Year in Review 2014 Pt1 January - June

Hello lovers and friends! Well, its almost June which will mark two things E3 and the second half of the year. So, as we gear up to find out just exactly what we will be playing the second half of the year I figured I would review what I've already played so far this year. Take note this isn't EVERYTHING I've played just simply 2014 releases and this does include *some* re-releases as you'll see but everything listed here released in 2014. I'm just going to list them in the chronological order that I've played them.

Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition (Ps4)

Ah, Tomb Raider. A game I did play in 2013 and readily enjoyed it just barely missed my 2013 best of list. While this game is way more Uncharted than classic Tomb Raider I think it actually does Uncharted better than Uncharted does. All the little things in this game add up to really make an excellent game and playing on the PS4 1080p at 60fps was a great treat to start out the year.

Don't Starve (PS4)

The first release of the year on PS+ for the PS4 in 2014 this is a game which I also own on PC which funnily enough I didn't pay any money out of pocket to buy on there either (bought it all with money from selling steam trading cards). Its a fun enough game but honestly, I'm terrible at it and that probably hampers my enthusiasm for it. Although playing this version I did get further than i ever did on the PC version so...hey that is something right?

Outlast (PS4)

Yet another PS4 PS+ release this is one of the best horror games I've played in quite some time. I was actually pretty terrified to the point of having several false attempts at starting the game. So while that didn't last through the entire game and the scares sort of lost their edge through the rest of the game the world building and environments are some of the best I've seen in a horror game. I know a lot of people didn't like the latter half of the game but I found parts of that interesting as well. The story to me at least isn't as bad as some people are saying it is. I mean, horror plots in general are pretty bad and at least this one has some extensive lore backing everything up. Well worth playing if you already haven't I think I might get that whistleblower DLC very soon.

Lightning Returns: Final Fantasy XIII (PS3)

So, I really really like this game you guys. Yeah, I know a large chunk of you could care less about the XIII series and think Final Fantasy is a shade of its former self. I however adored every single moment I spent with this game. Its the culmination of investing in these characters for the past 4 years and it paid off in spades. To be able to see everything wrap up like it did was frankly heartwarming. Which, is probably a really saccharine thing to say about the game but its how I felt. The combat was as great as ever playing on the same mechanics of the last two games in a slightly different variation. The best thing about the combat was how you could approach scenarios. I talked to @hailinel on twitter a lot while playing this and our approaches to a lot of the fights were entirely different which was super cool that the game didn't really box you into one strategy being the be-all-end-all.

Oh, and did I mention outfits? CAUSE OUTFITS YOU GUYS. So many. Outfits. I've always enjoyed dressing up characters and boy does Lightning Returns have options. I just want more games that adopt a dress mechanic of some sort it amuses me to no end.

Dark Souls II (PS3)

You Died. Familiar words for anyone who has played a game in the Souls series. Fantastic game from top to bottom I know a lot of people took issues with things like the game feeling very patchwork as far as level design goes but honestly being someone who never was in the game for lore just the straight up PLAYING of the game was way more satisfying than the previous game in the series. After 200 hours I managed to Platinum the game. Every second spent with this game was well spent. Going to be a front runner for me at the end of the year.

Dead Nation: Apocalypse Edition (PS4)

Not much to say about this one... spent about all of like two hours with it? Mediocre game. Glad it was free on PS+ although the one cool thing is its tie-ins with twitch streaming. Bringing an interactive element to the game is a neat idea shame though that the rest of the game is so forgettable.

Yaiba Ninja Gaiden Z (PS3)

There are a few things about me when you get to know me that you'll instantly know about me. One is that my favorite game of all time is Ninja Gaiden Black and I'm in general a huge mark for Team Ninja stuff. That being said I played this game for all of an hour one time and quit. Its fucking garbage on all accounts. Shame too because it had so much potential. If you're thinking of buying this game literally do ANYTHING else with your money and you'll have a better time. Fuck this trash.

