Game Informer reviews tons of games every year, but only a select few are able to obtain special commendations reserved for the highest scoring titles. Games that earn an 8.5 or 8.75 obtain a Game Informer Silver award, while a score ranging from 9 to 9.5 earns that game a Game Informer Gold award. While most of the best games of the year fall into that range, the most elite titles ascend to the next level to earn a Game Informer Platinum award (9.75 or 10 score).
To help you keep track of the best of the best, we've compiled all of the top scoring games of 2017 here. Check out the games we've thought are the best of the year so far, and if you want to learn more, you can read the full review with a simple click-through. Also, be sure to save this page so you can check back each month to see which new games we think should be added to your "must-play" list.
For more of our favorite games from recent years, head to the links below.
Top Scoring Games of 2016
Top Scoring Games of 2015
Top Scoring Games of 2014
Be sure to click on the blue game titles to jump to the full review text.
Bye-Bye Box Boy
3DS
"Despite the title, Bye-Bye Boxboy does not feel like the conclusion of a trilogy. The second game added more variables to the main puzzle-solving mechanic, but the third entry feels new and different. I would absolutely play another Boxboy if it continues to experiment with abilities like it has here. But if Bye-Bye Boxboy does mark an end for HAL’s quirky puzzle series, then it ends on a high note." – Kyle Hilliard
The Walking Dead: A New Frontier Episode 4 – Thicker Than Water
PS4, Xbox One, PC, iOS, Android
"Thicker than Water is the best episode this season. It offers a great blend between relationship building and intense reveals. I hesitated before making my big decisions and was blindsided by what followed. I'm more excited than ever to see how it all shakes out." – Kimberley Wallace
Cities: Skylines Xbox Edition
Xbox One
"Outside of the lack of the more recent PC expansions and the simulation speed options, Cities: Skylines - Xbox One Edition is every bit as good as its PC counterpart. The mayoral planning fantasy is still intact with this version, and now easier than ever to get into. Simply put, if you're an Xbox One owner who is a fan of city-building simulation games, you need to check out Cities: Skylines." – Brian Shea
Thimbleweed Park
PS4, Xbox One, PC, iOS, Android
"Thimbleweed Park revels in its humor, and succeeds in its efforts toward better puzzle design. The narrative takes some twists and turns that didn’t always hit home with me, but I enjoyed the whimsical journey nonetheless." – Elise Favis
Torment: Tides of Numenera
PS4, Xbox One, PC
"Cerebral and often disturbing, Torment is a rabbit hole of significant depth, where you can get lost in improbable imaginings of warped realities and existential angst. If you can wrap your head around a non-linear narrative all about consciousness, identity, and memory, Torment is a riveting departure from expectation." – Matt Miller
Poochy And Yoshi's Woolly World
3DS
"If you skipped Woolly World on Wii U, Poochy & Yoshi’s Woolly World offers what is essentially a straight port. It doesn’t feel downgraded, even if the visuals aren’t quite as sharp. Exchanging co-op for the dedicated Poochy auto-run levels and a better mellow mode is a worthy trade. Woolly World is still the best Yoshi’s Island game since the original, even on this less-powerful platform." – Kyle Hilliard
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
PS4, Xbox One, PC
"Capcom has successfully reinvented Resident Evil in the past, the most notable deviation being the brilliant Resident Evil 4. This new vision doesn’t reach the same heights of spectacle and gameplay innovation as that breakthrough release, but is a welcome addition to the series (both in terms of gameplay and lore), and a nice entry point for newcomers." – Andrew Reiner
Kingdom Hearts 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue
PS4
"Final Chapter Prologue is a solid collection that I enjoyed playing, and got me more excited for Kingdom Hearts III due to how it sets up everything so wonderfully. I wish I were playing Kingdom Hearts III instead of another remaster, but this is the best collection for getting you prepped for what's ahead." – Kimberly Wallace
Slime Rancher
Xbox One, PC
"Slime Rancher has the ability to keep you hooked for hours; I often looked out over my ranch, felt pride at my accomplishments, and eagerly ventured back into the wilderness to see what other strange things I could find." – Joe Juba
Sonic Mania
Switch, PS4, Xbox One, PC
"A return to the series' roots in every sense, Sonic Mania is a joyful reminder why the franchise became such a hit in the first place. Though it's content with reliving past glories, it does so exceptionally well. Exciting level design, a stellar soundtrack, and cool expansions on the original formula work in one accord to deliver the Sonic game fans have been waiting for." – Brian Shea
