1. Divinity: Original Sin ; The best isometric RPG to come out since Baldurs Gate 2 and literally one of my top 5 RPGs in my 30 years of gaming.
2. Legend of Grimrock 2 ; A great first person dungeon (and overworld) crawl. Completely hooked me for 30 hours. Probably the best of this type of game I've played since Eye of the Beholder III.
3. South Park: The Stick of Truth ; What can I say? South Park + RPG = godly. Had me laughing throughout.
4. Wolfenstein: The New Order ; The best FPS I played this year, and one of the most enjoyable FPS campaigns I've played in probably a few years.
5. Hyrule Warriors ; Been playing Zelda games since the first one came out. I couldn't help but fall in love with this game. Lots of fun action and fan service overload.
6. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U ; My first Smash game. Loads of fun to play locally with my friends. My three year old son loves it too.
7. Mario Kart 8 ; Always loved Mario Kart. I think the original is still my favorite due to the deathmatch arenas, which I felt this was sorely missing.
8. Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor ; My open world parkour fix for the year. Seemed to combine the greatness of the Batman Arkham games and Ubisoft games, with a great theme.
9. Costume Quest 2 ; Love this series. Literally feel like a kid again every time I play it.
10. Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare ; As much as I hate EA, I have to admit this was good fun for 10 hours or so before I got tired of it.
1. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft ; What is the game that I had the most fun with this year? That's what I asked myself when assembling this list. This wasn't an easy decision to arrive at and I waffled over the order of the top five numerous times, but at the end of the day Hearthstone is the game I'll remember bringing me the most unbridled joy in 2014. There are tons of little touches like the interactive boards you play on or the hilarious sounds the cards make when you send them to attack which help make this game a pure delight. Hearthstone is also a game that rewards the player for experimentation and coming up with creative solutions to succeed in matches. Staying up late nights battling against friends and family or experiencing the pure excitement of opening up a pack with a golden legendary - all made my year just a little brighter.
2. The Last of Us: Left Behind ; Heartfelt, touching and emotional... this is simply one of the best pieces of downloadable content I have had the pleasure of playing. Left Behind has the gusto to go where few games have gone before in terms of character development and I admire it greatly for that fact. I could continue to labor on about it, but saying anymore would otherwise spoil a wonderful little journey.
3. Monument Valley ; One of the few games where every new screen you discover is worthy of a wallpaper print. An incredibly accessible, clever and beautiful mobile game that can be appreciated in a single sitting. Monument Valley is fit to be enjoyed by a person of any age or gender and is a rare title that I can recommend to literally everyone I know with a passing interest in games.
4. Diablo III: Reaper of Souls ; Quite possibly the most addicting game of the year; Diablo III: Reaper of Souls improved upon the original formula and made an already "good" game even better by fixing many of the problems that existed in the base game. Transmogrifications, greater rifts, the removal of the real money auction house and other new features really helped to propel this dungeon crawler to new heights.
5. Transistor ; As someone who greatly enjoyed Bastion, my expectations for Super Giant's next title were sky-high. Thankfully, Transistor met most of my lofty expectations. With a fantastic soundtrack and a more complex and strategic combat system than Bastion, this game definitely proved to be a great pint-sized gem of 2014. Plus there's a dedicated hum button, I mean how crazy is that?
6. Child of Light ; Ubisoft has gotten a bad rap for the laundry list of unfinished and rushed products they released this year and most of it is absolutely justified, but Child of Light remains one of the bright spots of their catalog. I really enjoyed the water-color art style and the gameplay on the harder difficulties is an awesome nod to the old school turn-based JRPG's of yesteryear.
7. Shovel Knight ; A timeless game that would be just as good if it was released in the 1980's as it is in 2014, this NES style adventure harkens back to some of the greatest classics of that era and does so in superb fashion. Tight controls, cool chip tune beats and a colorful art style make this game one of the more memorable 8-bit re-imaginings in recent memory.
8. Titanfall ; With some of the best traversal and movement components of any first person shooter ever made; it would be an absolute travesty if this game did not make my list in some capacity. While the game is undeniably a bit light on content and some of the visuals are a bit of an eyesore, Titanfall succeeds in the area that matters most - fast paced and fun gunplay.
9. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes ; Finally! A Metal Gear game that has refined the gameplay to match the absurd heights the mostly ridiculous cutscenes provide. For the first time in the series, I actually really got into mastering the mechanics and even went out of my way to S rank every mission in the game. Throwing a magazine clip at a security camera has never been this much fun.
10. Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare ; A Call of Duty game on a Vire Game Of The Year list? What the hell is going on... No it's true, this game is actually a great deal of fun and has probably made the most advancements in the series since the Modern Warfare titles first graced the scene in 2007. I know it's easy to hate on these games, but this one actually did a lot right. Kevin Spacey and Troy Baker don't hurt either.
Honorable Mentions:
x.Dragon Age: Inquisition ; x.Destiny ; x. Infamous: Second Son ; x.P.T. ; x.Broken Age ; x.Mario Kart 8 ;
1. Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor ; First place because it's one of the few AAA games that brings some honest-to-god innovation to open world gaming: the Nemesis system, an infinite well of personal stories an emergent gameplay. I hope it inspires other developers to iterate and take it further. Mordor shamelessly copies the Batman Arkham combat mechanics but adds the imperative to strategize, pick your battles and retreat to stealth to avoid being overwhelmed. Not a perfect game by any measure but one that I spent loads of time with and still dip into for quick bursts of orc slaying.
2. Dragon Age: Inquisition ; BioWare finally returning to form or, rather, its nerdy, dice-rolling, world building roots. The storyline mostly serves to make you feel like a badass hero but gets a pass because I like being a badass hero, dammit... enough with the edgy grittiness already. Wonderful music, varied envirionments, dragon fights and some great story beats on the way to a rather forgettable ending (which is saved by a game changing twist in the epilogue.)
3. Binding of Isaac: Rebirth ; If you can stomach the mutilated babies, mountains of poop and cartoony gore, this game will give you endless procedurally generated joy. Difficulty spikes and bad loot drops will make you howl at the screen but there's never any doubt that you'll start another run. There's a twisted subtext and rich symbolism if you're interested... but the game is equally rewarding if you don't care about these things.
4. Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare ; This one came out of nowhere for me... an incredibly satisfying multiplayer shooter with near perfect balance and a fair in-app purchasing system. The beautiful cartoony graphics look Pixar-quality on PC and give you a clear understanding what's happening even in huge skirmishes. The netcode is sometimes dodgy and matchmaking can be a pain but the game mechancis are polished to a sparkle.
5. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft ; Perfect for short bursts of gaming (particularly now that it's finally coming to Android devices)... the greatest thing about Hearthstone is it's user interface and feedback. Just a joy to play, even if it's just clicking on cards... the animations, sound effects and voice acting make every act seem dramatic and meaningful. Sometimes I even win a round.
6. Far Cry 4 ; Greatest iteration of the Far Cry formula so far with an original and exotic setting. It's at its best when you're just gallivanting around the Himalayas, stalking wildlife, obliterating bases and watching tourists get eaten by eagles. However the story is... well, forget the story. Troy Baker is just having anarchic, over-the-top fun with his part in the game and you should follow his lead.
7. Divinity: Original Sin ; I like sandboxes. I like emergent gameplay. I like experimenting with gameplay mechanics. I like magic that actually feels magical. I like this game.
8. Titanfall ; Frentic but buttery smooth multiplayer action that constantly delivers spontaneous setpieces that lesser games would present as cut scenes. Seeing Call of Duty AW trying to mimic its achievements and falling short made me appreciate Titanfall's gameflow and balance all the more.