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes (PS4)

I really enjoyed my time with this game well... all 3 hours of it. Never-the-less it was a fun peek at what MGS V is going to be. There have obviously been critics of Kojima and his use of Paz in the story and in general how fucking dark MGS V throws but I think I'm going to reserve final judgement until we see if this turns out to be Kojima's magnum opus or just a flash in the pan. I do however really enjoy the new mechanics. And if anyone has questions I'm sure @mooseymcman has the answers. Seriously, he's played this game more than is healthy for any one human being.

inFAMOUS Second Son (Ps4)

So, I hated the previous inFAMOUS games. Honestly, buying this was a combination of bordem and really wanting to see how pretty this game looked in person. I was surprised when I actually ended up really enjoying this game. The non-conventional nature of the origins of the powers were pretty fun especially the 3rd power. I don't think I'll ever play through the game a second time BUT I had fun and it was worth my $60.

Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD Remaster (PS3)

Guys, I've come to the conclusion that I'll never finish FFX. I was all geared up for playing this and then well..... I just kind of quit playing? I dunno this game just feels old in a way that I can't get over. Especially the voice acting. Its bad. Just flat out bad. Granted, this is the first voiced Final Fantasy game and also the beginning of when Voice Overs in games were starting to become the standard. That however doesn't make it any easier to go back to. So, I guess I'll sort of just respect FFX for what it did for the PS2 and the JRPG genre and sort of leave it at that. Cause I can't see myself going back to this.

Mercenary Kings (PS4)

A fun little game by the same studio that did the Scott Pilgrim game. I can appreciate this game for being well made and for what it does but honestly its just not my cup of tea. It has some interesting hooks and bringing the borderlands gun-loot lust to Metal Slug game play is an interesting concept on paper however I just....kind of don't like playing it? I do however dig the art style.

Hatsune Miku Project Diva F 2nd (PS3)

So, unsure if SEGA was bringing this game to North America I imported this game. Which is my first import game in a good long while. For reference the last import game I bought was Parasite EVE 2 on PSOne. Anyways, the game is much improved with new scratch note mechanics and songs and an overall stronger setlist I think Project Diva F 2nd will impress fans of the first game when SEGA does bring a localized version out here later this year.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn (PS4)

Boy, where do I begin with this one well... this game is my current crippling addiction and I haven't seriously played anything since I started playing the PS4 version? Yeah, that is a good start. Seriously though, the game is amazing and its gotten me back into the MMO scene for the first time since like 2007. Thanks to the Giantbomb Guild its made my time playing all the better. If any of you start playing look me up on Ultros "Musubi Azeyma"

Conception II Children of the Seven Stars (PS Vita)

Hey! Its a vita game! Yes, finally after years of not being convinced Vita was worth a damn I bought one and am finding tons of neat stuff to play on it. Including this. I'll be honest though haven't dug super deep into this one. I want to soon though but everything about this game seems absurd enough that I had to play it.

Hatsune Miku Project Diva F (PS Vita)

Yet another Vita game. And while this game was originally brought out in japan in 2012 it was just finally released as a digital download on the PSN store earlier this year. Even with already having the PS3 version this was a no-brainer buy for me as having this game on the go is awesome. The only thing different from the PS3 version is some of the songs are DLC which sucks cause they are among my favorite songs from the game (Sweet Devil, Tokyo Teddy Bear, Tell Your World) the other thing is that you swipe the screen for the scratch notes instead of flicking the sticks like you do on the PS3 version of the game which was an interesting change for me to adapt to. Love it all the same though. More miku is always appreciated!

Stick it to the Man (PS4)

Yet another game in a long list of games from the "Yo, you know all these hot indie games you played in 2013? Yeah, here is a PS4 version" club this was a PS+ game and I figured I'd at least check it out. Watching Jeff and company play it on Unpro Fridays kind of bored me but actually getting hands on the game is actually decent fun! Some of the puzzle solutions are pretty silly and the fact that it is puzzle oriented instead of just being a combat platformer has kept my interest in the game way longer than it would have otherwise. It works really well on PS Vita remote play too!

Transistor (PS4)

So, I'll be honest here I've only played an hour of this game. Blame FFXIV for that.... I do however REALLY like what I played however. I even went and threw SuperGiantGames an extra 10 bones and bought the soundtrack. Which hilariously enough I've been listening to a lot while playing.... FFXIV. Good game though and I will have to go back and try to finish it soon. SuperGiant Games are a stupidly talented studio. I can't wait to see what they roll out next.

Monster Monpiece (PS Vita)

If you bypass the obvious low hanging masturbatory and anime boob jokes here you'll actually find what is a low budget yet pretty solid card battling game. I've played the game for about 2-3 hours so far and I've enjoyed what I've played thus far. If you can get past all the aesthetic elements of the monster girls and the "rubbing" mechanic I think you'll find a game which is actually pretty fun and at $30 its not going to break the bank either. Can't wait to play more.

