The most interesting games released in 2014
All the best and most popular games of the year, upcoming releases, and hits from the past. Use filters to narrow down search.
Dragon Age: Inquisition
RPG
November 18, 2014
Dragon Age: Inquisition is the third part of a cRPG series, which started in 2009 with the debut of Dragon Age: Origins. Once again BioWare took on the development of the production in cooperation with Electronic Arts. The game is set in a fantasy world of Thedas, and the main theme of the plot is a demon invasion. The player becomes a leader of the Inquisition burdened with two tasks: stopping the creatures invading from spirit world - the Fade, and finding the ones responsible for bringing them to the world of mortals. The gameplay is based on classic cRPG solutions with a focus on world exploration, tactical combat, team-building, and making ethical choices that affect the course of the story. On the technical side, Dragon Age: Inquisition employs the Frostbite 3 engine (known for Battlefield 4, among others) which provides high-quality audiovisual environment.
The Sims 4
Simulation
September 2, 2014
The fourth installment in the best-selling life simulation series – The Sims. The Sims 4 was developed by Maxis Studios, also known for SimCity and Spore. The player, once again, controls the lifes of a virtual family. Character editor lets you set not only alter the physical appearance of each Sim, but also define their personality, character, and goals. Your main task is to provide for the needs of your Sims – starting with a place to sleep and regular meals and including their intellectual development as well as professional career. As compared to previous games in the franchise, The Sims 4 offers much more developed social options, letting you interact with other players (e.g. share houses and throw parties together).
Assassin's Creed: Unity
Action
November 11, 2014
The fifth major installment in the extremely popular Assassin’s Creed franchise, created by the Ubisoft company in 2007. It is at the same time the first iteration of the series designed for PC and the eight generation consoles. The new story features a new assassin, Arno. The story is set in the late-18th-century Paris, faithfully recreated in the game. In the turbulent times of the French Revolution the protagonist is trying to alter the fate of his nation, while seeking retribution for his past mistakes. The debut of the series on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 provided an opportunity to re-imagine the series. Changes included not only graphics, physics, and animations, but also gameplay mechanics and combat system. The hero learned new abilities that can be developed in three different areas. The game world is bigger and richer in content, offering full freedom of exploration.
Legend of Grimrock II
RPG
October 15, 2014
The sequel to the old-school cRPG game, developed by Finnish studio Almost Human in 2012. Originally, the production was to be an extension to the "one", but over time it was developed into a full-fledged sequel. In the game we once again direct the fate of a team of 4 convicts, traversing the dungeons and terrains of the island of Nex in accordance with the mechanics of classic dungeon-crawlers, enriched with several new solutions.
Divinity: Original Sin
RPG
June 30, 2014
Divinity: Original Sin is a sequel to the cRPG series developed by Larian Studios. The game is set before the events presented in Divine Divinity (2002). The story focuses on the adventures of young Source Hunters, who have to delve into the arcanes of forbidden magic and prevent its effects. Gameplay is based on classic RPG mechanics. You lead a team of up to four heroes and together you complete quests, explore locations, and fight enemies. As they gain experience, the characters' stats will increase and they can master new skills. Apart from single player mode, Divinity: Original Sin offers a co-op mode with a second player via LAN or Internet.
Far Cry 4
Action
November 18, 2014
The fourth installment of the extremely popular series of sandbox FPP action games. In accordance with the Ubisoft’s policy, the production was developed by several internal development studios led by Ubisoft Montreal and Ubisoft Shanghai. Once again players have the opportunity to assume the role of a protagonist forced to face numerous enemies and obstacles all by himself. At his disposal, however, is a considerable arsenal of firearms and melee weapons. The creators remained true to the well-proven gameplay scheme, allowing the gamers to explore vast locations and complete task with an unparalleled degree of freedom. On the technical side, Far Cry 4 fully employs the potential of the constantly improved Dunia Engine, providing high-quality audiovisuals and realistic physics.
Might & Magic X: Legacy
RPG
January 23, 2014
Might & Magic X: Legacy is the tenth installment in the legendary cRPG series, and the first one created by Limbic Entertainment. The game is set in the fantasy world of Ashan, after the events of Might & Magic: Heroes VI. The City of Karthal, located on the Agyn Peninsula, is on the brink of seceding from the Holy Empire. Four adventurers, controlled by the player, become involved in a conspiracy, which can affect the fate of the whole kingdom. Mechanics-wise, Might & Magic X: Legacy is based on the earliest installments of the series and features e.g. turn-based combat, a wide range of weapons and equipment, and expansive skill developing options.