9. Shadowrun: Dragonfall Director's Cut ; I backed the original Shadow Returns kickstarter and was slightly disappointed by the game it delivered. The story was okay but linear and the combat fairly bland. However, the Dragonfall expansion got almost everything right, particularly the engaging story and more interesting encounters (with better options for supporting classes.) One of the best roleplaying experiences I played in 2014.
10. Wolfenstein: The New Order ; You've heard all the hype about the tight, satisfying shooting and surprisingly deep characterisation but what I really like about this game is the world building... everything you see and everyone you meet has a place in this batshit crazy universe where the Nazis won WW2.
Honourable mentions:
x. This War of Mine ; A gripping survival 'horror' game where the real horror comes from human depravity, both your own and that of others. It's also one of the best stealth games ever because every stealth section is natural and emergent with real stakes. A unique and memorable game.
x. Assassin's Creed Unity ; Sorry for those having issues but AC Unity runs great on my machine and looks absolutely stunning. Turn into a random alley and, chances are, it looks better than the featured locations of most AAA games. Yeah, I know, graphics aren't everything... but sometimes they really help.
x. The Wolf Among Us ; I feel this is the one Tell Tale game where all the parts, from the art style to the dialogue, fit together best. Having no familiarity with the Fables comic, I was constantly surprised by the world it builds and the characters that inhabit it.
1. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze ; The best DKC game in the franchise and, in my humble opinion, the greatest 2D game currently in existence.
2. Bayonetta 2 ; One of the best sequels I have ever experienced. Bayo 2 is Platinum's best release to date and my personal favorite character action game.
3. Shovel Knight ; An unbelievable, loving homage to the 8-bit era. I finished this game twice in two days. I have never done that before with any other video game.
4. Wolfenstein: The New Order ; The best single-player FPS I have played in many years. This was my biggest surprise of 2014.
5. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U ; The best, most content-packed entry in the franchise. I'll still likely be playing this one in five years.
I played many other great games in 2014 but I think I'll stick with a "Top 5" list.
1. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U ; Game looks and runs amazingly well, is super fun especially with functional online multiplayer and has a crazy amount of content. 2. Bayonetta 2 ; Removes almost all the not-great things that were in the already amazing original, adds a whole bunch of color and some great weapons and you have a beast of a game. 3. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze ; I was never a big fan of the Rare DKC trilogy and skipped DKCR because of reading how annoying the motion control aspect was, but this blew me away and is easily one of the best few platformers ever made. 4. Shovel Knight ; Everyone knows how good this is. 5. Mario Kart 8 ; The best Mario Kart. Apart from some missing characters I can't think of anything negative about it. 6. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance ; PC version counts for 2014 I'm assuming..? 7. Super Smash Bros. for 3DS 8. Super TIME Force Ultra 9. Child of Light 10. NES Remix 2
1. The Banner Saga ; It's been a long time since a game has come along from basically nowhere and just absolutely impressed. Between the art style and the amazing music, this game is GOTY material for the atmosphere alone. Add in challenging gameplay and the slow onset feeling of futility as your clan is driven ever onwards, and this game deserves my top spot.
2. Dragon Age: Inquisition ; What can you say about a game following up what many consider to be the most disappointing sequel in years? It's better than a lot of people hoped. Adding in what amounts to squad based actions to the fun character interactions that Dragon Age is known for has been nothing but a boon. I think a lot of us felt like the franchise was dead after the second game, but with the success of this installment I think it's safe to say that the series has legs.
3. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft ; Having limited experience with WoW, I was worried that I wouldn't enjoy Hearthstone but happily that's not the case. Hearthstone follows a lot of card game ruts in that only certain decks are viable in higher skill levels, but with the recent expansion, the meta is all over the place making for some really fun gaming experiences.
4. Marvel Heroes 2015 ; One of the best free to play games on the market, Marvel Heroes has really bounced back after a disappointing loss. The game developers interact in a lot of fun ways with their player base, and a tidal wave of events have made the game continuously enjoyable.
5. Might & Magic X: Legacy ; Legacy is the perfect title for this game. It brings up all the nostalgia of older Might & Magic games while still being fun for modern players. The puzzles aren't as prohibitively difficult as Grimrock but still challenging and the bosses are difficult but rewarding.
6. Divinity: Original Sin ; While I didn't get quite the thrill of playing this game that a lot of people did, I still found it very fun and challenging. With a few tweaks to the looting system and getting around, it could have been even better, and I'm looking forward to a sequel.
1. Dragon Age: Inquisition
So much fun. I'm loving that Bioware has finally produced something that measures up to their potential.
2. Infamous: SS
I loved this game from start to finish. Fun to run around the world and the missions and side stuff were fun. Just a joy to play.
3. Divinity: Original Sin
From the kickstarter campaign to the release to playing it, this was a journey of love.
4. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Nemesis system obviously.
5. Wasteland 2
This was a valiant effort by InXile and I need to put more time in it. The patches have really balanced it out so I need to dive back in.
6. Wolfenstein: The New Order
Not finished it yet, fun shooter, mindless.
7. Alien: Isolation
Scarey as fuck.
8. Hearthstone
Too many hours put in this year, and I keep putting it down to just pick it up later on.
9. Legend of Grimrock 2
A great followup to #1, I am actually stuck right now. But more of the same isn't bad in this case.
10. Destiny
Well I finished the single player. And the combat was fun. But the rest of it fell short. It caught 10th place due to lack of competition.
1. Diablo 3 Ultimate Evil Edition ; Having never played Diablo 1 or 2, and only played only a few hours of vanilla Diablo 3 on PC at launch, Diablo 3: UEE was a revelation for me. While I completed Act 1 on PC, my character still felt and looked like a bum, not a badass Witch Doctor. Halfway through Act 1 on PS4, however, my Crusader already looked like a total boss who could wreck anything in his path. As I understand, the loot system was overhauled, and the game is all the better for it. I'm not a big MMO guy so gear and loot has never been something I've cared that much about, but my god does it feel good to beat a boss and see that shower of orange and green rain down from the skies in all its glory. As for the gameplay, well it's simply perfect. Playing this on a dualshock 4, it's hard to think it was designed for anything but a controller. Blizzard deserves all the respect in the world for how they handled this port, the movement and combat are fast paced and intuitive, and managing menus is a breeze as well. I understand people think of the story in Diablo 3 as an afterthought, but I thought it was a pretty enjoyable ride even if it didn't leave me moved emotionally. Diablo 3: Ultimate Evil Edition was the most fun I had on my PS4 this year, hands down. And for that, it gets my top GOTY vote.
2. The Last of Us Left Behind ; The Last of Us: Left Behind is a small single player DLC package that lasts 2.5-3 hours, but the impact it left on me lasted 2.5-3 months, or longer, as I still often think back on that experience as one of the best and unexpected compliments to another game I've ever seen. Left Behind is one of those rare pieces of work that stands well on its own, but also fleshes out and expands on a larger game that I already considered perfect to begin with. Finally, the emotional payoff in Left Behind is earned and not cheap, due in large part to the performances and writing which prove again that Naughty Dog is among the best developers in the world right now.
3. The Last of Us Remastered ; What's left to say about The Last of Us that hasn't already been said? The remastered version on PS4 takes one of the best games ever created, and boosts the visuals and performance up in every way to the point where it feels like this is really the game everyone should have been playing a year ago. It's hard to go back to the blurry, jagged and often choppy suburbs of Pittsburgh on PS3 after seeing it in crystal clarity on new generation hardware. The extra detail isn't just a visual treat, it really makes the game that much more immersive and powerful. I wouldn't normally vote for a port of a game I'd already played for GOTY, but I truly believe that this version of the game stands tall among the rest of the brand new releases this year, and deserves to do so.
4. Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc ; Danganronpa is one of the weirdest and most unique games I've ever had the pleasure of playing. It's not something that I would typically consider my genre, but I gave it a go on all the good word of mouth, and it delivered in spades. The writing is simultaneously emotional and hilarious, the visuals are a joy to take in, and the school and characters are a pleasure to interact with and explore. It's a shame this game is only on Vita, because it deserves to be experienced by so many more.
5. Alien: Isolation ; As a diehard fan of the original Alien film (which contrary to many I believe is better than Aliens), I came into this game with pretty high expectations based on all the hype surrounding its respect for the source material. And my god, people were right. But more than being true to Ridley Scott's vision, the game is just really damn good. It's more intense, rewarding, and terrifying than few other titles I played in 2014. The cat and mouse game with the Alien could have been a disaster, but the pacing is so well done for the most part that it keeps you on edge without becoming too repetitive or frustrating (except for some minor instances). This is the game Alien fans deserved, I'm happy to say that patience is indeed sometimes rewarded.
6. Infamous: Second Son ; Outside of the story (which I thought was great), I was not a fan of Infamous 1. Played it for the first time a month before Second Son came out, and the dated visuals put me off immediately. The gameplay and traversal I found to be slow and annoying. I couldn't wait for it to be over, I just powered through the main missions. Enter Infamous 2, I immediately appreciated the upgrade both visually and to transportation (using the power lines all around New Marais), but Cole was still a shitty character. Infamous: Second Son is without a doubt the best entry in the series for my money. While not perfect, the presentation values and performances helped elevate it above previous installments from the get-go, Delsin is far more interesting and nuanced than Cole could ever have hoped for. Seattle is beautifully realized and looking out on it from atop a building was the first time I really said "Wow, this is the new generation". Visual splendor aside, the combat is also the best in the series. Smoke, Neon, and Video all have their pros and cons and the way the game design encourages and requires you to switch them up is very well done. The only shame is that concrete is not unlocked until after you finish the story, which means many people like myself who 100%ed it before that last fight never got a chance to really play with it.
7. Wolfenstein: The New Order ; I adored the FUCK out of Return to Castle Wolfenstein, but that was a long time ago. Ever since that day, I've waited for time where I can pick up a Wolfenstein game and say "Now this, this is damn good." Alas, it's been disappointment after disappointment since then, until Machine Games came along. The New Order is simply one of the best FPS campaigns created in the last 10 years. The gameplay and shooting are sublime, the level design expertly allows the player to switch between stealth and shooting at will without ever making one impossible over the other. And some of the games best moments, shockingly, are the character driven ones that take place in the headquarters over several chapters. MAX! HAAAAS!!!
8. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze ; I never owned an NES. I never owned an SNES. The only Nintendo system I had before my WiiU was the N64, so I am brand new to the Donkey Kong Country series. And holy shit, GAF was right. Tropical Freeze is one of the best 2D platformers I have ever played. It's challenging for someone who is as bad at platformers as myself, but the physics and design are just so that practice does indeed make perfect, and I was never stuck in one place for too long after taking the time to figure out how to proceed. The gorgeous visuals (thanks to Nintendo's amazing art direction this gen) and one of the best soundtracks of the year seal the deal. This game. THIS GAME!
9 Dragon Age: Inquisition ; Dragon Age: Inqusition, I could write a million things about this game. Many of which would be good, but many of which would be negative. The fact is, however that the things DAI gets right make most of the flaws the game has seem insignificant in comparison. There's a lot of filler sidequests, some grinding involved, yes. But the gorgeous world and interesting characters and backstory alone make this game worth the price of admission.
10. Driveclub ; Driveclub's rocky launch is well documented by now, but those who managed to look past that have been privy to one of the best pure racing games in years. A seamless blend of arcade and sim mechanics, Driveclub has the greatest sense of speed I've ever seen in a game about going fast. The visuals on both the cars and environments are astonishing and miles ahead of anything else on the market right now, and Evolution has absolutely delivered on the social promise now that servers are beginning to stabilize. I'm still barely 1/5 of the way through the tour because I can't stop competing in challenges issued by my friends. Factor in things like all the free tracks and excellent updates (like dynamic weather) released now and in the future, and Driveclub deserves all the success that it gets.
Honourable mentions:
Infamous: First Light
D4
Tales from the Borderlands
Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes
1. Destiny ; Mechanically perfect and the most compelling, time consuming, interesting (and flawed) game of the year by a wide margin. The core shooting game is so tight and enjoyable, that all its flaws are secondary to the fun I have, each and every time I play it. Grind doesn't feel like grind if you enjoy what you're doing. Whether I'm out on Patrol, or doing Strikes, Heroic dailies or chasing bounties, none of it has felt stale yet as the core shooting is so good. Aside from a couple of PSN wobbles, haven't had a single blip with online, with matchmaking taking seconds not minutes. In 2014, that was an achievement in itself.
2. Mario Kart 8 ; In a year of broken releases, this set the gold standard for quality. Easily the best in the entire franchise and one of the greatest arcade racing games ever. Local multiplayer is wonderful. Even the DLC is notable for its excellence. Luigi's stare was the best game meme of the year as well.
3. Rogue Legacy ; Wasn't on my radar at all. Had a friend recommend it. Clocked it, then enjoyed playing it so much, did NG+ and NG++ as well. Fantastic platforming and combat mechanics. Leaping about with the speed and precision of Mario. Best Indie games of the year.
4. Dark Souls 2 ; The weakest of the Souls games, and pun intended, feels hollow compared to Demons and Dark 1. But a second tier Souls game is still a far better game than pretty much everything else.
5. Bravely Default ; Engrossed me on my commute for weeks. By the time the game enters its infamous latter half, I was focused on levelling my classes and building my perfect team to mind .
6. Luftrausers ; Love trousers is the best shmup on PSN. Lovely twitch handling, easy to understand score mechanics, fast streamlined UI, quick restarts, customisation that makes a real difference on how to play. Perfect on the Vita, but just as good on the big screen.
7. Bayonetta 2 ; If I'd played more it it, it might be higher in my list. Will focus on it once Destiny releases its grip on my evening game time.
1. Dragon Age:Inquisition ; Great game in its own right but also the epitome and current pinnacle of "Modern Bioware"'s approch to CRPGS. Restored my faith in Bioware and provided countless hours of enjoyment in both single and multiplayer.
2. Valkyria Chronicles ; Amazing port of quite possibly my favourite PS3 title, adds a further layer of polish to what was already an outstanding game.
3. Transistor ; The presentation of this game, from the visuals to the audio to the UI is simply top notch. Combine that with a compelling story, interesting narrative experiments and a highly detailed and in-depth combat system and you have an experience that really shouldnt be missed.
4. Dark Souls II; Fine entry in the Souls series which like all the games down some things better and some things worse than its compatriots
5. Danganronpa ; Great cast and interesting setting kept me hooked from start to finish
6. Diablo III: Reaper of Souls ; Completely reveresed my opinion of Diablo III, turning it into the addictively enjoyable time sink I wanted it to be
7. Demon Gaze ; Your thoughts on Game G.
8. Wolfenstein: The New Order ; Most enjoyable FPS I've played in years, spent about 1/10 of the time with this that I did with Destiny but enjoyed it so very much more.
9. Dungeon of the Endless; Your thoughts on Game I.
10. Steins Gate ; Your thoughts on Game J.
Honourable Mentions
- Divinity Original Sin - Fabulous mechanics and one of the best RPG combat systems in years, but let down for me by an at best workmanlike narrative experience.
1. Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze ; This game is not only my GOTY, but I would also consider this game to be one of the best platformers of all time. The gameplay, level design, music, boss design, etc. is perfection.
2. Bayonetta 2 ; The shear awesomeness in this game honestly had me teary-eyed at several moments. It improved on almost everything from the original and is a must play for every Wii U owner.
3. Danganronpa: Trigger-Happy Havoc ; After having a hard time getting into VLR for Vita (will try again soon..), I impluse bought Danganronpa during a PSN sale and boy I am glad I did. The story sucked me in from the get-go and I loved the trial aspect of the game.
4. South Park: The Stick of Truth ; I used to be a huge South Park fan, but I grew apart from the show around season 10 or so. Despite this, I was grinning from ear to ear playing this game and the combat was very solid. I highly recommend this game for any level of South Park fan.
5. Mario Kart 8 ; I have put more hours into this game than any other this year. The mechanics and tracks are all top notch. With a more robust single player and battle mode, this could have easily been the best kart racer ever. However, it's a testament to this game that it almost reaches those heights of best kart racer without them.
6. Smash Brothers Wii U ; Lived up to the hype and then some. If I could go back in time and tell my young self that I would be battling with Mario, Sonic, Pac-Man, and Mega Man all in the same game in the future, my mind would have exploded.
7. Shovel Knight ; I was a little skeptical of this at first, but this game had me hooked. I'm so happy this is getting a multiplatform release so more can experience it (will double dip on Vita). It is one of the best indies that I have ever played and I can't wait for more from this studio.
8. Hyrule Warriors ; This game was the biggest surprise of the year for me. There is enough content to keep me playing well into next year and the co-op is pretty great as well.
9. Dark Souls 2 ; The original Dark Souls is my favorite game of all-time, so I think I may set myself up for disappointment a little with this one. I enjoyed it a lot at times, but it just didn't grab me like the original. Still worth a playthrough if you are a Souls fan.
10. The Evil Within ; I've never experienced a game with so many highs and lows. Ultimately, it is well worth playing through, but the boss fights and end game left a sour taste.
1. Super Smash Bros for Wii U ; Amazing game with tons of content, character, and polish. Will keep me busy for years to come, and with a smooth 1 on 1 online experience, I can now play anytime.
2. Shovel Knight ; A breath of old school fresh air, felt like a super great late life NES title, with an imaginative world and tons of great boss fights and level design.
3. Binding of Isaac: Rebirth ; Taking the original, and improving it with tons of new combinations, new bosses, and new content to find. Adding
Mega Satan
was the cherry on top.
4. Bayonetta 2 ; An improved sequel with some of the tightest action game play we will likely see for a very long time. Beautiful as well, with a fun story.
5. South Park - Stick of Truth ; A well done adaptation of the show that had me laughing constantly, with suprisingly deep RPG systems.
6. Hearthstone ; Although this game drives me insane, and it's not as good as other CCG's, the polish alone, and the character class makes it an interesting spin that has kept me hooked.
7. Diablo III: Reaper of Souls ; Missing something to keep me hooked, I enjoyed the extra 60+ hours I played of this. The improvement on the loot system alone made the game a far more enjoyable experience.
8. Mario Kart 8 ; Great courses, decent balance, and an amazing DLC package have gone a long way to letting me enjoy this game.
9. Smash for 3DS ; You have to give them credit for how much they put into a 3DS game. It really felt like a full package, and Smash Run actually grew on me.
10. DK Tropical Freeze ; Didn't capture me like the first, but still very well done.
1. Mario Kart 8 ; Why do I love this infernal random item casual masochist simulator so much? Both Smash Bros 4 and Bayonetta 2 are probably better crafted video games than MK8, but fuck me if I haven't had the most fun with this one anyway. The MK-GAF community is largely to blame for that. Thanks a lot Roo, ohlawd, Papercuts, Exentryk, Gattuso, ffdgh and all the rest of you assholes who infuriated and humiliated me, pushed me off the tracks and gangbanged me with items and made me laugh my ass off at the same time for months. Also hats of to the team behind it for making such a beautiful and smooth running kart race. It's all very impressive and a joy to play, both competitively (lol) with the GAF community, and for laughs with family and other friends. I also love the solid and reasonably priced extra content (DLC) for the game. Of course, the single player content could be much better, and I understand that for many the game was a let down in that regard. But for me this series always has been, and always will be, about playing with family, friends and the sadistic assholes on GAF. <3
2. Bayonetta 2 ; This is probably the best video game I played this year by any objective metric, if such a thing exists. The gameplay is tight, solid and complex; the combo and gear system make combat flexible, diversive and intuitive at the same time; the characters are outstanding and memorable (minus the annoying kid); the enemies are interesting, have diversive move-sets and generally put up a real challenge; and the battles are intense, hectic and climatic. Two things keeps me from putting it all the way at the top. 1) I had more fun with the game above it, and 2) I keep comparing it to the creative overload that was Wonderful 101. To me Bayonetta 2 doesn't quite live up to the very best of Platinum in that regard. Probably not exactly a very fair criteria to judge from, it being a sequel to a defined franchise and everything, but that's how I feel about it. On the other hand it's definitely a better character action game than both W101 and MGR:R. It's an infinitely more well polished and overall coherent game than W101. It's probably the best character action game of the last couple of years to be honest, and still Platinum games has spoiled me enough to expect "the impossible" with every title they put out. Overall a fantastic game, and Im really glad that it exists and that I got to play it.
3. Super Smash Bros for Wii U ; So I suck at Smash. But I still manage to beat a lot of people online with troll characters like the Villager and lets be honest: Is there any sensation known to mankind more satisfying than getting a completely undeserved win with that guy in a FFA online? As you probably already suspect I probably love Smash for the very reason some people dont. Because a lot of people take Smash very serious. An indication of this are the 18 pre-release Megathreads, where the tiniest details about the game were discussed at length, often with a considerate amount of temperature, as it should be when discussing things one is passionate about. I don't take it all that serious, and so I'll never be really good at it either. But what I absolutely love about this fighting game, is that I can play with people that do take it seriously and still have a chance in a FFA (not in 1v1 obviously, lol) with my crazy noob-luck troll skills. Yes, I love this game a hell of a lot. The mutual smashing of asses, the shameless taunting, the stupid stage-events and NPCs, the dumb grin of the Duck Hunt Dog. The bowling ball dropped on a half buried Captain Falcon.
4. Dark Souls 2 ; First of all, I agree with those claiming that this is probably the worst Souls game to date... but its still better than 90% of the video games that were released this year. That's the power of having such a powerful video game concept to work within. While DS2 improves upon Dark Souls in some ways, not least technically, to me it lacks the artistic qualities of the previous Souls games, and the dark, creepy atmosphere so integral to the series, the feeling of embarking on a terrible and epic adventure. Therefore it didn't capture me in the same way the previous entries did. Luckily I hear that the DLC content by many are regarded as the high points of the game. I'm sorry to say I haven't tried them out yet. I haven't even finished the main game in my first playthrough. I will definitely remedy that when/if I find the time sometimes next year!
5. Shovel Knight ; I was a day-1 backer and very excited about this title from the moment I heard about it. As you can guess my expectations were quite high. For the most part I think the game delivered. The core gameplay is tight, stage design is excellent and the music is top notch. I don't really have any major negatives to say about it, except I wish it was even wackier, harder (the bosses are such pushovers until the end of the game), was filled with more secrets and different stage paths etc. Overall though, this is such a wonderful video game concept. I really hope it turns into an established series. Shovel Knight for Smash 5!
