The Best Video Games of 2014 (So Far)

The halfway point of 2014 has arrived, and along with the World Cup, the KimYe wedding, and the explosion of "Happy", we've also been treated to a pretty good slate of big-name video games. Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn, Titanfall, and Watch Dogs all lived up to their considerable expectations, and of course, we can't forget about the smaller, but still beloved, titles like Nidhogg or Octodad: Dadliest Catch. All in all, it has been a solid half-year for gaming, and with Destiny, The Sims 4, and Super Smash Bros. for the Wii U and 3DS still on the way (along with a gang of other killer titles), 2014 as a whole figures to be another classic year in video game history. 

But before we get to the end of the year, it's time that we figure out the best video games of 2014 up to now. What are the greatest and most recent games that you should be playing right now? Who is winning the console war? You're about to find out.  

RELATED: The 50 Best Video Game Franchises

RELATED: The Best Video Games of 2013

RELATED: The 10 Best Video Games of the Past 5 Years

Watch Dogs

Underwhelmingly ambitious is the best way to describe Ubisoft's openworld vigilante outing.

After being delayed twice, Watch Dogs arrived to a tepid reception. Lousy driving mechanics, a combat system that seemed half-finished, and a hacking feature that didn't even come close to the robust assertions on the part of Ubisoft pre-launch.

Taking into consideration the PC launch of the title was a disaster on Ubisoft's proprietary gaming platform, Uplay, and the PC version also contained hidden graphical files that transformed the game into something far more dazzling than the retail copy of the game, Watch Dogs fizzled in arrival. The game on current-gen consoles was visually compelling, but a stale story focusing on revenge combined with lackluster gameplay has cemented the game firmly at the bottom of this list.

MLB 14: The Show

It isn't easy to make a good baseball game. After all, most of the joy of baseball isn't derived from easy-to-replicate aspects like hard-hitting tackles or acrobatic dunks. Baseball is great because it's such a leisurely game. You can watch it while doing something else and still feel like you're soaking in every detail of the competition Most games require to be seen. Baseball is something that you simply listen to and you'll still reap all the benefits.

However, MLB 14: The Show is well-executed sports game that focuses well on the most appealing and highlight-ready elements of America's former pasttime. Hit, run, and throw your way to the World Series with Sony Computer Entertainment's latest baseball sim. With the updated visuals for the PlayStation 4, it'll feel just as good as the real thing.

Child of Light

Child of Light is a Sleeping Beauty-inspired tale that focuses on Aurora, the young princess who awakes from a deep sleep only to find that the world has been plunged into chaos and darkness. Instead of waiting around for her Prince Charming though, Aurora chooses to set off on her own adventure and take down the evil witch responsible for this madness.

Child of Light blends side-scrolling and RPG elements together to create a nostalgic, heart-warming story about Aurora's journey. The warrior princess grows up fast as you push her along from one battle to the next in her quest to free the moon, the sun, and the stars.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

Any Final Fantasy title comes with a considerable pedigree, but that lineage also burdens every game with an ever-increasing set of expectations. With A Realm Reborn throw in the fact that it's an MMORPG, and suddenly the buzz surrounding this game becomes titanic. The possibilities seem endless with an MMORPG version of Final Fantasy and, thankfully, A Realm Reborn does well to open up every available avenue of opportunity and enjoyment to its users.

We had already seen the game for PlayStation 3 when it was released in late 2013, but the PlayStation 4 and Steam versions gave the title a welcome upgrade. Play this game, and you'll find the Final Fantasy game that every fan has been waiting for: a self-contained universe, ripe for exploration and adventure with your own crew of warriors.

Broken Age

Tim Schafer is back in a big way with Broken Age. The Grim Fandango creator has taken on an entirely new point-and-click adventure game, reinvigorating the genre with one of its best stories since the heyday of LucasArts. The story focuses on Vella Tartine and Shay Volta, two young explorers trying to break with fate by going off and discovering their own paths in life.

