That time of year has come once again. The time when we look back at 2014 and relive all the good and bad memories. For me, that includes all the video games I played this past year. While 2014 may not have been the strongest year for gaming, it did make some good strides in the transition from one console generation to the next. Sure, many games didn’t feel finished, and even more games were too hyped up for their own good, but I look forward to 2015 to see what the video game industry has to offer.

With that said, let’s kick off this list. Keep in mind, this is my personal list and it only contains games I have personally played. If you have arguments with it? Great, put them in the comments below.

Valiant Hearts Anna

10. Valiant hearts: The Great War

Since I saw the first trailer, I could not wait to play this title. Ubisoft Montpellier had already proved themselves to me with Rayman Legends. This was a little bit of a change-of-pace admittedly, but I knew this game wouldn’t be so much about the gameplay, and more about the story it was telling. It was based off real letters from World War I, and it told the tale of three characters. It revolved around their lives interwoven in the despairing time and it presented the hardships of war. It was not a perfect game, but it strove to be different. It told a sad tale, but not one without hope. I enjoyed my time spent with it and it kicks off my game of this year’s list.

trialsfusionparallax

9. Trials Fusion

I can’t deny Fusion is just an updated version of Evolution, but it falls into the classic scenario of not fixing what isn’t broken. They updated, they tweaked, they made their best game yet without ruining what people loved. This is on my list because it is one of my most played games on my PS4 currently, and I still hop on now and again to play a quick track or two. The sense of progression is unparalleled except a few other titles out there. It may not have reinvented anything, but it held strong as one of my favorite games this year.

thewolfamongusep2parallax

8. The Wolf Among Us

Telltale put itself on the map with the Walking Dead, but The Wolf Among Us proved Telltale was not a one-trick pony. They proved they could adapt another story, and now they are doing Tales from Borderlands, and Game of Thrones. I believe a lot of that has do to with their successful second game: The Wolf Among Us. The writing was brilliant, the setting incredibly immersive, and the dark, gritty, film noir atmosphere was encaptivating. The mysterious story and the creative retelling of children’s fairy tales was unique and interesting from start to finish. I enjoyed The Wolf Among Us more than the Walking Dead, and it left a one-of-a-kind story in my mind that I won’t be forgetting any time soon.

7. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare certainly isn’t a new or original title, but it brought back everything I loved about Call of Duty in the first place. After Ghosts was a big disappointment for me, to the extreme of calling it the worst multiplayer in the franchise, Advanced Warfare made Call of Duty fun again. Its story wasn’t out of this world, but the campaign was fun. The multiplayer felt renewed, and in doing so, it became fun again. It’s fast paced, lots of customization options, and most importantly, it feels fair. Naturally, there are going to be some frustrating moments playing COD online, but I haven’t has this much fun with a Call of Duty since the original Black Ops.

infamoussecondsonparallax

6. Infamous: Second Son

This was the title that made me feel like I finally truly owned a PS4. I was waiting eagerly for this game, and I am a huge fan of the previous two titles. The animation, beautiful representation of Seattle, and stellar cast with Troy Baker, Travis Willingham, and Laura Baily made Infamous something special to play. I am still insanely impressed by the lighting effects, and yes, those matter a great deal to me. Sadly, the story wasn’t the greatest, and the moral decisions were severely lacking. Luckily, it still had addicting gameplay with lots of powers. I beat Second Son in one weekend and platinumed it the next (not that it was hard), because I loved it so much. This is another title I will play now-and-again because it gives me so much joy to move around the city.

transistor title

5. Transistor

The best word to describe Transistor is: beautiful. Okay, and breathtaking…and memorizing. Alright, alright, a lot of pretty words can be thrown out there to describe this incredible gem. Not only does it look pretty with the art style, but the gameplay is perfect. It nails the simplistic and user-friendly format, while still giving you something complex and customizable. There is a lot to mess with in terms of combat, and everyone can develop their own style. The story told of a dark futuristic distopia that was falling apart hour by hour and a poor woman wrapped up in it all. It had a bitter sweetness to its depressing vibe. There was rarely any happiness in this game, and it put me in a majestic melancholy. When a game affects you so deeply, you know it is one worth playing. However, easily the best part of Transistor for me (and I’m sure many people) is the astounding soundtrack. There is even a button to have your character stand still and hum. I am not ashamed to admit how many times I would listen to my character hum peacefully for minutes at a time. After playing Transistor I found the soundtrack and listened to it on repeat for weeks. This is one of those games you cannot miss.

