October 27- A Landmark in Gaming

By: Ryan Ramakrishnan

One year ago yesterday, October 27, 2017, the gaming industry saw the release of not one, not two, but three major triple A titles in the form of “Assassin’s Creed: Origins,” “Super Mario Odyssey” and “Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus.” While plenty of days, especially around the holidays, see more than one game hit store shelves or digital marketplaces, few see the release of three large-scale, notable games come out at once. It was truly a special day for gamers last year, particularly believers of maintaining the true triple A single player experience.

With series fatigue at an all time high thanks to less-than-stellar results in titles like “Assassin’s Creed: Unity” (2014) and a nearly forgotten release of 2015’s “Assassin’s Creed: Syndicate,” Ubisoft’s flagship franchise took a year off in 2016. Results did more than pay off fortunately with the release of one pf the most forward-thinking and fresh takes on an old series yet in the form of “Assassin’s Creed: Origins.”

The title took what fans knew and flipped the series on its head, creating something far more deep and innovative than what “Assassin’s Creed” had been prior. This was for the better in that it brought goodwill and hope for fans of Ubisoft’s franchise. Whether you look at the change in combat, an alteration that made it more tactical and deep in execution, or the systems regarding abilities, skill points and weapon choices, “Assassin’s Creed: Origins” was no longer the same stealth-action game series once beloved but quickly ran dry. This sequel changed the mechanics for the better, offering more player choice in how they progress in everything from what skills they’d focus on to the choice of weapons, heavy or light, slow or fast. The game’s decision to make the player feel like they’re diving into an open world action RPG made it all the more fresh.

The plot of “Assassin’s Creed: Origins” was nothing short of greatness either. The narrative structure was fit perfectly in between many a compelling side quest. When it came to the main plot at hand, players took control of Bayek, an interesting and fun character to follow, one that could be relatable in his quest for vengeance regarding family. Bayek was an engaging protagonist and his wife Aya complimented him perfectly, being equally, if not, at times, even better. The story overall helped create the wondrous experience that the new gameplay innovations brought to gamers. “Assassin’s Creed: Origins” ultimately took risks and succeeded at bringing fresh life to a saturated series.

Nintendo’s October 27 release was always going to be incredible; the Nintendo and “Super Mario” labels combined continuously make for some of the best games of their kind and “Super Mario Odyssey” was no exception, bringing together everything that makes the games great alongside some unique and truly satisfying mechanics.

Having released not even a year after “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild,” Nintendo’s launch year of the Switch got one of the most impressive iterations of the “Super Mario” franchise. “Super Mario Odyssey” took the impressive 3D platforming of the predecessors like “Super Mario 64” and “Super Mario Sunshine” and made it look, play and feel even better.

While the core 3D platforming of “Super Mario Odyssey” was arguably the best the storied franchise has executed to date, Nintendo had to take it two steps forward. They introduced players to Cappy and changed the game altogether. This gimmick of personifying objects and enemies using Mario’s hat could have flopped but of course it did quite the opposite given Nintendo’s ability to innovate and create delightful experiences. Players were able to become everything from a frog to Bowser himself. The capturing ability Mario’s hat, aptly named Cappy, provided made for some of the most fresh and enjoyable platforming challenges and moments overall.

In addition to that, Nintendo pushed 3D “Mario” games forward with incredibly open-ended level design. Practically an open world game, “Super Mario Odyssey” offered several large-scale kingdoms to explore every nook and cranny in, making for dozens of delightful hours of gameplay. It also didn’t hurt that every level was so specially designed with heart, offering beautiful visuals and attention detail. It was the idea of tens of hundreds of power moons to find, some in plain sight, others hidden behind the most challenging and thought-provoking platforming puzzles around, that made “Super Mario Odyssey” so much more than a standard platformer but something truly spectacular.

Lastly, Bethesda Softworks and MachineGames brought fans, new and old, back into the brutal world of “Wolfenstein” in one of the most intense and narratively compelling first person shooters in recent memory. “Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus” combined an interesting story with mature, real themes and emotional weight with fast-paced, challenging and polished shooting, making it a true thrill from start to finish. While many contemporary first person shooters have pushed the emphasis on multiplayer, pushing single player campaigns aside altogether, MachineGames took the opposite approach and made their sequel, like “Wolfenstein: The New Order” (2014) entirely a single player game, one that pushes story as much as it does fun gameplay.

“Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus” delivers a follow up to an already great story with some dynamic payoffs and character development, as well as more than a couple of emotional moments and strong topics covered in the utmost intriguing manner. The game’s plot makes it hard to put down thanks to the well written and even better acted cast of both protagonists you love to root for and antagonists that send chills down your spine.

Everything about the shooting in “Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus,” whether it's the ability to dual-wield everything or open fire on Nazis using massive energy-fueled weapons, is truly satisfying in every bit of the execution. The gunplay was incredibly polished and fun to partake in. Couple that with the blood and intense violence, as well as the general intensity of every fire fight and enemy encounter, and you had one of the most exhilarating games of its kind. A truly brutal but rewarding experience in every manner allowed “Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus” to be one of the finest games to release last year, a year with more than a few hits under its belt.

In retrospect, one single day in contemporary gaming seeing three of the most solid releases at once is a truly special event for the industry, one that may in fact be mirrored again next year. February 22, 2019 marks the release dates of “Anthem,” “Crackdown 3” and “Metro: Exodus.” Of course, “Days Gone” was delayed to April. These three games may very well make for quite the notable release day in gaming, especially given the fact that some other games could potentially end up sharing that date as well. Will any day ever match the sheer volumes spoken by October 27, 2017? With the deep innovations and impressive advancements of “Assassin’s Creed: Origins,” the delightfully addictive and polished collect-a-thon of “Super Mario Odyssey” and the thrilling gunplay and dynamic storytelling of “Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus,” it's hard to imagine any day in gaming coming close.

What do you think, was October 27, 2017 the best day in gaming? Which of the three titles released then was your favorite? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.