It's the perfect sort of coming-of-age tale that focuses on taking risks through the dewy-eyed lenses of two adventurers who are teaching themselves to be unafraid. While acquiring funding for Broken Age back in 2012, Schafer noted that, "If I were to go to a publisher right now and pitch an adventure game, they'd laugh in my face." Thankfully, Broken Age reminds us that the genre is no joke.

Strider

Rebooting an old classic is never easy. Expectations will always be high for the remake if you're taking source material that is well-worn and beloved. However, Strider for the seventh-gen and eighth-gen consoles assuaged any fears fans may have had that the cult classic would suffer a high-definition hack job.

The title's developers were wise to stick with the 2D format, and updated the entire gameplay experience by making it flashier and faster. Strider Hiryu has long been everyone's favorite high-tech ninja, and with his newest game he's finally been given a platform that is befitting of his occupation.

OlliOlli

In the grand tradition of Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and EA's Skate series, OlliOlli is a small beast of a Vita game that made me miss skateboarding games. And in the tradition of skateboarding games, OlliOlli can be frustrating to the point of tossing your Vita out of the nearest open window. As a 2D sidescroller, OlliOlli is devilish in its simplicity. Players use a very basic control scheme, only the "X" button, shoulder buttons, and left analog stick are employed, to grind, pump, and crush increasingly difficult rails, lips, and jumps. In the off chance you own a Vita, cop immediately.

Octodad: Dadliest Catch

The enjoyment you derive from Octodad partly depends on how forgiving your sense of humor can be. The game's comedic value relies on the trick that the titular character is an octopus in disguise, and is trying to keep himself from being discovered among clueless, human suburbanites.

Even if the jokes don't quite do it for you though, the mechanics of the game, which involve the control of various tentacles for the purpose of solving increasingly difficult puzzles, will win you over. A sequel to the original Octodad, Dadliest Catch recycles all of the dorky and endearing situational comedy that made the series such an unexpected indie hit in the first place.

Super Time Force

Capybara Games has created a run-and-gun side-scrolling shooter that is the visual equivalent to main-lining every last dose of Psilocybin at Bonnaroo.

That's one of the highest compliments I can think of.

Capybara Games are the same people who brought you the phenomenal Super Brothers Sword and Sorcery EP and will be dropping the highly-anticipated Below later this year. Super Time Force is one of the sharpest, self-aware indie titles we've gotten our hands on in recent memory. The game is spilling over with pop-culture references to institutions like Back to the Future, The Terminator, and every Saturday morning cartoon still colonizing the recesses of your 10-year-old lizard brain. The comparison to titles like Metal Slug and Contra are completely intentional, but Capybara has taken that influence and created a title that is one of the most enjoyable co-op titles the Xbox One has to offer.

Towerfall Ascension

You remember the OUYA, right? The Kickstarter-backed open-source Android-powered micro console that flopped magnificently upon release? Yeah, that one. Towerfall was one of the only reasons to have copped the OUYA as its absurdly fun and perfect for local multiplayer throwndowns. After the OUYA debuted, and Towerfall sold about 7000 copies on that console, the game was brought to the PS4 as Towerfall Ascension and has flourished since its release on Sony's console on March 11.

Think of all the best parts of Super Smash Bros. and cross them with archers battling in a confined, vertical arena. Players rack up wins by skewering other players with a limited number of arrows shots or stomping on your enemy's head. Add booze to this equation and prepare to lose a whole evening.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze

The Wii U has been looking for support from its exclusive characters ever since it dropped, and for the most part, we're still waiting on Nintendo's biggest names to make appearances for their latest console. With Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze, the system begins to receive the roll-out that it has desperately needed.

Playing as gaming's favorite ape as well as his crew of simian sidekicks, you swing through a frozen jungle world fighting a band of icy, interloping animals in a series that has long been one of Nintendo's greatest platforming assets. With Tropical Freeze we're given a quality look at the genre on Nintendo's newest console and, finally, the list of reasons to acquire a Wii U is finally becoming substantial.

