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| *Not my shit |
Alrighty, time for another year end wrap-up! Thanks for your support over the past 12 months, I truly appreciate all of my readers. Oh, and if you're not already doing so, check out my comedy/pop-culture podcast The Bionic Broadcast.
So, same format as last year and the year before that: first I'll list and rank the games I played in 2014 that were released in 2014, then I'll follow that up with a list of the games that were released before 2014. Make sense? Yeah, it's not that complicated.
Also, be sure to check the end of this post to read some of my thoughts about what's coming in 2015.
Without any further ado...
2014 Games
1. Transistor - A
When I reviewed this game back in October, I knew it was a shoe-in for my favorite game of the year. The graphics, story, and setting are original and inspired, the music is moody and evocative, and the inventive strategy/action gameplay leaves you feeling both clever and badass! Its abbreviated campaign may very well have left some critics feeling shortchanged and hungry for more, but its short length belies the greater depth of its combat system, and it certainly doesn't overstay its welcome!
2. Shovel Knight - B+
Currently, I feel as though there is something of a glut of these kind of 8 and 16-bit throwback games. It's true, right? And I get it; nostalgia is a powerful feeling and, let's be honest, top-notch 2D platforming and beautiful hand-drawn sprites never truly go out of style, now do they? Shovel Knight may look like just another 8-bit retread, and it kind of is, but it truly is the cream of the retro crop.
3. South Park: The Stick of Truth - B+
Everyone keeps saying it because it's true: South Park: The Stick of Truth is one of the funniest games you will ever play. Not only that, but it's also hands-down the best game to ever bear the South Park license. Alright, the bar isn't set very high on that last point, but this is an objectively well-made game and that's saying something when were talking about South Park games, okay? Loads of style, loads of laughs, and enough meat on the gameplay bone (eww.) to see you through to the end.
4. NES Remix 1 + 2 - B
These NES Remix games were a lovely (and totally unexpected) treat for me in 2014. The "remixes" (taking characters and gameplay mechanics from one 8-bit NES classic and combining them with another) felt inspired, and the other challenges had me playing some of my all time favorite games in a whole new way. NESheads, this is a must play!
5. Strider - B+
Love me some Strider, people! The series and its protagonist were long overdue for a comeback, and the decision to wrap Metroidvania-style gameplay around Strider's frenetic combat and acrobatic platforming was a stroke of genius.
6. Rusty's Real Deal Baseball - B
7. Mario Kart 8 - B-
8. The Evil Within - B-
This is a mad decent game. The story and characters felt a little by-the-numbers for me, but gameplay-wise it succeeds as an effective spiritual successor to Resident Evil 4.
9. Mario Golf: World Tour - B
Bit of a disappointment here, Nintendo. This long-awaited entry in the Mario Golf series felt surprisingly shallow and even slightly loosey-goosey given its pedigree.
10. Luftrausers - C+
11. Mercenary Kings - C
12. Wolfenstein: The New Order - C
This isn't a terrible game by any stretch, it just didn't grab me though. It looks great and runs smoother than a baby's booty, but I was turned off by its spammy combat and ridiculous story.
Older Games
1. Resogun - A
I'm kinda sorry that I didn't get around to playing this game until this calendar year, because if I had played it when it was released in 2013 it would have easily made my top 5. Then again, playing it the year after it was released gives me a chance to make up for my oversight by putting it at the top of my 2014 Best of the Older Games list. But you don't care about any of that, do you? No, you care about playing good games and avoiding bad ones, am I right? Well, this is one of the best games I've played in years. Not just one of the best shooters, or one of the best retro-inspired titles, mind you, one of the best GAMES. The mad geniuses at Housemarque have done it again! I loved it so much I got the platinum trophy.
2. Fez - B
3. Towerfall: Ascension - B
You make me a sequel that features online multiplayer and a meatier single player mode and I'm there on day 1.
4. Super Mario 3D World - B-
In my review I was maybe a little more critical of this game than I meant to be. I didn't talk too much shit about it, but I made it sound just ho-hum. In reality, it's a very well made Mario game that just doesn't push the gameplay envelope as much as I would have liked.
5. StarTropics - B-
6. Tokyo Jungle - C+
One the most original ideas to come along in years. The gameplay gets repetitive quickly, but this one's worth a look...even if you're just checking it out via a Let's Play video on YouTube.
7. Game and Wario - C+
Thoughts on 2015 and the future of Console Glory!
I love writing this blog. I've been at it for just over 4 years, and I still very much enjoy the opportunity to catalog my thoughts about console video games in this forum. With that in mind, I feel as though I have come to a bit of a crossroad. As much as I like writing reviews of the games I play, there are countless other (and more up-to-date) places on the web where people can find game reviews. I have come to feel that my time might be better spent by writing fewer reviews and instead focusing more on sharing my thoughts and musings on console gaming in general. It is my hope that doing this will also allow me to post more frequently and help me to develop a more distinctive voice for this blog. I'll still review the games I'm playing, but I'm going to make my reviews less wordy and try harder to get straight to the point. In addition, I'm going to offer more frequent commentary on console hardware, rumors, controversies, and other interesting aspects of the hobby.
Thanks for reading Console Glory! Happy New Year, and here's to an exciting 2015!
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