So 2014 is now behind us and now we look forward to the new year. There is already a great line up of games to look forward to. Evolved looks like an intresting co-op/vs experience that will keep me coming back for more. The Withcher 3 is pushing the limits of Xbox One to the breaking point. Microsoft has just announced Forza 6, and Halo 5 is going to be something else entirely.
lets not forget that 2014 gave us some fantastic gamimg experiences. Titianfall really did rewrite the book for modern FPS’ online. The fantastic mix of high speed on foot action with overly powerful mech combat keeper things fresh and always provided moment to moment thrills. The absence of a campaign is a shame (if only to flesh out the lore) but the action is always turned to 11 so there is no shortage of mayhem. You don’t need Micheal Bay direction when you jumping off rooftops and onto gigantic robots every minute. Last year’s Call Of Duty clearly took a lot of inspiration from Titanfall’s on foot moveabilty, but without the mix of mechs it just wasn’t the same.
Forza has always produced great racing games and when I got my Xbox One at launch, Forza 5 did not disappoint. When I heard Forza Horozon 2 was coming out I was a little nervous. I thought it hasn’t been too long since 5 and I wasn’t overly impressed with the playable demo but I took the plunge and bought it anyway. My first impressions were immediately changed as I got lost in this amazing celebration of cars and driving. The game was always letting me choose what I wanted to do and took time out of events to let me just enjoy driving. Forza 5 May have been a showcase in graphical and technical terms, but Forza Horizon 2 is a showcase for enjoyment and freedom.
There is so many other great games of 2014. Alien Isolation, Project Spark, Shadows Of Mordor Far Cry 4 and The Crew. Heck, even Halo, Sleeping Dogs and Metro had really good remastered versions. But 2014 did have some low points and wasn’t all singing and dancing. Watchdogs wasn’t the game we were all expecting and Lords Of The Fallen wasn’t the great RPG to kick off next gen either. But there is one game which looked like it would be game of the year hands down but simply wasn’t. That game was Destiny.
Now don’t get me wrong Destiny isn’t all bad. The visuals are great (breathtaking in some parts) and the musical is epic and is typical of Bungie. The Gameplay isn’t half bad either with gunplay, movement and abilities being satisfying like creamy butter. But the story is so lacking, I’m sorry I meant absent. In the first half hour I’m told by a main character “I could tell you the story” and they don’t. With a game so rich in detail and backstory it just refuses to fill in or give you any indication of what has or is happening. It’s amazing to think that this is the same studio that brought us Halo, a game renowned for superb storytelling. The game also quickly becomes a grind and falls into the lazy category for end game content. Repeating the same missions and making the bosses bullet sponges is not fun. Also for a social game it’s very lonely. The hub world is the smallest I’ve seen and it only handles 12/16 people at any given time. Defiance showed us that an MMO is possible on console and yes I knwo the two games are different but don’t market your game as “a unique social experience” and then do this.
Like the speaker from Destiny “I could go on about this game” but I’m not. 2014 really did have its shines gems but also its dull stones. This year looks like another wild ride with uncertainty and high expectations so strap on tight and get ready!
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