2014 wasn’t the strongest year for gaming although considering we had a new console generation kicking off and an older generation petering out we definitely had some noteworthy highlights.
10. Velocity 2X
Velocity 2X captured the brilliant addictive gameplay from the first installment all while adding an entirely new 2D side scrolling gameplay mechanic. Giving you the ability to step out of the cockpit and complete fast paced puzzles and gather collectibles was a nice way to change it up during the swift missions. FuturLab’s Velocity series is at home on the PlayStation Vita and the small bite sized missions are excellent for the quick pick and a play nature of the handheld.
9. Valiant Hearts: The Great War
It is rare to see a game take on the horrors that went on during the First World War. Valiant Hearts pulls it off spectacularly with excellent art direction and great level design. The heart-warming story of love and loss is told through charming indistinguishable grunts and grumbles and the humor beautifully shines through this dark tale with brilliant memorable protagonists. The gameplay is simple and the puzzles are smart in this beautiful look into dark times of World War I
8. This War of Mine
This War of Mine is a gorgeous look into the horrible ramifications that result from an ongoing war. The plight that civilians suffer through is yours to experience as you do everything in your power to survive. Keeping your group healthy both physically and mentally is a true test and the dynamic between the scavenging at night and improving your shelter during the day is a fantastic way to break up the gameplay. 11 bit studios have captured the bleak atmosphere beautifully and have created an addictive game that will have you going to some drastic lengths in order to last another day in these devastating times.
Grinding on power lines with nothing but my shoes, zipping through the sky with an inexplicable air dash and skimming across the water like a flat stone were just some of the excellent modes of the great traversal system in Sunset Overdrive. The characters of Sunset Overdrive are aware that they are in a video game, which adds another aspect to the already hilarious writing. The gorgeous open colorful world allows Insomniac to venture back to their Ratchet and Clank roots and create insane weapons to use on equally insane enemies. Sunset Overdrive delivers addictive fast paced combat, funny dialogue and a huge open world that is fun to explore.
After the raving success of the first season of The Walking Dead, there were high expectations surrounding The Wolf Among Us. Telltale brilliantly captured Bill Willingham’s Fables universe by taking the fairytales that we know and love and injected them into real life situations in the dark corners of Manhattan. Molding your own Sheriff Bigby Wolf was a pleasure and building relationships with the characters of Fabletown was a highlight. The storytelling from Telltale Games is easily some of the best across the industry with no sign in stopping I am looking forward to seeing what the developer has in store for us during 2015.
Dark Souls II is a worthy successor of the amazing game that came before it. With a few minor changes, some welcome, and some not as much, it adds new dynamics to an already well-crafted system. With the director of the first two games in the Soul series, Hidetaka Miyazaki, stepping away from the series, some long-time fans became a little hesitant with this new title. Although there is nothing to fear as the world of Drangleic is as equally beautiful and brutal as the world of Lordran was. From Software have delivered an amazing game that rivals its predecessor in almost every way.
4. Far Cry 4
Far Cry 4 builds on top of what made its predecessor so great. Kyrat is a gigantic open landscape with improved traversal in the form of the personal helicopter and the wing suit. Breathtaking visuals help make discovering all that the game has to offer an absolute treat. I sunk around 30 hours into the game and there are still so many side quests to complete, collectibles to find and locations to discover. Hunting the bevy of both docile and dangerous animals is easily one of best aspects of the game. Far Cry 4 is an excellent game for those wanting to explore an amazing environment and it will make you stay for the diverse locations and unpredictable gameplay.
3. South Park: The Stick of Truth
This game was easily the funniest game that I played all year. The Stick of Truth feels like an entire season of South Park wrapped up in a neat little package. Pairing the crude humor with a great battle system, easy to learn RPG mechanics and the ability to explore some of the most loved areas of South Park delivers easily one of the best-licensed games I have ever played. Aside from the small handful of technical issues The Stick of Truth played extremely well by removing the heavy-handed RPG shackles and making it easy to pick up and play. The countless number of hilarious references is a huge bonus for any longtime fan of the show.
As much as Child of Light is inspired by some of our favorite fairytales it equally and expertly strays away from their roots by giving us a strong female princess that doesn’t need a knight in shining armor to save her. The coming-of-age tale of Aurora has her waking up in the gorgeous world of Lemuria. Using the Ubiart engine the hand drawn visual feast on display makes for one of the best looking games of the year. The combat system is an excellent change up from the traditional turn-based system and the always-rhyming dialogue is a charming addition to make you feel like you are inside a children’s book. The simple RPG mechanics are easy to learn and allow for anyone, young or old, to pick up and enjoy this playable fairy tale.
1. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Shadow of Mordor is dark and gorgeous trip through the depths of Mordor, telling a brutal story of revenge, paired with amazing combat and a bevy of collectibles and side quests to pursue. The Nemesis System really feels as if the latest generation of consoles is finally here and is an excellent addition to this open world. Seeing what they could do with this system in the future is very intriguing. Monolith Productions have built one of the strongest Tolkien games ever made and despite from some minor flaws Shadow of Mordor is easily one of the best games of the year.
Honorable Mentions: The Evil Within, Mario Kart 8, The Walking Dead Season 2, inFAMOUS: Second Son and The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth
Notable games that I haven’t gotten to yet: Dragon Age: Inquistion, Broken Age, Shovel Knight, Bayonetta 2 and Transistor