10 Best Open-World Video Games Of 2017

3. Super Mario Odyssey

Mario Odyssey Shiveria
Nintendo

In the run up to release, Super Mario Odyssey started ringing everyone's alarm bells thanks to not only its strange trailers that showed the classic Nintendo mascot interacting with real human beings, but also the decision to push the franchise further in the realms of the open world genre than it had ever ventured before.

Taking a page out of previous Mario games like Sunshine and 64, the open-ended level design and focus on exploration as well as treating every new map like a puzzle to solve gave Nintendo's new console yet another killer app, cementing 2017 as the year the company bounced back from the brink of irrelevancy.

Coming at a time where the industry is overflowing with one huge release after the next all being marred by controversy surrounding microtransactions and DLC, Nintendo showed the world how to push their most beloved franchises forward and create a great game that could succeed on its own without any insidious business practices taking focus.

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Josh has over 11 years of experience as a published writer, having worked nine of those years as a full-time content producer at WhatCulture. In that period he has created hundreds of articles, videos and podcast episodes for multiple WhatCulture channels, specialising in gaming, horror and film & TV. He now primarily works as a senior content producer and presenter on WhatCulture Gaming where he co-hosts the WhatCulture Gaming Podcast, a top 3 UK most listened to gaming podcast that he co-created in 2018. Over the years he has reviewed several high-profile gaming releases, covered industry events with on-site reporting, opined on breaking news, and even kicked off his interviewing career by chatting to childhood hero, Tommy Wiseau.