We The Nerdy’s Top 10 Games of the Year

So here we are, We the Nerdy’s Top 10 Games of the Year. In the interest of transparency, our list was compiled by taking the contributing writing staff’s individual top 10 lists. Games were scored based on their position in each respective list, and based on how many votes each respective game received. For example, our number 1 game received 39 points in total and appeared on 5 individual lists. While not everyone who voted has written an individual top 10 to be viewed on the site, everyone did turn in a top 10.

Now, with the boring stuff out of the way, let’s get into our Top 10 Games of the Year!

10. This War of Mine

“Come on, how could this not be No. 1 [on my personal list]? 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.” – Chris Henrikson

9. Sunset Overdrive

“Fun. That’s my one word description for this game. With Sunset Overdrive, Insomniac Games essentially created a pure fun engine. A little tricky to get the hang of at first, the movement system is genuinely brilliant. I bounce, I grind, I wall run, I bounce, I grind, and I sure as hell don’t touch the ground. The movement becomes fluid and exciting as you plot your next leap, hoping to approach hordes of brightly colored mutants as quickly as possible in order to rain death upon them with a brilliant array of weapons and skills. Much has been made of the humor in this game and while it doesn’t always hit, it’s pretty damn funny most of the time. I loved the breaking of the fourth wall and the games excellent sense of self, plus other little touches like the ability to change gender at any time and the numerous pop culture references (particularly the Big Lebowski reference in the bowling ball launching gun named ‘the Dude’). If you would like to indulge your potty-mouthed inner child, there is no better fix.” – Sam Reeder

8. Dragon Age: Inquisition

“Dragon Age: Inquisition is, simply put, the best game of 2014. The combat styles itself after Dragon Age II, but does a lot to improve on its predecessor. The return of the tactical map is more than welcome and helps lend more strategic depth to the game. The first time I slayed a dragon I took a picture. Thanks to the great combat engine, I was legitimately proud of this in-game feat.

Bioware has crafted some of its best characters. Sera, Vivienne, and Iron Bull are just a couple of the fantastically written new characters. Many of the classic characters from past games also appear (I won’t give away any spoilers), and my meetings with old friends were easily some of my favorite moments of the year. While not necessarily a part of the game, I was also impressed with how easy it was to customize your world to your liking through Dragon Age Keep. While the overall story wasn’t perfect and the villain felt generic, the sheer amount of content offered by Dragon Age: Inquisition is truly special.” – Bryan Boshart

7. Far Cry 4

“In Far Cry 4, Ubisoft sure nails the setting. Kyrat is a vast, beautiful, unpredictable and incredibly dangerous place to explore. As a result, wing-suitting from objective to objective is a joy. But the game’s biggest success is demonstrating how good Ubisoft games can be when done right. Let’s be honest; most modern Ubi games follows a similar format. From Watch Dogs to Assassin’s Creed, and even cross-country racing game The Crew, each title features a huge map packed to the brim with missions, objectives, and collectibles, and you reveal new areas by accessing certain “sync points.” But whereas, at this point, this formula feels trite, played out, and exhausting in most of the aforementioned titles, Far Cry 4 is an example of how when it works, it works. In other games, the missions are repetitive and at times, seemingly random. In Far Cry 4, everything is well contextualized AND incredibly varied–even different side missions of the same type feel distinct. It is the Ubisfot formula perfected, and an absolute blast from start to finish. Just watch out for the Honey Badgers!!” – Eric Gerson

6. Transistor

“The first trailer for Transistor that I saw at last year’s E3 announcement was perhaps one of the few things I remember from that E3. It was so catching and artistic that when I got my PS4 it was the only game I eagerly awaited for release. The soundtrack still plays in my car on the way to work from time to time, but the music alone was not what led Transistor to my list. The unique gameplay that allowed players to favor action or strategy was a brave experiment, and the character design and worldbuilding left many players asking to see more.” – Cameron McFarland

5. Super Smash Bros. Wii U

“Alright, we are at the top of the list, so I think it’s time to put all my cards on the table: I am an unabashed Nintendo fanboy. As a result, the Smash Bros franchise has a very special place in my heart. In fact, it is the only franchise for which I’ve ever went to a midnight launch. So as long as a Smash Bros game launches in any given year and it isn’t completely broken, it will always be one of my favorite games of that year. But in all seriousness; with the launch of Smash Bros Wii U, Nintendo finally has the killer app it is looking for on its latest console. This game is the full realization and, in some cases, and improvement upon of everything that has made the franchise so fantastic in years past. Lightning-quick but intricate; wacky and wild but fair and balanced; varied artwork that all just fits; and above all else, a wealth of content to please any Nintendo fan. This game is the perfect digital salute to Nintendo’s amazing library of titles from its decades in the industry. They wrote the book on video games, and Smash Bros Wii U is the encyclopedia about that book. Play it alone, play it with friends, play it online. Just make sure you play it.” – Eric Gerson

4. Wolfenstein: The New Order

“If you want a good shooter, with ridiculous gore and weapons, good stealth mechanics, great characters and an interesting story, do not hesitate and play Wolfenstein: The New Order immediately.” – Sean Mesler

3. South Park: The Stick of Truth

“The Stick of Truth also happens to be a perfect love letter to South Park fans. No matter where you go in this world, you will find collectible items that relate to every single episode. I expected some references to big episodes like the World of Warcraft episode, but I didn’t expect the references to super random episodes from season one. Quite frankly, I was blown away by the dedication to little details in The Stick of Truth. Half of the weapons in the game were from super random episodes.” – John Newby

2. Destiny

“The perfect marriage of everything I like about Halo’s fantasy and storytelling with the tight and brutal violence I crave from Call of Duty, plus all the annoying stuff no one likes about MMO games. Destiny did not make my #1 on the list, but the shortcomings that come from frequent load screens and annoying grinding are not enough to keep it off the list altogether. I still remember the feeling I got when I first landed on the moon. I looked at the Earth and the stars and slowly lowered my eyes down to look at my feet. I took a step backwards and saved a screenshot of my first footprint left on the moon. There was a magic to be found in Destiny, and those willing to overlook the quirks of the game were able to enjoy their first outing in this big new franchise.’ – Cameron McFarland

1. Titanfall

“With perfect controls, impeccable map design and an easily digestible gameplay loop, Titanfall stands head and shoulders above every game I’ve played this year. In fact, it’s the best shooter I’ve played since Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. Which should come as no surprise considering that Respawn Entertainment is comprised of many of the core team behind Infinity Ward’s top tier games, MW2 and Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare. Eschewing a single player campaign for a focused multiplayer experience, Titanfall gets so many things right that what many see as lacking content, I see as focusing on moment-to-moment gameplay as the hook, everything else is just gravy. When you take into account the free updates the game has received over the course of the year – new game modes, refinements and balancing, Titanfall is the total package. Easily my favorite game of the year.” – Sean Mesler

So there you have it. Our collective Top 10 Games of the Year. We’re positive many of you reading thing we got it wrong, so by all means, let us know in the comments! Till then, see you next year!