Rise of Nations: Extended Edition
Strategy
June 12, 2014
Remastered version of one of the cult RTS strategies, developed in 2003 by the Big Huge Games studio and at the same time another brand refreshed on behalf of Microsoft by the SkyBox Labs team. In this strategy, which combines elements of Age of Empires and Civilization, we stand at the head of one of 18 nations in order to lead our nation through the successive epochs of development - starting from prehistoric times and ending in the near future.
Watch Dogs
Action
May 27, 2014
A third person perspective (TPP) action game developed by Ubisoft company’s subsidiaries led by Ubisoft Montreal. Watch_Dogs is set in the near future in Chicago, one of many American metropolitan areas, whose infrastructure is managed by the Central Operating System (CtOS). The game’s protagonist is Aiden Pearce, a talented hacker able to hack almost every electronic device and use it to provoke a specific reaction or influence other people’s behavior. Gameplay is set in an open world, providing the player with the freedom to complete the missions as he sees fit. Gameplay combines elements of a third person shooter, stealth, and action-adventure game. Watch_Dogs also includes a multiplayer system with a unique feature – other players’ actions can influence the single player campaign.
Farming Simulator 15
Simulation
October 30, 2014
The sixth major installment in the popular farming simulation game series. The franchise makes a comeback to key gaming platforms after a year off, when only smartphone and portable editions were released. The developer, GIANTS Software, prepared another portion of innovations to enhance gameplay. The game lets you play in a new environment (Scandinavian), characterized by different landscape, weather conditions, and vast forests. This time players can cut down trees using specially designed, licensed machines. There is also a car wash, allowing you to keep your vehicles clean. Overall, the gameplay mechanics remained unchanged; as usual, your task is to manage a farm and expand it using the money earned from breeding animals and cultivating land. The sixth installment introduced the series to the eight generation consoles, bringing about significant visual improvements.
Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Action
September 30, 2014
A TPP action game set in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor was developed by Monolith Productions, the creators of Aliens vs Predator 2 and F.E.A.R.: First Encounter Assault Recon. The plot takes place before the events depicted in "The Lord of the Rings". In the main campaign, players assume the role of Talion, a ranger who is raised from the dead by an ancient spirit of vengeance in order to take bloody revenge on the servants of Sauron for the death of his loved ones. The core of the game consists of spectacular battles with large groups of enemies, during which you can use a rich variety of ranged and melee attacks, as well as dodges. The audiovisual aspects of the game were modeled after the cinematic saga by Peter Jackson.
Thief
Action
February 25, 2014
Thief is a first-person perspective (FPP) stealth action game, being the fourth iteration of the adventures of the master thief, Garrett. The title was created by a developer team at Eidos Montreal, known, for example, for Deus Ex: Human Revolution. Action of Thief takes place in a fictional world featuring elements of Gothic, Victorian-era, and steampunk. The story depicts the adventures of the legendary thief who, after returning to the city, gets involved in a complicated intrigue, and the fate of the city's inhabitants depends on his decisions. Main campaign of the game consists of a set of missions involving mainly stealing from various prominent citizens. While controlling Garrett's actions, the player must demonstrate ability to remain hidden, silently eliminate enemies, and his proficiency with various tools of the trade. The game is powered by the popular Unreal Engine 3 technology.
Risen 3: Titan Lords
RPG
August 12, 2014
An action-RPG and the third part of the Risen trilogy, created by German developer Piranha Bytes. In Risen 3: Titan Lords the creators dropped the pirate themes in favor of a Medieval-inspired dark fantasy setting. You take on a role of a hero whose soul has been devoured by the Shadow Lord. Depending on the choices you make throughout the game, the hero may once again become human or follow the demonic path. Like the previous Risen games, this one too employs third person perspective and features well-proven melee combat mechanics enriched with a blocking system. From technical side, Risen 3: Titan Lords runs on a modified version of the engine previously used in Risen 2: Dark Waters.
Men of War: Assault Squad 2
Strategy
May 15, 2014
An official sequel to a standalone expansion to the popular Men of War series, launched in 2007 by Best Way studio – previously known for such titles as Faces of War or Soldiers: Heroes of World War II. The game lets you pick one of five available nations that were taking part in World War II and lead them to battle on the front lines of Europe, North Africa, and Far East. Players can take part in various scenarios that require employing different tactics, from covert sniping missions, to tank battles. Some of them are redesigned missions from the previous installment in the series. The game is powered by a modified version of the predecessor’s engine, achieving much better visual quality. The authors also improved AI of computer opponents and provided an extensive multiplayer that allows for competition of two teams of four players.
