Yep, we’re at that time of the year again. We’ve indulged all kinds of goodies over the past 12 months, as well as some rotten buggers that are best left forgotten, but it’s now time to whittle down the long list of games to the best of the best. The way we’re doing it this year is a little different to last year, but bear with me and I’ll explain the format.
In the run up to the site’s Game of the Year list, each writer for Pure PlayStation will present their own top ten games of 2017. Then we’ll collate a list of games and score them behind the scenes, and that’ll give us the site’s overall best games of 2017. But first we need to get through the writers’ lists, and we’re going to start with my own. So, grab a tea, coffee, beer, or whisky, and sit down while I tell you why Horizon: Zero Dawn is not my game of the year, much to the dismay of Kyle Durant. Maybe we’ll call a festive cease-fire? Maybe not…
#10 – Yooka-Laylee
I know that some people will scorn the fact that this game is even still being talked about. For some it was a massive disappointment, for others it was a breath of fresh air. I’m a part of the latter’s school of thought. Though it’s not perfect and it does have its fair share of problems, I found the gameplay, the game world, and its quirky characters to be simply brilliant. It was a great throwback to the days of gaming where DLC didn’t exist, microtransactions were still but a wet dream for EA, and games rarely released in a state I’d describe as “broken shit that don’t work”. It’s the game so nice, I’ll buy it twice (once it’s out on the Nintendo Switch.)
If you’ve not played it yet, I’m pretty sure you can get a cheap copy from Amazon or whatever. Heck, it may even be reduced on the PlayStation Store. No, I’m not checking for you. I do enough ’round here.
#9 – Uncharted: The Lost Legacy
It took me a while to warm to Nadine and Chloe’s spin-off adventure. After four games with Nathan Drake, it seemed odd that the face associated with Uncharted was nowhere to be seen smirking. As far as budget releases go, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is one of the finest. You’re getting great value for money, a decent(ish) story, and the familiar Uncharted 4 gameplay – for better and for worse.
#8 – Farpoint
The first true first-person shooter adventure for PSVR was top-botch brilliant. I’ve neglected the game recently, but with the new updates and PvP modes, I think I’ll be spending a lot of my Christmas holidays with the PSVR on my head and my Aim in my hands. If you can get your hands on this with a PSVR Aim controller then you’re in for a delight. If not… Well, you’ll have to make do with a DualShock 4, but as the game was built around the plastic add-on you’re best off leaving it alone until you can do it the right way.
#7 – Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles
A game where you don’t kill anyone? Can it even be called a real game? Of course it can, you numpty, and we call it Yonder: The Cloud Catcher Chronicles. This one came out of nowhere and ended up being one of my favourite games of the year. It’s a lovely change of pace, what with the focus being on interactions with the game’s NPCs, as well as a massive dose of exploration.
#6 – WipEout Omega Collection
Before playing WipEout 2048 on PS Vita, I’d never really gotten into the WipEout games. The remastered collection on PS4 was a welcome treat, then, and even more so these days when it’s going for such a cheap price!
You’re effectively getting three games for the price of one, and each has its own campaign, remastered visuals and audio, and all the bells and whistles one would expect from a first-party port. What’s even better is that the whole game will be playable in PSVR from early 2018!
#5 – Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon Wildlands
This one came out of nowhere for me. I originally played the beta and quickly dismissed it. Some months later, the price had dropped and I’d heard it was worth a punt at £20, so I jumped in and convinced a couple of mates to do the same. The rest is history. We’re playing this one on a weekly basis and it’s actually really good fun. Single player isn’t anything to shout about, but getting a few mates online is the winning ticket for this shooter. I highly recommend this one for fans of co-op shooters, plus, it’s cheap as chips these days.
#4 – Assassin’s Creed Origins
I’m only a few short hours in Origins yet I already know I’m going to be playing this one for a long time. The usual Ubisoft plays are here in force, but there’s a freshness that the Assassin’s Creed series has been in dire need of for a while now. Combat is satisfying and exploration is rewarding. Can’t say I’m all that keen on the RPG stuff but nothing is perfect in this world, so I’ll make do.
#3 – Skyrim VR
Bethesda has done an outstanding job recently. It’s one of the few developers that isn’t throwing microtransactions at everything, and it’s one of the few AAA studios that’s giving the PSVR the attention it deserves. Yes, Skyrim has been released many times before – it’s even on PS4 – but this is a total conversion of the game. It’s still the same dragon-slaying adventure, but in VR. It’s incredible.
#2 – Arizona Sunshine
A zombie shooter in VR that doesn’t totally suck balls! It’s a terrifying game at times – and that’s a good thing. I’ve played my fair share of zombie shooters, but none made me actually feel threatened. Left 4 Dead may be the king when it comes to co-op, but I’ve never screamed like a baby when playing Valve’s shooter.
#1 – SUPERHOT VR
Hands down the best game I’ve played all year. I’m going to save myself the extra work of writing a descriptive paragraph by directing you, dear reader, to our SUPERHOT VR review which you can find through here. It’ll tell you everything you need to know.
So, that’s my list. Obviously there will be disagreements (four text messages from Kyle so far…) so let us all know down below what you’d have in your top ten list. Stick around with Pure PlayStation for more Game of the Year features coming over the next two weeks.
