Last week marked the ending of a phenomenal year for game releases and the beginning of an exciting new year filled with endless possibilities. Now that both the Xbox One and PS4 are on the market, many developers will be spending the next several years creating breakout games for each respective platform.
With all that said, there still are several notable titles coming out this year that are already early contenders for GOTY 2014. This list contains 5 games that I feel will have the strongest impact on the industry and gamers everywhere as the year goes on.
5) Super Smash Bros.
Prior to the release of Super Mario World 3D back in November, the Wii U experienced a fairly dismal 2013. In addition to not having any quality AAA titles on the console, several third-party developers made public comments about choosing not to support the platform until it proved to be worth the extra time and effort.
With Super Smash Bros., Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, Mario Kart 8, and several other unannounced titles set to hit the console later this year, many can make the argument that the Wii U is poised for a strong comeback in the months ahead. In the case of Smash Bros, the brawler is already a guaranteed console seller before it even hits stores. While this doesn’t essentially guarantee that it will be the game of the year, I do believe that if it propels Nintendo back to greatness as a whole then it most certainly deserves that prestigious title.
4) TitanFall
Respawn Entertainment’s mech stylized first-person shooter was easily one of the hottest games during all of the E3 2013 festivities. After Respawn boss Vince Zampella confirmed that the first TitanFall game would be exclusive to the Xbox One, Xbox 360, and PC platforms, several PlayStation fanboys responded with hatred while secretly hoping that the sequel would eventually end up on the PS4.
TitanFall is a full-fledged multiplayer game and doesn’t fit the typical mold of a game of the year candidate. However, if the new IP becomes a bona fide hit and gives Call of Duty a run for it’s money, then it surely will have earned enough respect to be considered one of the standout games of 2014.
3) Watch Dogs
Ubisoft’s ambitious open world action-adventure game was marked a lot higher on my GOTY 2013 post last year. Thanks to an unexpected delay, Watch Dogs is now set to invade our lives this spring.
The talented developers over at Ubisoft Montreal have stated time and time again that this delay was necessary and thus everyone’s expectations are now significantly higher than they were before. If Watch Dogs does prove to deliver the definitive next-gen experience, then I think this title rightfully deserves all the game of the year votes it would get.
2) Destiny
Bungie and Activision’s action RPG still remains a mystery to most fans. While a few gameplay demos have successfully answered some questions, the general consensus is that both studios are still holding back information on what all this MMO has to offer.
As a new IP conceptualized by the creators behind the Halo franchise, Destiny has all the right tools in its arsenal to become one of this year’s most memorable games. The question of whether or not it successfully delivers on the front will be answered soon enough.
1) The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt
Managing Editor Gary A. Swaby said it best when he called The Witcher 3 a Skyrim Killer. This highly anticipated open world RPG is a complete step up from the other games in the series and is expected to conclude Geralt of Rivea’s story in exciting fashion.
The developers over at CD Projekt RED are true masters of their craft when it comes to storytelling, character development, and creating immersive environments. On top of all this, they have a great deal of admiration for their fans and are always committed to making their games better based on the feedback they receive. These are all the reasons why I feel The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is currently the strongest contender for GOTY 2014.
What is your early pick for GOTY 2014?
This concludes my list on five early contenders for GOTY 2014. There still are plenty of indie games and unannounced titles that could easily fall into contention and ultimately take away this award before everything is said and done. Do you have five picks of your own that you think will be strong GOTY contenders? Please feel free to let us know in the comments section below.