2014 The rest of the year! My Hype list.

These are in no particular order:

Akiba's Trip 2

Sort of surprised they are localizing this. However, I think it might be a fun distraction. One of the coolest things is how insanely detailed they model Japan's akihabara district. You beat up vampires (male and female just so everyone is aware) and strip their clothes off. Seems silly and worth supporting something dumb like this.

Senran Kagura : Shinovi Versus

In a near stagnant Vita release schedule Senran Kagura is one of the few standouts. I've had it described as "playing like Dissida Final Fantasy" to me so hey I figured I'd give this a whirl and see if its worth a damn.

Destiny

Relax folks its not all anime boobs up in here. I have room for some space marines. Well, okay I have no idea if space marines is an apropos description here but honestly I don't know much about this game period. Regardless, what I have seen looks damn impressive and while I lament Bungie not talking their talents in another direction other than sci-fi this game looks to be pretty amazing regardless.

Dragon Age Inquisition

If any game has the potential to break me away from FFXIV long enough to invest my time into another game its Dragon Age. Origins is among my favorite games ever. And while I didn't hate Dragon Age 2 as much as others did it sure didn't live up to the potential of the first game. I'm really hoping Bioware has learned from past mistakes with this release.

WWE 2k15

Look, the fucking get me every goddamn year. I'd be lying through my teeth if I said I wasn't buying this. Seriously, I've played every goddamn WWE game since like the first Smackdown. Its a disease. We know absolutely nothing about the game yet but like I said... they get me every year. But hey, as long as I can create Hatsune Miku and piledrive people through tables with her I'll be satisfied on at least some level.

Does FFXHD include the Japanese voices? I've played the PS2 version and the grating voice acting is one of the things keeping me from jumping back into it. Since I don't speak Japanese, it probably won't annoy me as much and I can just read the subtitles. Or I might pull a Bravely Default and just turn the voices off completely and read the text boxes like an old-school game.

I don't know if the PS2 version includes the Japanese voices, I haven't checked.

Damn son! So many games.

Seeing Lightning Returns reminds that I need to finish Final Fantasy XIII and that I have an unopened copy of XIII-2 around here somewhere.

I'm scared to try Dark Souls 2 again. I...I couldn't even defeat the Giant. :(

And as always, Senran Kagura baby! Why can't it be September already?

Edit: Fuck my grammar.

@believer258: Not that I ever saw no. Which is a shame. Tidus in particular is just grating as all hell.

You beat up vampires (male and female just so everyone is aware) and strip their clothes off. Seems silly and worth supporting something dumb like this

Yeah...no. The game is a really banal beat 'em up, and the only reason why anyone cares about it is because of its clothing system. Which even if it has women and men comes across as exploitative.

@demoskinos 35 hours of Ground Zeroes isn't unhealthy! I am quite pleased that I'm your go to expert on it though. You should know that I am planning a full length presentation about how the game's lack of hair shadow for Big Boss ruins the immersion...

@baka_shinji17: They did nerf the giant, definitely seems like the most lethal first boss in the series; even if he's not particularly difficult for veterans (same can not be said for Pursuer early game...).

Final Fantasy X has extremely good themes and extremely terrible characters, the gameplay is top notch though.

@zombiepie: Except the entire tone of the game is one of comedy and not titillation. The game knows its silly and it plays on that.

I would expect nothing less from you.

@zombiepie: Actually, I'm looking forward to the gameplay and XSEED's localization. In addition to the clothing chaos, of course. It should be a grand old time.

@demoskinos: How did your Tomb Raider multiplayer experience go? For me it's always fun even if I only play a few games every month or so; I just really like how elaborate the maps are, and maybe how overpowered the "allied" grenade launcher is. More fun than Uncharted competitive multi in my experience.

A nice smattering of games you've played thus far. While I don't think you could pay me any amount of money to play creepy anime boob games, I'm currently going through Final Fantasy XIII (I don't hate it, thus far) with some sort of vague intention towards playing XIII-2 and Lightning Returns at some point. I also have the X/X-2 HD collection if I really want to oversaturate my life with late-era Final Fantasy.

