Dylan Chaundy — Staff Writer
Resident Evil 7
Who would’ve thought that Capcom would bounce back from the disastrous Resident Evil 6 with such aplomb? Not only did the developer boldly switch to a first-person perspective – a new beginning for the mainline franchise – but it also led the charge as one of the first “full-fat” triple-A experiences in the newly burgeoning VR medium. This is a tremendously crafted horror game that sticks closely to its series’ roots, while fearlessly striking out into fresh, uncharted territory. VR or not, this is a terrifying adventure that earns two mangled, bloody thumbs up from us.
Darkest Dungeon: The Crimson Court
Since picking up the main game in early 2016, I’ve been a slave to Darkest Dungeon’s brutal and unforgiving dungeon-crawler gameplay (it was my personal GOTY from 2016). This year’s expansion, The Crimson Court, has seen me spiral out of control yet again, losing in excess of a hundred or so hours to its blood-sucking, vampire-themed DLC. New dungeons, enemies, bosses and mechanics await you… if you so dare. Careful, though. Once Red Hook’s masterpiece has feasted on your soul, and its gruelling plethora of intricate systems begin to course through your veins, it’s impossible to resist its wondrous allure. This is undoubtedly one of the finest, most memorable gameplay experiences I’ve had all year.
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
I still can’t quite believe that Ubisoft nailed the landing for Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle. On paper, it sounded like a clumsy camel made by committee — I mean, who actually likes those blasted rabbids? — but thankfully, the clever minds over at Ubisoft and Nintendo made it work, and made it work surprisingly well. A devilishly addictive concoction of XCOM’s tactical turn-based combat, intermixed with Mario’s heart-warming charm and humour was enough to earn it a top-notch review from yours truly. This is without doubt one of this year’s biggest surprises, and is an immensely satisfying “rabbid” hole that is a pleasure to delve into.