Sniper Elite III: Afrika
Action
June 27, 2014
The third installment in the series of World War II shooters. Sniper Elite III: Afrika once again tells the story of an American sniper by the name of Karl Fairburne. This time, the protagonist is on a hunt for Nazis in North Africa. The single player campaign constitutes a series of missions with gradually increasing difficulty level. The creators from Rebellion studio prepared a cooperation mode as well. The gameplay is based largely on being able to make a good use of a sniper rifle in the game's numerous shooting sequences. Accurate shots are always rewarded with a slow motion x-ray vision of our bullets penetrating the body parts of the enemies. One of the bigger new features introduced in this installment is the presence of structurally open map layouts, which give much more freedom of approach to the players.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Action
April 17, 2014
An action adventure sequel to the 2012 The Amazing Spider-Man. Developed by Beenox Inc, a Canadian studio also responsible for such games featuring the Marvel’s superhero as Spider-Man 3: The Game, Spider-Man: Edge of Time and Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions. The story in the game loosely translates the adventures from the movie directed by Marc Webb into a video game setting. Players, who assume the role of the titular Spider-Man, have to find the assassin who murdered Peter Parker’s uncle - Ben. During the game, the player has to face numerous comic-book villains, including Electro, Kingpin, Black Cat, Green Goblin, and more. The sandbox gameplay mechanics give the players the freedom to explore the virtual version of Manhattan while completing assigned tasks.
The Talos Principle
Puzzle
December 11, 2014
A unique first-person puzzle game developed by the Croatian Croteam studio, the creators of the Serious Sam series. Our character wakes up in a world filled with ancient ruins and advanced technology, where he finds 120 puzzles prepared by a creator, employing various laws of physics and different mechanics. We travel across the game’s world nonlinearly, choosing our own path and completing the tasks presented to us, which consist of e.g. manipulating tetris blocks, using gusts of wind, controlling drones, or disabling guarding turrets. Every decision has impact on our future, and the difficulty of puzzles rises with time, as we face deadlier traps and dangers. The characteristic feature of this title are its high-quality visuals that benefit from the Serious Engine 4 technology. It allows for scanning real life locations and items, then bringing them to virtual world.
Assetto Corsa
Racing
December 19, 2014
A very realistic racing simulator developed by independent studio Kunos Simulazioni, which specializes in the genre. The developers of Assetto Corsa have previously created such games like netKar Pro and Ferrari Virtual Academy. The game allows the players to assume the role of professional race drivers and participate in thrilling races of various car classes – from mass-produced vehicles, through prototypes, to the legends of GT and F1. The game has a realistic driving model developed by racing engineers and professional drivers. The model calculates many factors related to the car’s behavior on a track, including g-force distribution and tire grip. Assetto Corsa’s high quality graphics employ the potential of DirectX 11 libraries and the eighth generation consoles. It uses such technologies like HDR, motion blur, dynamic lightning and shadows.
Alien: Isolation
Action
October 7, 2014
An atmospheric FPP survival horror game set in the iconic universe of Alien. It has been created by Creative Assembly, known from their strategy game series, Total War. The game takes place after the events of first movie, and the developers adapted not only the movie's visual style, but also the it's characteristic atmosphere. We play as Amanda, daughter of Ellen Ripley, the main protagonist of the movie. She sets on a journey to find out what happened to her mother after the Nostromo incident. Gameplay focuses on exploration and searching for clues that will help us solve the mystery. However, the dangerous xenomorph keeps tracking us and, as our heroine stands no chance against this enemy, we have to avoid him at all cost.
Assassin's Creed: Rogue
Action
November 11, 2014
Another installment in popular the Assassin’s Creed series, created and developed by the Ubisoft company. Unlike Assassin’s Creed: Unity, released in a similar time window on PC and the eight generation consoles, Rogue is designed for older platforms. Story-wise, the game is a conclusion of the plots presented in the third and the fourth part of the series. The game is set in mid-18th century, and for the first time in the series you play as a Templar, Shay Patrick Cormack. He once belonged to the Brotherhood of Assassins, but since he was betrayed he switched sides and started hunting his former “brothers”. In terms of gameplay, the game does not introduce any revolutionary changes, albeit the opponents are now much more skilled in combat. For the first time since Assassin’s Creed: Brotherhood, the game offers no multiplayer mode, focusing entirely on single player experience.
