2017 Best RPG Nominees
2017 was a good year for RPGs. Come and see our top 5 for the year.
Whether you took to the stars, fought against ancient liches, or just some schoolyard bullies who have a bone to pick with you, RPGs took us to some wonderful places this year. What really impressed me was the sheer variety of it all. Sure you had your standard fantasy adventures (and in multiple flavors and varying points along the fluff-crunch spectrum), and myriad sci-fi offerings–but they all felt unique. Whether the kids on bikes vs. sci-fi mysteries of Tales from the Loop, or the Regency Rogue Simulator otherwise known as Blades in the Dark, or the psychodrama-infused faerie tale RPG wonderland that is Bluebeard’s Bride, there’s been some truly creative releases this year.
It’s hard to pick just five from all of the amazing things–but if you’re on the internet, it’s a law that lists can only come in multiples of 5, and that you can have a top 10 or a top 5, and any deviation from the norm will be punished with this one weird trick that will make doctors hate you. So with that in mind, I tried to find candidates that embodied the spirit of the releases we saw this year. Here’s our Top 5.
Starfinder – Paizo
Tales from the Loop – Free League/Modiphius
Xanathar’s Guide to Everything – Wizards of the Coast
Blades in the Dark – Evil Hat Games
Cthulhu Dark – Graham Walmsley
Tomb of Annihilation – Wizards of the Coast
Okay I did it. I think I managed to slip past them–nobody knows that there’s actually six titles in the top 5 list. So far I haven’t been haunted by the digital ghost of Tim Berners-Lee or by the secret AI that runs Kinja. I think we’re good. Check back next week, assuming I haven’t been de-rezzed, and find out who won Best RPG Book 2017. Did we miss one of your favorites? Leave it in the comments below–I’d love to know.
What’s your top RPG for 2017?
