BEST INDIE GAMES OF 2014 PS4
This gorgeous game will be hitting PS4 and PC this year. The game also introduces a planning mechanic that allows you to pause the action and set up strategic attacks at the cost of some of your red bar. They are sticking to the same genre with Transistor, but with a drastically different sci-fi setting.
It has been nearly three years since Supergiant Games' breakout action RPG Bastion. So in no particular order, here at ten indie titles that I'm particularly excited to get my hands on.
Many Kickstarter funded games from years past will launch as well. These 2014 games didn't make my top ten, but I played them as much or more as the titles that did, and they're lots of fun: Pokemon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby, Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy, Threes!, and TitanFall.įinally, the best video games of 2013 are just as much fun as this year's picks -and often quite a bit cheaper, too.Indie support outside of Sony also grew by leaps and bounds with Steam Greenlight and 2014 is the year that many of these newly implemented programs start to bear fruit. It's surprisingly customizable and includes lots of new features and game modes - though the best is still the classic brawl. You can play against the computer, or invite friends over for an eight-person melee. The beloved multi-player fighting franchise looks great on the Wii U and delivers all the frenetic action fans demand.
It's funny (I can’t remember any game with so many laugh-out-loud moments), outrageous (continually reaching new heights of the gross and offensive), and extremely smart.ĭeveloper: Bandai Namco Games. The Stick of Truth is the video game South Park fans always wanted -and a terrific RPG even if you've never seen the show. Recommended even if you were never part of the NES generation.ĭeveloper: Obsidian Entertainment. But this isn't just retro nostalgia -it's fast, it's furious, and it looks and sounds great. Platforms: Wii U, 3DS, PSN, Windows, OSX, LinuxĪ 2D side-scrolling platform game, Shovel Knight nails the look and feel of classic Nintendo Entertainment System titles like DuckTales and Mega Man. What won me over? The innovative "nemesis system," which remembers your interactions with low-level orcs, and creates rich histories with powerful enemies as both player and NPC level up. But now I like it better than I've ever liked any Assassin's Creed game. My initial impression of Shadow of Mordor was that it was an Assassin's Creed rip-off forced into Tolkien's Middle-Earth. Vivid HD graphics, new tracks, new items, and new tricks like anti-gravity make it a must-buy if you own a Wii U.ĭeveloper: Monolith Productions. The new Mario Kart feels old, in the very best way: It feels like as much fun as you used to have playing old versions of the game against your friends. This highly unique adventure game uses a retro point-and-click interface and and text-based dialogue to guide players through a magical-realist narrative that's mysterious and strangely gripping -and obviously, not for everyone. Kentucky Route Zero debuted in 2013, but indie developer Cardboard Computer is telling the strange story of a trucker named Conway across multiple episodes, and the excellent Act III came out in May.
Hearthstone may be simple compared to MTG, but it's elegantly so well-balanced, highly strategic, and perfect for online play.ĭeveloper & Publisher: Cardboard Computer When I first played Activision Blizzard's new World of Warcraft-themed card game, I dismissed it as a fun but unambitious Magic: The Gathering clone. Fans of the genre will adore the engrossing action and beautifully designed combat system, and get lost in a compelling world.ĭeveloper & Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment The story is ridiculous and I remain uncomfortable with the oversexualized heroine, but the game is extraordinarily fun anyway.Ī terrific fantasy role-playing adventure presented in classic style, it's the modern-day equivalent -and worthy successor- of legendary games like Baldur's Gate. Combat is simple, elegant and highly polished, with great combos and fun loadout options. Packed with frenetic, over-the-top action, Bayonetta 2 is that rare sequel which improves on the original. Frequently terrifying and always exciting to play.ĭeveloper: Platinum Games. You play the daughter of franchise hero Ellen Ripley, and you've been sent to find out what happened to her ship before you know it, you're stuck on a space station and being hunted by a xenomorph. The game emphasizes stealth and survival, not shooting, and it nails the tone of the movies.
BEST INDIE GAMES OF 2014 SERIES
This first-person horror adventure is a faithful spin-off of the Alien movies -and the game the series has always deserved.