As 2014 draws to an end, countless lists of the top 10 books, songs and films surface. And so here, I'll do the same with video games.
The criteria is fairly straightforward:
For a game to qualify, it must have had a release which I have played that was released between 1st January 2014 and 31st December 2014.
Obviously I haven't played every single game that had a release in 2014, so it's possible and probable that I'll discover some new game in future that ranks even higher than some of the games on this list. And of course, this is all my own subjective opinion. But anyway, let's begin…
UK retailer GAME is better known for selling games than publishing them. Indeed, Christmas Shopper Simulator appears to be their first foray into the business, so it doesn't come as a surprise that it is a little quirky. It is a 3D game set in a shopping centre where you have to complete a series of missions such as going to a shop to purchase an item. Despite being filled with bugs and a tonne of design issues, the game is actually rather amusing. It's short and doesn't take itself seriously. Were it not available as a free download, I would probably advise people to avoid the game completely. Instead, it is actually something worth checking out if you have time to spare.
Although it certainly doesn't give Street Fighter a run for its money, Vanguard Princess is a vibrant 2D fighter with amazing animation, reminiscent of '90s arcade games. It's a shame that despite the wonderful visuals, the gameplay itself isn't that great. Even so, it may still be worth looking into if the game is on sale.
Another game from Richard Perrin, creator of Kairo — a game I absolutely adored, Journal is a narrative focused 2D adventure game about a schoolgirl and the troubles she is facing in life. Although the concept has potential, it is poorly executed, and you are left with an experience that doesn't feel complete. This is another case where the gameplay does not match the high quality of the aesthetics.
Despite all the attacks on Senran Kagura Burst coming from people who would rather we return to the Victorian era when the mere sight of an unclothed table leg was considered obscene, the game is actually rather fun. It is a side-scrolling brawler featuring a cast of trainee ninjas featuring superb character designs and voice acting. As you progress through the game, you can unlock a variety of special abilities, which will help you string together long combos. If you enjoy games like Final Fight or Streets of Rage, Senran Kagura Burst might be right up your alley.
Sakura Spirit is a visual novel that tells the story of an ordinary guy who finds himself transported to a fantastical land where a conflict has arisen between humans and foxgirls. The narrative itself is rather simple, but is lighthearted and doesn't take itself too seriously. The visuals, on the other hand, are of high quality. I played the game when it was first released, and at that time it was plagued with bugs and typos. Apparently some of these issues have now been resolved. Sakura Spirit is by no means a contender for best visual novel ever, but it is fun while it lasts.
I had been wanting to play Tomodachi Collection since it was first released in 2009, and this year my wish was finally granted in the form of Tomodachi Life. It is difficult to do the game justice by describing it through text alone, but it is surely one of the zaniest console games to be released in the UK this year. You can create Mii characters resembling your friends, celebrities, or fictional characters, and watch as they live their lives on an island you have control over. The game may not be for everyone, and it does have its issues (which will hopefully be resolved in future instalments in the series), but it's certainly an experience not to be missed.
A cross between a board game, a card game and a dice game, 100% Orange Juice features a variety of characters from the games of developer Orange_Juice, though you don't need to have played any of their other games to enjoy it. Featuring cute visuals and fun gameplay, there's even a multiplayer mode where you can play against friends and strangers online.
The only game on this list that I don't actually own, I've played Mario Kart 8 numerous times with friends. It doesn't do things a whole lot differently from previous games in the series (the anti-gravity mechanic being a notable exception), but then again, it doesn't need to — you know what you're getting when you play a Mario Kart game. A lot of attention-to-detail has been put into this game's aesthetics, with the retro courses looking better than ever and the nitro courses looking simply delectable.
The title of this game is rather apt since it always feels like a battle between whether it wants to be a Professor Layton game or an Ace Attorney game, neither parts being anywhere near as good as the best of each respective series. And if it's a battle, it's a losing one for Phoenix Wright and Maya Fey, since the Professor and his apprentice seem to get all the action. The game also feels more like fan-fiction than something official. Yet despite being incredibly disjointed, at least the puzzles and the cross-examination sections are rather fun, almost enough to make you forget about the game's numerous issues. And hey, with it being a decade since we last parted ways with her, it's good to see Maya again, even though her character seems more tacked-on than being a character of actual importance.
20 years ago, Chunsoft's classic visual novel Kamaitachi no Yoru (The Night of the Sickle Weasel) was released for the Super Famicom. It was a mystery story featuring a group of people staying at a skiing lodge. One by one, the characters are murdered, leaving it to the protagonist to capture the person responsible and escape the lodge safely.
This year, Aksys finally released the game for the first time in English in the form of Banshee's Last Cry. In the process of localisation, the setting has been moved from Japan to Canada. Despite being a controversial move, the essence of the story is retained and the translation is good.
Kamaitachi no Yoru pioneered the concept of the branching storyline, where your choices affect how the story progresses. In this game, there is no set sequence of choices that will get you to a happy ending. Instead, you must play through the game multiple times, each time making different choices. This will allow you to see different parts of the story so you can gather clues to determine the murderer's identity. Although this may sound confusing, it actually works very naturally in practice.
This game is a brilliant example of non-linear storytelling. There is a lot of content on offer. Even once you have solved the mystery, there are a large number of unlockable scenarios.
Although Banshee's Last Cry is currently only available for iOS, an Android release was also in the works. It almost seems wrong to compare this game to all the others in this list simply due to how close to perfect it is. If you're able to play Banshee's Last Cry, please do give it a go.
So, that's my list. What were your favourite games of 2014? Let me know in the comments, …which I haven't implemented yet. Ah well, never mind. Anyway, happy new year. Have a wonderful 2015!
