So many good games are set to be released this year, a lot from independent developers! While last year was quite good it had a narrow selection. This year we should see a broad range of games from many genres. So in no particular order here are some to keep an eye on.
Pillars of EternityDeveloper: Obsidian Entertainment
Due: "Winter" (our summer) 2014
URL: http://eternity.obsidian.net/This is a top-down RPG, similar to Baldur's Gate and Icewind Dale. I expect it to be similar to Baldur's Gate; a good mix of combat and story, with lots of interesting items and spells. This game looks like it should be quite rich in content. Also since it was funded by kickstarter and not a publisher, there is no hard release date, meaning it should be released quite polished. The Obsidian team is good so if you like old school RPG's this is one to watch.
Watch DogsDeveloper: Ubisoft Montreal
Due: 2nd quarter 2014
URL: http://eternity.obsidian.net/This is a very interesting game, and also a new IP. It is styled after the GTA games- it has an open world with an open plot, I expect many side missions and new mechanics. Rather than have a goal of becoming the leader of a criminal organization, the player is a hacker out for revenge. The player's activities are more clandestine and personal. You can literally hack just about any electronics (that the game lets you), including other citizen's phones, laptops and their webcams, traffic light, cars, security cameras and alarm systems. You can use that information to stop crimes before they happen, or to manipulate the system to get rich yourself. The game has already been delayed so I don't expect the release date to be shifted again. The big downside is it being from Ubisoft, so expect like no customer service whatsoever. This is also a multi-platform title.
Wasteland 2Developer: InXile Entertainment
Due: "2014"
URL: http://wasteland.inxile-entertainment.com/This one is a little further away. It is a sequel to a very old game- Wasteland, which was the game that inspired the original Fallout games. It's a top-down, party based, turn based RPG. Expect quite tactical combat and also a fairly solid story. You control a squad of rangers in a post apocalyptic setting, doing good or perhaps just being an arsehole. I believe the game lets you choose. If you like tactical RPG's, post nuclear settings or strong RPG's then this is the game for you.
The Elder Scrolls OnlineDeveloper: ZeniMax Online Studios
Due: 4 April 2014
URL: elderscrollsonline.com/The next "WoW killer" and after checking it I am not sure. The game will be huge, it features almost the entire civilized area of Tamriel. There are 4 basic classes (caster type, tanky type, stealth/rogue type and magic/fighter paladin type). The big gimmick with classes is apparently you can mix and match skills, gear and weapons to play how you want. So you can make a stealth caster, melee wizard, healer warrior, etc. There is also skills and spells you can find to enhance this. It also features three-faction global PvP. Players fight to hold the Impeial capital and the player in charge of the winning faction gets to be Emperor! Expect lots of short reigns
. It also only has one mega server, it creates multiple shards of zones to accommodate players as needed, as well as tries to place you in the same shards as friends to ease grouping and social play. Now the reason why I am not sure about this is I checked the skills a little and they seem to be quite "loose", similar to WoW I guess. I will be trying this game but I can't say if it really is revolutionary or more of the same with shinier graphics. This game is an MMO and will use a subscription system.
Dark Souls IIDeveloper: From Software
Due: 11-14 March 2014
URL: www.darksoulsii.com/If this is anything like Dark Souls this is the sort of game that hates you. It throws brutally hard and unfair fights at you, then laughs at you when you die. Then you go back for some more. It's fair difficulty, since you will know exactly why you died. Dark Souls placed a lot of emphasis on learning the weakness and strengths of enemies so you can figure out not only how to beat them but what to use to beat them. Prepare to cry tears of frustration night after night as the game taunts you with the hidden and wondrous treasures just behind that next monster...
Diablo III: Reaper of SoulsDeveloper: Blizzard Entertainment
Due: 25 March 2014
URL: https://us.battle.net/d3/en/reaper-of-souls/I really did not like D3, the game was so simplified and dumbed down, it had removed what made a good action RPG good. Reaper of Souls seems to help fix some issues. It has new randomized dungeons (copied from Path of Exile) in a new free roam game mode (no more stuck following the quests!), removes the real money auction house, adds a new Crusader class, greatly expands unique item selection and variety, as well as expands skills, passives and runes selection. Not sure if I will buy this. It looks good but there are a lot of games I want to try this year. Personally I will wait and if it looks worth it then I might get it.
South Park: The Stick of TruthDeveloper: Obsidian Entertainment, South Park Digital Studios
Due: 4-7 March 2014
URL: southpark.ubi.comEverything I've heard about this game makes out that it is actually good. They actually tried to make the game look like the cartoon, instead of using shitty 3D models. Check the game footage on youtube! You can play as a fighter, mage, thief or jew, no really, jew is a class! Expect lots of bad language, immature jokes and satire.
EDIT: Well this game has been unleashed, and to favourable reviews. Major complaints seem that it's a little high priced for the length and that it lacks depth or replay value. However many reviewers agree it's one of the best games based on a tv/movie franchise. Lots of stupid jokes, even more references to South Park jokes and the trademark satire. Haven't played but I feel confident saying that even if you aren't a fan of South Park, you will probably like this game. Looking for a cheaper version or waiting for prices to drop may be worth doing though.
ThiefDeveloper: Eidos Montreal
Due: 25-28 February 2014
URL: www.thiefgame.com/A reboot of the Thief series. Obviously you play as a thief, doing everything you can to try and avoid detection. This is very much a stealth based game, I believe to the point you don't even want to incapacitate guards, rather get past them without them ever knowing you were there. I am not sure on the game but the old thief games were good, I expect this game to be good as well. This is a first person game and requires you to get through an environment to steal a prize, while using a broad arrow of tools to help manipulate the environment. If you like first person stealth games with an emphasis on planning and strategy then this game should be good for you.
EDIT: Reviews are in and this game seems mediocre. General feel of the reviews seems that developers tried to capture the feel of the game but used systems that were too simple. Also some annoying gameplay niggles are present, like dodgy AI and unnecessarily long animations in some places. If you like stealth games it should satisfy but otherwise look it up before buying.
Any other games you are looking forward to this year? Post a reply with some details!
