GOTY 17: Online Multiplayer

RPGs are often associated with the world of single-player, presumably because of their need to immerse you in a compelling narrative, but one RPG that lets a friend join the fun is Divinity: Original Sin II. Here you could team up with a couple of buddies to form the best monster-slaying, dungeon-exploring team you can imagine, and considering how easy it was to get lost in the expansive world of Rivellon, it made sense to have a friend or two along for the ride, especially for those lonely expeditions into the unknown.

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It's not often you get games trying to give melee combat a good go in the multiplayer space, but this year Ubisoft did just that with For Honor. It's an historically-challenged brawler that sees you use different weapons and adopt different stances to play either against or alongside your fellow warriors. Previously a PC-mostly affair, the game introduced tactical melee combat to the wider multiplayer world, whether that be via 1v1 duels or in large-scale conflicts. This wasn't just entertaining, it was also unique, not to mention incredibly satisfying when you landed a perfect hit.

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Much was made of Ghost Recon: Wildlands' potential for squad-based gameplay pre-release, and it turns out that's the core of the fun in Ubisoft's shooter. Up to four players could hit the road in this open-world and take down the cartel in whatever way you chose, and with all of the content hidden out in the world, a dedicated team could easily get their money's worth from this military-themed co-op adventure. What was most satisfying is how it facilitated team-wide tactics, allowing players to choose whether to go in gun's blazing or set up traps and execute brutally efficient attacks.

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Bungie's first Destiny game interweaved MMO and FPS elements, but at first, there were some complaints about the way the studio handled the story. This year Bungie released the long-awaited sequel, and much as they did for The Taken King before it, fans warmed to the greater emphasis on narrative. As a game built to support cooperative play, Destiny 2 absolutely delivered, even if things have gotten a little choppy towards the end of the year. It's not just about taking on waves of enemies in co-op, though, as Destiny also offers some of the very best arena PVP in the Crucible. It's not been a perfect year for Destiny 2 and Bungie by any stretch, but yet we still find ourselves jumping back in for more despite its failings: it's that good.

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This list wouldn't be complete without mentioning this year's smash success, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. Spending the majority of the year in early access on PC, PUBG garnered a huge following incredibly quickly, with shooter fans clearly desperate for competitive multiplayer a little higher stakes than the norm. The appeal comes from the Battle Royale-style matches that see 100 players go head to head on a huge island to see who can be the last man or woman standing. Matches are excruciating and intense, but the key moments are surrounded by slow and steady exploration, and finding the right gear and using it properly can be just as important as a steady aim. PUBG has changed the gaming landscape in 2017.