Wolfenstein: The New Order
Action
May 20, 2014
A first-person shooter and the seventh major installment in the Wolfenstein series. This one was developed by Swedish studio Machine Games, founded by former members of Starbreeze Studios. Wolfenstein: The New Order tells an alternative history of the World War II, where the Third Reich won. The game’s main hero is B. J. Blazkowicz, a veteran of the American special forces. After spending 20 years in cryosleep, he has to stand up to the Nazis once more. The gameplay boils down to annihilating armies of enemies with all sorts of weapons, and occasionally solving simple puzzles. The game’s advanced graphics are powered by the efficient id Tech 5 engine, also known from Rage and The Evil Within.
LEGO The Hobbit
Action
April 8, 2014
LEGO The Hobbit is a 3D action platformer and an adaptation of the movies Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug. It was developed by Traveller's Tales, a studio that specializes in LEGO games (i.e. LEGO Star Wars and LEGO The Lord of The Rings). During their adventures, the players can play as Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf, and the dwarves on their dangerous journey to retrieve the treasures of Smaug the dragon. The game's campaign presents the most important parts of the films in a rather humorous way. Just like in the previous LEGO games, gameplay in LEGO The Hobbit combines dynamic action, thrilling combat, arcade elements, and logical puzzles and riddles.
Sherlock Holmes: Crimes and Punishments
Adventure
September 30, 2014
Another installment in the popular series of adventure games developed by Frogwares. A few years age the series became available for console players as well. Once again, the player takes on the role of the most famous detective of all times, Sherlock Holmes, and together they will solve various criminal riddles. The story takes place in the Victorian London well known from previous installments of the series. The protagonist will have six different cases to solve, including murders, kidnappings, and robberies. The gameplay mechanics were slightly changed in comparison to previous installments. Now, the player is frequently required to make tough moral choices that impact both the gameplay and the endings of the game. For the first time in the series, the game uses the advanced Unreal Engine 3 thanks to which it looks much better.
Wasteland 2
RPG
September 19, 2014
A post-apocalyptic cRPG game that serves as a sequel to a hit title from 1988. Wasteland 2 was developed by Brian Fargo’s (the creator of the original Wasteland) inXile Entertainment Studio with financial support from the community via Kickstarter crowdfunding. The story is set 15 years after the events of the first game. You play as a member of the Desert Rangers and traverse the titular Wasteland - what is left of the United States after a nuclear war. Gameplay is based on classic RPG elements, including turn-based combat, free character progression, and player's choices that shape the way the story unfolds. The game is powered by the popular Unity engine, making full use of its ability to generate isometric 3D graphics.
Age of Wonders III
Strategy
March 31, 2014
The fourth installment of the fantasy strategy game series created and expanded by Dutch studio Triumph Software. Age of Wonders III takes place in a fantasy world in which various races and factions are fighting for power. The story campaign of the game focuses on rivalry between two of the factions – the Commonwealth Empire and the Elven Court. Gameplay of Age of Wonders III mixes strategy and cRPG features. Players are managing their kingdom, exploring the map, discovering new locations, encountering NPCs and participating in battles. The game offers a few single- and multiplayer modes. In contrast to the previous installments of the series, Age of Wonders III features three-dimensional graphics.
Lords of the Fallen (2014)
RPG
October 28, 2014
RPG action game set in a fantasy universe. Lords of the Fallen is a collective work of Deck 13 and CI Games. The story invites you into a world where the mankind once rebelled against the tyranny of a cruel god and managed to bind him to mountain range. Thousands years later the evil grows in strength again, and the only one able to stop it is a hero who is not clean of vice himself. The character controlled by the player represents one of three classes, following a path of weapon or magic. As befits an action RPG, Lords of the Fallen focuses around spectacular combat against diverse opponents. The game is powered by the Fledge Engine.
Metro: Last Light Redux
Action
August 26, 2014
A remastered edition of Metro: Last Light, a first-person shooter with survival horror elements, developed primarily with 8th-generation consoles in mind. The action takes place in the grim universe created by Dmitry Glukhovsky, adapted by 4A Games for the purposes of the game. The sequel to Metro 2033 continues the themes of the original game, while the protagonist abandons the subway tunnels to travel to the surface to stop a conflict between the surviving remains of humanity. The gameplay mechanics remain unchanged and still offer both action sequences as well as stealth sections with the possibility of silent kills. Thanks to the increased size of the locations, the game allows us more freedom and provides more than one path to a given objective. The remastered edition is nearly identical to the original, and the changes it introduces involve mainly improved visuals. The title comes with all previously released DLCs and two new game modes: Survival and Spartan.