Nidhogg

Messhof's mad-cap fencing adventure Nidhogg offers one of the best multi-player experiences of the year, combining bloody animations and fast-paced sword play with a pixelated, fountain of blood. The fighting mechanics are surprisingly advanced considering the game's simplistic appearance.

But don't be fooled or caught off-guard by what looks like a rather straightforward game. If you can master the nuances of this title, then you'll find that the little things like parries and impeccable timing are what set you apart from the neanderthals.

The Walking Dead: Season Two: A House Divided

With A House Divided, the Walking Dead video game series may have hit its Season Two apex. Following the story of Clementine, the graphic adventure game pits you against endless hoards of zombies as you make your way towards Michigan for presumed salvation. In A House Divided this journey is threatening to be derailed by Carver, a man hell-bent on taking charge of the group and reuniting with the mother of his unborn child.

Featuring spectacular voice-acting, action-packed quick time events, and numerous decision trees, A House Divided is a game that constantly forces you to think on your feet. If you fail, it's certain death for you and your fellow adventurers. Can you flourish under the pressure?

Wolfenstein: The New Order

With a history and pedigree reaching as far back as the Wolfenstein series has, The New Order had much to live up to. Early footage of the game seemed to honor the source material (lots of Nazis, lots of guns), but it was the oblique marketing material that began to make the game interesting leading up to launch.

Alternate historical artifacts documenting the Nazis win over the Allies in WWII was more compelling than any in-game footage we saw. The cover of Abbey Road, the Moon landing, and pretty much every other major milestone of the 20th century was co-opted by the Third Reich. Once the game dropped, it surprised many critics by how fleshed out the narrative wound up being and how well original Wolfenstein protagonist B.J. Blazkowicz was made relatable in a 2014 release.

Blazkowicz ends up falling into a coma and waking up 14 years after WWII has ended with the Nazis in total global control. The game was far more fun than an action-adventure shooter had any right to be. It was a perfect hybrid of homage and contemporary story-telling. Tons of fun.

Transistor

Easily one of the prettiest entries on this list, Transistor also managed to accomplish the feat of being a surprisingly deep turn-based RPG. The sound design was equally stunning, but you just have to look back at Supergiant Games first title, Bastion, to know that music is a huge priority for the developer. An isometric indie title that was released on PS4 and PC, Transistor tells a gorgeously animated tale of a mute girl and her talking sword.

It's actually way more complex than that, but no spoilers. The game creates a techno-noir, jazz-punk aesthetic that is stunning in its execution. Can't recommend this one enough.

Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare

In terms of zombie games, Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare is sort've the logical, ludicrous end to the craze surrounding the undead. What other things can we make involving zombies? How about The Sims: Zombie Edition? Or what about My Little Pony vs. Zombies? C'mon, surely there's someone out there who has had these same, brilliant ideas?

Despite it's overused character roster, though, Plants vs. Zombies wins as a multiplayer, tower defense title and showcases the franchise's addictive possibilities as a console title. Everything about this edition of PvZ is bigger and better than the previous titles in the series. Co-op and competitive multiplayer, a class-based mission system, and a gang of fun battle modes make this one of the most accessible and enjoyable third-person shooters around.

Bravely Default

Fans devoted to the Japanese role-playing genre were beyond stoked to get their hands on the spiritual successor to 2010's Final Fantasy: The 4 Heroes of Light. One of the most compelling JRPGs we've seen with a stateside release, Bravely Default was one of the main reasons I picked up a 2DS. 

Infamous Second Son

Infamous Second Son is set in that Knights of the Old Republic mold wherein the choices you make with your superpowers will ultimately influence the direction of the game. Will you choose to be a superhero or a super villain? After years of playing around as the good guy, it's always tempting to break tradition and start using your abilities for power and destruction.

However, Infamous did well to make both sides equally appealing, complementing this balance with a fight system that was fluid and visually stunning, as well as an open world map that allowed for endless experimentation. With Infamous, Sucker Punch Productions made us all feel the great power and responsibility of heroism.

