[Question] The Gamingforce Game of the Year 2014: All aboard the hype train - voting edition

Kentucky Route Zero - 40 pts



A game almost none of you will have played the first 3 installments of, and a game all of you bloody well should.

The script was heavily influenced by Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Flannery O'Connor and absolutely oozes atmosphere and surrealism from every pore. It plays with your perspective, giving you dialogue tree options for not only the protagonist, but often for random NPCs or even inanimate objects. You don't so much play this game as drift through it, getting your senses spoiled by amazing music, beautiful art, abstract storytelling and intelligent, well-considered design choices at every corner.

Only the first 3 of 5 episodes are out, but I've replayed these 3 time and time again, and never once found it repetitive. One of the best games I've ever played. Period.

Transistor - 30 points



If not for KR0, this would have been an INSTANT 40 for me. I loved Bastion. Loved it. This is better in every conceivable way. A narrative that is impacting without feeling the need to hold your hand and explain to you how to feel or exactly what your perspective should be coupled with a wonderful combat system and I think one of the two best soundtracks of the year lead to a wonderful experience. The story completely got me and I was hooked deep from moment one, and the incredible art direction choices will leave you absolutely stunned at just how beautiful minimalism can be.

They use colour in a way that is subtle but executed so well that it is almost its own character. Play it, beat it, play it again and again and again. And then go back to it and play it one more time.

Endless Legend - 10 points



AHMAHGAH. AH. MAH. GAH.

THIS GAME GUYS. It will swallow your fucking life. It's like Civilization on crack. Your great people are now heroes. With names. They can run your army or run your cities for bonuses. The battles are mini SRPG fare. The world is this cool, fantasy/sci-fi meld that is just awesome. The races are just awesome. They have story-driven quests within the 4x approach.

Guys.

Guys.

It's Awesome, guys.

Mario Kart 8 - 5



None of you need me to explain this. The music is love. The game is slick and entertaining and the tracks are great. A gaming PC and a Wii U are the gaming set-up of right now, to be sure.

Valiant Hearts: The Great War - 5 points



Ubisoft seems absolutely convinced that being awful is the way to go forward, but that engine is something else, man. This is one of 2 things I just loved on this build this year. This one is deep, and meaningful and gets into your blood and makes you hurt. Play it when you have time to dedicate to the experience.

Which brings us to...

Child of Light - 5 points



Beautiful, light without being silly, whimsical and absolutely mesmerizing. This game lives up to the external hype made by the imagery which is rare. It would be rated higher but it can be slightly repetitive and isn't quite as deep as I'd like. But absolutely one of the tops of the year.

Divinity: Original Sin - 5 points



The greatest compliment I can give this is the following: I liked it more than Bravely Default. And I -loved- Bravely Default. This is the RPG of the year, without hesitation. Child of Light ties it in score, but for the RPG-heads out there, this is the one to go with.

Honourable mentions:


Bravely Default
Blackwell Epiphany
Broken Age
Lethal League
Theatrhythm curtain call
wasteland 2
The vanishing of ethan carter
A story about my uncle
Dreamfall Chapters: The longest journey
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth
Dragon Age Inquisition
The Talos Principle
Bayonetta 2
With Those We Love Alive
Mountain
Abyss Odyssey

Jam it back in, in the dark.