s overloaded with fan service, hysterical writing from the legendary Matt Stone and Trey Parker, and is actually one of the freshest, fast-paced, and fun tactical-RPGs in recent memory. It’s a 15-hour long episode of South Park that manages to stay funny throughout, and takes advantage of the medium; bringing the series to life in a way that only video games can.
The Best Game of October 2017: Super Mario Odyssey
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Contributor Greysun Morales:Â It’s been about seven years since we’ve seen the last mainline 3D Mario adventure, which is a bit too long of a wait if you ask me. But the wait has been worth it, because Super Mario Odyssey incredible and delivers top-notch platforming and exploration that past 3D Mario titles have been known for over the years. Finding new power moons around every corner kept me coming back for more, and don’t even get me started on all of the references and throwbacks to Mario’s past that made me smile from ear to ear.
Super Mario Odyssey proves that 3D platformers are still great, and continues to perfect the formula that Nintendo created back in the 90’s. The abundance of collectibles and kingdoms to explore never felt like a chore or tacked-on. You can even say that Mario Odyssey almost did the same thing that Breath of the Wild did before it; reinventing the franchise while keeping the same staples that fans are used to. Sure, Super Mario Odyssey didn’t change Mario as much as Breath of the Wild changed the Zelda series, but Nintendo has created a masterpiece of a game that kept me locked into my Switch for hours upon hours, and presented players with a journey that will never be forgotten. Super Mario Odyssey may not only be the best 3D Mario title, but it might also be the best game on the Nintendo Switch as of now.
That does it for our October 2017 Game of the Month. Congratulations to Super Mario Odyssey! What do you think were the best games from last month? Let us know in the comments.
Published: Nov 6, 2017 01:34 pm