You should play Yaiba the entire way through so you can write about how terrible it is. That's how I play games!

@arbitrarywater: You're a braver soul than I sir. As you can probably tell from my taste in games I don't usually shy away from low budget garbage but even by my lax standards I couldn't tolerate Yaiba. Possibly because unlike most of the anime trash I play I actually expected more from Comcept and Team Ninja. Yes, I know Spark Unlimited actually did the legwork but fuck man this game COULD have been so cool. And even in the quick look Brad and Vinny are all "Hey, this opening cut-scene is fucking rad!" You know... until the part where the actual game starts.

@fredchuckdave: I played long enough to get all of the trophies. Its actually not too bad. Like, it needs work if they bring out a sequel but there is a devlish satisfaction to setting a environmental trap and watching some shmuck wander into it.

I'll also just note that this is Xseed's offical response regarding the game:

First and foremost, do not judge this game harshly on the perv factor! Akiba's Trip is not a game meant to turn you on, but rather to make you laugh. All of its risque content exists to satirize the state of otaku culture in modern Japan, and it's actually a pretty scathing satire -- almost like a roast, mercilessly and downright cruelly poking fun at all the crazy and disturbing crap you see in modern Japan while also gleefully indulging in it, as if celebrating the very culture it mocks. As a result, it's a genuinely funny game with LOTS of laugh-out-loud moments, pop culture references and "smart jokes," in addition to things that are intentionally designed to squick you out a little. Tonally, it very much ranges from toilet humor to witty repartee, and the writing is quite excellent -- so much so that we've been really going back and forth on a lot of the finer points of its localization, as we want to make sure each scene maintains as much comedic impact and satirical poignancy in English as in Japanese.

I also don't want to hear anyone calling this game sexist, because (A) you strip just as many men as you do women (if not more!), and (B) any sexist elements that exist as part of the story are VERY CLEARLY there for social satire purposes. It's not like Killer Is Dead, where Gigolo Mode's satirical value is debatable (and I still say it's pure satire, for the record!) -- no, there's simply no debating it in Akiba's Trip, as the satire is generally pretty on the nose. ;)

I hope GB at least does a Quick Look of the game, because I don't want to play that game, but I want to see how a creepy Japanese game like this handles stripping men. And also it'd probably be a funny video.

@demoskinos: Yeah they are free to say that, and hey this is capitalism, which I am totally okay with (just ask @gamer_152 or @mattyftm)., so more power to them for taking the time and money to release this in the United States. That said I'll speak with my dollars and politely say no.

@mooseymcman: Nerds/otakus wear white briefs, jocks wear boxers, and the "real" men/ business types wear boxer-briefs. That's essentially how it works in the game. It gets to the point where you can honestly predict what the guys are wearing based on their fulyl clothed character models...because there's like four or five max.

Man...this is all reminding me of that Japanese business trip where I played this on a co-worker's Vita.

@demoskinos: To be fair, I never did finish that Sonic RPG, but yeah, my tendency towards things that are terrible is what led me to playing high quality games like The Bureau and Devil May Cry 2 the entire way through. I'd say something on the level of Yaiba is where my line stops, but I'll probably buy that Bound By Flame game when it's like $5 on steam (and it looks pretty bad), so I'm not exactly clean.

@zombiepie: Not really sure what I was expecting, but that seems...underwhelming.

If people were expecting something like star-spangled banana hammocks, yeah, they're going to be disappointed.

@hailinel: I wasn't, but now that you mention it, now I feel extra disappointed by this game I had never even heard of before reading this thread.

@arbitrarywater: Did you play through Sonic 2006 yet?

@demoskinos: I've been playing Transistor in 1 hour bits when I get home from work and think that's almost certainly the best way to play it.

I remember when you got into Yaiba and were kind of like "this seems not too bad maybe". Unfortunately it turned out to be a piece of some of the worst character action trash (I played a bit of it too). Fuck that game!

@arbitrarywater: Oh fuck man. When the DMC collection came out I played DMC 2 way more than any human being probally should have. God, that game is a pile of awful. Yet somehow I still managed to play it more than Yaiba. Lol.

@demoskinos:
DMC 2 is trash, but at the very least I'm glad I understand the extent of how terrible it is.

@fredchuckdave: Not yet. Maybe one day, when I'm in a dark hole and can only sustain myself with more darkness.

Let me just give you the tl;dr on the experience: