Highlighting the Critical Games of 2014

[Robert Rath]

Highlighting the Critical Games of 2014

Robert compiles his list of noteworthy games for 2014, but it isn't a "best of" group. It is more to highlight one extraordinary aspect of a game, then explain why it worked.

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[oldtaku]

A fine list of fine games. I'd agree that nothing was as mind bending as Spec Ops and respect your decision not to compromise.

My subversive /moment/ of the year did come from Shadow of Mordor. I'll spoiler it just in case anyone hasn't played yet.

Spoiler

- Little bastard uruk with a poison crossbow kills me, becomes my Nemesis.
- He kills me repeatedly in situations where I'm not expecting him, by showing up as I'm already fighting for my life (this is early on).
- Finally, I gain enough power and skill to take him out in a fairly epic battle which I will spare you details.
- After I kill him, I actually stand up, fists clenched - "Yeah!" I usually don't do that for games.
- A few hours later, I'm in a war camp, having accidentally roused the whole place, barely keeping alive with all the elites and grunts.
- *TWUNK* poison crossbow to back (probably). "THOUGHT YOU'D FINISHED ME OFF, EH?"

Mind blown! The little s@#$ was using reserved-for-protagonist mechanisms against me! I wanted to tell every gamer I knew about it, but couldn't because I didn't want to spoil that for them.

 

[moosemaimer]

Minor caveat: if you're looking for an example of Escher-as-game-mechanic, there's Echochrome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GybxIwfU4rI

 

[oldtaku]

Ah, the other moment - when 'Press X to Pay Respects' crystallized just how ridiculous Call of Duty's single player 'story' has gotten after MW1.

 

[RealRT]

Sunset Overdrive, for its diversity-positive character system. In a gaming landscape where we're so often tied to same-looking avatars, I enjoyed being able to change my appearance, race, gender and clothing at any time. A game where you can play one mission as a Hawaiian beach girl, the next as Freddie Mercury and a third as a knight? Incredible.

*cough*Saints Row*cough*
And you don't need that... thing to play Saints Row as well!

 

[Shocksplicer]

I'm curious, what were your reservations about the camp level in Wolfenstein TNO?

 

[blackrave]

One important category is missing from this list
"Most minecrafty Minecraft"

Spoiler: Do I even need to name the winner?

Minecraft
[sub][sub]It's always Minecraft[/sub][/sub]

 

[Slegiar Dryke]

Minor caveat: if you're looking for an example of Escher-as-game-mechanic, there's Echochrome.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GybxIwfU4rI

yeah, I was gonna say too, when I read the part about not gotten an MC escher like game, it was like "we got that YEAAAARS AGO......true it was exactly as stated...not as polished...but we did get it"

kinda freaky sometimes how fast some games get lost in time o-o;;