Chris Henrikson’s Top 10 Games Of 2014

“Well then, here we go again!” [Madame Vastra, Doctor Who]

Ah, Christmas! The most wonderful time of the year has once again rolled around, complete with its staples such as religious intolerance, emphasis on mindless commercialism and a complete and utter lack of game releases, as the last titles of the year that were worthy of note all came out back in November. But still, these supposedly quiet and uneventful few weeks separating us from January are enough to give us the chance to look back on the year and evaluate the good, the bad, the ugly and the re-released. Thankfully, there wasn’t a whole lot of “bad” in 2014 – I can only think of a couple of titles which really deserve the title, and pretty much all of them deserve the title mostly because of how much potential they utterly wasted (looking straight at you, Korra and Yaiba). Unfortunately, there wasn’t a whole lot of good either – it’s a bit of an awkward time for gaming right now, as most developers are still getting comfortable with the new hardware and prefer to stay in their comfort zone for now by making re-releases and remastered editions. Which is good, of course – The Last of Us is even better than it was last year, and it’s still easily one of the best games of all time, but we have already played it, so it didn’t seem fair to compare it to all of the other brand-new titles. With that in mind, I decided to settle on two very simple rules for determining which game makes it to my list and which doesn’t. Rule No. 1: No re-releases or ports. While I loved Dust on PS4 just as much as I loved it on PC (which is to say, quite a lot), just like The Last of Us, it just doesn’t seem fair to compare it to new stuff no matter how well it holds up. Rule No. 2: No games I haven’t actually played. This seems like a no-brainer, but I still felt like mentioning it just because a whole lot of people are going to ask where DragonAge Inquisition, Danganronpa and Far Cry 4 are. Yeah, I know they’re great, but I didn’t have the chance to play them this year, so putting them on my list wouldn’t seem sincere, even though they’re objectively better than some of the games that did make it. So, if your favorite games aren’t on the list, it’s either one of those reasons or I just thought they weren’t good enough to qualify. It’s important to note that this is my list, so our opinions are bound to differ – as they should. With that said, let’s jump straight to the list!

10. A Story About My Uncle

A couple of times a year I sit down, take a good look through my Steam library and check out a few games purely because the title sounds interesting. I don’t really expect much, as most of my collection consists of shovelware sold in cheap bundles, but even if the game is bad there’s still usually something worth noting about it. And, of course, when all the planets align perfectly at 12 PM on a rainy day with a double rainbow outside, I just might find a title that’s genuinely very good. A Story About My Uncle is that title, and it’s a damn shame that it has been so overlooked by the gaming press. To put it simply – you know the swinging mechanic from Spider-Man 2 and Bionic Commando? Imagine a whole game based solely around it, played in first person. If that sounds even remotely interesting to you then you owe it to yourself to check the game out, as it’s probably the freshest puzzle game I’ve played since the original Portal (though I use the term “puzzle game” rather loosely here). The plot is mainly just a story told by a father to his son about this great quest he went on in his youth, and as such is full of all sorts of fantastic elements which might not be perfectly coherent to an adult, but would make complete sense to the child for whom the story is meant – and putting the player in this very particular mindset is something that not a lot of games manage to pull off successfully. Overall, I’d say that A Story About My Uncle is the overlooked gem of 2014. Is it perfect? Not by a long shot. Will it change your life? Probably not. Is it a unique and fresh experience that’s worth playing? Abso-friggin-lutely!

9. Goat Simulator

This will be one of several controversial entries on this list, but hear me out! First of all, I’d like to point out that I am specifically referring to the original release of Goat Simulator and not the MMO expansion, which I haven’t played nearly enough yet to have a concrete opinion of. To explain what makes this game good enough to be on the list we’ll have to delve a little in game design theory, as Goat Simulator contains some of the worst mechanics I’ve seen in a while, and yet also some of the best dynamics I’ve seen… ever. To elaborate – a mechanic is a particular element of the game that the player can utilize (ex. shooting portals in Portal), and a dynamic is the way in which said mechanics are used (ex. placing a portal on the ceiling and another on the floor and falling indefinitely). At first glance, the mechanics of Goat Simulator – fainting, ramming, etc – seem plain and overly simplified. But the world that the developers place the player in has been specifically designed to subtly stimulate certain dynamics, often with results that are utterly hilarious. Almost everyone tries to ram the gas station despite not being openly told to do so, and most people laugh when they see the explosion launching their poor goat like a torpedo. Which brings me to my next point – Goat Simulator might be one of the best humorous games ever. Unlike classics like Monkey Island or Conker, GS relies on its player rather than on a pre-written script to craft the jokes, which is something that fits an interactive medium way better than anything scripted. Of course, the downside to this is that most, if not all, of the humor ultimately boils down to rather dumb jokes which make you laugh because they catch you off-guard and not because they’re brilliant in their setup and execution. But if dumb humor is your thing (and there’s nothing wrong if it is), Goat Simulator will definitely be your cup of tea – and even if it’s not, it’s at least a step in the right direction when it comes to the genre of humorous games.

8. Gods Will Be Watching

Gods Will Be Watching is another relatively unknown indie title, though it received more exposure than A Story About My Uncle thanks to the rather excellent flash game it’s based on and because for 15 minutes after its release everyone and their mother talked about it. And honestly, I don’t get why the discussion didn’t continue past that point. After all, this game is one of the tensest, most nerve-wrecking experiences of the year, placing the player in situations which are downright unwinnable and asking them to win. It’s like the Kobayashi Maru test from Star Trek, just not nearly as fun (in a good way). I really don’t want to spoil too much if you haven’t played it, so I’ll try to be a little more vague when discussing particulars. Plot-wise, the game is a prequel, a sequel and a remake of the flash-based original, which placed you and your crew on a deserted snowy planet with little supplies and one task: Survive. The game explores several other scenarios leading up to that situation and succeeding it, and while they’re all very different from each other, the one thing they have in common is that they’re all about making difficult choices and working under pressure within a certain time limit, which always seems to be too short for what you’re trying to accomplish. And when I say “choices” I don’t mean arbitrary ones which may or may not change something minor in the narrative – I’m talking about decisions which can, and will, affect you in the next few minutes and may cost you the entire scenario. Do you shoot a hostage in the leg or risk an escape attempt? Do you sacrifice the soldier, the medic or the engineer? Do you provoke your torturer or let your friend take a hammer to the kneecap? There is no right solution, but these are still choices you have to make constantly – and live with their consequences. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

7. Never Alone

This entry is going to be a little short, as I already reviewed the game in length. But for those of you too lazy to read that, let me just say that this is probably the first documentary game done right (yes, even better than the already excellent Valiant Hearts). The core gameplay consists of some very solid platforming and a very fresh co-op mode, but the most impressive feat of Never Alone aren’t its mechanics – it’s the fact that the entire experience has been built to embody traditional Iñupiat lore. From the way the cutscenes are presented to the themes of the story and mechanics, every fiber of Never Alone has been crafted so that it could belong to that culture. But since most of us aren’t very familiar with the mythology of the Iñupiat people, the game helpfully provides us with the so-called Cultural Insights – short documentary videos which give context to various elements of the plot as you reach them, allowing the player to further understand the themes of the experience. Honestly, Never Alone does so many things right that it’s almost ridiculous. It blends the “documentary” and “game” parts flawlessly, and on top of that looks beautifully and is actually a ton of fun to play. If you’re looking for a platformer that’s deeper than your average Mario game, then you definitely won’t regret picking this one up.

6. Watch_Dogs

And here’s my second controversial entry on the list. Boy oh boy, did people love to hate this one, and honestly… I don’t really understand why. No, that’s actually a lie, I understand perfectly – it’s because of all the hype. Ubisoft built up Watch_Dogs to be a masterpiece that’s going to revolutionize open world gaming, and the first true next-gen title. And while we didn’t exactly get that, what we got was actually pretty solid. The hacking isn’t going to blow anyone’s mind, but it’s a really neat mechanic that makes the game a heck of a lot more fun to play. Once you truly get how hacking works you start thinking completely differently about how to play. Car chases aren’t about outrunning your opponents or playing bumper cars – the ability to elevate road blocks or blow steam pipes brings a whole new strategic element to it, as your goal suddenly becomes planning your route so that you can pass by as many hackable objects as possible, all while being in front of 4-5 cars that are out for your head. Same goes for firefights, as you find yourself forced to play smart and use hacking to pick off the enemies one by one until you’re discovered and have to resort to your guns (and on a related note, remotely activating the enemy’s grenades is one of the most fun things I’ve done in a videogame this year). A lot of people took issue with the story, including one person who wrote a several hundred pages long shallow parody, but I personally loved it and its themes. It shows the first realistic portrayal of a vigilante that I’ve seen in a game. Aiden Pierce doesn’t live in a mansion with a butler and a bunch of twelve year olds in tights – he spends his nights in shipping containers, ruins his family (who want nothing to do with him by the end of the game) and his only allies are a bunch of social outcasts. The more you play, the more it becomes clear just how deranged Aiden actually is, and how far he’s willing to go to fuel that hero fantasy of his (spoiler – it involves killing defenseless people and putting thousands in jeopardy just so he can keep his bad guy active). The game offers only one moral choice, which is completely insignificant as it comes at the very end (and wouldn’t have mattered much if it came earlier anyway), but it’s still one of the most gut-wrenching decisions I’ve ever made in a game. And I haven’t even touched on the dozens upon dozens of hours worth of side activities, such as additional missions, drinking games, and my favorite – digital trips, where Aiden gets high off his ass and hallucinates while drooling on the ground. How can you not love it?

5. South Park: The Stick of Truth

There it is, guys. The second South Park movie is finally here, except it’s not a movie, it’s a turn-based RPG! This game is nothing short of a technological marvel just because of how much it looks, sounds and feels like the show. Honestly, I’ve never played another licensed game in my life which captures its source material so accurately that footage from it could be easily mistaken for footage from the actual show. Of course, it helps that South Park‘s artstyle is so distinctly simplistic, but don’t forget that we’ve had games based on the property before on a variety of systems, and none of them came even close to looking like this. Artstyle aside, though, the game also tells a fantastic story chock-full of references to the source material, many of which have clearly been placed there for the hardcore fans who have been following the show since its inception. I really liked the battle system as well – I’m generally not impressed with turn-based combat, as it often feels sluggish and just a drag to get through, but I’m happy to say that Obsidian have managed to streamline the battle system, and in the process speeding it up to a pretty good pace. In many ways, The Stick of Truth is pretty much the perfect licensed  game, and the only reason why it’s in the middle of the list and not near the top is because I just can’t recommend it to anyone not familiar with South Park. And to me that’s a pretty major flaw, even if it’s one that can’t be avoided without compromising the fanservice. With that said, if you’re a fan of the show, you owe it to yourself to play it… And honestly, chances are you already have.

4. The Wolf Among Us

Now there’s a licensed game that can, and will, be equally enjoyable to fans of the source material and newcomers alike! Telltale do what they do best by taking a property which not a lot of people can imagine turned into a game and then doing just that, crafting a title that’s able to stand on its own merits while still respecting its existing fanbase. I wouldn’t exactly call myself a Fables fan, but I’ve read a few of the comics in preparation for the game, and boy oh boy, does The Wolf Among Us nail the atmosphere and the characters perfectly! Telltale did such a good job that Bill Willingham, the author of Fables, said that his position as a consultant felt like he was stealing money because the developers had done their research so well that there wasn’t anything left to consult them about. And not only that – while the comic book itself is set in modern day, The Wolf Among Us is set in the 80s… And Telltale even manage to get that right, with neon colors everywhere and synthesized music as the game’s main theme. Hell, even the glitches are amazing! Pretty much the only thing about the game I didn’t like is that it starts off and sets up the first few episodes as a murder mystery – someone is killing hookers in Fabletown, and as the sheriff it’s your job to find out who… And then the plot takes a completely different turn and it becomes about a conspiracy, with the identity of the killer being outright stated in a very anticlimactic manner at the beginning of the final episode. But still, that’s a very minor gripe for what is definitely a worthwhile experience!

3. Assassin’s Creed Rogue

What if I told you that the best Assassin’s Creed game in years just came out this year, and pretty much nobody played it because everyone was busy trying to deal with the broken, glitchy mess that is Assassin’s Creed Unity? Shocking, but very true! Rogue is meant to serve as a swan song to both the America saga and the last console generation, and wow, what a sendoff! The naval gameplay from Assassin’s Creed IV returns as the focus here as well, but while IV felt like a pirate game that just so happened to have assassins in it, everything in Rogue has been designed to reinforce the core principles of the Assassin’s Creed franchise… Which is ironic, considering that you don’t even spend most of the game playing as an Assassin! The main character, Shay, quickly grows disillusioned with his order after he inadvertently destroys an entire city (in one of the most amazing escape sequences ever, if I might add) and decides that enough is enough – he’s not going to be an Assassin, he’s going to hunt them down and destroy them! While I never particularly cared about the plot of IV, the story of Rogue is so good – perhaps a little too good, as by the end I actually found myself sympathizing with the Templar side of the conflict far more than with the Assassin one, which is bound to bite me in the ass when we inevitably return to an Assassin protagonist next year. And last, but not least, I believe that this game has the best ending in the series’ history, as both storylines (Shay’s and the one set in Abstergo Industries, which continues where IV left off) end on incredibly satisfying notes. My advice – just skip Unity altogether and pay some attention to an Assassin’s Creed game that actually deserves it. You’ll thank me later.

2. Transistor

I am in love. Seriously, words can not express how much I adore this game. It’s my favorite of the year, and the only reason why it’s not #1 is because I believe my other pick is more culturally significant. But if I had to actually pick just one game released in 2014 which I’d play for eternity, this would be it. Supergiant have gone above and beyond the already marvelous Bastion to deliver one of the most memorable experiences I’ve played recently. While Bastion pretty much took place after the apocalypse, Transistor
places you right in the middle of it. Red, our voiceless protagonist, finds herself in a highly technological world that’s slowly being deleted by an entity known as the Process, which manifests itself in the form of monsters (looking like they’ve been designed by Apple). Her only defense is a giant sword known as the Transistor, which allows her to stop time and various attacks known as Functions. And while the story is definitely appealing (especially the ending, which is unbelievably heartbreaking), the real meat of the game lies within its utterly brilliant battle system. Each of the Functions you collect can be equipped as an attack, as an accessory to another attack or as a passive skill for Red – and considering that each attack can have two accessories and you can have up to 4 attacks and 4 passive skills equipped at once means that you’ve got pretty much limitless customization options, all without assigning a single point or making any permanent changes to your character. Once you’ve selected a build that works for you, you can use each attack in real time, or stop the clock and chain them for a devastating combo, at the expense of not being able to attack at all for a little while. And I can not even begin to describe how satisfying mastering the combat system and the various functions feels! And the music? Wow, the music!  It really says something when it’s the only game I know that has a “hum” button, doesn’t it? I just… I’m sorry, I just get into full geek-out mode when talking about this game. If you haven’t played it, you owe it to yourself to do so!

Honorable Mentions:

Always, Sometimes, Monsters – I swear, if I had discovered this game earlier it would have absolutely been on the list, for it is definitely better than a good chunk of the entries above. But the thing is, I found out about it literally by accident a few days after submitting my list to the editors, so there was no way to add it even though it deserved it. It’s very hard to describe it without spoiling anything, so just take my word for it and try it out, okay? You won’t be disappointed, and the amazing guys over at Vagabond Dog can definitely use your support.
Threes – Ever since I got a smartphone earlier in the year I’ve been trying all sorts of mobile games, and honestly, most of them aren’t very good. I mean, sure, a lot of them are worthwhile by mobile  standards, but when compared to their console or even handheld brothers most of them fall flat. Threes is pretty much the only title I’ve played on mobile that I truly enjoyed. It’s truly an incredibly satisfying an enjoyable puzzle game that’s utterly brilliant in its simplicity, and take that from someone who doesn’t even enjoy these types of games!
Towerfall Ascension – I’ll be honest, at first I really didn’t know what the fuss about this game was all about. I tried the adventure mode and absolutely hated it, branding the game as unfairly difficult and just not a lot of fun to play. Trying adventure mode with a friend yielded the same results… But when I got a third friend and tried the versus mode, the title truly shined. These chaotic archery matches where practically every single round had a couple of truly epic moments that made me and my friends scream were probably the most fun I’ve had with a co-op game this year.
Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes – Much like Watch_Dogs, I don’t think this game deserves nearly as much hate as it gets. Its short length has been criticized to absurd levels, to the point where the fact that you can speedrun it has attracted hateful comments. And sure, it’s not the longest game ever, but it costs $20, and if you complete all of the missions included you can easily get at least 5-6 hours out of it. Regardless, this doesn’t change the fact that Ground Zeroes is still a wonderful stealth game with literally hundreds of ways to tackle its main mission, and serves as a wonderful demo of what the Fox Engine is capable of.
Valiant Hearts – Upon its release, Valiant Hearts received a lot of praise… And honestly, I can see why. The art is beautiful, the story is heartbreaking and it attempts to do something rarely attempted
successfully before – to educate people through gaming. Unfortunately, I don’t think it does either very well – the gameplay isn’t particularly fun, and most of the education is done through articles that you need to stop and read, which isn’t very fun either. Still, that doesn’t make the narrative and arstyle any less beautiful, and the game’s worth a shot just because of them.

And the winner is…

1. This War Of Mine

Come on, how could this not be No. 1? As I stated in my review, the game is an absolute masterpiece which manages to tackle a very dark subject matter with the respect and depth it deserves while also providing a very engaging gaming experience in its own right. As with Never Alone I will keep this entry relatively short, as I already talked in length about just what makes This War Of Mine so amazing, but suffice to say that the 10/10 score is absolutely justified. I don’t usually like giving out perfect scores, as even the best games of all time (like The Last of Us or Final Fantasy VI) have certain flaws which prevent them from being 100% perfect, but I just couldn’t find anything at all wrong with this game. Each and every element, from its unique visuals through its storytelling to its mechanics has been designed and implemented perfectly, and any potential changes that I could think of were only going to result in an inferior final product. And not only that – the game also adds educational value without shoving it in your face like Never Alone or Valiant Hearts. It doesn’t need documentary videos or text articles explaining what the civilians caught in the middle of a war have to go through. All it needs to do is place you in the shoes of one. And that makes it my personal Game of the Year.

So, what do you think, Internet? Do you agree with my list, or at least with my reasoning behind it, or do you think I have the worst taste in games ever? Also, what is your personal list? Let me know in the comments below!