Zero2Zed Top 10 List - 10 Best Console Games of 2017
Technically this is the 3rd top ten list that i have compiled the previous two can be found here and here, these two top ten lists are microtransation related and general scummy events that happened during 2017 in the games industry.
This next top 10 ls a look at the ten best console releases in 2017 for a game to be eligible they must have been released in 2017 on a home console. So PS4, Xbox One, Switch and so on, if a game initially released earlier than 2017 but received a release on a console in 2017 for example a game getting a re release on the Switch, this game would be eligible. This list will be in descending order so lets get started with the 10th best game released on console in 2017. (Please be aware for possible spoilers, I will try and only included basic information for each game)
Night In The Woods is an adventure game that focusses on exploration, conversations and using your characters sight and touch while exploring the game world and uncovering what is going on in Possum Springs..
The games was Developed by Infinite Fall and published by Finji, the game was a successful Kickstarter campaign and raised somewhere in the region of 400% more than their target amount.
The games was Developed by Infinite Fall and published by Finji, the game was a successful Kickstarter campaign and raised somewhere in the region of 400% more than their target amount.
The player takes on the role of college drop out Mae Borowski who relocates back to her sleepy home town of Possum Springs, the town has suffered recently with the closure of the towns main source of employment the local mine.
Mae looks to resume her former life and reconnect with her old friends Beatrice Santello, troublemaker Greggory Lee and Gregg's boyfriend Angus Delaney. Mae also learns that another one of her friends Casey Hartley has mysteriously disappeared.
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How things can change from the disastrous initial Final Fantasy XIV release way back in 2010 with its poorly paced gameplay, frustrating inventory systems and countless bugs and glitches, a game so bad that Square Enix had to readjust their expected yearly profits down by 90%
However there was a light at the end of the tunnel for fans looking for an MMORPG version of the beloved Final Fantasy series, in 2013 the re release/sequel to the original Final Fantasy XIV was release, this time the many issues that had plagued the previous entry were gone in its place was A Realm Reborn.
Fast forward to 2017 and the game is still going strong, with it receiving only its second major expansion in Stormblood. The expansion send the player east towards vast new lands as well as making available two new classes the Red Mage and Samurai.
As well as new map areas such as Gyr Abania, the Ruby Sea, Yanxia, and the Azim Steppe players are able to visit the far east city of Kugane. Player level caps are increased to 70, characters are now able to dive and swim, improvements to the battle system, new raids new dungeons and an expanded inventory system are just some of the things that await players in Stormblood.
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Developed and published by Image & Form International Steamworld Dig 2 is a 2D Metroidvania style action adventure game and is a direct sequel to the original Steamworld Dig which released back in 2013, unlike the original the procedurally generated world is ditched in favour of a hand drawn world.
Like the previous game it revolves around mining with platforming and puzzle solving elements as well as negotiating traps and enemies. With the player taking control of Dorothy again a steam powered robot and a character who appeared in the previous game as a store owner.
Dorothy sets out into the mine in order to find Rusty the steam powered protagonist of the first game. Rusty has gone missing at the end of the original Steamworld Dig. In the overall Steamworld series Steamworld Dig 2 sits between the original Steamworld Dig and Steamworld Heist and connects the events of the two games together
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Okami HD is re release of the remaster that released on the Playstation 3 back in 2012 which was a remaster of the original game which came out on the Playstation 2 way back 2006/07.
Developed by Clover Studios and directed by the legend that is Hideki Kamiya, Okami is an action adventure with a distinctive cell shaded look and almost watercolour appearance .
The game is set sometime in Japanese classical history and based around several myths and legends and folklore in Japanese culture. The main story is based around the Shinto sun goddess, named Amaterasu who takes the form of a white wolf, the game takes elements from several genres with action, platforming and puzzle elements all combined into the game.
One unique gameplay element in Okami is the celestial brush, with players able to pause the game and bring up a canvas from here the player can interact with the world from cutting down enemies by drawing a line across them, repair damaged structures like bridges as well as many more that are unlocked as you progress through the game.
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Stardew Valley is an independent developed farming simulation and RPG, developed by ConcernedApe and published by Chucklefish the game was originally released back in 2016 on Windows and later ported to MAC, Linux Xbox One and Playstation 4.
