My Top 10 Games of 2014

So with, 2014 in the books, it's time to take a look back and see what games I enjoyed. No need to draw out this post, there's going to be plenty of discussion inside. Keep in mind that this post is completely subjective, and only accounts for video games that I have played, meaning games I have not played are not present, and games of the non video kind, such as board games and Magic the Gathering are not present as well. With that in mind, make the jump with me and find out what I consider to be my favorite games of 2014.

Oh, and this list tries to stay spoiler free, but keep in mind there may be a little bit spoiled.



10. Prismata 

Prismata is a fun game that's actually in beta right now, but since I managed to get my hands on it at the end of 2014, I included it on the the list (also to help the awesome game get exposure, I plan on doing a full post on it later). It's a fun card game like hearthstone, but has resource management like Starcraft. Does that sound fun? Well check out the video above and sign up for the beta! And yes, I put this on the list instead of Hearthstone because I am enjoying this more than Hearthstone, and that's saying something.


9. Little Big Planet 3

Little Big Planet 3 is one of the cutest games I've played in a while. Everything about this game is designed to be kid-friendly. This platformer is easy, but completing it takes more effort. By that I mean if your goal is to finish the level, you won't have too much trouble. However, if your goal is to all of the stickers and costumes (which you use to decorate your character and the world around you), some of them can be difficult to get to. It's also really easy for kids (or your girlfriend) to pick up and learn how to play. A great game in terms of campaign, but one of the best games in terms of creativity. The level creator is one of the best ever, and there's a ton of possibilities for what you can make. AN amazing sandbox for creators to use.

8. Geometry Wars 3

I've always had a sweet spot for the Geometry Wars series. Think of the old school game Asteroids, and then take that and put it on acid, and you have Geometry Wars. Tons of fast paced action, with tons of vivid and bright explosions designed to distract the player. It has a simplistic gameplay base, and is easy for anyone to pick up.

7. Shovel Knight

Some of these games I didn't get around to play much. Shovel Knight is one of them. I love 2D platformers (Mega Man), and I love 8 bit graphics (also Mega Man). So combining them into a wonderful game like this was a no brainer. The gameplay is amazing and reminds me a lot of the platformers of years past. I look forward to playing this game more.

6. Professor Layton vs Phoenix Wright

I've always enjoyed Professor Layton games for quite a while. I had never played Phoenix Wright games, although I was quite familiar with them. However, this was a nice chance for me to experience a new Layton game as well as delve into the world of the courtroom. What I found was an experience unlike any other. I have since delved more into the Phoenix Wright franchise, and plan to play the recently remastered trilogy once I finish with this game. A true puzzler that will definitely make you think, I love how this game makes me ponder every little detail.

5. Dragon Age: Inquisition

This is the other game on the list that I never got enough time with before the year ended, although it's mostly because of the Christmas season and how late in the year it was released. I feel like with more time, I would have ranked this higher, but sadly, I haven't gotten far enough to determine if I really love this game or not. It's more than likely I love it, and I would rate it higher, because I love the in-depth story, and the strategy and combat being intermingled in such a brilliant way,but right now, I'm putting it right here.

4. Bravely Default

What a game. This RPG tests your patience, though. It's a great game. The job system is extraordinary, the diary and environments are varied and unique, and up until the endgame, there's little backtracking. As I'm trying to avoid spoilers, I'll just say that while the ending of the game is a surprise, the path to get there is...tedious. I actually haven't finished the true ending of the game because of it, but I had a lot of fun with the game. Plus the Streetpass system for this game made the Nemesis and hometown system fun. (Having it at PAX helped out a lot!)

3. Defense Grid 2

I've talked about Defense Grid 2 in a previous blog post (look at it here), and since then I've logged more and more hours in all of the neat modes to play with. Since I got it on PS4, I don't have access to all of the user-created levels the PC version offers, and I've seriously considered buying DG2 again on the PC simply for the access to those levels. Still, this is on of the best strategy games I've played in a while, and the bar when it comes to tower defense games.

2. Warlords of Draenor

Duh, this was going to be on here. You don't think I would put this on here? I've already done two posts on this game: A Preview post about what I was excited for here, A First Impressions post here, and a second review coming in about a month (once the first raid tier is done). This expansion is wonderful, and renewed a lot about what I love about the World of Warcraft.

1. The Last of Us: Remastered

Yes, I know this game officially came out last year, but A) I just got around to playing it this year, and B) The Remastered version came out this year, so I can put this here. And the Remastered version is beautiful. Add in the added DLC, and it's worth the pickup if you've already played it. If you haven't played this game, you NEED to. This game has ruined survival horror and zombie games for me because nothing can compare to the emotion you could feel in this game. The mechanics of the game are incredible, and you really feel like you are in a post-apocalyptic world. From the gut-wrenching intro to the heart-racing finale, there's twists and turns that had me put down the control in shock, then pick it back up because I was hooked and needed to know what would happen next. Naught Dog outdid themselves with this one, and now I'm interested in the Uncharted series to see what that franchise is all about.