I found 2017 to be an interesting reflection of games where three genres churned out entries like clockwork: Souls-likes, battle royales, and, my close friends, the rogue-likes. I was pumped for one rogue-like in particular in the spring about a ghost pirate dude: Flinthook. It almost had everything I could want: the look, the hook, and a charming lead. Despite falling off my space spelunking by the summer, Flinty and me had a blast for a couple of months.

Even now, looking back, I remain super positive about my cosmic adventures. The loop was so satisfying: conquer ships, fight a boss, level up, repeat. While it's not as linear an experience as the platformers of old, I felt like I rode a worthwhile loot groove to the very end. I even placed in fifth during one of the daily challenges, resulting in one of the developers tweeting back at me! Thanks for the space hooking, Flinthook.

Games of 2017

Throughout January, the Games of 2017 will lead the way towards The 2017 Grimmys - Horrible Night's Games of the Year Awards.

Previous years