Games of the Year ’14

Genres

Best Shooter – Far Cry 4

William – In a year that once again held its fair share of shooters, Far Cry 4 managed to stand-out from the crowd.  Despite not being an entirely new idea, Ubisoft refined the formula that they introduced with Far Cry 3 to make yet another stranger in a strange land, go anywhere, do anything shooter campaign.

Trimming the fat in some areas, adding in others, Far Cry 4 is about as good as it gets when it comes to open world shooters.  It’s a diverse offering from Ubisoft, where the adventure and fun don’t get bogged down by its forgettable story.  Plenty to do and see, Far Cry 4 might bare a striking resemblance to its predecessor, but that’s not entirely unforgivable.

So long as you break the script from time to time and take adventures of your own choosing, you won’t find a better shooter this year.

Runner Up: Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

Best Sports – NBA 2K15

Damian – The sports game genre is the one segment of the video game industry that we almost undoubtedly see come about every year, with a number of games based on the most popular sports. 2014 specifically brought us a quality slate of games from MLB 14: The Show to Madden NFL 25, but there were none better than NBA 2K15.

NBA 2K15 builds upon NBA 2K14 by offering a more realistic and up-to-date experience that basketball fans will love. The graphics are the most impressive they have ever been and the gameplay is as excellent as always. Subtle changes to the controls and physics ensure hardcore fans are catered for. The popular MyCareer mode is also back and is as fun as ever, while being totally satisfying living out virtually what it is like being an NBA star.

Another thing that makes NBA 2K15 special is how 2K Sports constantly updates the game to match the real thing. If a player changes his beard, you will see an update to this in a week’s time. They even changed the logos on the courts for a number of the teams too. The team jerseys also change depending on what they will be wearing on a special day like Christmas.

Overall, there was no other sports game that was as excellent as NBA 2K15 this year, with the series being the strongest it has ever been.

Runner Up:  MLB The Show 14

Best Racing – Forza Horizon 2

Anthony – There have been many racing games this year, from simulation games of the two wheeled variety with MotoGP and MXGP, to the four wheeled variation of F1 2014 and DriveClub. One racing game managed to stand out above the crowded array of racing titles that presented themselves this year and that was Forza Horizon 2. Forza, a series known for it’s realism and sticking to the track with Forza Motorsport  took the year off and decided to give the free wielding guys at Playground Games a go with a sequel to their much beloved Forza Horizon. The result, was one of the best racing experiences this year had to offer.

Forza Horizon 2 kind of jumped on fans when it was announced and took the fan-base that was already pre-groomed for it with the Xbox One launch title of Forza Motorsport 5. The wide open landscapes that made its predecessor popular and the ‘no limitations’ style that fans enjoyed only made the game even more appealing on next-gen platforms. It quickly became a no-brainer as information poured out from previews around the internet. The Drivatar 2.0 and immersion just raised the bar, from clubs to the ability to enjoy and race against friends even when they weren’t online with their smart AI counterparts. The sandbox players are able to play in this time around feels more expansive than the first with the array of challenges that awaits drivers. It really is a game with a lot of bang for your buck.

Forza Horizon 2 is the game every racing fans needs in their library and is a great addition to the Xbox One repertoire of titles. It beat out and nearly lapped most of the competition this year, which is saying a lot in a year full of fun racing titles.

Runner Up: Mario Kart 8

Best Action Adventure – Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor

William – Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor was a better game than it had any business being.  For one, it was a franchise game in a year that saw the theatrical release of the Hobbit due. Anyone gaming for any amount of time knows what to expect in these cases.  And second, it was open world game that could have very easily mimicked what others were doing to make something serviceable for Lord of the Rings fans.  Monolith came up big with Shadow of Mordor instead.

They shook things up considerably with underlying systems that may very well shape the future for games of this type.  The game has all the trappings of a conventional open world game: A map littered with content, side and main quests to accomplish, Batman Arkham-like combat, and a world to explore at your discretion.

Though a new layer of gameplay deemed The Nemesis System added depth and personalization, the likes of which we haven’t seen before. (See most innovative)

Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor was head and shoulders above its closest competitors.  Leaving games like Assassin’s Creed: Unity and Watch Dogs feeling rote, rehashed, and lacking innovation.

Runner Up: Assassin’s Creed Unity

Best RPG –  Dragon Age: Inquisition

William – Dragon Age: Inquisition proves that Bioware is still very much at the top of their game when it comes to RPGs. A massive quasi open-world is filled to the brim with content, that not even 100 hours of gameplay will reveal all.  It’s chocked full of characters and relationships to be forged, leveling systems, and loot to procure.  It’s Bioware’s answer to those who didn’t like Dragon Age 2, and it’s the correct one, if the community’s response to this release is a good indication.

Inquisition puts the world’s fate in your hands, telling a cohesive tale that adapts to your choices and actions.  Few RPGs have ever done what Inquisition has done in terms of scale.  In many ways, it offers the seemingly endless number of quests that you would find in an MMO RPG, while still putting forth an experience that tells a great story, your story.

Dragon Age: Inquisition is the quintessential fantasy RPG of 2014, and possibly the best we’ve seen since Skyrim.

Runner Up: Dark Souls 2

Best Fighting – Super Smash Bros.

Dean – The fighting game genre is one that certainly does not have the competition of many others, with the major series getting a brand new game in the series not very often. No major competitive circuit level fighting games had their debut in 2014, but there was one game that released that could rival any fighting games released in the last many years, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.

Debuting first on the Nintendo 3DS in very strong fashion, the version of the game that everyone has to play is on the Wii U. With exceptional graphics for the often considered underpowered Nintendo console, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U boasts a strong roster of fighters, including a few ones, along with a very creative and impressive lineup of stages to choose from.

The most important aspect of the game for fighting game purposes is obviously the gameplay, which is incredibly strong here. Improving on many of the complaints that were had with the fighting mechanics in Brawl, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is an absolute blast in fun or competitive level bouts.

Adding yet another game to the stellar library of exclusives on the Wii U, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is a true system seller that is built for pure fun and enjoyment.

Runner Up: Killer Instinct Season 2

Hit the next page for best Multiplayer, best Remake and other awards

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