PixlBit

Finally we get to the meat of the year, the games that came out in 2014 that I actually played.

Played:

Earth Defense Force 2025: My second most played game of the year. A ton of fun in co-op. The most memorable thing about it was the shear amount of crazy action happening on screen without hardly a note of slow-down; granted, the graphics are not super realistic, but it's clear to me the power of games has really increased dramatically.

Weapon Shop de Ommasse: A Level-5 game on the 3DS e-shop. It has an interesting concept. You play as a blacksmith making weapons for adventuring NPCs. The rhythm-game mechanics for creating weapons were pretty random, but it was fun anyway. The NPC's you serve are full of zany humor. They are all parodies of typical heroic RPG characters. After you sell them a weapon, you can watch their adventure via a real-time twitter-like text scroll. I love all the Level-5 games, even their smaller ones.

Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy: As much as puzzle games drive me insane, this one includes some exploration and enough interesting story and beautiful graphics to keep me from cracking my 3DS in half. I enjoyed this game right to the dramatic ending. One-hundred percenting all those puzzles, though, is NOT going to happen.

The Witch and the Hundred Knight: I put some good time into this action-RPG on PS3 but not enough to beat it. It has a top-down view and an interesting magic system. I was drawn in by the rich, colorful graphics. You are The Knight serving a witch with a heart as black as I like my coffee. She's kinda funny, kinda, "Wow, that's wrong!". I really enjoyed it. Maybe I can find some time to finish it.

LEGO: The Hobbit: I really enjoyed this until a game ending bug sent me to the forums for help. I found no solution, so I ended up trading it in and never finished it. The guys at Traveler's Tales have made these Legos games a blast to play. There are so many characters and so many special skills to try. There's lots of collectibles and the worlds are surprisingly accurate and detailed to the IPs they are copying. If only they would add online co-op and spend the extra time to iron out these annoying bugs. At least the movie was excellent and didn't crash two-thirds the way through.

Child of Light: A fun 2D RPG with a unique active-time battle system that really worked. It was created with the UbiArt Framework technology used in the gorgeous Rayman Origin and Rayman Legend games. It was a beautiful place to explore. Short and sweet.

Bound By Flame: I got this third-person action-RPG, played it for a while, and didn't quite gel with the battle system. I got frustrated. Returned it. It has an interesting world and complex combat system that, maybe with some time, I could get into. I just wasn't in a patient mood that day.

Enemy Front: At first it seemed like a last gen FPS with not-so-great controls. However, it was set in an interesting new area of WWII, Poland. Once I got past a few levels, however, it started getting good. I nearly completed it to one-hundred percent (hard difficulty was a pain). It's not perfect, but it made me remember Call of Duty before it turned Modern Warfare.

Valiant Hearts: The Great War: This UbiArt Framework created game (like Child of Light), was gorgeous to look at and a lot of fun to play. It's a 2D action game with some rhythm game moments and some puzzles to solve (It reminded me of the Oddworld games when you were in the tunnels section). I even learned a few things about WWI along the way via the many soldier's letters you can find and read. Like Child of Light, it was more shortness with the sweetness; or, I should say, "the bitter sweetness".

Borderlands: The Pre-Sequel: This was my third most played game of the year. I really enjoyed it, especially in co-op, but I can't help feel a little bit annoyed by the randomness of the item drops, and how I always feel like I don't have much control over my equipment and the way I want to play this game. Still, the game is fully of really funny moments and is a very solid FPS. What's not to like?

Fantasy Life: I'm only several hours in as of this writing. It starts kind of slowly as you're introduced to the basic elements of the gameplay, but pretty soon you're slicing and dicing in real time out on the grassy grasslands, plucking flowers and capturing grasshoppers. I've chosen an Alchemist "life" and have to do a rhythm game in order to create potions.

The town is full of characters that can give you side quests, and if you turn on Street Pass, you will eventually see other players in town whom might give you a present. There's also support for three-player multiplayer and co-op via wifi or internet. I was disappointed a little bit at the cartoony graphics in the town, but the cutscenes are gorgeous. I'm constantly reminded of Ni No Kuni, although the fighting is much simpler.

I like that your reward for finishing quests is "bliss"; like every quest ends in greater happiness for yourself. I am getting happier and happier with playing this game.

                AND NOW! FOR MY GOTY PICK OF 2014! DRUM ROLL PLEASE!

              Oh, no. We've run out of time. Next week on "It's a Wrap". My GOTY pick.