The GamersPack Best Games of 2014 Awards

With 2014 coming to an end, it is once again time to celebrate all the great games we played during the passing year, and maybe choose our favorites – never an easy task. We were also introduced to a brand new generation of consoles, and with it a slew of huge triple-A games with lots to do and experience, right next to smaller, indie titles with compelling narratives and innovative gameplay.

After much consideration and thought, GamersPack gives you the best of games of 2014:

Best Action-Adventure of 2014

“Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor is not a game you can easily let go of. It makes you feel small inside a huge, living world with lots of see and do. Thanks to the Nemesis system, every orc is a full character all by itself, and the fact they can remember you from previous encounters, scars and all, only strengthen this feeling. There aren’t many games that make each encounter with the enemy feel so personal. With a hard but rewarding combat and rich lore, Shadow of Mordor is the obvious choice.” – Avi Kaisermann

Best Action Game of 2014

“A treasure for sure, the Souls series continued its evolution with Dark Souls 2 earlier this year. A tweaked battle system meant fighting was now more natural. A new, bigger and badder world waited to be explored with a bigger arsenal of weapons and magic by those brave enough. Bigger bosses and tougher enemies meant you had to ask for help form online heroes. Good thing that the online system fared a lot better this time around, and gave way to the toughest battles in the Souls series. We were, and still are prepared to die. Again.” – Tomer Blau

Best Shooter of 2014

“Wolfenstein, the classic first-person shooter franchise, made one hell of a comeback this year. With tight combat and shooting mechanics, interesting story and characters and no shortage of intense action pieces, Wolfenstein: The New Order reminds us that the granddaddy of the genre still has a few lessons to teach us; though they mostly involve spectacular ways t to kill Nazis.” – Guy Yuval

Best Role-Playing Game of 2014

“Dragon Age: Inquisition has everything a good RPG should have: A gripping player-centric story full of twists and turns, an enormous world full of opportunities and adventure, meaningful decisions to shape that world and companions to take on this journey with you. The addition of a separate multiplayer mode is really just icing on an already delicious cake you won’t be able to put down after the first few bites.” – Oleg Khaikin

Best Fighting Game of 2014

“This year was all about Smash Bros. from Nintendo. The minute it was available to the public during E3, the hype never stopped. Winning multiple awards and a huge plethora of great reviews, Smash Bros. for the Wii U and 3DS went far and beyond to meet expectations.” – Jassi Payaton

Best Racing Game of 2014

Forza Horizon 2 is probably the least bugged and glitched game the new generation of consoles has bestowed on us. It’s also the only driving game this year that did everything right. The huge world map, filled with interesting and unique driving activities, is the dreamland of every car aficionado. In what feels like a true festival for cars, Playground Games did a remarkable job in bringing to life the cars we love in a breathtaking European playground. And it works every time we log in. And now, if you’ll excuse me – I have a train to catch.” – Tomer Blau

Best Strategy Game of 2014

“There aren’t many major titles in the turn-based strategy genre but the Civilization franchise is always pushing the envelope nonetheless. From a humble colony besieged by aliens to a planet-wide nation of supreme power, Beyond Earth takes things above and beyond. With armies and ideologies you can customize like never before, every session is different and every turn has the potential for new discovery.” – Oleg Khaikin

Best Adventure Game of 2014

“Every scene in The Wolf Among Us is full of tension, clever writing and memorable characters – everything that makes for a great adventure. The choice and dialog system we’re familiar with from Telltale’ The Walk Dead series are back in full force, making sure everything protagonist Bigby Wolf does or say echoes with everyone in Fabletown. The magical world of Fables keeps changing and evolving as every new episode takes us towards one inevitable conclusion – Telltale Games has done it again.” – Guy Yuval

Best Sports Game of 2014

“If you like basketball games, NBA 2K15 is for you. If you like sport games, NBA 2K15 is for you. If you are thinking about giving sport games a try, NBA 2K15 is for you. Why are you still here? Go and play some NBA 2K15.” – Avi Kaisermann

Best Platformer of 2014

“Shovel Knight is an 8-bit fantasy come true. In the good ol’ spirit of NES, the quest is a more profound version of ‘saving the damsel’ scheme. With vividly distinct levels, numerous exploration possibilities, slightly psychedelic character design and compelling setting accompanied by a rich chiptune soundtrack – It truly doesn’t leave anything out.” – Anne S.

Best Horror Game of 2014

“Finally a video game that does the Alien franchise justice. After the disappointing Aliens: Colonial Marines, Alien: Isolation is exactly the game we needed. Returning to the franchise’s roots, Isolation is one of the scariest and most intense experiences I had all year, and also one of the best. If survival horror is what’s missing in your life, put on spacesuit and go for a walk, a crawl and a terrified run through the dark halls of Sevastopol Station.” – Guy Yuval

Best Open World Game of 2014

“Welcome to the Himalayas, where explosions shake the mountain tops and the honey badgers don’t give a @#!%. Far Cry 4’s huge open world is a playground for the daring adventurer, filled with excitement, peril and gunfire. There are also many interesting people to meet (and maybe kill), wildlife to observe (and probably kill) and many enemies to face (and definitely kill). Adding to the mixture a good story and incredibly fun missions and gameplay, and you have one of the biggest and most entertaining video games of the year” – Guy Yuval

Best Simulator of 2014

“Do you like goats? Do you believe in goats? And maybe… maybe you wanted to be a goat? If you did, Goat Simulator 2014 is the game for YOU! Experience the thrilling life as a quarto-pedal omnivore as you eceive a multitude of powers. Become the queen of all goats and summon your minions, or turn to the  dark side and accept the devil into your life, turn into a giraffe or a penguin and dominate the town with your goatly powers!” – Eran Shvartz

Best Graphics of 2014

“Far Cry 4 isn’t just one of the most fun games to play in 2014; it is also the best-looking one. Flying above the world in the new buzzer gyrocopter and soaking in all this beauty was one of my favorite things to do in Far Cry 4, just before I bore down on an outpost and rained grenades from above. From the green Lowlands to the frozen mountains of the Himalayas, from Pagan Min’s iconic hairdo to the fur of a snow leopard – everything just looks so good on PC as well as consoles.” – Guy Yuval

Best Soundtrack of 2014

“Transistor’s soundtrack is more than just beautiful background music or a remarkable tool for creating atmosphere. It is an integral part of the game, intertwined with the story and bringing it hauntingly to life. Just like Red, the voiceless protagonist, you’ll find yourself humming along as you fight the evil Process.” – Anne S.

Best Story of 2014

“It’s not every day that we get to play a game that proves just how far the medium has come with its ability to entertain, teach and provoke thought. With a story and imagery that is inspired by real letters from real people who fought in WWI, the game draws you in from the start and never lets go until the very end.” – Avi Kaisermann

Best New IP of 2014

“Oh the hype Destiny generated… Granted, it may have not met with gamers’ expectations, but there is no denying it – Destiny is easily this year’s best new IP. The game’s unique social capabilities meant that whether you want it or not, friendships will be forged. Couple that with top notch shooting, fleshed out lore, action packed co-op endeavors, and character classes that makes even the lesser experienced gamers feel like a powerhouse expert shooters – and you got yourself the stuff of legends. No pun intended.” – Tomer Blau

Best New Character of 2014

“Bigby Wolf is the big bad wolf we all grow up reading about. He is a monstrous wolf, now stuck as the sheriff of a small community in New York City. He even wears a tie to work. This image alone has made Bigby one of our favorite characters to play as this year, but the fact that we could take this disgruntled public official and develop him into a vicious predator or a relentless defender of the weak through a series of meaningful choices – that’s what makes him our very favorite.” – Guy Yuval

Biggest Surprise of 2014

“Years passed, and the Divinity IP has been almost forgotten. That is, until Divinity: Original Sin. With the power of Kickstarter, Larian Studios has delivered the RPG we all deserve. As old-school adventure with new-age graphics and controls, Original Sin delivers the Divinity experience unlike any other game in the series. Plus, it’s not as confusing as the rest.” – Eran Shvartz

Biggest Disappointment of 2014

“Great on paper, Murdered: Soul Suspect still manages to disappoint. The depth of its fall is only contrasted by the height of the expectations I had of it – it’s not every day you get to play a detective investigating his own murder. Unfortunately, from the tacked-on combat mechanics to the uninspired story of the Bell Killer, Murdered: Soul Suspect is not a game worth playing.” – Oleg Khaikin

Best Game of 2014

“When considering the best of the best, it always comes down to a tough choice between a select few. Despite 2014 being the year which saw us so many amazing titles, Dragon Age: Inquisition is the best simply because of one question: If I had the ability to play just one game this year, which game would it be? The answer is simple: of all the games released in 2014, Dragon Age: Inquisition is the one. The graphics are beautiful, the world is huge, the story is gripping and to top it all off there’s a cooperative multiplayer mode. I really can’t recommend it enough.” – Oleg Khaikin