It’s that time of year where we all come together and discuss our Game of the Year in 2017. It’s been a pretty special year for games and even more special is the fact that this is our first Game of the Year discussion as we close in on 1 year of Game Hype being here! 2018 promises to be bigger and better for us as a site so without further delay, here are all our picks for Game of the Year!
Adam O’Connell (@gamehype_frog)
Though there has been a countless amount of incredible games this year, there are so many that could’ve filled the top spot for me but in actuality there could have been only one.
Horizon: Zero Dawn is everything I look for in a video game. A beautiful and expansive world at our disposal to take on as you see fit, breath taking visuals that have to be seen to believed and an incredibly compelling back story that will have you playing for hours on end just to find out the next shocking revelation. It also took a different turn on the whole dystopian future angle, I mean sure we’re still fighting off massive uncontrollable robotic animals that are as dangerous as they are amazing to witness but this has forced humanity to return to its tribal instincts, we’re brandishing spears and arrows, we’re hunting for our own reserves and we’re worshipping the sun! It truly is an incredible mixture of technology and nature. Put this alongside the awesome gameplay that combines bamboozling exploration, intense action and riveting RPG grinding, you’re always going to be on for a winner. And with the recent Frozen Wilds DLC being such a commercial success this only solidifies Horizon as a top PlayStation exclusive and Aloy, not only as a strong female role model but a new mascot in the process.
Kyle Doherty (@Antigenetic92)
While it goes without saying that there has been some heavy hitters across all genres in 2017, my heart will always belong to the horror genre, and as such there’s only one clear victor in my opinion.
In terms of a pure unadulterated scare factor, Outlast II stole the show by a mile. The game is heavily based around a cult known as the Testament of the New Ezekiel who try to prevent the birth of the Anti-Christ by killing every single child born within the harrowing community of Temple Gate. While the subject matter dealt with in Outlast II isn’t anything new for the horror genre, Red Barrels succeeded in creating a horror title dripping with atmosphere at every turn; couple in some of the creepiest enemy designs I’ve ever seen and you’ve got the perfect recipe for an “addictive cocktail of soiled underwear and terrified (but manly) screams” to shamelessly quote my own review. If you like getting the living daylights scared out of you, Outlast II is definitely one to add to your christmas list! (just be sure to have a fresh supply of clean underwear on hand).
Aaron Moger (@aaronvaanmoger)
Just Wow! What a year it has been for games. There were many that I was looking forward to such as Final Fantasy XIV Stormblood and the amazing Uncharted Lost Legacy. Even the Crash N Sane Trilogy and Sonic Mania pulled me in; games that were simply amazing and took me back to when I was a child were high on my list and exceeded all expectations. One game however was not even on my mind and was released back in April. Yes Persona 5 is a JRPG and being a JRPG fan you would think why is it not on the list? The reason being was I was selfish; the art style put me off in all honesty but after a few hours I soon corrected myself and praised the game with all that it deserves. I loved every ounce of the game including its art style; the music is phenomenal and the characters are some of the most characterized and fleshed out I have ever seen in a video game. Simply put Persona 5 is not only my game of the year but one of my favourite games of all time. The best part is that it suddenly came out and sucked me in straight away; I was amazed that a game I had no desire for took every waking minute of my life and in just a month I had finished the game. I was saddened that not only had I finished it but that I gave it such negativity before it was even released; it really just goes to show that you cannot judge a book by its cover or in this case a game by its screenshots. The Phantom Thieves stole my heart!
Adam Neaves (@adamneaves)
2017 has been a superb year for gamers. We’ve been spoilt in terms of picking our Game of the Year and my colleagues have picked some fantastic games, all which very deservedly so getting the acclaim that they are getting.
However, my Game of the Year doesn’t come in the form of a game from one of the two main systems out there, the Xbox One or the PlayStation 4. My pick is a Nintendo Switch title, which let’s face it, is one hell of an achievement for a Nintendo title to be spoke about so highly after the disaster of the Wii U. However, my Game of The Year title has to go to Super Mario Odyssey. Super Mario, along with Sonic are two of the characters I grew up with as I started my adventure into the world of gaming. It’s been a while since Mario was back on top but with this latest offering on the Switch, everything feels fresh, organic yet still having that same Mario flavour we have all come to love over the years. Everything about this game puts Mario right back into the spotlight. There is tonnes to do, visually it’s so good (either in handheld or TV mode) and it all clicks in to place. Nintendo, you’ve stolen my heart once again with Super Mario and I am so excited for what the future holds once more for the little plumber we all love so much!
Daniel Scott (@The_DanielScott)
Now I feel like I’m cheating on Comet Crash 2 here but as I typed in my review of Masquerada I really did have trouble putting it down, The art style, Music, combat, story and world were all so amazing and fit together perfectly. And it got me out of my comfort zone, Via its overall theme, music and art style. Thanks to this game I’m more open minded when it comes to games that are not “My thing”. Even if the gameplay isn’t “Your thing” Set the difficulty to easy and enjoy the story.
Caleb Moran (@drake_sic)
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was the breath of fresh air the series needed and is possibly the best game Nintendo have ever released. The game was totally redesigned with the original Zelda in mind, making the game all about exploration and letting the player choose their own adventure, and all about the journey inbetween. The game may be considered a torn down version of its predecessors, but I argue they’ve stripped away the fat, making it more focused on the original concept of a Zelda game. It’s a big open world for you to explore and delve into every little corner to find all the secrets. Sure it’s not perfect, I felt more could be done with the characters and story, but Nintendo have laid the foundations for what could be an amazing sequel.
Ryan Perrow (@NBFlying)
Resident Evil 7
So I’ll be honest, I won’t’ remember 2017 as a highlight year of gaming, however, 2017 did give us Resident Evil 7.
Res 7 blew me away, I’ve been playing Resident Evil games since the original and while the gameplay had changed successfully, the franchise had been losing it’s horror edge while slipping into the action genre, Res 7 was a welcome return to form.
The reason Res 7 gets the GOTY nod from me is simple, Voice Acting, especially that of Sara Coates as Marguerite Baker. I honestly can’t tell you the last time a voice actor added so much to the gameplay experience for me. Cowering between the walls of a ruinous biohazard infested house Coates’ acting pulled the horror together so well that I can vividly recall my heart pace quicken.
The change to the first person perspective (No doubt inspired by Outlast) perfectly recaptured the ‘unseen dread’ that the fixed camera of the early entries delivered. Not to leave out the dulled almost sepia colour pallet of the game serving to make Resident Evil 7 perfectly delivered horror and my game of the year for 2017.
