Since
2012, Telltale Games has established themselves the lead story tellers in the
game industry. First making waves with their 2012 adaptation of the hit comic
"The Walking Dead," their episodic series featuring player choices
have become a hit. And despite the acclaim garnered by "The Walking Dead:
Season One" and "Season two," many actually view "The Wolf
Among Us" as their finest work. Based off the comic series
"Fables;" all the fairy tales you've ever been told are true and over
the years they have all migrated to New York City and live in secrecy, you play
the big bad wolf who is the sheriff of this small community. One day you
discover the grisly murder of one of your people, and are then dragged into a
conspiracy that spreads throughout all of the fairy tales. "The Wolf Among
Us" is one of the best mystery games I've played in a long time, and it
shows the diversity that Telltale Games is capable of. It is unsure whether
there will be a season two or not, all I know is that if there is I'll be downloading
the first episode on day one.
In 2011, independent developers Supergiant Games released their first game "Bastion;" a beautiful top down, action RPG with a unique narrative that went on to be one of the year's best. In 2013, they announced their follow up game "Transistor." Following a similar model, "Transistor" was released to wide acclaim. You play as a young woman named Red, a singer who was to be assassinated. Managing to survive only losing your voice, you find what appears to be a large sword that can communicate with you. Along with the sword, Red attempts to find out what happened and finish off those who tried to have her killed. Featuring a beautiful soundtrack, unique combat, a great narrative, and arguably the best art style of any game release in 2014, "Transistor" really is something special.
For the first time in as long as I've been a fan, we finally get a "Lord of the Rings" game that doesn't suck; not only that, it's just plain awesome. Developed my Monolith Productions, the game works as a mix between the combat of "Batman: Arkham City" and the free running of "Assassins Creed." Taking place on two separate large maps right outside of Mordor, you play as a ranger brought back from death that is seeking revenge against the monster responsible for the death of his family. Alongside the wraith who created the rings of power. Highlighted by great combat and surprisingly good story, "Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor" is one of the best games of the year and one I'd recommend to anyone interested.
The "Souls" series have gained a rather unique following; it's a combination of sadists, try-hards, and overall angry people. Like its predecessors, the game is incredibly difficult. While not as hard as the previous game, I still managed to die just under 150 times during my first play through. "Dark Souls 2" is a RPG from a Japanese company called "From Software," who have developed the perfect form of sword and shield combat. What makes this game so great though is the challenging aspect it brings to the table. Too many games nowadays hold your hand through the entire game, "Dark Souls 2" breaks your hand and tells you to go kill a monster three stories tall. Some have complained that "Dark Souls 2" is dumbed down from the previous game, but I never saw that. I viewed it as more accessible to new players, and made several necessary changes to the game that just made it more fun. This was the first great game I played in 2014, and it is arguably one of the best.
2012's "Far Cry 3" is one of my favorite games of all time; it was ridiculous fun from start to finish. Ever since the announcement of the sequel, I couldn't have been more exciting. And after finally playing the game I can say that it lived up to my expectations. The game follows the story of Ajay Ghale, a young man from America who has traveled to his late mother's home country of Kyrat (a northern region of Nepal) to spread her ashes. You arrive only to find out that the country is engaged in a violent civil war and that your father was a leader of a local rebel group. Despite having nothing to do with the war, you are dragged into the middle of it and become the rebel's key weapon. What "Far Cry 4" does right, just like its predecessor, is that it's fun. This is a game I can see myself going back and playing several times over. An interesting story, solid mechanics, a beautiful world, tons of missions to accomplish, and endless replay value insure that this game is well worth the money.
This was a game I had no plans on getting until I walked into Game Stop. Prior to its release, it received wide critical acclaim with many calling it the best game of the year. So along with "Far Cry 4" (which came out the same day), I decided to get. And after finishing the prologue, I was positive that it was going to be an amazing experience. Developed by Bioware, the game follows the player who is the sole survivor of a huge explosion that claimed many lives and ripped a hole between their world and the next. So along with a group of warriors, you are tasked with closing the rift before it consumes the earth. Whether you want an RPG, action adventure, or a dialog heavy game where your choices matter, "Dragon Age: Inquisition" has something for just about everyone. To be honest, 2014 hasn't been the best year for gaming; especially in wake of 2013 which featured several of the greatest games of all time. But if there is one game that truly stands out among the rest, it would be this one.
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