I decided to do something a little different this year and include multiple categories. That way I can highlight and reward some games that otherwise wouldn’t get enough attention. Here’s how everything breaks down:
The Categories
Best Looking Game
Best DLC
Most Wanted Sequel
Best “Indie” Game
Most Disappointing Game
Game of the Year
This is my first time using categories at all, but I wanted to find a way to highlight games that didn’t quite make it into my final list. I wanted to stay away from “genre” awards like Best Shooter or Best Action Game, because those definitions are increasingly meaningless. What genre would you put Shadow of Mordor in, for example? Open world? Action? RPG? I’d much rather discuss games when they’re all on an even playing field.
The Nominees
I decided not to limit the number of games that could be nominated for an award. Any game that deserves to be considered, deserves to be highlighted. There’s still only one winner per category, but I’ll talk about each nominee individually.
Best Looking Game
Banner Saga
Child of Light
Destiny
Far Cry 4
Infamous: Second Son
Neverending Nightmares
South Park: Stick of Truth
The Wolf Among Us
Valiant Hearts
Best DLC
Burial at Sea (Bioshock Infinite)
First Light (Infamous: Second Son)
Left Behind (The Last of Us)
Most Wanted Sequel
Banner Saga
Destiny
Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD
Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor
Shovel Knight
South Park: Stick of Truth
The Wolf Among Us
Best Indie Game
A Bird Story
Banished
Banner Saga
Child of Light
Luftrausers
Never Alone
Neverending Nightmares
Shovel Knight
Transistor
Valiant Hearts
Most Disappointing
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel
Destiny
Valiant Hearts
Game of the Year
(I’ll wait and reveal the list when the post goes up)
Here’s a list of every game I played this year, good and bad. So, if you don’t see me mention a game where you thought it should have been mentioned, check this list. There’s a decent chance I didn’t play the game at all. Enjoy!
A Bird Story (PC)
A Story About My Uncle (PC)
Banished (PC)
Binding of Isaac: Rebirth (PS4)
Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel (PS3)
Child of Light (PS4)
Destiny (PS4)
Dragon Age: Inquisition (PS4)
Elder Scrolls Online (PC)
Far Cry 4 (PS4)
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD (PS3)
Infamous: Second Son (PS4)
Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD (PS3)
Luftrausers (PC)
Mercenary Kings (PS4)
Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor (PS4)
Never Alone (PS4)
Neverending Nightmares (PC)
Octodad: Dadliest Catch (PC)
P.T. (PS4)
PvZ: Garden Warfare (PS4)
Road Not Taken (PS4)
Shovel Knight (PC)
South Park: Stick of Truth (PC)
Strider (PS3)
Super Time Force (PC)
The Banner Saga (PC)
The Wolf Among Us (PC)
Transistor (PS4)
Valiant Hearts (PS4)
Velocity 2X (PS4)
Wolfenstein: The New Order (PS4)
A note on HD remasters: Every game that released in 2014 is eligible for all categories — even HD remasters. The way I see it, this is a completely subjective list, so if re-playing a favorite game in a new way was one of my favorite gaming experiences of the year, that deserves to be called out. In the same vein, playing through a remastered game I’ve never played before also deserves consideration. However, the quality of the remaster and/or how long it’s been since I’ve played the original game impacts its ranking. The goal is to give new games the advantage in a direct comparison. Like I said, it’s subjective.
Now, onto our first category!
4 thoughts on “Game of the Year 2014”