6. Shin Megami Tensei IV ; My RPG of the year, arriving more than fashionably late to the party to us filthy Europeans. (Why do you hate us, Atlus?) I'm not particularly experienced in the series, I've played the original SMT a bit on iPad, and a little bit of Strange Journey on DS. I've also only played P4G in the somewhat related Persona-series. So what I have to say about the game may sound pretty stupid to hardcore veterans, or probably anyone really into jrpgs. To me, the game basically feels sort of like playing a mature version of a Pokémon game. Instead of Pokémons you capture Demons, and build a team with them. Theres also the elemental combat system, with different strengths and weaknesses for demons and gear. The demon fusion system (so addicting!) and the press turn system is different though, and I generally like it a lot better than the Pokémon games. This game is also, as opposed to pokemon games, actually quite challenging (talking about the single player content here, I know competetive Pokémon is something else entirely). I love that grinding and leveling doesn't matter much at all in SMT, and that the game is all about figuring out the best setup (resistant gear to boss attacks, demons with elemental attacks that matches boss' weaknesses and elemental attacks etc etc) for each fight. The game is also oh so pretty initially, and it's a shame it takes a dive visually once you get to Tokyo and the different scenes there, which are all more or less copies of each other. Overall though, a marvelous, interesting and challenging experience.
7. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze ; Another beautiful and wonderfully crafted game from Retro Studios. It takes the best parts from DKCR and runs with it; great physics and gameplay, and superb level design. The brilliancy of Retros level design really shows if you go for the speed run challenges. There's not a single enemy or object placed at random in this game. Tropical Freeze also improves a lot upon the scenery and visuals, the music (David Wise!) and variation (underwater stages, two extra characters etc). All in all I had a really good time with it. This is something as rare as an amazing high-production 2D platformer, and I'm grateful someone still makes those!
8. The Binding of Isaac Rebirth ; Since it is still essentially Binding of Isaac, although improved and expanded upon a lot, I don't want to place it too high on this years list. But man what an improvement it is for me personally to be able to play it on a handheld! The game has replaced Spelunky as my main go-to-game on the Vita. Endless hours of variated fun, what's not to love? Not one play through is the same. There are a couple of really annoying things about the game, as was also the case in the original. Why wont you give me an item description, EDMUND? It sucks to having to google everything the first time you get it, although for the most part I don't even bother. With the consequence of playing through the game several times with passive items, having absolutely no clue about what they do. Ive played it alot on my Vita, and a little bit on PC too. There are some cruel slowdowns on the Vita version, getting worse the deeper you get in the game (because of multiple helpers and attacks etc), but the comfort of the couch for the most part makes up for it, and if it gets too bad theres always the PC version.
9. DanganRonpa ; There's a lot of things I like about Danganronpa. It's a mix-up of elements from 999/VLR and the Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney series. As such everything is in place for a great game. And for the most part it is. But ultimately the game fails to expand positively on either of those two series. The exploration/investigation parts lack the non-linearity of 999, and your choices doesn't matter at all for how the story unfolds. It also lacks logical problem solving during the trial sections, as we know it from the Ace Attorney games. Since the game is so strict and linear, you don't really get to solve anything in the trials. Instead the game force you to shoot down words and play dumb rhythm games, while the murder mysteries solve themselves. These main objections pulls the game down a few spots on the list for me. It's a damn shame, because the game has so many qualities. It's a very interesting world, with great characters and wonderful setting. In Monokuma, Spike Chunsoft has created a character to remember, and he's the main reason I'm still looking forward to play DR2, which I just bought on a 12-deals of Christmas deal, and which I also hear takes the game in another direction.
10. Luftrausers ; RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUS! Amazing little arcade rausing luft action shooter that got me LUFTARRAAUUUSED, if you know what I mean. RAAAAAAAAUS 'EM ALL. RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUS!
Honorable Mentions:
X. Super Smash Bros for 3DS ; Would be very high on the list as an entry of it's own, but I didn't want pretty much the same game (as far as Im concerned) taking up two of the top spots.
X. Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes ; Great experience, fantastic production and design, super impressive visuals and gameplay, since this is basically a demo it's not top 10 material for me this year. I'm pretty sure Phantom Pain will make it next year.
X. Theatrhythm Final Fantasy: Curtain Call ; Best rhytm-game ever.
X. Hatsune Miku: Project DIVA f ; Second best rhytm-game this year.
X. Killer is Dead ; Underrated simplistic and stylistic character action in artsy settings.
X. Pushmo World ; love me some pushmo
X. Hexcells ; Scratching that Minesweeper itch.
X. Hexcells Plus ; Scratching that Minesweeper itch even harder!
X. Hexcells Infinite ; Scratching that Minesweeper itch the hardest!
X. The Banner Saga ; Just started playing for a few hours. Love it.
X. Wolfenstein: New Order ; Finally a really entertaining FPS!
X. OlliOlli ; Awesome little flippity-floppety arcade-skate thingy.
X. Divinity Original Sin ; Didn't really have the time to invest properly in this. Hope to really sink down in it at some point.
X. Abyss Odessey ; Great little random-level-generated metroidvaniaish action platformer.
2013. Europa Universalis IV ; I have played this about twice as much as Dark Souls, which was my most played steam game for a long time, and probably about as much as my top-five on the list combined this year. Imagine a game where you, interested in world history as you probably are or should be, can pick about any state or nation-like unity in the world anno 1444 and take it wherever you want and can from there. Sounds pretty interesting, right? This the Dark Souls of Grand Strategy Games, since you need a Dark Soul to play it, at least in MP. Speaking of which, we have a great multiplayer community going on here on the GAF, so if you're into it, come check us out. We are all very nice and accommodating
except Fanboi who would kill your mom for a province, Crab who would stab you in the back while you're attending her funeral, Fitz and Jazz who are basically Nazis, Morfeo that will sleep with your daughter for diplomatic information, but mostly just to sleep with your daughter, Kabouter who's doing his "poor me, I'm so exposed and vulnerable"-thing all the time while being in the lead, KingSnake whose backward ass tech cannons will explode in your face, Uzzy that likes to pay to watch soldiers of other countries die violent deaths, etc. etc. etc.
I need a mod to unlock the previous thread so I can edit some stuff (such a list of lists I liked last year that I was going to add at some point). Is that possible? Not right now though, busy.
1. Divinity: Original Sin - great combat that I hope they build on for their next game.
2. Might and Magic X - Even though it reused some assets from HoMM6 it was still a great game and had a lot of viable options for different parties.
3. This War of Mine - Stealing a vegetable never felt so wrong.
4. Legend of Grimrock II - Lots of puzzles and in this installment you got out of the dungeon and explored an island.
5. Robocraft - battling your robot creations vs other people is so much fun and often with hilarious results.
6. Hearthstone - they finally release a decent expansion
1. Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc ; While not being the most unpredictable of murder mystery styled games, the story itself was super catered to my tastes with one of my favorite casts on any game in years, combined with one of the better soundtracks of the year, some of my favorite character designs and just a great general art style overall, I ended up enjoying Danganronpa more than anything else this year.
2. BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma ; This one is just chocked up to BlazBlue being my favorite fighter, probably ever. I love every aspect of it and CP was just more and better BlazBlue. The new characters were all awesome, Azrael having an alternate color themed after a character from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann (Which I have named myself after) did not hurt either. Also, this is a dumb note, but the sound that attacks make when you hit is just super punchy and I prefer it to all the other versions of the game.
