18 Best Video Games Of 2017 (So Far)

5. Resident Evil 7

It is by the finest of hairs that RE7 beat Tekken in my ranking. Both games are about as old as one another, and both returned in 2017 with devout purpose - though Resi 7 edges it, simply because its placement in the canon is so important, and its execution is damn-near exemplary.

By having Capcom reveal next to nothing as to how this tied into the wider Resident Evil canon, it added a layer of real-world mystery atop the unfurling tale of the Baker family. Protagonist Ethan is off on a hunt for his missing wife who appears to have some connection to said family, and it all goes downhill from there.

Brilliantly, Resident Evil 7 doesn't remotely outstay its welcome.

Going from careful, Alien Isolation-esque hide n' seek thrills to overblown shock-horror gore, all the while delivering on that unmistakable, loveably quirky Resident Evil tone. Ethan slowly builds up his repertoire of weapons, steeling his resolve against the horrors of the plantation, as you do too.

By the time the game plants a brick in the gas pedal and thunders into its very much over-the-top final act, you'll either be punching the sky and along for the ride, aiming pistols like a pro - or rolling your eyes as to how ridiculous it all feels.

For me, Capcom knew exactly what RE7 was and who it was for, making this latest instalment the finest in the franchise since Resident Evil 4.