Jordan Hurst — Staff Writer
Divinity: Original Sin II
I like my GOTY contenders to be something unique and special, so Divinity: Original Sin II being here despite being a fairly straightforward CRPG is very indicative of its quality. A simple feature list doesn’t do it justice; although the conflux of tabletop systems and modding that is Game Master mode must be mentioned. Its strengths are usually less quantifiable: memorable character encounters, a reworked armour system that encourages out-of-the-box tactics, and level and narrative design that knows when to get to the point and when to take its time all contribute to an excellent adventure.
Doki Doki Literature Club!
Doki Doki Literature Club! is free, so ideally, don’t let anyone tell you anything else about it, and go play it. It’s one of those games. It starts with a content warning, and while that seems like a practical necessity, it’s actually vital to the experience. It immediately puts the player off-balance, and that growing unease carries their engagement until “the good parts.” But DDLC’s true brilliance is that once it gets where you think it’s going, it keeps going. Not deeper, per se, but more like…sideways.
Crypt of the NecroDancer: AMPLIFIED
Naming a 2015 game’s expansion DLC as your current favourite game of 2017 seems silly, but we’re talking about a roguelike where everything moves and attacks by dancing, so silliness seems rather appropriate. Crypt of the NecroDancer: AMPLIFIED is basically everything an expansion should be; it provides more originality in its equipment, enemies, and mechanics than most full releases, and it integrates perfectly into the surprisingly deep, mesmerizing gameplay of its base title. The inevitable expansion power creep is balanced by a variety of new, challenging modes, and the expanded soundtrack is more amazing than ever.