dragon age

4. Dragon Age: Inquisition

I was never into Dragon’s Age, and Inquisition is the first title in the series that I’ve played. I read someone compare it to Suikoden and I knew I had to give it a try. It took about forty minutes of summary videos and a countless number of guides to explain the backstory enough for me to even grasp it, but it was a wise decision. One of Dragon’s Age best qualities is its depth and complex world it presents to you. Now that I have my head wrapped around it I am falling in love with all the lore it keeps creating. The world of Dragon’s Age is huge and beautiful with all its greatness and the many realistic societal issues. The customizable characters and combat is well done to make it even better. The story has its ups-and-downs but it is enjoyable overall, with some really entertaining arcs to it. I love finding new people to join the Inquisition, and the colorful cast of characters I can put in my party. The ability to make decisions that change the story is always something I can get behind. I am thoroughly enjoying my time with Dragon’s Age, and I don’t expect it to stop anytime soon. Also…dragons.

farcry4parallax

3. Far Cry 4

I loved Far Cry 3 and didn’t know how Ubisoft could improve on it. They kept what everyone loved, and then only added more. You still had a crazy villain (voiced by Troy Baker naturally) and all the fun animals, exploring, and combat. Far Cry 4 was as fun and well done as Far Cry 3. The only difference was the added co-op (okay not the only thing added, but the best thing they added) which is really how Far Cry 4 made it into my top three. Exploring the world of Kyrat with my friend is one of the funniest experiences in recent video gaming memory. Nothing beatings playing video games with friends. Far Cry 4 is an amazing game even by yourself, but the extra of getting to experience it with a friend made it far more enjoyable than most other games I played this year. Not to mention the game was absolutely gorgeous to look at and filled with things to do.

child-of-light-1-770x472

 2. Child of Light

Ubisoft Montreal did better than my expectations with Child of Light, and I’ll admit, they were pretty high to begin with. The artistic style was beautiful in this whimsical fairytale world. I loved the rhyming story, even if it was a little forced at times. It was short, but sweet, proving a good RPG doesn’t need to be over a hundred hours. The combat was basic and easy to understand, but it could really get complicated in some of the tougher fights. Once again, the music is really what drove this game home for me. The simplistic piano tune had a haunting beauty and then a symphonic choir would break out during boss fights to drive home the intensity. Do not mistake this game for being for children, everyone needs to play it. Child of light is a wonderful game and I bet people will still be talking about it years from now.

video-game-middleearth-shadow-of-mordor_217307

1.Shadow of Mordor

This game took me by complete surprise. I thought it was going to be an Assassin’s Creed knockoff set in the Lord of the Rings universe. I figured it would bank on fanservice then disappear like many movie-based titles. I was dead wrong. From the very first Orc I beheaded and the stupidly happy sound escaping my mouth as I watched the head fly into the air, I knew I would love this game. Not only is it just a downright blast to play, the story is entertaining with some shockingly real characters that you really care for. The ending was weak, but what makes up for it is the lore. The Lord of the rings universe is deep, and the movies can only cover so much. Shadow of Mordor gave a better look at the world and made it more believable in my mind. I could see how people could live in that world, and how it wasn’t as black and white as I once believed it to be. What really made this game go above and beyond all my expectations was the Nemesis System. This is one of those systems that I can easily see other games stealing, and I’m okay with that, because I loved it so much. The bitterness I felt losing to an enemy and seeing them promoted was indescribable. I immediately hunted them down and exacted my revenge. I felt great every time I countered a foe, and the sense of progression of taking down Sauren’s army was amazing. When I got Shadow of Mordor, I played it all day, and then all the next day. If there is one game you need to play from last year, make it this game.

There’s my list. Did anything shock you? Is there something that makes you want to angrily slam your fingers on the keyboard calling my intelligence into question? Leave a comment below and let’s get the debate started.

Did you like this? Share it:

About The Author

Neil has had a passion for video games ever since the Atari entered his life so many years ago. He's been writing about them for over two years and sees no end in sight. Reach out to him on twitter @nconnors13