Shovel Knight

The hotly-anticipated retro-style platformer got its release on June 26, finally allowing players to suit up as Shovel Knight after months of delays. Despite the bumps in development, the Kickstarter-funded indie game will quickly be considered a classic by those who play it. Playing as the titular character, you're armed with a shovel and various magical relics which are utilized in ways that will remind many of both DuckTales and Mega Man.

It's difficult to make an old-school game that doesn't get stuck looking in the rearview mirror. However, with its dynamic gameplay elements, rich score, and bursting animations, Shovel Knight manages to avoid the pitfalls of a typical wanna-be retro title. Instead, it gives the old-school a much-needed makeover, creating a title that succeeds in synthesizing the best elements of various generations.

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

Yeah, the game was short. But even if you consider it a demo, Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes still offered some of the best game play of the year up to this point. Playing as Big Boss, you're taken through seven different missions in Cuba as you set out to free captured ally operatives. Utilizing a variety of new stealth features, the game treated its players to a well-crafted, if abbreviated, spy game that left them salivating for what's to come in Phantom Pain. As far as prologues or introductory passages go, it doesn't get much better than Ground Zeroes.

South Park: The Stick of Truth

With a development window that spanned four years, a bankruptcy ruling when original publisher THQ folded, and multiple delays on the part of new publisher Ubisoft, it's a miracle Stick of Truth was released at all.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone were devoted to finally creating a game that captured the spirit of their long-running series and were involved in development to ensure the authenticity of the source material. The final product was a role-playing title that brought the town of South Park to life and literally felt as if you were playing an episode of South Park. The simple 2D art style of the show translated perfectly to console and initially obscured a surprisingly deep RPG experience.

When the game offers you the character class of 'Jew' as a selection, you know the hands Parker and Stone were firmly present.

Are you a sadist? Clamoring for 'hardcore' games that don't babysit players and hold their hands every step of the way? Well then you're probably still enjoying the exquisite brutality that is Dark Souls II. While some purists feel that Dark Souls II lowered the bar of entry, allowing a more casual stripe of gamer admittance, the sequel proved to be just as frustrating and rewarding as its predecessor.

And like Dark Souls I, the sequel's narrative is a tangled historical accounting of the mythology of the kingdom of Drangleic. Cursed with death, you're forced to collect a cure for this undeath while generally being pummeled by monsters roughly the same size as baby skyscrapers. Deep RPG systems and a sense of unparalleled reward makes Dark Souls II a must-play title of 2014 (if you're looking to be challenged).

Titanfall

Titanfall, as was its intention from the very beginning, got me excited about shooters again. I'm also a massive sucker for science-fiction shooters in lieu of military shooters and Titanfall tapped directly into my Robotech, Volotron fandom.

Sure, the campaign was paper-thin and the game could only be played with online connectivity, but did you see the part where that pilot got yanked out of the fucking cockpit by that Titan? It's been four months since the Xbox One exclusive dropped and tossing an enemy pilot across the screen still hasn't gotten old. The game was a boon for Microsoft's newly launched console and gave the Xbox One the system selling exclusive that was missing at the time of launch.

Break-neck, mid-air combat, giant mechs, and brilliantly designed parkour all combined to make Titanfall one of the most enjoyable titles of the first half of 2014.

Mario Kart 8

Nostalgia's a slippery emotional state to mold an entire business model around. For years Nintendo has been accused of living in the past. Rehashing old characters, old titles, and leaning on the fond memories aging fans have of their own childhoods. With 22 years of history behind the franchise, Mario Kart is one of the most widely recognizable and influential titles in Nintendo's stable of intellectual properties.

How have two plus decades treated the seminal Kart racing series for contemporary audiences? Mario Kart 8 is a thunderous proclamation of Nintendo's relevancy. The game is simultaneously familiarly welcoming and forward facing. The cast of franchise regulars return with a healthy assorted mix of old 'remixed' and new race tracks. The game is ridiculously enjoyable and could be just the console seller Nintendo needs. Mario Kart 8 should be copped immediately.