3. Tales of Hearts R ; It's just a JRPG. It's nothing special, really, but it not trying and failing to reinvent the genre is what made me love it so much. It's just a solid JRPG with what is probably the series' best combat since Graces F, but really, that's not saying much considering Tales combat is generally not the best. I also really liked the leveling up style and how it was used as the method for unlocking new weapons, since you could specialize into what type of weapons you wanted exclusively, making each character fill their role a little better.
4. Love Live School Idol Festival ; I don't give a shit if it's not on the list of eligible titles, this is one of my most played games this year and it's fantastic! Nico Nico Nii~ motherfuckers!
5. Hatsune Miku: Project Diva F ; I love Project Diva and it was great on Vita.
6. Monster Monpiece ; Alright, you're probably thinking what everyone thinks of this game, but really! Believe me! The scummy perversion is almost nonexistent when you're actually playing the game, and that game itself is awesome! Tactical Card Game is a genre that isn't used more and this is a very good one! The actual sexualization is only in card art, which is barely visible in game and the rubbing minigame is super zoomed in and is constantly shooting out hearts and stars and is over in about 30 seconds, so you barely have time to even register what's on screen. I wholeheartedly recommend this game.
7. Senran Kagura: Shinovi Versus ; Ignore that this is listed directly after Monster Monpiece. Also, Hometown.
8. Dark Souls 2 ; Eh
This list would have been very different if I wasn't so poor.
1. Dragon Age Inquisition; a beautiful game with amazing characters. The combat is tactical but exciting, and the challenge of killing all of the dragons was a wonderful thing. I can't wait for more content and I'm already missing Thedas.
2. South Park and the stick of truth; I love South Park and Obsidian managed to make an RPG that touched the keystones of that world, while adding a decent RPG at the same time. A wonderful mix of game and cartoon, and it looks and sounds just like the show.
3. Smash Bros WiiU; Smash Bros was my most anticipated game and it didn't disappoint. Fast gameplay, an amazing roster and just all round a great game. A slight lack of stages and SP content holds it back from being number 1/2 though.
4. Mario Kart 8; A cute, exciting kart racer. Plenty of content and the DLC is fantastic value, further evidence that Nintendo still have it.
5. The Last of Us: Left Behind; a wonder expansion and a touching story. A must play game.
6. Donkey Kong Tropical Freeze; one of the finest platformers ever. A loveable soundtrack and beautiful visuals back up amazing gameplay, a truly extraordinary game.
7. Middle Earth Shadow of Mordor; purchased on a whim but another great licensed game. It takes the good bits of Assassin's Creed, adds enemies you genuinely hate and to top it off has the finest fantasy universe there is as a setting.
8. Titanfall; everyone had high hopes and it meets them. It lacks content severely, but the gameplay is just right. A wonderful game and I can't wait to see more of Respawn in the future.
9. Captain Toad; not finished but I am loving it. It is cute and the short levels can fill a short gap. Also, the cuteness level is ridiculous.
10. Infamous Second Son; I hated Deslin but the gameplay is nailed. The world is stunning and it makes you feel like a super hero.
Additional note:
I have not played Bayonetta 2, Far Cry, Wolfenstein, AC, Sunset Overdrive or Halo MCC and they're all going to be bought/have been bought. Thus they cannot be considered.
Honourable mentions:
x. Call of Duty Advanced Warfare; a very solid MP game.
1. METAL GEAR SOLID V: GROUND ZEROES ; Where to begin... Oh, I know! Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes is, by far, the best game I've played in 2014.
Opening:
Commonly referred to as the prologue chapter of Metal Gear Solid V, Ground Zeroes offers a variety of objectives and mission types, and a plethora of methods to which players are able to go about carrying them out - all in the game's pseudo-sandbox environment known as Camp Omega. In total, there are seven missions -- each with their own list of objectives and "trials." Without spoiling much, there is the main mission, four Side Ops, and two Extra Ops. The missions themselves are fairly diverse ranging anywhere from your traditional Metal Gear Solid stealth mission to an on-rails chopper-based mission
(as the passenger, not pilot, to clarify)
. Something important to note about the missions packaged with Ground Zeroes is that each one takes place during a different time of day - in various conditions, giving us a nice glimpse of what's to come during The Phantom Pain's day/night cycles and a hint at some of the weather affects (such as rain and
snow
). That last sentiment itself can be thought of as a microcosm for many who have played Ground Zeroes, in that it gives us a great sample of what's to come. That being said, this game has plenty to offer - especially for a fan of the series.
Main mission:
The main mission's intro cutscene is one of -- if not the -- coolest opening sequences I've ever seen in a video game (or any other medium, for that matter). This one-shot cinematic follows a mysterious man paying a visit to a young volunteer in Snake's private army, Chico, before leaving the game's play area. One of the best parts about this scene is that it can actually be used by the players as a route to arrive at their destination. This mission only contains two cutscenes - in bookend form; one to start, one to close. However, there are smaller event-based scenes -- that occur in real-time! What this means is that, depending on whether you skip these scenes or not, the enemy patrols will vary. (Pretty neat!)
Side Ops, Extra Ops:
The game offers four Side Ops and two Extra Ops. I don't want to say too much, as I would likely spoil some pretty cool details. But I will say that these missions are a nice balance to the tone of the main mission and provide quite a bit of that traditional Metal Gear charm. While the missions are referenced as "pseudo-historical recreations," I do believe that they will be key in uncovering the entirety of Snake's story and will be brought up at some point in The Phantom Pain.
Gameplay:
Kept you waiting, huh?
The gameplay in Ground Zeroes is very streamlined and is so fluid that games like Splinter Cell: Blacklist and Hitman: Absolution feel clunky and outdated to me (despite the fact that those are two fantastic games in their own right). The transition from standing to crawling, and vice versa, is incredibly seamless. If I had to describe how the stealth works in this game, I'd probably compare it most to Metal Gear Solid 2. You use the environment to your advantage, staying out of the light and in the dark. I compare it more so to MGS2 than a game like MGS3 mostly due to the fact that this game offers little-to-no mission preparation. For the most part, weapons and equipment are OSP. One of my favorite features of Ground Zeroes is the sneak peek of The Phantom Pain's "realistic passage of time" and "realtime weather." It is handled quite differently in Ground Zeroes, but is present in some form. Here, the missions have a set time of day and set weather conditions. (Whereas in TPP, it all happens in real time.) It is much easier to be spotted during the day, but it is also much easier for you to spot enemies. As with the rainy night of the main mission, visibility is lower, making it harder for enemies to spot you while, in turn, also works against you for the same reason. Make it your priority to mark your enemies. Doing so will help play a part in planning the best possible route using the in-game navigation system known as the iDroid!
iDroid:
The iDroid is Snake's mobile device that comes in handy in more ways than the one mentioned earlier. Not only can you get real-time updates on marked enemies, you can do all sorts of cool things, such as listen to the cassette tapes picked up throughout Camp Omega - whether they be vital to learning the story of MGSV or tunes to rock out to (which can be done at the main menu or in-game)! Need backup? No problem. Call in Morpho using the "Helicopter" option on your iDroid and he'll be there to extract targets (enemy or friendly), provide cover fire, or help you escape once the mission is complete! Oh, it would be careless of me not to mention that there is an iDroid app available for Android and iOS. This app can be used with any version of the game (PS3/PS4/X360/XONE). It syncs up with the game perfectly, as you have the same options on the app as you do in-game! An example of this would be using the iDroid app on your phone as the game map; you are able to mark way points, call in helicopters - things of that nature. This actually saves a bit of time, if you're a speed-runner and/or perfectionist looking to acquire the highest ranking. Again, just so many cool tricks available at the player's disposal.
Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc caught me by complete surprise when I played it earlier this year. I should say, though, that I got into it through watching Danganronpa: The Animation. (I was about halfway through that until coming to the conclusion that I should play the game before finishing.) The story is unique and bizarre (in the best possible way), the characters are all interesting (sans
Leon,
because "Nobody cares about you!"), the music is fitting in a very unfitting way -- it doesn't fit what you're seeing, per se, but it fits the ridiculous situation that our loveable cast finds themselves in. Oh, and the art! Really well done, especially the judgment scenes. I wholeheartedly recommend this game, and if you have a Vita, this is a must. Unfortunately, due to the issues I've had with the Vita, I haven't been able to play through the game's sequel, but if I am (before January 16th), then I expect to make an addition to this short list.
1. Bayonetta 2 ; The action/hack and slash genre is one of my favorites and, sadly, we don't get enough good games like these.
Bayonetta 2 isn't just an incredible hack and slash, it's one of the best ever made. With a deep, rewarding and just fun combat system, great enemy variety, great levels, amazing bosses and tons of unlockables (including some of the best third party unlockables ever), it's just an incredible package. Add that to how amazingly over the top everything is, in a way only Platinum can make (most of the bosses in this game feel like final boss material), and you are in for an amazing experience.
2. Dragon Age Inquisition ; ME3 was, IMO, dissapointing and Dragon Age 2 was just bad. I was starting to lose hope in Bioware. Inquisition feels like them saying "we are back".Inquisition is just massive, filled with tons of amazing things to do and tons of places to see, I'm almost 40 hours into the game and it still keep getting better and better.
Sure it has a lot of fetch quests but most of them are side content AND there are also some really great sidequest. The cast of characters is great and as in most Bioware games the story is enjoyable not because of the actual plot but because of the characters and dialog
3. Dark Souls ; Worse than Demon Souls and the first Dark Souls. But damn, even on a bad day the Souls franchise is better than almost everything else.
While it had issues and a dissapointing case of false advertising before release. The core experience still had everything I love about this franchise.
4.Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze ; One of the best platformers I've played in years. The OST is amazing and I loved the art direction of almost all the levels, but at the end of the day what really makes this game special is the amazing level design and tight controls
5. Metro Redux ; Well, if we can vote for remasters, then Metro Redux. I didn't have (and still don't have) a very good PC so my only option was to play this franchise on low graphics setting or on consoles. And it just felt like in such an atmospheric game graphics could actually help make the experience a lot better, so I just decided to wait.
Metro Redux is how a remaster should be made on current gen consoles. 1080, (almost) locked 60fps, all the DLC and updated gameplay. Also, several areas of both games, specially 2033, were remade. And the actual games are just great, specially in hardcore ranger mode. As someone who read the first book I really enjoyed being able to play in the Metro. They are really fun and atmospheric experiences. Last Light in particular is just amazing
1. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U ; Ridiculous amount of content.
2. Dark Souls II ;
3. Super Smash Bros. for 3DS ;
4. Mario Kart 8 ;
5. South Park: The Stick of Truth ;
6. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker ;
7. Infamous: Second Son ;
8. Kirby: Triple Deluxe ;
9. Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor ;
10. Velocity 2X ;
Pretty baffled as well. I don't get why at least 1 explanation is mandatory either. Maybe 3 people will actually bother to read every single one of these lists, and none of them would remember what I wrote 5 minutes after they read it anyway.
I need a mod to unlock the previous thread so I can edit some stuff (such a list of lists I liked last year that I was going to add at some point). Is that possible? Not right now though, busy.
1. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U ; Ridiculous amount of content.
2. Dark Souls II ;
3. Super Smash Bros. for 3DS ;
4. Mario Kart 8 ;
5. South Park: The Stick of Truth ;
6. Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker ;
7. Infamous: Second Son ;
8. Kirby: Triple Deluxe ;
9. Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor ;
10. Velocity 2X ;
Pretty baffled as well. I don't get why at least 1 explanation is mandatory either. Maybe 3 people will actually bother to read every single one of these lists, and none of them would remember what I wrote 5 minutes after they read it anyway.
This is probably one of my most beloved threads of the year because you get to see:
a. Your other favorite members lists and realize that they actually have terrible taste in games.
b. Read differing opinions on what makes a game great (story, gameplay, sound etc.)
c. Find out about games you have never heard of and maybe try them out based on the rest of a person's list.
d. Pretty pictures.
1. Shadowrun Dragonfall directors cut ; I liked the original story but the expansion was better in every way. Exceeded what i hoped when i backed this game.
2. Wasteland 2 ; The combat system while simplistic did not get boring and the wasteland was one fucked up place. Really hopeful for planescape now.
3. Divinity Original Sin ; Would be first if the game ended about 20 hours earlier than it did. The game drags in the end with fights that can last up to an hour. Aside from the pacing problems still the best turn based combat system i have seen.
4. The Wolf Among Us ; By far the best telltale game for me. Loved the art and the world, the music, the characters and the story. everything come together and the result was the best adventure i have played in quite a while.
5. Transistor ; Was not a big fan of Bastion but transistor was great. The best OST of the year coupled with fantastic art (great cyberpunk world) and an interesting combat system (unlike bastion).
6. Tex Murphy Tesla Effect ; Quality work for the first tex murphy in 15 years(or so). Great acting and the right amount of cheese. Streamlined controls and great quality video's and acting (for me anyway).
7. Moebius empire rising ; Flawed adventure but still one of the games i enjoyed most in the year. There is something about Jensen's adventure that really works for me.
8. Endless Legend ; A great addition to the 4x genre and a much better game than civ beyond earth which disappointed me greatly. A great world, lore and the various factions play quite differently. meaty quests and a better combat system than civilizations rather simplistic combat. Great art and a pretty smooth UI also help.
9. The Vanishing of Ethan Carter ; A total surprise for me. Great and intriguing exploration. Beautiful graphics and a good ost.
10. Dragon Age Inquisition ; A vast step up after the recent failures from Bioware. Could perhaps be higher on the list but i haven't finished it yet so maybe it all goes to hell in the end.
Honorable Mention :
x. Sherlock Holmes Crimes and punishments ; Good adventure , pretty and great VO. is let down by the unconnected cases that basically don't tie together in a meaningful way. Found the previous game more cohesive.
x. In general Kickstarter and crowdfunding. Thanks for making it possible to play a ton of games i really enjoyed that wouldn't be possible without it. (out of scope i know but still).
This game is packed with so much content and love and especially MUSIC! With about 430 tracks at least 2 minutes each that's at least 14 hours of music. At 1080/60 the game is beautiful, fun, and great to play with strangers and friends. The amount of chaos going on with 8 players and items would make anyone smile. Amiibos give it a nice touch and I've encountered people that actually take pride in their Amiibos and their skills. Online it great for 1v1 which is what I have wanted for a long time. The amount of unlockables are ridiculous. There are many modes and so many different variations of Smash mode that this game can be played forever. This game is well worth $60.
2. Smash Brothers for 3DS ;
Same as the Wii U version but portable. It's amazing how much performance Sakurai got from the 3DS. It's just as fun on 3DS as it is on the Wii U. The amount of work that went into this game is such a technical feat that deserves recognition.
3. Bayonetta 2 ;
The ultimate action game. I prefer Bayonetta 1 in some aspects but B2 is definitely a more polished version of B1. Gameplay is king and it doesn't disappoint. The story is interesting and the graphics are wonderful and fluid. This game deserves to be played by everyone, but unfortunately it won't be.
4. Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc ;
The story and presentation make this worthy of praise. I couldn't put it down once i started.
