No matter your preference of console, handheld or PC; no matter if you went AAA or indie — there was a lot to choose from in this year of gaming. We're now a year into the new systems (two for the Wii U), and the next generation is showing what it's capable of, for better or for worse. Although I personally couldn't dabble in the new wave of gaming systems, there were still a number of games this year that stood out — some amazing, some disappointing and some that I'm excited to get my hands on in the future. These are my top 10 games of the year.
Top 2 Games That I Want to Play
(Photo Courtesy of Nintendo)
"Bayonetta 2" (Wii U)
I always rank the first "Bayonetta" in my list of favorite games of all time for good reason. Yeah, the story is a little convoluted with angels, contracts with hair demons and a little toddler running around it all, but the sheer joy and variability in the action more than makes up for it. Even when I plug it in today, I find myself enthralled with how much it just does not give a damn as it focuses instead on having a good time. From what I've seen, I shouldn't expect "Bayonetta 2" to be any different, if not more insane than the last. New look, a (hopefully) better story, more ways to slay bad angels and the same ability to cut loose without care for the sake of fun: I'd expect nothing less.
(Photo courtesy of Microsoft Studios)
"Sunset Overdrive" (Xbox One)
Even though it was announced at the same time Microsoft, well ... hurt the Xbox brand at E3 last year, I was still jealous of those that would get to play this. Yeah, it's exclusive to the console, but the sheer amount of energy the game puts out is infectious, and the action hypes me each time I see a video. Much like "Bayonetta," it suspends belief for enjoyment with its movement and emphasis on stylish combat. It's corny, cheesy and brimming with a punk rock skateboard aesthetic (not a bad thing, mind you), but what other game out there is, for the most part, a western version of Jet Set Radio with weapons? This is the first game I’ll pick up once I snag an Xbox One.
Top 2 Disappointments
(Photo Courtesy of 2K Games)
"Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel" (PC)
I hated the fact that I couldn’t get into "Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel." As much as I dig the Borderlands series, there wasn’t much that truly clicked for me as I got deeper into this iteration. The lasers, cryo guns and O2 kits made the action more fun, as did the new abilities. But even with that and a decent tale behind it all, I couldn’t escape the feeling that I had played this game before — that the enemies, hell, nearly the whole game felt like a reskin coupled with a shallow overworld and long travel times. Simply put – I hit the peak of all the shoot and loot with "Borderlands 2." The Pre-Sequel tried an admirable yet sketchy game of catch up that eventually went nowhere.
Read a review of "Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel" from The State Press here.
(Photo Courtesy of Ubisoft)
"Watch_Dogs" (PS3)
"Watch-Dogs" set the stage for a gruff, unsociable main character out for revenge in a futuristic city governed by a digital big brother that, for some reason, was quite easy to hack into. The hype was real — hack the street lights to jam traffic. Hack to raise barriers to stop chasing cops in a grand display of glass and steel. Steal money from people just by hacking their phones, and hell — hacking a few ATM’s for free cash. Do all of this with a magic cell phone inside a dull and lifeless version of Chicago rife with boring characters, a by-the-numbers cover based shooting system and side quests that were little more than padding to buff out a story that became tired by the first hour. The only satisfaction I garnered from "Watch-Dogs" was trading it in for "Wolfenstein."
Top Surprise of the Year
(Photo courtesy of Activision)The Campaign of "Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare"
As someone who tends to lump into yet another "Call of Duty" bandwagon, you could say I was intrigued when I hit the credits on AW's campaign. The series's latest iteration contained a decent story marred by plot holes marinated in a summer blockbuster season rife for the "Mystery Science Theater 3000" guys to take a crack at. However, the near-perfect gunplay, neat set of toys and remarkably well-done pacing in each mission made it worth the weekend rental. The exo suits felt versatile, not gimmicky, and the game had the support of a great cast of actors that did their best with the cheesy script. Definitely one to grab on the cheap if you don't care about multiplayer, and one for the sci-fi shooter crowd to try.
Top Games of the Year
(Photo Courtesy of Bethesda Softworks)
"Wolfenstein: The New Order" (PS3)
"Wolfenstein" was solid all the way through. It was simply a full eight hours of Nazi hunting wrapped around great story pacing and multiple pathways from mission to mission, giving you a bunch of options, including stealth, guns blazing or a combination of both. The game did not feel sluggish in either avenue. I may not have cared too much for the HQ interludes that dragged on a little long, but those were more than made up for when I got assault rifles back in my hands to blast through another Nazi-ridden scene. There was something just striking about the juxtaposition between the gravitas of a battle on the verge of being lost and the comedic dismemberment of limbs that I still enjoy. Example? The sweat-ridden suspense of the train scene versus the idiot grin I had when I held two quad barrel shotguns for the first time.
(Photo Courtesy of Nintendo)
"Kirby Triple Deluxe" (3DS)
Kirby's latest romp on the 3DS kept me smiling throughout the whole dang adventure, swallowing baddies for powers as I went. With enough cute charm to make Jim Harbaugh crack a laugh (maybe), I loved the interesting challenges the game threw at me with some inventive puzzles and multiple level routes to take when I went for that 100 percent completion. Not to mention that the end game stuff — the minigames and DeDeDe chapter — kept me playing well after the game ended. Fun on top of more fun on top of more fun. That's Kirby in a nutshell.
(Photo courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment)"Diablo III: Reaper of Souls" (PS3)
I might be cheating a bit with this one, since it's technically a re-release of the original "Diablo III." Still, I make the argument that it's a fresher approach than before, while still containing all the addicting demon hunting action that's so satisfying. I've found nothing more than typical for me to check the clock, see that it's three in the morning, then send my Crusader off into one more dungeon. One more becomes two, then five, and yep, late for class. That never ending hunt for loot and new abilities, and the satisfaction of blowing through monsters in mere seconds is not one that's easy to put down, and for that I love it.
(Image courtesy of Nintendo)"Super Smash Bros. for 3DS" (3DS)
I can assure you that the minute I feel I've cleaned house with "Pokemon Alpha Sapphire," I'm going right back to "Smash." It's still astounding that such a title exists on the small stage of the 3DS, and yet manages to improve upon its predecessors. The fighting is brilliant, and the new and updated characters wholly support the fast and frenetic pace of the combat while embracing the more competitive players and keeping its ridiculousness intact. And there's so much to see and so much to unlock that kept me busy even if I wasn't running a four-man stock battle. It's a fun package for anyone, and it's one of the best games I've had on the 3DS.
(Photo Courtesy of Supergiant Games)
"Transistor" (PC)
A city on the brink, missing citizens and a mute woman search for the truth. No other game that I've played this year teased me as much as "Transistor" did. The beautiful design of the city of Cloudbank made me want to dive into my screen to explore it as a citizen before all hell broke loose, and the absence of crucial information and the open questions the game leaves upon its end should have been maddening. It was for a while, but now it's less frustration and more wonder. I still ruminate on theories of who the soul in the Transistor was to main girl Red, and why she was attacked by the antagonists. On top of that, what else is there to know about the city and its inhabitants? Where did it all begin?
When you support this tale with a gorgeous Deco art style, a fun strategic combat system, and a literal button that makes Red hum to the background tune ... something lingers on well after you're done playing, and it makes you go back to see if you can find out more. For me, there was simply nothing better in 2014.
Reach the reporter at Damion.Julien-Rohman@asu.edu or follow him on Twitter @legendpenguin
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
