10. Watch_Dogs
Yep, the game that is on most people's radars for the year 2014 barely made it into my list. That's doesn't mean I think it is a bad game but I tend not to follow the hype. With that said, Watch_Dogs is an open world game developed by Ubisoft in which you control a hacker doing good deeds and stuff. While I've never been and most likely never be a fan of Grand Theft Auto-like games , I can't dismiss Watch_Dogs' great innovation with the whole hacking thing. That and the fact that I can trust Ubisoft Montreal as developers. They've shown many times that they are very capable developers.
9. Alien Isolation
I've always been a great fan of the Alien films. They had a new and interesting take on the aliens, straying away from the classic green man with big black eyes and going more for a monstrosity that lays eggs in its victims so it can grow in them and burst out of their body once they are old enough. That said, the Alien franchise, despite being a great Science Fiction series, has yet to receive a proper Alien game. With Alien VS. Predators and Alien Colonial Marines receiving mediocre reviews, it's a bit hard to keep your hopes high for the game. What makes me happy however is that this game is going to go for the same feel of the first movie where there was only one alien rather than the second movie where it's pretty much Humans vs Aliens (Not saying it's bad though). Ultimately, that's what I seek from an Alien game, fear and isolation. Knowing that a killing machine is out there and you don't know where it is.
8. Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze
Granted the game has disappointed fans twice, once at E3 2013 when fans thought Retro Studios was developing Metroid and the second time at the VGX awards when fans thought that Nintendo would announce the new Zelda game, there is a little detail we are forgetting here: It is developed by Retro Studios. Whether you like the game or not, there is no denying that Retro Studios has yet to make a game that falls short of being great and Tropical Freeze looks like it will be another great game to add to Retro's list of amazing games. I've played Returns on the Wii and I can safely say that it is the best 2D Platformer Nintendo has published in years. The game had a good amount of content and unlike the New Super Mario Games and Kirby's Epic Yarn (Keep in mind that I haven't played Return To Dreamland), Returns was challenging and the mirror mode in the game was rather merciless. Tropical Freeze seems like it will expand on the already established gameplay and maybe even perfect the gameplay.With Grant Kirkhope composing for the game and its influence from more recent 2D Platformers such as Rayman Origins, it's hard for me to simply dismiss the game because it's not Metroid.
7. Hyrule Warriors
Look, I know the Dynasty Warrior series isn't the most well received series in the world. But hey, do I look like a guy who cares about reviews and awards (Could this be a future rant)? Put a Zelda sticker on Dynasty Warriors and you get Hyrule Warriors, a spin-off of the DW franchise as well as the Zelda franchise and I'll be damned, this game looks fun. What can I say, I absolutely love the Legend of Zelda franchise, it's my favorite video game series. What excites me about the game is the possibility of playing as other Zelda characters given we don't get to play as someone OTHER than Link. After all, the ''S'' at the end of Warriors is suppose to mean something, right? Also, I want to see how Link will put his arsenal to good use in this game. Sure the game doesn't look very polished but it sure looks fun and that is why I play games, to have fun.
6. Mario Kart 8
Granted I own only one Mario Kart game, which is Mario Kart 64 on the Wii's Virtual Console, and the rest I've just rented, I have a good amount of experience of the Mario Kart franchise to know what I'm expecting with this game. You should all know by now that I'll always prefer Arcade style racers over Racing Simulators and with Mario Mart taking some notes from F-Zero, which is my personal all time favorite racer, you'd figure I am pretty happy with what I've seen from the game. Visually speaking, Mario Kart 8 looks gorgeous and it honestly looks very different from the other entries. The tracks look like something out of a F-Zero game with a Mario skin on it which is never bad. I'm also looking forward to the Online Multiplayer in that game since I really enjoyed Mario Kart Wii's online. It looks great and pretty fun and that's what I expect out of Mario Kart.
