10 Video Games Most Likely To Be Game Of The Year 2017 Nominees

10. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

Format - PS4, PC

Metacritic Score - 83

Ninja Theory's Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice was perhaps one of the strangest and most unexpected games of the year. Utilising binaural audio, Hellblade chronicled the journey of the tormented Pict warrior Senua, who travelled into Hel to rescue the soul of her recently deceased beloved. The game uses sound in an attempt to recreate some of the effects of psychosis - Senua is afflicted with 'The Darkness', which is the game's way of depicting mental illness.

Throughout the 8-10 hour puzzle adventure, Senua (and the player) is bombarded with multiple voices constantly disparaging the character and questioning the player's decisions.

It's an intriguing mechanic, especially when it's used to the player's advantage in combat - there's no HUD, so the player must rely on the voices during battle to let them know when they're surrounded. It adds a layer of tension, and it's impressive to see Ninja Theory trying something new.

Hellblade delicately and smartly attempts to tackle and bring awareness to mental health issues through the game. Despite some flaws and bugs, the game impressed critics, and its daring approach to storytelling is likely to get it noticed in the awards season.