Nintendo took home the gold, with "Super Mario Odyssey" picked as the best games shown at Gamescom 2017. The highly anticipated Nintendo Switch exclusive also came out victorious in four other categories: most wanted, best Switch game, best action, and family game. That is quite an impressive haul for the legendary green plumber, although one which does not really came as any surprise. This is "Mario" we are talking about, and "Super Mario Odyssey" seems to be his most risky and epic adventure to date. It looks gorgeous and obviously plays well, so it is a safe bet to assume it will be amazing.
Who else won?
"Assassin's Creed Origins" won the best PS4 game, beating out "Ni No Kuni," "Destiny 2," "Monster Hunter," and the already released "Lost Legacy" addon by Naughty Dog. Although it would have been cool to see the award go to a Sony exclusive, the latest addition to the "Assassin's Creed" franchise has been gaining a lot of hype, as Ubisoft is apparently taking it in a different direction.
It is not just the setting - Ancient Egypt - which is fresh, as the gameplay suggests that "Origins" will be the hardest hitting entry in the series so far.
"Middle-earth: Shadow of War" was chosen as the best Xbox One game, beating "Crackdown 3" and "Forza Motorsport 7". Despite the negative press, Warner Bros.
has received due to the inclusion of loot boxes, "Shadow of War" appears to be the bigger and improved version of the well received "Shadow of Mordor." Its marketing strategy might be cynical, but the game itself should still offer a fun hack and slash experience.
'Ni No Kuni' and Xbox One X
Bandai Namco's "Ni No Kuni II: Revenant Kingdom" won Gamescom 2017's best role playing game category, outlasting "Assassin's Creed Origins," "Detroit: Being Human," "Kingdom Come: Deliverance," and "South Park.
The follow up to Level-5 and Studio Ghibli's original "Ni No Kuni," the sequel improves upon its predecessors one major weakness - the battle system. Players do not catch familiars anymore, with the combat shifting towards a heavier focus on action and variety. Hopefully, the A.I. is also greatly improved.
Xbox One X won the best hardware award, although its only competition was Anki Overdrive.
"Destiny 2" did get its moment in the sun, taking home two categories in the best multiplayer and social/online game. Other notable victories included "PES 2018" trumping "Fifa 18" for the best sports game, and "Fallout 4" putting "Skyrim" to the sword in the VR category.
