Looking Back: 2017 Gaming A Year in Review
By Katie Lalwani | Nov 23 2017
Katie Lalwani remembers the games and consoles that made 2017 memorable From new console releases to the introduction of 4K gaming, and some major games to boot, 2017 has been quite the year when it comes to gaming. It marked a year of change, with many games undergoing a revamp, often successfully. That being said, this year wasn’t without its pitfalls.This year saw some major console releases, including the hotly-anticipated Nintendo Switch. With a home console and portable system being wrapped up in one device, and the variety of ways to play, this ‘hybrid console’ has been eagerly snapped up. The Switch remains in high demand, with millions being sold across the world leading to supply shortages.Overall, 2017 was a year which certainly kept players on their toes.
While Nintendo have certainly stepped up their game, it’s hard to compare to their rivals Playstation and Xbox; the latter of which capped off the end of the year with the XBox One X. Boasting itself as ‘The World’s Most Powerful Console,’ the small console came packed with processing power and 4k graphic capabilities.Alongside these console releases, 2017 brought along with it some major games. Franchises, including Call of Duty, the Legend of Zelda, and Star Wars Battlefront, all made a return, with some new added features.Kicking off the year was the gruesome, horror role-playing game (RPG), Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. The game did away with the series’ traditional third-person view. Instead, players explored the grisly Baker house through a limited first-person perspective, adding an extra layer of horror.Meanwhile Assassin’s Creed Origins saw a revamp of the series, with the game becoming more of an RPG. Combat in the game was given a much-needed update, so that enemies no longer queue up politely to take you on. A skills tree and an updated crafting system also gave the series a fresh take.This year also provided us with a serious nostalgia kick, with many reboots and classic style games coming our way. Among the major successes was Sonic Mania, which involved Sonic fans in its creation so that the heart of the original would be preserved in the reboot. However, the likes of Crash Bandicoot: Insane Trilogy didn’t quite live up to expectations. Despite great sales, a change to the controls made an already difficult game even more so, frustrating fans.Indie games continued to give their bigger-budgeted rivals a run for their money. Games such as Little Nightmares and What Remains of Edith Finch drew attention for their out-of-the-box creativity and intriguing narratives. Meanwhile the likes of Hellblade: Senna’s Sacrifice, with its hyper realistic design akin to a big budget game, further displayed the limitless potential indie games have to offer.Overall, 2017 was a year which certainly kept players on their toes. It will be interesting to see what 2018 has in store.