Game of the Year
Previous Winners
2012: Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii)
2013: Fire Emblem: Awakening (3DS)
2014: Super Smash Bros. (Wii U)
2015: Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U)
2016: Hyperdimension Neptunia V-II (Multi)
It is that time of year once again when here at oprainfall we pick our Game of the Year! This year we decided to make the winners from our console exclusive and multiplatform categories the nominees. This year was a really tough year for all of us here since there were so many amazing releases in 2017. Picking a winner was almost as bad as pulling teeth! The one thing we could all agree on was, no matter which game was your favorite, gamers everywhere were the true winners in 2017. Anyways, without further ado let’s get to our nominees!
NieR: Automata
Best Multiplatform
NA Release Date: March 7th, 2017
Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 4
Review
I remember a bunch of us were kinda shocked when Square announced NieR:Automata back in 2016. We didn’t really know what to expect from the new project, but the idea of Yoko Taro teaming up with Platinum Games gave us all hope this would be the game that had great gameplay to go with Yoko’s amazing storytelling. We were not disappointed, it delivered above and beyond anything we could’ve imagined. The rock solid gameplay, gripping story, and one of best soundtracks in gaming will have everyone talking about NieR:Automata for years to come.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2
Nintendo Exclusive
NA Release Date: December 1st, 2017
Platform(s): Nintendo Switch
Review
When Xenoblade Chronicles 2 was shown for the very first time it took a lot of fans by surprise. The game’s artstyle was very different from the previous entries in the series, but most agreed it was just as beautiful. This entry also moved to a more character driven story as opposed to Xenoblade Chronicles X‘s more lore based storytelling. Throw in tons of improvements to the combat system and one of the most memorable stories in gaming in a long time and you have not only the best games of this year, but maybe the best in franchise’s history.
Persona 5
Best PlayStation Exclusive
NA Release Date: April 4th, 2017
Platform(s): PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4
Review
It was a long time coming, but when Persona 5 finally launched early in 2017 it made a huge splash. This game was everything fans were hoping for with its amazing characters, story and a soundtrack that will have you humming its many tunes for a long time after you stop playing. This game oozes with style in the graphical department, even the menus are sexy! The combat is rock solid and addictive, and that makes this one a complete package of greatness.
And the winner of oprainfall’s Game of the Year for 2017 is:
Persona 5!
The staff voting this year was the tightest I’d ever seen in all of our years of doing these awards. While any game on this list would’ve been a amazing choice for Game of the Year, Persona 5 came out on top. This title is one of the rare times that a game meets its hype when it is released. Persona 5 is a near perfect experience with its amazing characters and story that deals with some hardcore real life issues. The stylish graphics and amazing soundtrack are icing on an already delicious cake. Persona 5 is not only this year’s Game of the Year, but it I would say it will end up being one of the best games of this generation.