Yakuza Kiwami
PS4
"I had a lot of fun with Yakuza Kiwami, but it occupies a strange place. I commend Sega for the extra lengths it took with the remake – including replacing the Western actors from the original release with all-new dialogue from the Japanese actors – but feels like a relic at times." – Jeff Cork
Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Switch
"I was as skeptical as anyone when I heard the words “Mario” and “XCOM” uttered in the same sentence, but Kingdom Battle didn’t just prove me wrong – it ended up being my favorite Mario game in recent years. Nintendo and Ubisoft took a big risk working together outside their comfort zones, and that risk paid off." – Jeff Marchiafava
Dishonored: Death of the Outsider
PS4, Xbox One, PC
"Death of the Outsider ultimately emerges as a strong chapter in one of the best modern action/RPG series thanks to gameplay refinements and dedication to its dark fiction. This standalone expansion doesn’t revolutionize the series but instead does something more important, navigating the familiar to bring everything to a satisfying conclusion." – Javy Gwaltney
What Remains of Edith Finch
PS4, PC
"The Finches’ final moments are diverse and sometimes disconnected, but they have a thematic consistency running through them, so the tale builds on itself and delivers a compact and memorable experience. Juggling multiple perspectives and thoughtful reflections, What Remains of Edith Finch is an excellent example of what makes games unique as a storytelling medium." – Joe Juba
Robo Recall
Rift
"Robo Recall doesn’t feel like a tech demo or minuscule offering of a promising concept. It’s the only VR game I’ve walked away from thinking I was satisfied with the amount and variety of content available. Its brand of action is unique and entertaining, and I haven’t played anything like it before. Robo Recall isn’t just a great VR game. It’s a great action game, period." – Javy Gwaltney
Night in the Woods
PS4, PC
"Night in the Woods is a strange tale with an even stranger cast of characters, but it revels in its oddities. The excellent writing pulls off a realistic sense of cynicism, childlike wonder, and comradery between friends. With its careful balance between adult themes and youth, it captures a stage of life that is confusing, frightening, and thrilling. The sluggish pacing can drag, but players fill the time by building friendships and understanding the grim secrets of a town they once again call home." – Elise Favis
"None of Horizon's faults stopped me from sinking 55 hours into the game, or walking away supremely satisfied with the experience. Horizon may not be a revolution for the open-world genre, but it is a highly polished and compelling adventure that proves Guerrilla is more than a single franchise." – Jeff Marchiafava
The Golf Club 2
PS4, Xbox One, PC
"I expected The Golf Club 2 to be better than the first in every way given the new career setup and golf societies, but I was surprised the addition of the swing tempo gameplay is what gives this title a lasting structure. This, combined with the course creator, make the game indispensable for any golf fan. You'll be seeing those missed putts in your dreams and savoring every chip-in birdie." – Matthew Kato
Pyre
PS4, PC
"Pyre’s long run-time and verbose characterization may warn some players away; that would be too bad, because the originality on display in the setting and storytelling is top-notch, and the fantasy-themed sport that forms the bedrock of the action is challenging, layered, and a heck of a lot of fun." – Matt Miller
Pro Evolution Soccer 2018
PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC
"I absolutely enjoy playing PES 2018; its gameplay elevates an aspect that was already strong. This is remarkable in and of itself, but also highlights the work still to be done in important areas such as the Master League. The franchise contains a great foundation, and will have to continue to build on it to remain at the top of the table." – Matthew Kato
FIFA 18
PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Switch, PC
"FIFA 18 shows Alex Hunter moving into a wider world of football, and while that story experience is absorbing, it also reveals how much work areas like the career mode – which hasn't meaningfully changed in years – need. It's still worth it to play all the modes the title has to offer, but this is a title that caters to its superstar." – Matthew Kato
from www.GameInformer.com - The Feed http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2017/09/27/game-informer-39-s-top-scoring-game-reviews-of-2017.aspx
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