2017 has been a special year for video games. It witnessed the return of such important series as The Legend of Zelda, saw factory line franchises like Call of Duty return to their roots, and even bore witness to the arrival of some impressive new properties.

Of course, the year was not without its troubles. One look at the gaming loot box problem has hampered the success of titles such as Star Wars: Battlefront II. It's definitely been a year of ups and downs.

Thankfully, the best moments of 2017 are some of the greatest in gaming history, with the year seeing the release of some of the most engaging and breathtaking video games ever created. Without further ado, here is a rundown of the best games of 2017.

30. What Remains of Edith Finch

The idea of the 'walking simulator' is one that has been much maligned over the years, with titles within the subgenre putting a heavy emphasis on storytelling through the gradual unveiling of a larger narrative with a lower focus on active participation. What Remains of Edith Finch, however, builds upon this framework with a much more engaging method of gameplay, with the player feeling much more like a part of the story as a whole.

On top of that, What Remains of Edith Finch tells a heartbreaking and deep story of a family seemingly cursed with tragedy. It's one of the best video game narratives of the year, and developer Giant Sparrow has earned the accolades the game has received. It's not for everyone, but those after something thought-provoking will find what they need with What Remains of Edith Finch.

29. Life is Strange: Before the Storm

The original Life is Strange was something of a powerhouse of storytelling, utilizing its episodic nature to tell a twisting tale of time manipulation and fate. It ended up being a smash hit, winning a huge number of fans and gaining plenty of award nominations and victories.

As such, there was a strong level of interest in prequel Life is Strange: Before the Storm, with questions asked over whether new developer Deck Nine could recreate the original's tone. Thankfully, Before the Storm, although not perfect, manages to build upon the first game well, providing a rare prequel that manages to subtly enhance the original story told.

28. Dishonored: Death of the Outsider

The steampunk world of the Dishonored series has gained many fans since the original game's release, and the franchise reached new heights with 2016's Dishonored 2. However, the story of the sequel did not end there, with a standalone follow-up called Dishonored: Death of the Outsider releasing this year.

Death of the Outsider is not quite a fully-fledged game in its own right, building heavily upon the previous year's release, but it manages to deliver even more of that phenomenal stealth gameplay. Acting as a strong epilogue to the Dishonored story as a whole, it's a game that fans of the franchise would be fools to miss.

27. Middle-earth: Shadow of War

Middle-earth: Shadow of War may play it fast and loose with Tolkien's Middle-earth lore, but it's still a very impressive follow-up to Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. With the original game's nemesis system now well established, Shadow of War is able to stretch its legs, developing an updated version of the system alongside game-wide improvements.

The title certainly has its issues, with an overall weaker story and the inexplicable addition of loot box microtransactions that has received plenty of criticism. However, overall it's still an excellent game for players who want more of that blend of Assassin's Creed and Lord of the Rings.

26. Metroid: Samus Returns

Metroid: Samus Returns finally addresses one of the injustices of the Metroid franchise: that its second instalment remained a mystery to many players. Metroid 2: Return of Samus released for the Game Boy, but never quite received the same longstanding acclaim as the original game or follow-up Super Metroid.

Samus Returns, however, pushes Metroid 2 into the modern age, updating the game into 2.5D for the 3DS and bringing with it a ton of new features. What's more, it's a great return for the franchise as a whole, suggesting there's still a bright future for Metroid and the Metroid Prime 4.

25. Sniper Elite 4

Sniper Elite has been one of the most quietly effective franchises in the video game landscape, starting life as an initially niche stealth shooter and growing with each and every release. Although there have been criticisms leveled against exactly how well the different gameplay modes gel together, Sniper Elite 4 has managed to link the various play styles better than any other game in the series.

Sniper Elite 4 blends long-range sniping with up close and personal stealth incredibly well, all built around a number of expansive, multi-layered maps that offer plenty of options for would-be assassins. All in all, Sniper Elite 4 is a game that shouldn't be overlooked.

24. Splatoon 2

The original Splatoon was a fantastic change of pace from Nintendo, with one flaw: it was stuck on the ailing Wii U. Thankfully, Splatoon 2 can have much more of an impact thanks to its home on the massively successful Nintendo Switch.

Rather than just rehash the original game on new hardware, however, Splatoon 2 has plenty of improvements on the original game to keep players occupied. The addition of a deep single player mode acts as a great way for new players to get to grips with the mechanics, while Salmon Run is a wonderful addition to the main game.

23. Divinity: Original Sin 2

The Divinity: Original Sin games are some of the great triumphs of the crowdfunding model. Built around mechanics that traditional AAA gaming has shied away from, the tactical, slow-burning RPG gameplay has left plenty of players hooked.

Divinity: Original Sin 2 improves upon the first game across the board, with a brilliant fantasy story, great strategic RPG gameplay, and some hugely impressive locations to explore. Fully deserving of all the success that has come its way.

22. Call of Duty: WWII

Much was made of the release of Call of Duty: WWII, with Sledgehammer Games finally bringing the Call of Duty franchise back to its Second World War roots. From a commercial perspective, the game has been a smash hit, selling twice as much as the previous game during the first few weeks of its release.

However, those sales don't just relate to hype, with Call of Duty: WWII sitting pretty as one of the best games that the series has seen in years. Not only did the campaign pack a serious punch, but the game's War mode is perhaps the best innovation that Call of Duty has seen in some time.

21. Uncharted: The Lost Legacy

Although it's hard to think of an Uncharted game as much of a gamble, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy acted as something of a departure for the action adventure series. Not only is the game more of an expansion than a full standalone release, but it moved away from the charisma of Nathan Drake, which more than did its part in propelling the franchise to stardom in the first place.

That said, Uncharted: The Lost Legacy is a great success. The duo of Chloe and Nadine offers up great chemistry, while the game's slightly larger maps gives a decent level of variety on the game's linear narrative structure. More than anything, it proves that there's still life in the Uncharted franchise yet.

20. Injustice 2

The original Injustice: Gods Among Us was a great concept well-executed: a brutal fighting game from the creators of Mortal Kombat starring characters from the DC Comics universe. Injustice 2 ups the ante with a great lineup of fighters and the same vicious combat as before, which proves more than enough to make the title the best fighting game of the year.

Something that's definitely helped matters is the steady increase in playable characters, to keep players interested across the months. After all, who can't find joy in sending Batman up against the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles?