Horizon: Zero Dawn (2017)

Author: Guerrilla Games

This more recent title came as a very pleasant surprise upon its release. E3 revealed an extremely ambitious project that gamers weren't sure if Guerrilla Games could execute. It's Killzone series, while popular, never quite had the depth people were looking for. Horizon: Zero Dawn changed that completely, offering a near-perfect title in a stunning world, addressing some of the most prevalent issues in society. Though its core concept sounds crazy – a world under threat by robot dinosaurs – the dev team has pulled it off in a way that's flawless and compelling. In this title, you play Aloy, an outcast from one of the few tribes remaining on the planet. There's a sense of isolation within the huge landscape, much of the world made uninhabitable by the threat of AI. However, the game is as much a mystery as it is a sci-fi game or an RPG. The story is driven by both your and Aloy's desire to know how exactly the world got this way and uncover the story of her origins. That journey is scattered with enjoyable yet punishing combat, big enemies often requiring stealth and tactics to take down rather than pure reflexes. Your weaponry is a bit of a contrast, consisting of bows, slingshots and spears with a sci-fi twist. All of them are executed with grace, however, creating one of the most satisfying combat systems in recent times, and feeling of fluidity that's rarely reached. Combine that with the game's amazing facial expressions and moving soundtrack, and you'll discover a game that delivers way more than its wacky premise suggests.