HONORABLE MENTIONS
Every year since 2006, I've done a Game of the Year post/video/blog, and this year's no different! That being said, not every game can make the coveted "Top Games" list, but still have a lot of merit and should get credit for doing something solid. 2017 was a monster year for games, and I think a few of these titles in our Honorable Mentions list may surprise you....
Without further ado, let's take a look at the Honorable Mentions of 2017!
Horizon: Zero Dawn
On paper, Horizon’s a game after my own heart: beautiful
visuals, stealth-based gameplay, and action centered around distance weapons.
It’s how I play through every CRPG, including Elder Scrolls and old-school
Infinity Engine classics. The plot is multiple layers deep, and the overall
presentation is off-the-charts good.
But sometimes, something that sounds perfect on paper doesn’t
quite gel in practice.
I have tried marathoning Horizon multiple times, but after a
few hours of each play session, I’d get my fill. I wouldn’t return back to the
game for weeks at a time, and each time I did, the game still didn’t grab me. It
felt decent enough, and I never ran into a situation where I “forgot” how to
play, which is a testament to how well the game works as a “pick up and play”
adventure.
There was just never a “hook” to really sink in to, and for
that, Horizon was bumped from the main Top 5 of the year for me. It’s like
having a great meal, but the more you have, the more you realize it’s missing a
key ingredient that would really throw it over the top into something exceptional.
Tekken 7
Truth be told, this is the best Tekken has ever been. The
gameplay feels spot-on, the netcode is solid enough that you can get a
near-arcade experience, and the story somehow, some way makes guest characters
feel perfectly at home in the narrative.
I loved the game so much I wanted to make an immediate
episode of Wes vs. Backlog to showcase the game and talk about it at length.
What are the things keeping it from the true ‘Top Games’
list this year? The story mode is a little wonky in its presentation, and each
character isn’t given their time to shine. Some characters entire story arc is
literally two fights long, which feels a bit disappointing.
I still think this is the perfect Tekken game for newcomers
to the series, and can rank right up there with the very best the series has to
offer (Tekken 3, Tekken 5, and Tekken Tag in particular). Any other year, this
would be a shoe-in for the Top Games list.
Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
Technically this game already released in 2007 in Japan as “Final
Fantasy XII: International Zodiac Job System”, which made some changes and improvements
to the original Final Fantasy XII launch in 2006. However, it’s worth noting
that this is the first time North American fans could enjoy the International
edition in an official capacity.
It’s a testament to how much I love Final Fantasy XII (my
favorite entry in the entire Final Fantasy series, probably tied with Final
Fantasy Tactics), to note that it still holds up today. In many regards, it’s even
better than my nostalgia glasses would have me believe. The mechanics of
combat, the more character-driven approach to political intrigue, and the stellar
soundtrack make it a hallmark game.
If you’ve never played it before, treat yourself. Here’s
hoping there will be a PC release of this remaster soon. I was *this* close to
putting it on my Top 5 of the year regardless of initial release date, so just
know it’s a must-own.
Starcraft Remastered
The accolades of Starcraft (and its expansion, Brood War)
are vast, with some people considering it the single greatest PC strategy game
of all-time. Blizzard had a monumental task with an HD upgrade: make exactly
the same game, nuances and all, but with all new assets and current-day
presentation. Glad to say, Blizzard nailed it, and set a new standard for other
HD “archival” remasters of classic games.
One of the greatest games of all-time, now fully available
in full HD and Ultra HD (4k) with new multiplayer. What’s not to love?
Magic: The Gathering
Not technically a videogame, but I definitely wanted to shout
out Magic: The Gathering as it was a change of pace for me. I wanted to start
making the transition to Collectable and Trading Card Games (CCGs/TCGs) as I’ve
always had an interest in them, so what better place to start than the granddaddy
of the genre itself?
I’ve had limited ability to play the true paper game, but
M:tG acted as a floodgate of sorts, introducing me to the mechanics and
strategy of other card games, in both physical and digital form. It’s also done
wonders for my ‘Wes Unboxes’ series, which took a turn from subscription-based
boxes to a more ‘collectable’ aspect.
In fact, Magic and other digital card
games have led to an entirely new YouTube show dedicated SPECIFICALLY to card
games, entitled Wes’s Card Corner!
Well, I hope you enjoyed the list! What games are on your Honorable Mentions for this year? Have any games I should definitely play? Have any games I should avoid? Let me know in the comments!
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GAMES I HAVEN’T PLAYED
Here’s a quick bonus list of games that won’t make the Top Games
video, or even the Honorable Mentions status, as I’ve yet to play them! They’re
included here because I do feel that if I had a solid amount of time with the
games, I feel very strongly they’d either be on this Honorable Mentions list,
or the proper ‘Top Games’ video:
- Cuphead
- Yakuza 0
- Cosmic Star Heroine
- Resident Evil 7
- Sonic Mania
- Xenoblade Chronicles 2 – (Don’t own a Switch, but this game looks to be the system-seller for me, the same way Xenoblade Chroncles X sold me a Wii U.)
- Persona 5
- Hollow Knight – (Just started this one, but have less than 2 hours in. Fantastic game so far!)
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