This would have ruled the game out from the best of 2017 but for a port to the new Nintendo Switch in 2017 which makes the game eligible.
Designed by one man Eric Barone the game takes much inspiration from the Harvest Moon series, with the players character tired and frustrated with city life decided to take on his grandfathers old farm in a place called Stardew Valley.
Managing the characters time and energy are key to improving and making your farm a success with tasks such as clearing land, plant and tend crops, raise livestock, craft goods and mine for ores, as well as fishing, cooking, crafting and exploring the procedurally generated game world.
In addition to the elements you would expect from running a farm their are also social aspects as well with many NPC's in Stardew Valley to interact with some of these interactions can proceed further with the player able to marry once they reach the status as best friend (10 hearts) as long as they are single this can only be achieved if the player presents a bouquet to their person of interest.
This would have ruled the game out from the best of 2017 but for a port to the new Nintendo Switch in 2017 which makes the game eligible.
Designed by one man Eric Barone the game takes much inspiration from the Harvest Moon series, with the players character tired and frustrated with city life decided to take on his grandfathers old farm in a place called Stardew Valley.
Managing the characters time and energy are key to improving and making your farm a success with tasks such as clearing land, plant and tend crops, raise livestock, craft goods and mine for ores, as well as fishing, cooking, crafting and exploring the procedurally generated game world.
In addition to the elements you would expect from running a farm their are also social aspects as well with many NPC's in Stardew Valley to interact with some of these interactions can proceed further with the player able to marry once they reach the status as best friend (10 hearts) as long as they are single this can only be achieved if the player presents a bouquet to their person of interest.
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Persona 5 is the sixth entry in the Persona series a sub series of larger Megami Tensei (known as Shin Megami Tensei outside of Japan), Persona 5 is the first main line Persona game since the PS2 release of Persona 4.
Persona 5 is set in Tokyo Japan the games protagonist has been transferred to the Shujin Academy after being put on probation for an assault he was falsely accused of.
During the course of the school year the main protagonists as well as other students awaken their persona powers and become masked vigilantes calling themselves the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. the Phantom Thieves explore a supernatural realm and steal the ill intent from the hearts of adults.
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Take for instance Super Mario Odyssey, after the first week of its release Super Mario Odyssey was sitting comfortably as the best of 2017 however some late reviews saw the 20th mainline (could be more he is more prolific than the flu) Mario game slip out of the top three.
Super Mario Odyssey is a 3D action adventure platformer with the game world divided up into 17 separate world of varying sizes with the game opting for a more open ended world similar to what was found in Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine.
The main story focusses on Mario and his arch nemesis Bowser who once again is trying to kidnap Princess Peach in order to marry her. Mario tries to stop bowser but is unsuccessful (would be a boring game if he was successful) in the process his signature hat is shredded.
Mario awakens in Cap Kingdom and meets Cappy one of several sentient hat creatures called Bonneters, Cappy tells Mario that Bowser has kidnapped his sister Tiara to use in his upcoming wedding. Cappy noticing a shred of Mario's former hat transforms into it and the pair set out to rescue Princess Peach and Tiara and stop Bowser.
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Treasure Trove is a complete edition of the Shovel Knight story containing all previous Shovel Knight campaigns with Shovel of Hope, Plague of Shadows and Specter of Torment all in this release.
The Shovel Knight games are 2D side scrolling platformers, the first game Shovel of Hope the player takes control of Shovel Knight the blue armour clad chivalrous knight in his quest to stop the evil Enchantress from taking over the Valley as well as find his beloved friend Shield Knight who has been lost in the Tower of Fate.
The second campaign runs concurrent with Shovel of Hope, this campaign Plague of Shadows features Plague Knight who has concocted his own scheme and plans to steal the essence of Shovel Knight as well as his fellow members of the Order of No quarter.
The final campaign is Specter of Torment which has Specter Knight as the main protagonist, he has be been sent out to recruit other knights to the Enchantresses Order of No Quarter. As Specter Knight recruits the other knights to the order he beings to remember his life before he died
Remembering he was a knight called Donovan who along with his friend Luan ventured into the Tower of Fate to find an amulet within, but the pair run into Shield Knight, the following fight results in the floor collapsing killing Luan and mortally wounding Donovan.
