As always, a game's absence from this list should not be taken as an indication of its quality as I certainly didn't play every PC game released this year.
Note that I have decided to revert to a more traditional "top 10" list format as it was pretty easy for me to limit and rank the contenders this time around.
Having said all that, let's get this party started!
#10 - Choice of Rebels: Uprising
The "Choice of" series of games has carved out an interesting niche for itself in recent years as one of the premiere, digital "choose your own adventure" book options for adults. More recent offerings in the series have expanded their gameplay a bit beyond simple multiple choice scenarios and into the realm of management sim decision making mechanics. "Choice of Rebels: Uprising" is a great example of this and is the most fun I've had with the series since "Choice of Robots."
It's worth noting that this is the first part of what may end up being a series of games, so you won't be getting a complete story by playing through it; however, the content present in it is extensive and compelling, which has me excited and interested to experience the next installment.
Choice of Rebels: Uprising (via Steam)
#9 - Day of Infamy
Sometimes, you just want a simple, straightforward first-person shooter set in World War II, with a nice variety of content and game modes accommodating both competitive and cooperative play. For those times, "Day of Infamy" is a solid choice.
Day of Infamy (via Steam)
#8 - Absolver
Despite some occasional technical jank and a cooperative multiplayer system that could use a lot of work, "Absolver" largely succeeds in fusing the intricate mechanics of a sophisticated fighting game with the core exploration and progression elements of classic RPG and adventure titles. It's a shame that a better game will likely borrow and weave its best attributes into a more compelling offering in the future, but for those seeking something truly innovative and interesting despite its rough edges, "Absolver" is certainly worth a look as there's nothing else out there quite like it at the moment.
Absolver (via Steam)
#7 - Monopoly Plus
Do you like Monopoly? Do you like playing it with your friends online or against reasonably competent AI players? If so, you should probably buy this game.
Monopoly Plus (via Steam)
#6 - Kings and Heroes
If you're up for a rough-around-the-edges, old-school MMORPG experience, "Kings and Heroes" is worth a gander. Personally, I feel like this game would have been better served by ditching its open world component and focusing on its dungeon crawling mechanics, which are by far the best things going for it but who knows where "Kings and Heroes" will end up long term as it's still being actively developed, despite having been released out of Early Access.
I want to love "Kings and Heroes" and I have a great deal of respect for the efforts and struggles its developers have endured to get it to where it currently is but it's ultimately not quite good or polished enough to make it to the top half of my list in its current state.
Kings and Heroes (via Steam)
#5 - Night in the Woods
This is my pick for the best single-player game of 2017. If you're into narrative-focused, charming, atmospheric, engrossing, compelling, and well-executed gameplay experiences, this is one you shouldn't miss.
Night in the Woods (via Steam)
#4 - Call of Duty: WWII
There's no single component of "Call of Duty: WWII" that makes it a great game but taken as a whole, the total package provides a robust, all encompassing, AAA platform for those seeking a high-quality, first-person shooter experience.
More so than any other FPS I've played in recent years, "Call of Duty: WWII" makes me feel like part of a robust and varied community of players participating in something greater than the sum of its parts. As a big fan of deceased FPS platforms like "Soldier Front 2" and "Ghost in the Shell: First Assault Online," this game provides a lot of what I've been missing in their absence and therefore earns its place here with ease.
Call of Duty: WWII (via Steam)
#3 - Dirty Bomb
Without question, "Dirty Bomb" is the existing game that I feel saw the most improvement in 2017. If you're a fan of team-focused, objective-oriented, free-to-play first-person shooters, this is the current "go to" game for that sort of thing as far as I'm concerned.
Dirty Bomb (via Steam)
#2 - Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands
For me, "Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands" is the best four-player, co-op shooter since the original Borderlands. If you have friends to play it with, it's an experience that's difficult to rival, and one that will take a considerable amount of time to see through to completion.
Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon Wildlands (via Steam)
#1 - Divinity: Original Sin 2
In my opinion, "Divinity: Original Sin 2" is as close as anyone has ever come to making a perfect game. As a huge fan of tactical, turn-based strategy games that support cooperative play and feature engrossing, intimately-detailed worlds brimming with content and opportunities for meaningful impact via player's actions, there are only a handful of games in the history of the medium that could even approach the magnitude and significance of "Divinity: Original Sin 2." If you haven't played it, go and fix that immediately. You can thank me later. :)
Divinity: Original Sin 2 (via Steam)
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