2017 was a phenomenal year for gaming, with AAA blockbusters like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey, and Persona 5 making their debut. However, there were also a considerable amount of titles that appeared out of nowhere, making a huge impact in both sales and quality. Put simply, these five sleeper hits are not to be missed.
5 Biggest Sleeper Hits of 2017
The Escapists 2
The original release of The Escapists was a YouTube sensation, The sequel to Team17’s prison-based title, The Escapists 2 tasked players to craft, steal, brawl, and escape. It made for a winning formula, one that wowed people on the PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4. With more than a million videos on YouTube, it’s safe to say that this one is a hit as well.
You can find our review of The Escapists 2 here.
SteamWorld Dig 2
Four years after the release of SteamWorld Dig, Image & Form Games’ SteamWorld Dig 2 improved upon the already solid original in almost every way. Inspired by classic Metroidvania style games, its mining aspects and exploration were a breath of fresh air. From the sound of things, other people enjoyed this journey as well – it turns out this release was the IP’s best launch to date.
You can find our review of Steamworld Dig 2 here.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
Ninja Theory has brought the AAA experience with an indie price tag via their release of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. Seeing Senua torn between her own thoughts, the impending darkness, and the voices of loved and lost ones made for a memorable experience. The development studio was pleased with the sales, stating that they were “better than expected.”
You can find our review of Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice here.
Yakuza 0
Before Yakuza 0, SEGA’s action-packed series did not get much love. Titles remained unlocalized, content was cut, and older entries became harder to find. However, their release of the 80s-themed Yakuza 0 sold well, selling 108k units in the first week alone. Since then, we’ve seen a localized release of Yakuza Kiwami, and can expect a localized release of Yakuza 6 in 2018.
You can find our review of Yakuza 0 here.
Nier: Automata
A sequel to a relatively underground RPG, the release of Nier: Automata was designed by a dream team of developers. With Square-Enix, PlatinumGames, and Yoko Taro at the helm, they managed to create something that brought in more than two million sales to date.
Those who have yet to experience this over-the-top action title are in for a real treat – here’s hoping it gets another sequel sooner rather than later.
