This version of Hyrule is easily the biggest and most beautiful world Nintendo has ever created, and it's ridiculously easy to lose dozens of hours just poking around its countless nooks and crannies. Rather than progressing through temples and dungeons in a set order, players are plopped into the middle of a huge open world and let loose with only the barest of directions. The crown jewel in the Switch's launch lineup (and probably its lifetime library as well), Breath of the Wild feels like the culmination of every other Zelda game that came before it. We've already seen the release of the Frozen Wilds DLC and the game's success will probably spawn a string of sequels. All in all, this PS4 exclusive was easily one of the best games of the year on any platform. The game just looked beautiful on screen, so much so it's one of the few games I've actually bothered playing around with the impressive photo mode that made it easy to create stunning screenshots.

Set in a future post-apocalyptic world populated with robot dinosaurs, the core gameplay of taking down these varied techno beasts never got old, while the story holds your interest throughout, thanks in large part to a lead character that is actually likeable.Ī simple crafting system and logical leveling system also contributed to proceedings, and let's not forget the visuals, which were fantastic. And rightfully so – Horizon Zero Dawn delivered addictive gameplay wrapped up in an engrossing story that followed the adventures of an interesting protagonist. In an age when publishers shy away from new IPs and sequels dominate, it was nice to see a game released that bucked that trend and proved an immediate success. And if you're feeling particularly brave, the PS4 version is playable in PlayStation VR. To sweeten the deal, the game got a bumper crop of DLC, including two new story chapters released just last week. The cower-in-a-corner gameplay calls to mind indie horror darlings like Outlast and Amnesia, and it's awesome to see that get the big-budget treatment. Fighting back only slows them down long enough for you to run and hide, which is a great way to ramp up the terror factor and make you feel utterly powerless.

There, you're stalked by the deranged Baker family, who are as relentless as they are immortal. Players take control of everyman Ethan Winters, who winds up trapped in a derelict plantation house in Louisiana. Taking the series back to its roots, Resident Evil 7 is not just the best Resident Evil game in years (or maybe ever), it's one of the best horror games, period. Resident Evil basically invented the survival horror genre, but over the years it mutated into just another mindless zombie shooter.

Best game 2017