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Undertale is a Role Playing game developed and published solely by developer and composer Toby Fox with the exception of additional art created by outside artists.
The game follows a young boy who has fallen into the Underground a secluded world separated from the human world by powerful magic. the protagonist will meet many monsters while traversing the underground largely though the games combat system.
Battles are fought in a top down turn based system where the player controls a heart and must avoid attacks while healing, attacking and subduing enemies in what has been described as a bullet hell/turn-based hybrid combat system.
Unlike many RPG's with the sole purpose of battles to beat the enemies into a pulp to level up your characters, Undertale takes a different approach to combat, with the player able to subdue or pacify an enemy.
This is done my interacting with the enemy monsters in battle, with the game telling the player how the monsters are feeling, depending on the players actions in battle enemy attacks will change. for example if the player chooses a non violent option enemy attacks will be weaker, where as a violent approach will result in much more hostile and stronger attacking enemies.
If the player has chosen the correct options during the battle and weakened the enemy monster without killing it the player will have the option to spare them rather than killing them this plays into the ending with the game having multiple story branches and endings, this also means the entire game can be completed without killing a single enemy. Some can be more difficult to do this though with certain with certain actions in the overworld required before you can befriend the monster.
The game follows a young boy who has fallen into the Underground a secluded world separated from the human world by powerful magic. the protagonist will meet many monsters while traversing the underground largely though the games combat system.
Battles are fought in a top down turn based system where the player controls a heart and must avoid attacks while healing, attacking and subduing enemies in what has been described as a bullet hell/turn-based hybrid combat system.
Unlike many RPG's with the sole purpose of battles to beat the enemies into a pulp to level up your characters, Undertale takes a different approach to combat, with the player able to subdue or pacify an enemy.
This is done my interacting with the enemy monsters in battle, with the game telling the player how the monsters are feeling, depending on the players actions in battle enemy attacks will change. for example if the player chooses a non violent option enemy attacks will be weaker, where as a violent approach will result in much more hostile and stronger attacking enemies.
If the player has chosen the correct options during the battle and weakened the enemy monster without killing it the player will have the option to spare them rather than killing them this plays into the ending with the game having multiple story branches and endings, this also means the entire game can be completed without killing a single enemy. Some can be more difficult to do this though with certain with certain actions in the overworld required before you can befriend the monster.
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As 2016 came and went and the NX was finally revealed as the Switch with The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild being confirmed as a launch title for Nintendo's new console the hype continued to grow.
Along came March of 2017 the Switch was finally here and so was the new Zelda but would it be the success that was needed for a new console of course it was.
Shortly after the release of both the console and game its attachment rate was higher than the number of consoles Nintendo were able to sell, even now in December of 2017 the game has an attachment rate of over 50%.
Enough about all that stuff and onto the actual game that is the Zero2Zed best console game of 2017, Breath of the Wild while having Role Playing elements in there it is more of an action adventure game set in the ruined remains of the once technologically advance kingdom of Hyrule.
Set 100 years after the return of the Calamity Ganon, Link awakens in the Temple of Resurrection with no memories of the events of 100 years before, guided by a mysterious female voice to the remains of the Kingdom of Hyrule where he meets an old man who helps him adjust to the world.
The old man explains to Link that the Calamity Ganon was sealed away in Hyrule Castle 100 years ago, however Ganon is continuing to grow in power and it is only a matter of time before he breaks free, the old man pleads with Link to defeat him before he can break free of his prison and destroy the world.
The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild is somewhat of a departure from previous entries in the series with the game going completely open world going the Elder Scrolls and Fallout approach of dropping off the player and letting them go wherever they want.
In addition to Link being able to travel by walking or running the player is now able to climb, and climb pretty much everything as well as swimming and gliding using a paraglider, stamina is a factor when traversing the world.
Another new feature in the Zelda series is weapon degradation with weapons such as swords and bows breaking after excessive use, the same goes for shields as well resulting in the player having to procure new weapons and shields as they progress or manage the weapons they have. A certain few weapons can be reforged by certain NPC's but the vast majority are disposable.
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Written by
P J Gibbon
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