This year in gaming has been a bit of a let down for me, with numerous delays until 2015 and a handful of extremely disappointing games. 2014 has not been the strongest in recent years for video games, but there have been a few really good gems to have come out this year. I am excluding PS4, Wii U, and Xbox One games from this list due to the fact that I do not yet own a new-gen console, and it wouldn't be fair to list games that I have not had the pleasure of playing.
Dark Souls II ( Xbox 360)
Developed by From Software and published by From Software and Bandai Namco Games. I took a big chance on Dark Souls II, because I didn't play the first one, and I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Luckily I instantly fell in love with this insanely hard action RPG, I couldn't get enough of the dark atmosphere of the game. Plus it was fun to see just how many players died within the first week of playing.
Released on March 11, 2014
Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft (PC)
Developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. I am not a huge fan of card games, probably because I am awful at strategic thinking. Since Hearthstone is free to play, I figured I had nothing to lose when getting this game, and I was right.
Hearthstone is the most fun I have ever had while playing a card game. I really enjoy the medieval pub vibe that is lathered on the game. The enemy AI is fun to play against, but playing against another player is by far the best part. I’m not one to recommend PVP games because I hate competition, but if you ever want to get into a card game then Hearthstone is your best bet. I just wish they had Death Knights as a playable class!
Released on March 11, 2014
Diablo III: Reaper Of Souls (PC)
Developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. I really enjoyed playing Diablo III, but Reaper of Souls took everything that was fun and turned it up to eleven by adding an Adventure mode, character seasons, and the awesome Crusader class. I have spent many of my hours farming rifts and greater rift tokens for a chance of upgrading those over-powered legendary gems.
Released on March 25, 2014
Child Of Light (PC)
Developed by Ubisoft Montreal and published by Ubisoft. This gorgeous looking homage to old school RPG’s is one of the best games I have had the pleasure of playing in a long time. Watching Aurora grow up into a strong and memorable character was inspiring, and the story was nothing short of amazing. If anyone asks to give them a prime example of why video games are an art form, just show them Child Of Light.
Released on April 29, 2014
Transistor (PC)
Developed and published by Supergiant Games. This unique action RPG has a great battle system, and an even greater story. I enjoyed nearly everything about Transistor, the gorgeous art style and even the amazing soundtrack that I bought on day one. Definitely one of the highlights of the gaming industry in the past ten years.
Released on May 20, 2014
Shovel Knight (PC)
Developed and published by Yacht Club Games. Shovel Knight is a love letter to the old school 2-D side scrolling platforming games of my childhood. Loaded with tons of secrets, upgrades and fun boss fights, Shovel Knight will keep you entertained for hours upon hours. My favorite part was trying to beat New Game Plus mode without using any checkpoints, that was a great feat of strength.
Released on June 26, 2014
Five Nights At Freddy’s (PC)
Developed and published by Scott Cawthon. Five Nights At Freddy’s is a point and click survival horror game that has scared the crap out of me, to the point where I need adult diapers in order to play. This cult classic takes all of our childhood fears and makes them reality with killer robots and constant paranoia. The simple yet frightening mechanics and jump scares make this one of the best indie games of the year.
Released on August 8, 2014
Gauntlet (PC)
Developed by Arrowhead Game Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. This reboot of the classic hack and slash is the best Gauntlet game to date. The old school difficulty along with hordes of enemies and awesome boss fights makes Gauntlet an amazing game to play with your friends. Just make sure you don’t shoot the food.
Released on September 23, 2014
The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth (PC)
Developed by Nicalis and distributed via Steam. The Binding Of Isaac: Rebirth is a remake of the original with a boat load of new content, and all of the previous DLC. This original Zelda-like dungeon crawler had me sinking countless hours into it, and I still have yet to beat the game more than twice.
Released on November 4, 2014
World Of Warcraft: Warlords Of Draenor (PC)
Developed and published by Blizzard Entertainment. The fifth expansion to Blizzard’s monstrous MMO is the best by far. With updated character models, a new world, and a truly epic story so far, you are definitely missing out if you have not picked up Warlords Of Draenor yet. After ten years of World of Warcraft, the game is still amazing for casual players and hardcore players.
Released on November 13, 2014
Published: Dec 11, 2014 08:17 am