Top 5 Games of the Year: Liam’s picks20/12/2017  It’s been a good year for gaming (less so for my wallet) with the Nintendo Switch, 2DS XL, SNES Mini, Xbox One X and a new gaming laptop all making their way into my collection over the past twelve months, giving me quite the selection headache – the good kind, as they say in football.
5. WW1 GAME SERIES  Technically this counts as two games, but M2H and Blackmill’s decision to house both Verdun and Tannenberg under the WW1 Game Series umbrella means I don’t have to pick between two of my favourite shooters from the past year, which is fine by me (and our editors, I hope). Though Verdun arrived late on Xbox One (it was supposed to launch last year alongside the PS4 version) it was exactly the sort of game I wanted Battlefield 1 to be, forgoing semi-realistic aperture sights and hip-firing heavy machine guns for a more realistic First World War shooter that was incredibly satisfying to play once mastered. Tannenberg continued the developers’ stellar work on the series, this time bringing the action of the Eastern Front to the fore and ensuring the game remained in a constant playable state thanks to the addition of bots. I was a bit sceptical about the lack of controller support (being the filthy console peasant that I am) but the natural limitations of the era’s hardware means you don’t need pro gamer level reactions to enjoy this game.  Turn-based RPGs are one of my least favourite types of game (second only to fighters) so I was surprised by how much I actually enjoyed South Park: The Fractured but Whole’s gameplay; turns out all the genre needed to keep my attention was liberal helpings of crass humour, hilarious boss fights and quirky super powers. With South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker at the helm the comedy credentials were never in doubt, but the fact that the gameplay outshone the humour at times is a testament to its quality.  For a game that’s all about taking down a death obsessed cartel in a war-torn country, Ghost Recon Wildlands is weirdly relaxing. I’ve probably spent more time than I should have watching the dynamic weather roll across the game’s stunning scenery whilst melancholic guitar riffs sound off in the background, and since the patch adding Xbox One X support went live, fictional Bolivia has never looked so good. Luckily, Wildlands is also bloody good fun to play, whether solo or with friends, and for those that are willing to go looking for it there’s a decent story about the moral complexities of a war on drugs to be found.  As great as Breath of the Wild is, after the initial sense of awe began to wear off I found myself yearning for the more structured design of the Zelda titles of yesteryear. BOTW’s shrines are fun, for the most part, but even the best one’s I’ve come across so far pale in comparison to the classic temples the franchise has seen throughout the years. Still, exploring a broken, almost dystopian version of Hyrule and uncovering its hidden secrets is immensely rewarding, but without the iconic temples the package just doesn’t feel complete, and it’s because of this the game just misses out on my top spot. 1. CALL OF DUTY: WWII  Despite Sledgehammer’s willingness to play it fast and loose with the game’s historical accuracy (aperture sights in the 1940’s, seriously?!) Call of Duty: WWII really is a return to form for the franchise, particularly on the competitive side. The campaign, while enjoyable, is still your classic by-the-numbers Call of Duty affair, but I haven’t been this hooked to the series’ multiplayer since back in its heyday. War mode is the main highlight, taking inspiration from Overwatch’s escort missions and Battlefield 1’s Operations, blending those with the frantic, fast-paced arcade combat of CoD to deliver a truly moreish experience that I keep going back to. Do you agree with Liam’s choices? Let us know your own highlights from the past year below or over in the forums.
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