If you’re off for the holiday break, then you’re going to need to fill your time with something, so why not dive into some of the best games that have released throughout 2017? We’ve put together a list with an assortment of different titles that have garnered the attention of the industry, so if you’re looking for something new to play over the holidays, then take a look down below and pick out a game for yourself.
What Remains of Edith Finch
What Remains of Edith Finch is a narrative adventure that takes players through a series of strange story vignettes centered around a family in Washington state. Players take control of Edith as she explores the Finch house to uncover her mysterious family history.
The game comes off as a mere ‘walking simulator’ at first, as players explore the Finch house in search of answers. However, as you poke and prod your way through the cluttered Finch residence, you begin to learn more about each member of the Finch family. Each short tale takes players through the life of a particular family member on the day of their death, revealing their personality as well as how they took in the world around them.
Though melancholic in nature, What Remains of Edith Finch will take you on a surreal, magical adventure that is both brilliant and humbling. The developers at Giant Sparrow did a great job at conveying each family member’s strange, relatable tale using creative gameplay mechanics and stunning visuals. What Remains of Edith Finch is certainly worth playing if you enjoy narrative games that hit all the right emotional notes.
Horizon Zero Dawn
If Breath of the Wild was considered one of Nintendo’s greatest successes of 2017, then Horizon Zero Dawn has to be close to the top for Sony. Developed by Guerilla Games and released exclusively for the PlayStation 4, Horizon Zero Dawn thrust players into the role of Aloy, a rejected tribe member of the Nora, who must set off on a journey to stop dinosaur-like machines from overrunning mankind.
What begins as a journey to learn where she came from quickly evolves, and new mysteries begin to arise from the shadows, throwing the player and Aloy deeper into conspiracies that would shake anybody. It’s a fantastic game that earned a lot of praise, and it offers one of the most detailed open-world experiences to ever grace the PlayStation series of consoles. So if you’re a PS4 user, and you’re looking for a great game with epic storytelling, fantastic visuals, and phenomenal gameplay, then Horizon Zero Dawn is a great place to start.
Wolfenstein 2: The New Colossus
Building off the narrative from the first game, Wolfenstein 2 picks up with the Kreisau Circle rescuing William “B.J” Blazkowicz from the clutches of Deathhead’s fortress. From here players will embark on a new action-packed adventure where they will mow through a slew of Nazis as they try to top the Nazis from once more controlling the world.
It’s an action-packed adventure that builds off the momentum of the first game to create a fun and bullet riddled experience that’s sure to keep players coming back for more as they take on Hitler’s armies and decimate the German’s war machine. It’s also available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC, so players will be able to pick it up, no matter what platform they want to play on.
Divinity: Original Sin 2
Building off the story from the first Divinity: Original Sin, Divinity: Original Sin 2 picks up after the events of the first game in a new place, where Source users are outlawed to an island in the middle of nowhere. This is where players’ adventures will kick off as they try to regain their powers and make their way off the island on their quest to save the world.
Divinity: Original Sin 2 employs the old-school tactics of turn-based combat, while also offering environmental issues that players will have to worry about—like oil and water on the battlefield. It’s an interesting take on the old-school formula that really helps bring the game world to life and makes things feel more interesting as you deal with enemies. If you enjoy the RPGs of the glory days—like Planescape Torment and Baldur’s Gate—then Divinity: Original Sin 2 is worth checking out and giving a run. It’s also a pretty long game, so you’ll have plenty to do over the holiday break.
Super Mario Odyssey
Nintendo fans have always loved the mustached plumber and his adventures, but Super Mario Odyssey changed things up a bit, offering a new world for players to explore, as well as new mechanics to experience. You’re also able to take it on the go with you, thanks to the mobility of the Nintendo Switch, which means you can enjoy the newest entry in the long-running Mario series no matter where you are.
It’s really a win-win situation when you think about it, and Super Mario Odyssey has helped refresh the Mario series and show that Nintendo still knows how to shake things up—in case the Switch wasn’t enough evidence of this already. If you want a game that feels like a classic, but also explores new ground in a well-established series, then Super Mario Odyssey is definitely worth picking up.
Resident Evil 7
Capcom pulled out all the stops when they set out to revive the Resident Evil series, bringing the seventh major installment of the series to Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC. This time, though, they took the survival horror elements and vamped them up even more, pushing the game into a first-person survival experience.
The use of first-person added more thrilling combat and suspense to the game, giving players a more immersive feeling than the standard fixed third person camera that had been so prominent in the games of day’s past. It was a great choice, and many publications praised Capcom for the direction that they took Resident Evil 7, with many even claiming that it saved the series entirely.
PlayStation users even have the option of playing the game in VR thanks to PSVR, so if you’re looking for something to give you chills this holiday season, Resident Evil 7 has plenty to offer, including a new free DLC centered around Chris Redfield, a fan favorite from the series.
PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds
While battle royale games have grown more and more popular over the past couple of years, we’ve seen a ton of new titles release into the genre. PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds stands near the top, though, and over the past several months the game has earned a reputation for being one of the best battle royale experiences available to players.
Like most battle royale games, in PUBG players are dropped into a massive map where they’ll need to scavenge, loot, and battle to be the last man standing. Having just released their 1.0 update, as well as a new map, now is the perfect time to dive into PUBG and start building your legacy. Features like vaulting, as well as plenty of weapon customization options, give you the ability to make your PUBG experience your own.
You’ll need to strategize, plan, and sneak your way around the map, taking out every enemy you can to fight your way to be the last man standing and earn yourself a Chicken Dinner.
Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
This one really shouldn’t need much explaining, but we’ll give it a go anyway. Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was one of the biggest games of 2017, and for good reason. Crafted to break many of the molds that Zelda had become known for, Breath of the Wild released alongside the Nintendo Switch and gave players a true, full open-world to explore within the Zelda universe. Filled with plenty of cool loot, new systems never before seen in Zelda games, and even a really epic motorcycle, Breath of the Wild took Nintendo fans by storm.
Fast forward a few months and the game is still kicking things into high gear with new DLC and challenges, and even if you don’t count the DLC, there’s enough content to keep you glued to your Nintendo Switch for at least a couple hundred hours, if not more. What more do we need to say?
Fortnite
If you enjoy battle royale, but you’re looking for something less realistic and more arcade-like, then Fortnite is going to be your best bet. The feature that sets Fortnite apart from the other arcade-like battle royale games out there, though, is its unique crafting system.
Available as a free-to-play title, Fortnite Battle Royale gives you the same treatment as PUBG. Dropped into a massive map, you’ll have to fight your way to the top to prove that you’re worthy of being the last man standing. It’s a daunting task, made even more daunting by the player’s ability to craft cover and bases use the game’s building system. This is a carry over from the PVE version of the game—which is great too—and it really adds a new dynamic to the battle royale sequence. Of course, you’re not going to get the same realistic feeling as you would in something like PUBG, but it’s definitely work looking into if you want to give battle royale a try and want a less-serious way to play.
These are just an assortment of the great games that we’ve seen become available in 2017, and if you’re looking for something to play over the holiday break, then the games on this list are a great place to start. Of course, there are even more titles out there, so don’t be afraid to branch out and give other games a try while you’re at it. You can also check out our top five most anticipated Nintendo Switch games of 2018, or head over to our top five most anticipated PS4 games coming in 2018.