5. Bravely Default ;
A call back to the old school RPG's of the 90s. It's amazing how something that plays like an an old school game can be so refreshing. the bosses are sometimes cheap but there is an amazing amount of strategy which kept me engaged. I didn't mind
chapter 5-8
so much but it was kinda disappointing that the second half of the game turned out like that.
6. Mario Kart 8 ;
A game anyone can play and enjoy. Nintendo magic is rich with this game and it doesn't stop. The game is beautiful and the music is so fitting and charming.
7. Freedom Wars ;
Monster hunter with guns and a party.
8. Sunset Overdrive ;
I love the meta in this game. It doesn't take itself seriously and it's mindless fun and the story is just engaging enough to be interesting. The weapons are the craziest I've ever seen in a game and the combat is simple but refreshing. I love the bright colors. It almost looks like a Nintendo game.
9. Shovel Knight ;
Megaman with a shovel and some RPG elements.
Honorable Mentions:
X. Infamous: Second Son ; This is one of the few games I actually finished so it deserves from mention. It is a beautiful game and it is fun.
1. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth; The greatest brand of crack returns, and it returns better than ever. With an actual engine behind it, more content than imaginable, and one of the most simple and best concepts in gaming, you have the best game, at least for me, released in a long time.
2. Dark Souls II; Is it the best Souls game? No. Is it still the premier ARPG released in all of 2014? Yeah, it is. Dark Souls II, even though it never reaches the lofty highs of its predecessors, but it still is better than most every other game released in the year.
3. Bayonetta 2; The Queen returns to her throne, this time on the Wii U. Bayonetta takes the original game, and simply makes it better, bigger, and badder than before, and holy hell does it do it well.
4. Shovel Knight; The best Megaman game released this year. Tight controls, a wonderful of adventure, excellent level design, and a surprising touching story. Shovel Knight certainly made an impression on me.
5. Wolfenstein: The New Order; Not the strongest year for shooters, but Wolfenstein was a wonderful game, with a brilliant blend of old school and new school mechanics.
Honorable Mentions:
x. Super Smash Bros for Wii U; Probably my favorite new fighter of the year. It's still the fun addictive chaotic fun it's always been, besides Brawl.
x. Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze; Platforming bliss. Looks and sounds great. Extremely tight gameplay.
x. Mario Kart 8; It's Mario Kart, as it has ever been.
x. South Park: Stick of Truth; It's basically a great, long episode of South Park, in playable form. What else do you need?
x. Transistor; Bastion was better, but Transistor knocks it out of the park. And the art direction is pure amazement.
I wouldn't feel right including Remasters, so TLOU and GTAV didn't get in. But they were still great.
Pretty baffled as well. I don't get why at least 1 explanation is mandatory either. Maybe 3 people will actually bother to read every single one of these lists, and none of them would remember what I wrote 5 minutes after they read it anyway.
Pretty baffled as well. I don't get why at least 1 explanation is mandatory either. Maybe 3 people will actually bother to read every single one of these lists, and none of them would remember what I wrote 5 minutes after they read it anyway.
1. A lot of people read these threads, actually.
2. I use the comments to help populate the GOTY awards threads, as you can see in the last few years.
3. The mods require comments so that this doesn't become a list thread. Lists without comments MAY be subject to a ban, at their discretion.
Does this mean people who reserve posts are not counted? Cause they will edit it later. I don't get any of this, so just confused. No one will care about your spot in a thread, right?
1. Dark Souls II ; The sequel of the GOTG, while not as good as its predecessor, its still an amazing game and a solid effort of FROM without Miyazaki.
2. Dragon Age Inquisition ; Coming from the weak DA2 this is a vastly superior game, decent story, several open world areas to explore, likable characters. Bioware is back.
3. The Evil Within ; The return of Mikami to the world of survival horror is well done, its an excellent game that brings back the old school survival horror.
4. Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor ; Killing orcs has never been this much fun.
5. World of Warcraft - Warlords of Draenor ; After 2 average expansions, WoW returns to shape with this new expansion bringing back the feel of Burning Crusade and Wrath of the Lich King.
6. The Wolf Among Us ; An amazing story with likable characters and a beautiful art style. Telltale's best game yet.
7. Metal Gear Solid V - Ground Zeroes ; The prologue for MGSV has excellent stealth gameplay and new mechanics, only problem is that it is too short.
8. Castlevania - Lords of Shadow 2 ; Good game with a better combat system than the first one, problem was the non-sense story and the obligatory stealth sections.
9. Wolfenstein - The New Order ; Best FPS of the year, the lack of multiplayer is a bummer but the solid campaign and the gunplay makes up for it.
10. Hearthstone - Heroes of Warcraft ; Fun card game for someone who never got into other games of the genre like Magic.
1. South Park: The Stick of Truth ; I am a huge mark for South Park and the game delivered on every level. The gameplay was simple but the writing and the story was the appeal of the game anyway. being able to traverse South Park and see everything form the show was a huge treat for me.
2. Valkyria Chronicles ; I played and loved this game when it came out on PS3 and the PC version has only reminded me how much I love this game. The art style is excellent and the gameplay is unique. The characters are great and the setting of not Europe World War 2 was something that I enjoyed immensely. Reading your squadmates back stories and determining their weakness and strengths that go along with it added another layer to the combat. One of my favourite SRPGs of all time
3. Persona 4 Arena: Ultimax ; The first arena was a game that no one saw coming and had no reason being as good as it was, and the sequel has improved on everything. The story mode has been slimmed down and is better for it, the inclusion of more of the P4 and P3 cast and their various playstyles also freshen everything up. Probably the simplest fight game Arcsys has made recently but that is not a bad thing.
4. Bayonetta 2 ; Non Stop Infinite Climax with tight controls and the over the top action we love from Platinum Games.
5. Dark Souls 2 ; not as good as Dark Souls but it still brings a lot to the table. We bitch about it a lot but it is a great game
6. Ultra Street Fighter IV ; Street Fighter 4 is good, this version is also very good
7. Senran Kagura: Shinovi Versus ; This game is much more than it is advertised. There is a ton of fan service in the game but the gameplay and writing is good. The writing is very humorous and the characters are good as well.
8. Shovel Knight ; It is beautiful and the soundtrack is great. The entire game feels like a love letter to old school platformers.
9. BlazBlue: Chrono Phantasma ; Complicated Arcsys action. Every character is different and has their own sub systems.
10. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth ; I loved the original BOI and this improves on everything. The new Items and rooms are good and taking it off of flash has greatly increased performance on all levels
x. The Wolf Among Us ; the great artstyle of the game and the fantastic performances of the characters make this TellTale's best game, in my opinion.
x. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U ; It's Smash, I like it but I'm burnt out on 13 years of Melee
x. Freedom Wars ; A great game that is severely hampered by the slow early game. the first 3 code levels are rough but the game becomes much, much better once you unlock more things.
x. Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze ; It is beautiful and the soundtrack is great. but the controls just did not feel as tight as Shovel Knight to me
Love Live: School Idol Festival was not eligible but I am giving it a shoutout because that game is great. If you like the music the soundtrack is large and full of it and while people who spend money on it can be rewarded and will benefit, it is completely fine if you do not spend a single cent on it. with the bi weekly events it is probably one of my most played games of 2014.
I may update the list when I finally get my hands on Guilty Gear Xrd. I have the LE pre ordered and that has been delayed due to dock worker strikes. Hopefully I will know soon.
Does this mean people who reserve posts are not counted? Cause they will edit it later. I don't get any of this, so just confused. No one will care about your spot in a thread, right?
he's just making fun of all the dummies who thought it was a good idea to "reserve" a spot in the thread instead of just posting their lists when ready like a sane human being would