Stronghold: Crusader II
Strategy
September 23, 2014
An RTS set in medieval and a sequel to the 2001 hit strategy game, Stronghold. In Stronghold: Crusader II, players once again take role of a leader of medieval armies fighting in the Middle East during the crusades. Similarly to is predecessor, the gameplay focuses on ruling one's fortress, including the management of resources and workforce, building fortifications, and building an army to defend your stronghold, but also laying siege to enemy castles. Developers from FireFly studio aimed to implement bigger maps and many new types of units. Another novelty is a multiplayer co-op mode, which effectively allows you to divide ruler's duties between a military commander and an administrator.
This War of Mine
Strategy
November 14, 2014
An extraordinary war game with focus on survival. It was inspired by the real stories of people who at some point of their lives struggled to survive a war. The game was developed by Polish studio 11 bit, known for an original strategy game series Anomaly. The game gives you control over a group of civilians trying to survive in a ruined city, where the biggest enemies are such problems as starvation and shortage of medicines. Depending on the time of day you can improve your hideout, craft weapons, furniture, and tools, or explore city streets in search for food and useful items. Randomly generated missions provide players with varied challenges and dilemmas, which may require sacrificing one person for the good of the others. The gloomy atmosphere is emphasized by an original visual style based on light and shadow contrasts.
inFamous: Second Son
Action
March 21, 2014
The third entry in the series of TPP action games, developed by Sucker Punch Productions in cooperation with Sony Computer Entertainment. We play as Delsin Rowe, a young man from Seattle, whose exceptional feats draw attention of Department of Unified Protection, which deals with cases of people with supernatural powers. In his fight against the officials, the protagonist can use e.g. fire powers and ability to change into smoke. Like in its predecessors, the gameplay in inFamous: Second Son focuses on fast-paced action observed from third-person perspective.
LEGO Batman 3: Beyond Gotham
Action
November 11, 2014
Another installment in the popular arcade game series from the LEGO brand. It is also the third game depicting the adventures of the legendary hero from the DC universe. It was developed by Traveller’s Tales, known for many other productions in the LEGO series. The story focuses on the struggle between the Justice League, led by Batman and other comic superheroes — and a villain called Brainiac who wants to shrink our planet and include into his disgraceful collection. The game will take us from the streets of Gotham City into space and other, not yet visited, regions of the DC universe. The gameplay mechanics are based on proven solutions, although some novelties were introduced as well. Among the latter, we can find the simultaneous use of various abilities, hacking mini-games, as well as levels where we operate a space fighter or in zero gravity.
Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition
Action
October 8, 2014
A dynamic, open-world TPP action game inspired by John Woo's films. Sleeping Dogs was created by United Front Games, and the player takes on the role of a police detective who tries to infiltrate the structures of a dangerous crime organization. The experience is filled with spectacular melee combat sequences, shootouts, as well as car chases taking place on the crowded streets of Hong Kong.
Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2
Action
February 25, 2014
A sequel to the 2010’s Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, a hack ‘n’ slash game. Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 and its prequel were both developed by Mercury Steam Entertainment in cooperation with Konami. The players learn the further fate of Gabriel Belmont. The protagonist fell victim to evil and transformed into a Lord of Shadow. After centuries of loneliness and anguish, his old friend, Zobek, extends an unusual offer to him: setting him free from the curse of vampirism in exchange for help in fighting Satan. The action takes place in two words simultaneously—a dark, futuristic town and a medieval castle. The core of the gameplay is combat against hordes of enemies that can be exterminated with sword, claws, and special vampire abilities.
Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD
Action
January 14, 2014
A re-released edition of the action game Assassin's Creed: Liberation, previously released for PlayStation Vita, now converted for PC Windows and home consoles. Like in the 2012 original, the protagonist of Assassin's Creed: Liberation is the Black woman Aveline de Gandpré, who joins the Assassins to fight for liberty and justice. The game is set mostly in New Orleans in the turbulent years 1765-1780. As per an Assassin's Creed game, the gameplay focuses on exploring vast locations, and spectacular combat, utilizing Aveline's parkour skills. Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD features several major mechanics changes and better visuals provided by the AnvilNext engine.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Action
November 11, 2014
A package of games from the Halo series, which includes: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2 (also in Anniversary version), Halo 3, Halo 4 and Halo 3: ODST. Additionally, the version for personal computers includes a prequel of the cycle, entitled Halo: Reach.