Most Anticipated Games for the Rest of 2014

2014 has been a great year for gamers. From big-name releases like Titanfall and Mario Kart 8 to awesome indie games like Shovel Knight (which we reviewed) and Transistor, gamers have had their plate full of grade A titles to chose from. But the year isn't over and there are still a lot of games that need to come out before we ring in the new year. Here, in no particular order, are my most anticipated games for the rest of 2014.

Destiny

Release Date: September 9th

Genre: Sci-Fi FPS/RPG

Developer: Bungie

My level 8 Exo Hunter from the Beta

There isn't much to say about Destiny that hasn't already been said. It is arguably the most anticipated game of 2014. From the beautiful environments and epic score to the tight Halo-like controls and fun RPG elements, this game is sure to be the next big thing. With Destiny breaking the record for most pre-orders for a new IP at GameStop, it's safe to say that people are very excited to get their hands on it.

I got some hands-on time with the game during the open beta on the PS4 and I was instantly hooked. I should let you know that I am not a huge FPS fan, the thought of playing Halo or Call of Duty instantly triggers an eye roll, but the RPG elements helped ease me in. I thoroughly enjoyed the strike missions (think of queuing up for an instance in WoW) and I even enjoyed the multiplayer a bit (which is a lot to say for someone who generally doesn't bother with the multiplayer side of most games).

I do have my qualms with the story (aka not understanding what anything is because the game doesn't do a very good job at explaining itself to you), but I'm sure that all of my questions will be answered once the game actually drops. Bungie, despite creating a game series that tops my "I won't ever care about this" list (Halo),  is a well respected developer that puts out quality games (I can't argue that) and I have faith that the final release will be everything that it seems like it is going to end up being.

Hyrule Warriors

Release Date: September 26th

Genre: Hack & Slash

Developer: Omega Force + Team Ninja

I’m not going to sit here and pretend that I am a fan of the Dynasty Warriors games because I am not. The last Dynasty Warriors game that I played was a demo for a Gundam-branded version of the game on the PS3 very early into its life cycle. This isn’t to say that the games are bad or anything, they have just never caught my attention, but how am I supposed to ignore a game where I can PULL THE MOON FROM MAJORA’S MASK DOWN TO THE GROUND TO KILL MY ENEMIES?! The answer is: I can’t.

The game looks stunning on the Wii U and while I’m sure the combat will get a little stale after some time (a problem that I have heard plagues the other Dynasty Warriors games), the fact that there are so many other characters to play with and weapons to switch between will almost guarantee that it will continue to feel exciting even in the latter parts of the game.

In case you haven’t noticed by our coverage of this game, I have been a long-time Zelda fan (like many others out there) so the thought of being able to play as several characters (including villains) from the series geeks me out. Do I wish the possessed Skull Kid was a playable character? Yes. Am I fine with accepting Ganondorf as a replacement? Sure. Do I like the fractured pre-order rewards system that they decided to go with? Absolutely not. Will I pre-order it anyway because I need to play as Adult Link from Ocarina of Time? …Maybe.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number

Release Date: Q3 2014

Genre: Top-Down Shoot-Em-Up

Developer: Dennaton Games

If you haven’t played Hotline Miami yet, please do yourself a favor and go buy it on Steam or something because this is an indie game that NEEDS to be played. Imagine if they made the movie Drive into a 16-bit video game and you have Hotline Miami. Everything from the amazing soundtrack (seriously go listen to it) to the David Lynch-esque story, oozes with style, and the sequel is sure to follow suit.

The sequel will have you playing as several different maniacs, each with their own play style so I can only imagine how much crazier (and ultra-violent) Hotline Miami 2 will get. I look forward to bathing in the blood of my enemies as I vibe to some South Beach tunes.

Super Smash Bros. for 3DS + Wii U 

Release Date: October 3rd and Q4 2014

Genre: Crossover Fighting

Developer: Sora Ltd. & Bandai Namco Games

I have a long and complicated relationship with fighting games. I've loved playing them since I was young, but I have never really been very good at them. On second thought, I guess it’s not that complicated.

Anyway, Super Smash Bros. holds a very special place in my heart because it is the only game out there were I can beat the crap out of someone else while playing as a smorgasbord of popular and unlikely (I’m looking at you Wii Fit Trainer) Nintendo characters. The inclusion of my favorite video game character, Mega Man, nearly brought me to tears when I first got a look at him during the 2013 E3 Nintendo Direct.

Where else can something like this happen? Image courtesy of the Super Smash Bros. official site.

I plan on picking up both copies of the game because NINTENDO TAKE MY MONEY, but I am still under the impression that if the company would have chosen to make the game a Wii U exclusive, they could have sold more consoles (which as you probably know, they have been having some trouble doing), but alas, they have decided that it is time to make the jump to handheld consoles. This is particularly good for me because it means that I can play with my girlfriend (who owns a 2DS, but not a Wii U) whenever I stay with her, but will have the freedom of playing on the Wii U whenever I am at home.

It’s hard to talk about the series without talking about all of the characters that they could have chosen, but in the end, Masahiro Sakurai and the team working on the game know what they are doing and the game will sell extremely well regardless of how many Fire Emblem characters I wish they hadn't included. Sorry…had to sneak that in there.

Bayonetta 2

Release Date: October 2014

Genre: Third-Person Action

Developer: Platinum Games

I never got around to picking up the original Bayonetta when it came out, but everyone around me spoke wonders about it. When I originally heard about the sequel being a Wii U exclusive, I was excited that Nintendo was able to secure such a critically acclaimed “hardcore” series to their console. Unfortunately, I still hadn’t played the original.

Then the announcement was made that Bayonetta 2 would come bundled with the original Bayonetta. This made Bayonetta 2 an immediate contender for my money instead of a game that I might pick up at a later time (remember how well that turned out with the original for me?).

A fun, yet ultimately unimportant, addition to the game are the Nintendo-themed extra costumes that Bayonetta can wear. She will be able to wear a Samus Aran, Link, and Princess Peach costume, each with their own abilities (ex. wearing the Link outfit will allow her to summon a huge Master Sword to dispatch her foes).