Note: I've decided to omit "Mass Effect: Andromeda" from this list, since I included it on this same list for 2016 games; but it was then delayed.
Back
in 2009, the creators of "South Park" announced that a new video game
based off the show was in development. Despite numerous delays, "South
Park: The Stick of Truth" was finally released in 2014. To the surprise of
many, the game was actually met with highly positive reviews and would go on to
win several awards at the end of the year. Not long after the game's release, a
sequel was announced. Based off of, and mocking the Marvel Cinematic Universe,
"South Park: The Fractured but Whole" is scheduled for release early
in 2017. In my opinion, "South Park" long ago cemented itself as one
of the greatest animated shows of all time; and with a resurgence of popularity
with the two most recent seasons, "The Fractured but Whole" is
shaping up to be a great success.
The development studio Supergiant Games has truly distinguished themselves as one of the best indie studios currently active. Their 2011 game "Bastion" was met with critical acclaim for its narrative, story, world, and art design; the game was widely considered one of the best of the year, and it catapulted the developers into the spotlight. They followed up their first title with "Transistor," another brilliant title that was one of the standouts of 2014. Despite only having developed two games, Supergiant Games is revered within the industry; and earlier in 2016 they finally confirmed their next game. "Pyre" is fantasy game where you play as a band of traveling nomads; the gameplay is hard to describe, but revolves around a type of competition within the world. From what's been shown, the game is stunningly gorgeous with a beautiful score, but what has be most interested are the developers; Supergiant Games is one of the best studios working right now, that alone is enough to get me excited.
Since the launch of the PS4 in 2013, the console has had some trouble with system selling exclusives; while the PS$ has certainly had some standouts such as "Bloodborne," "Uncharted 4: A Thief's End," and "Until Dawn," Sony has been looking for that one new game that could lead to a new franchise. And from what I can tell, they're hoping that "Horizon Zero Dawn" is that game. HZD is an upcoming action/adventure open world game, where you play as a young woman looking to survive in a hostile world inhabited by dangerous mechanical beasts. Announced in 2015, the game immediately drew attention to itself. It's unique world and premise offered a lot of promise, as well as its impressive graphics and visual design; while I'm a bit worried that the actual gameplay may come off as generic, I have faith that developer Guerilla Games has an ambitious vision. Set to come out in Q1 of 2017, Sony seems to be going all in with "Horizon Zero Dawn."
One of the best games of the past five years would have to be "Ni No Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch," a PS3 adaptation of the DS game "Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn." A modern take on the traditional JRPG, the story followed a young boy as he was sucked into another world after the death of his mother. Most noted for its art style, original score, combat system, and cut-scenes produced by the legendary Studio Ghibli, the game was met with considerable praise. While many had given up hope on seeing a sequel anytime soon, Sony confirmed in 2015 that a successor titled "Revenant Kingdom" was in production. While little information about the game has been given, recent news suggests that the studio is aiming for a 2017 release. "Wrath of the White Witch" was a great game, and I've been hoping for more "Ni No Kuni" ever since; so I can't wait to get my hands on "Revenant Kingdom."
For a lot of people, this is the most anticipated game coming out in 2017. "The Legend of Zelda" is universally considered one of the greatest video game franchises, with several installments in the series often called some of the greatest games of all time. While the most recent major title in the franchise, 2011's "Skyward Sword," was met with criticism from many fans, "Breath of the Wild" has just about everyone excited. The game seems to have an even more open-world feel than the previous games, even introducing some survival/scavenger elements; "Breath of the Wild" seems to be trying something different, attempting to revitalize a beloved franchise. The game was originally scheduled for release sometime in 2016, but was seemingly pushed back to fix some issues and coordinate with the launch of Nintendo's new console, the Switch. "Breath of the Wild" looks ambitious, original, and fun; so much so that it kind of makes me want to buy the Switch, which is what Nintendo seems to be banking on.
There are a bunch of really cool looking games coming out in 2017, but no other title has me as excited as this one. In 2010, Rockstar San Diego put out "Red Dead Redemption;" upon its release the game was praised by critics and would go on to sell over 15 million copies. Since then, the game is widely regarded as one of the best games ever made. For the past six years, fans have wanted any sign from the developers that a sequel was in the works; but finally in October 2016, they formally announced that "Red Dead Redemption 2" was in the works. At this point we know almost nothing about the story or the world it will take place in, and knowing how Rockstar likes to keep things hush hush, we won't learn anything anytime soon. "Red Dead Redemption" is one of my favorite games of all time, and I've waited years for a sequel. So naturally, RDR2 would top this list.
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