Most Anticipated 2014: Steve's Picks
The editorial team at Shacknews outlines their most anticipated games of 2014 individually. Next up, we've got Steve Watts with his list of 2014 titles.
Infamous: Second Son
Sucker Punch Productions | PS4 Cole MacGrath is dead; long live Delsin Rowe! It's not often a protagonist feels long in the tooth so quickly, but after only two Infamous games, I was glad Cole met his end. His dull-as-dishwater moody guy schtick felt more at home in a shopping mall food court, and was the one annoying distraction from the sheer fun of toying with superpowers in a city sandbox. By ditching him altogether and embracing a new hero, I'll be able to settle in enjoy the tightly responsive action the series has gained a reputation for providing. Deslin even smiles sometimes!The Elder Scrolls Online
Zenimax | Xbox One, PS4, PC I've never gotten immersed in an MMORPG. Sure, I've dabbled here and there--experimented at parties when people were passing around the WoW or DCUO. But the addictive, one-more-raid feeling has never caught on, so the genre never stuck with me beyond a bit of early-level grinding. I want to know what it's like to feel utterly hooked, and Elder Scrolls might just fit the bill. I'm as skeptical as many about the full-price model, and Bethesda has certainly had some shaky technical hiccups with its games. But what can I say? Hope springs eternal. My brief hands-on at a preview event felt comparable to playing Skyrim, one of my favorite RPGs in years. If TESO can capture that magic, but set it in a massive world that lets me play alongside my friends, I'm certainly on-board.
It'd be nice to get hooked, for once
Destiny
Bungie | Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4 Halo: Reach was Bungie's swan song for the series that made it famous, and in hindsight, it informed what would come next from the studio. The player customization wasn't as deep as its upcoming game Destiny, but the pieces were in place. Reach even let you use your created character across single- and multiplayer, a precursor to the more seamless experience offered by the new generation of consoles. In short, this looks to be the culmination of Bungie's ambition with Halo: a massive, sci-fi world, player characters, and the removal of barriers between play modes. On top of that, it seems to take a few notes from Borderlands, in how it handles friendly co-op and its class system. I'm a little uneasy with the world, since Bungie's lore tends to be dense to the point of impenetrable, but as long as I'm allowed to gun down enemies and score loot, I'll be satisfied.
Time for Bungie's ideas to come to fruition
Dragon Age: Inquisition
BioWare | Xbox 360, PS3, Xbox One, PS4, PC After a disastrous (or okay-ish, depending on who you ask) second installment, BioWare took a step back from Dragon Age. The resulting long development cycle for Inquisition is giving the series the time it needs to breathe. And though we've only seen glimpses so far, the extra prep time in the oven will be worth it. BioWare appears to be listening to its biggest fans and harshest critics--often the same people--and crafting an experience that combines the best qualities of both of its previous Dragon Age games. Multiple races! Playable Qunari! Deeper customization! Tactical view! At the same time, it isn't resting on its laurels. With critically acclaimed RPGs like Skyrim and The Witcher gaining notoriety, Inquisition seems to be stepping up its game to compete on those fronts as well. Elements like a larger and more expansive open world, and the ability to make choices that have a notable impact on that world, are welcome changes. It also promises a form of story importing to reward us for having played through the previous installments. Even romances seem to be getting a bit more mature and realistic, showing a sign that the medium is growing up. The wait has been long enough, and now I'm eager to jump back in.
The best of both worlds... hopefully
Transistor
Supergiant Games | PS4, Linux, Mac, PC If there's one thing Supergiant Games debut Bastion proved, it's that the studio knows how to make games with style. Transistor is largely a continuation of that, showcasing the studio's aesthetic without feeling too redundant. Between the beautiful visuals, self-aware narrator, and melancholy music that is tied to the narrative, Transistor is very much a continuation of Bastion's best qualities. I also just enjoy when developers fall into the auteur role, creating a distinct mark that can only come from them. All that said, it would be easy for Supergiant to simply pump out another Bastion. Instead, Transistor takes those stylistic touches and applies them to an entirely new combat system. The pause-and-plan pacing has more in common with Dragon Age or Vagrant Story than the action-heavy Bastion, and with its flair for weaponry that wrinkle alone could give the combat much more substance. Bastion was an amazing freshman effort, and Transistor looks like it will show that Supergiant has more than one great idea.
Signature style with all-new combat
From The Chatty
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Shacknews
replySteve Watts posted a new article, Most Anticipated 2014: Steve's Picks.
The editorial team at Shacknews outlines their most anticipated games of 2014 individually. Next up, we've got Steve Watts with his list of 2014 titles.-
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Your comment had me curious. So here's the platform breakdown of our most anticipated:
3DS 1
Wii U 3
Xbox 360 10
PS3 8
PC 14
PS4 10
Linux 2
Mac 2
Xbox One 8
Looks like PC is our most anticipated platform, while PS4 ties with Xbox 360 for second.-
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I'm certainly playing all of my picks on PC.
I don't even have a television to plug my Xbox 360 into anymore.
Yes, that's a double snobbish boast. Blam.
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A little error here - Destiny has not been announced for PC, sadly.
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Yes, I've corrected that. =(
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