5. Bayonetta 2
The game that caused shock waves of anger, ladies and gentlemen, Bayonetta 2. Okay, to be honest, the hilarity of the fanboys who were pissed that this was a Wii U exclusive is a small part of why I want this game. I mean, you can't be angry about a mediocre game becoming an exclusive, right? Back to Bayonetta 2. I guess I am pretty intrigued about what to expect about the game. The only 3D Action game I've played in my life is DMC4 and I actually enjoyed it which is why I feel like I could enjoy Bayonetta 2. I also want to support the game since it was a gutsy decision taken by Nintendo. But yeah, you could say I'm here to see what all the big fuss is about.
4. Child of Light
When I heard Ubisoft was making an RPG with Rayman Origins' engine, my imagination went nuts. First off, Rayman Origins is one of my favorite games of all time and its art style is among the best ones I've ever seen in any game. Come the announcement of Child of Light and I was blooming of joy. And it's developed by Ubisoft Montreal, one my favorite developers of all time. The game is supposed to be a love letter to classic JRPGs., like Final Fantasy I-VI and Chrono Trigger. I just love the art style and the music in this game. These are two things modern developers have a tendency to forget in favor of raw horsepower. This said, Child of Light is a breath of fresh air, much like Rayman Origins. I still need to see more of the gameplay to put it higher but what I have seen so far is more than enough to guarantee a purchase.
3. Super Smash Bros. Wii U/3DS
Now we are getting into the games that I seriously look forward to. Super Smash Bros. has become one of my favorite series of all time. Ever since I've played Melee, Smash Bros. has been one of my replayed games ever. Many hours of rage and fun! The thing about Smash Bros. is that it comes out once every generation and usually there is a lot of hype going on behind it and the fourth installment of this stellar franchise is no different. With pics coming out every day and the occasional character reveal, keeping your hype low is virtually impossible if you are a huge Nintendo fan. Hell, I've spent a whole month doing nothing but making Smash Brothers lists. Characters I want to see, stages I want to see, Music, changes, EVERYTHING!! Sakurai is also taking a lot of the criticism thrown at Brawl very seriously, like the slower pace of Brawl, the unbalanced characters, etc. That gives me confidence that this new game will be an amazing installment in this fantastic series, better than Brawl even. I'm so excited for the game that I might outright buy the two versions. Scratch that, I will.
2. Dark Souls II
If it wasn't obvious enough with Ideas For The Legend of Zelda Wii U Game Part 1, I really like the Dark/Demon Souls series although I've just recently started playing through Demon's Souls. What I like about these games is the amazing gameplay. Think of a more combat-oriented Legend of Zelda and a more challenging/punishing gameplay and that's basically what these games are. But it doesn't just stop with challenging and punishing gameplay. Dark Souls does a lot of things I like in a video game. It has amazing bosses (They're challenging too which makes things better), it has fun world to explore, particularly Dark Souls given it's open world, it has creepy levels, it has a lot of different kind of builds you can play as, it has high replay value, what's not to love! There is also PvP which I haven't taken much time to experience. Dark Souls II seems to be following the tradition of great challenge and punishing gameplay that the Souls series is known for. I just can't wait to explore the new world, fight the new bosses and just have a great time altogether. Sucks that this game is getting a ''T'' rating.... This is sarcasm. The game will be amazing regardless of its ESRB rating.
And the One game I look forward to the most in 2014 is......
1. Monolith Soft's X
Pretty much the one game that is usually at the top of every Nintendo fans' lists and can you blame me, Monolith Soft has done an exceptional job on their previous game, Xenoblade. In fact, Xenoblade is one of my favorite games of all time. It had great great characters, an interesting settings, an AMAZING soundtrack and it had very high replay value. This game, while we're not sure whether or not it is a sequel to the aforementioned game, appears to bring the same kind of open-world gameplay of Xenoblade but with something more..... Mechs and online multiplayer. HOW AWESOME IS THAT? While we only have to trailers to go by, the game is already looking amazing in many aspects. The music we've heard sends chills down my spine, the world looks huge and actually beautiful and varied, something many Open-world games don't do, the creatures look huge, the mech gameplay is not only awesome but seems to push the exploration aspect further than Xenoblade. It does have a lot to live up to but from what I've seen so far, X seems to be approaching Xenoblade's level of greatness. Not only that but we really need to support these new IPs. So much effort is being put into the game and if there is only one way to thank them, it's by supporting these great games. With all that said, X is my most anticipated game of 2014.
