Which game will take home the Game Of The Year 2017 award?
MIRIAM MCDONALD OPERATIONS EDITOR RESI VII IS GOING TO SCARE YOU INTO FORGETTING EVERYTHING ELSE.
If a mere kitchen in a VR demo can leave people shocked, the full version of Resident Evil VII: Biohazard will sear its way into our minds like nothing else. What we’ve played so far has been terrifying – after a while you forget about the V in VR. What’s more, we don’t yet know how REVII will tie into all the titles that preceded it; any familiarity will only heighten the anxiety as we anticipate horrors to come. After walking through dark corridors and fighting the Molded, just going to the loo in the night is going to cause flashbacks. And it’s the games that give us deep experiences that become Game Of The Year.
JEN SIMPKINS GAMES EDITOR HORIZON ZERO DAWN’S HUNTING WILL HAVE A VICELIKE GRIP ON MY HEART IN 2017.
Yes, I was there for the PSX conference. And yes, those new PlayStation Experience reveals were ridiculous. But a new trailer and the gooseflesh on my arms reminded me I’m still besotted with Horizon Zero Dawn. I’ve never experienced anything quite like this RPG’s combat. It looks so complex on screen, but in the hands, it’s both intuitive and inexplicably fluid – logical and magical. To my mind, it already has The Witcher 3 beaten. I can’t help but feel that hunting Grazers, hassling Watchers and discovering Aloy’s mysterious origins in a wild sandbox world will prove to be 2017’s definitive experience.
MATTHEW PELLETT EDITOR HAS EVERYBODY ELSE FORGOTTEN THAT RED DEAD REDEMPTION 2 EXISTS? HUH?
Come on. This isn’t even a debate. I know that between Resident Evil VII, Horizon Zero Dawn, Mass Effect Andromeda and Persona 5 there is a glut of titles that could bag perfect scores in 2017 (and that’s without considering the likes of Destiny 2, which is bound to release this year), but the future’s already written. So long as Red Dead Redemption 2 doesn’t suffer a massive delay and is dragged by its stirrups into 2018, Rockstar’s open-world Western will snaffle all the awards come December. I declare a high-noon showdown against anyone who claims differently.
BEN TYRER STAFF WRITER MASS EFFECT ANDROMEDA’S NEW BEGINNING WILL BE ITS FINEST HOUR.
Despite never taking home the OPM Game Of The Year award, 2017 will see the series secure the title it so richly deserves. Why? For starters, there’s the furiously fast combat. Ryder’s speed is instantly satisfying, putting an emphasis on striking fast and hard that will appeal to action fans. Then there’ll be the alien galaxy you explore. Let’s be honest here, when has a Mass Effect game let us down on that front? Add in the deeper customisation from the class system, where you choose which powers your Ryder boasts, and you’ve got a magnificent mix of ingredients that looks set to dominate the competition.