An attempt to summarize my experience gaming in 2017. Next to the game is the amount of time I spent playing it in 2017.
Steal My SOUL Award: Hollow Knight (55 hours)
Also wins: Most Hauntingly Beautiful Game
Waste Half My Life Award: Heroes of the Storm (half my life)
Also wins: There for Me in Tough Times
Music and Visual Harmony Award: Pyre (11 hours)
Also wins: Tricked Me into Playing a Sports Games
Best Bad Guy Simulator: Tyranny (42 hours)
Also wins: Too Many Meaningful Choices
Taste of the Old Award: Beyond Good & Evil (1.5 hours, first play through)
Too Freaked Out to Continue Award: Doki Doki Literature Club (4 hours)
Also wins: Quality Waifu Selection*
Morale Booster when I Most Needed It Award: Jotun (3 hours)
Runner-up: Best Boss Slayer
Best Boss Slayer Award: Furi (3 hours)
Also wins: Game Most Likely to Finish in 2018
Taste of a New Genre Award: Fortnite Battle Royale (4 matches)
Tried to Get Away from Heroes of the Storm Award: Battlerite (10 hours)
Also wins: Failed to Take me Away from Heroes of the Storm
Too Kinetic to Play Award: VA-11 Hall-A (80 minutes)
***
The following games were played in the last 3 weeks of December. Tried to get in a bunch of last minute gaming before the year end.
***
Best Winter Survival Sim: The Long Dark (8 hours)
Best Winter Survival Sim that Makes up for the Lack of Win Condition in The Long Dark: Skyrim + Winter Survival Mods (16 hours)
Best Mashup of my Two Favourite Genres (RPG + Turn-Based Strategy): Divinity Original Sin 2 (6 hours)
Best Music While Walking Through Town: Night in the Woods (100 minutes)
Also wins: Most Consistently Funny Dialogue
Also wins: Game Most Likely to Finish before Winter Break Ends
Great Game but with One Fatal Flaw Award: Shadow Tactics: Blades of the Shogun (5 hours)
Also wins: Save Scumming Isn't Fun
Lured in by the Atmosphere: Inside / Little Nightmares
Baby's First RTS: Tooth and Tail
Support Klei Every Time: Oxygen Not Included
Worried about ARG elements: Oxenfree
TB Recommended: Sexy Brutale
Already Played a Lot But Never Been to the Second Moon: Kerbal Space Program
Want my Heart Stolen (but for less than full price): Persona 5
Want to Hang Out with the Dealer Again: Hand of Fate 2
Want to Hunt Robots Animals in a Gorgeous World: Horizon Zero Dawn
Want to play a sequel to COOT but It Doesn't Exist: Dream Daddy
Only Reason I Want a Switch: Mario+Rabbids Kingdom Battle
Nier: Automata
South Park: The Fractured But Whole
Heat Signature
Dead Cells
Cuphead
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Hollow Knight
It's beautiful, visually and musically. The controls are sharp and responsive. The gameplay is compelling (dark souls + metroidvania). It's a larger game (50 hours) than I care to play these days, and yet I was fully engaged till the finish line. It is a labour of love made by an independent team, with only three core creators.
And it is an absolute steal at $15 full price, less on sale.