Although it’s easy to get hung up on the controversies surrounding the gaming industry, especially concerning loot boxes and the ethics of it, 2017 was a phenomenal year for gamers. Whether you play multiplayer games, indie games or story driven games, last year had it all. Many games revolutionised their respective genre, and some critics argue that 2017 was home of some of the best games ever made. Here are three of the best games of 2017, all from different genres, because let’s face it, every gamer is different, and not everybody likes the same types of games.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds revolutionised the ‘Battle Royale’ formula that many other games have tried to replicate. You and one hundred other players land on a massive island filled with different kinds of environments and must fight to death until you or your team are the only one remaining alive. No two games are ever alike and your survival depends on skill, strategy and a little bit of luck. You compete with other players to find the best loot and weapons to survive the game and this really adds a sense of exhilaration, because you never know what you’re going to get. Each fire fight puts you on the edge of your seat, with guns operating pretty realistically; it’s kill or be killed and once you are dead, the match is over. As the game progresses the map gets smaller and smaller, making encounters more frequent and heightening the sense of suspense. Although these types of games are not for everyone there is no denying that PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has had a huge impact on the gaming industry.

 

Cuphead:

 

Cuphead took the gaming scene by storm in late 2017, surprising many players by just how good it is and earning dozens of awards. Cuphead does something that has never been done before and has a completely new take on the 2D side-scroller. Its art style is stunning, the game is meant to look like a 1930’s cartoon, with every frame hand painted, which is a refreshing change in an age where everything is increasingly digital and focused on realism. This, paired with upbeat jazz music, really authentically immerses the player in the 1930s, and where major gaming companies tend to copy and paste games, sticking to the same formula, Cuphead innovates and does something completely different. The game however is devilishly difficult, but it never feels unfair and even if it can sometimes make you scream in frustration, nothing beats the rush you get when you beat the boss you’ve been stuck on.

 

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild:

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the wild is a masterpiece; it has been voted game of the year by a number of video game journalists and is considered to be one of the best games ever made. The world of Hyrule is an enormous and beautiful open world, which reacts to the player’s actions very realistically – if you think you can do it, you probably can do it. The world gives you so much freedom, not only in the non-linear order you can complete the story but also in terms of what you can explore, you can go anywhere and there is so much to do. There are dozens of interesting and meaningful side-quests and there is well over one hundred hours of content in the game. The combat is approachable but also deep and complex, making each encounter extremely rewarding. The game is also visually stunning; it looks like a painting in motion and the soundtrack is just as amazing. The story is deep, well written and filled with memorable and charming characters.