Marcus Jones' Top 10 Games of 2014

By Marcus Jones Posted on December 29, 2014

10. Super Smash Bros for Wii U

Squeaking in at the last second for 2014, the new Smash Bros. is an excellent game and the best in the series overall. Adding in more characters, more to do, and more to see, it is currently the penultimate title in the series.

9. Alien: Isolation

Wow. Just wow. Alien scared the absolute begeesus out of me and I am a horror game fanatic. The tense situations, dark corridors, and lurking menace kept me on my toes constantly. It’s an A+ game that deserves all of the praise it received.

8. Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition

A re-release of 2013’s Tomb Raider, this package contained everything and then some. It was a treat to play it on the Xbox One and see what the game could do and I was not disappointed. It was also great returning to the role of Lara on her first adventure and seeing just what made her become the tomb raider we all knew and loved from the 90’s.

7. The Legend of Zelda: Hyrule Warriors

I’m a sucker for the Warriors games, but I found this mashup to be perhaps the best I’ve ever played in the series. Combining the gameplay (don’t forget co-op!) of the Warriors series within the world of Zelda, I got to run around as Link and just amass a mountain of kills of moblins and more. It’s an excellent game and one that shines on the Wii U.

6. Divinity: Original Sin

Another cooperative RPG title, this one reminded me of the classics. Kevin and I both enjoyed our time in the game and the fact we could do so together. The turn-based gameplay was excellent and it’s also open up for the Steam Workshop, meaning the game is still expanding as time goes on.

5. The Red Solstice

Still currently in Early Access on Steam, The Red Solstice is a game that I absolutely loved. It combines elements of old school tactical shooters, cooperative gameplay, and an RPG leveling system to make for a fantastic package. It’s tough as hell on top of all that, making the cooperative gameplay that much more fun as it is common to be slaughtered in a gory mess on Mars. I look forward to the full release of the title, but I’m already enjoying what I have.

4. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor

I love this thought: let’s mix Assassin’s Creed style gameplay and mechanics within the backdrop of the Middle-Earth and let players run loose on orcs. I was excited to initially hear that and even more excited still to get my hands on the game. Shadow of Mordor is an extremely solid title that many players will enjoy. The story may be a little odd at times, but Talion is a fierce warrior that myself, and others, have definitely enjoyed playing as.

3. Wolfenstein: The New Order

Wolfenstein was a game that showed it was possible to return to older franchises and do wonderful things with them. Picking up off of the previous titles (Wolfenstein & Return to Castle Wolfenstein), the title continues BJ’s war against the Nazi war machine. Set in a future where the Nazis have won World War II, it’s up to BJ to do what he can to correct the past in the hopes of a better future. Solid gameplay mixed with a strong story, Wolfenstein is definitely in my top ten for 2014.

2. Assassin’s Creed: Rogue

The final Assassin’s Creed entry on the last gen systems, Ubisoft struck gold with this title. Still running off of the same engine from Assassin’s Creed IV and Assassin’s Creed III, Rogue combines elements from all of the previous titles to date into one nice, compact package. Plus, the chance to see the Templar side of the war was a great inclusion and something Ubisoft should look at doing again at some point in the future.

1. Dragon Age: Inquisition

Dragon Age had everything a game needs to be successful - excellent story, fantastic gameplay, and a solid cast of characters that fill out the rest of the game. The online cooperative is a great mechanic that builds upon the game and the story itself concludes one of Bioware’s most successful franchises.