A Survey of the 2014 Gamescape

Action and Adventure

The Amazing Spider Man 2 – Beenox (PS3/4, Nintendo 3DS, Wii, Wii U, Windows, Xbox 360, XBO)
Homepage
Spring 2014

What is it?
Movie tie-in game for the upcoming film not to be confused with the Gameboy release in 1992 from LJN. Like the previous game, it will have an open city to explore as everyone’s favorite webslinger while introducing a few new things like a morality system that can make the game harder to play if they prove to be more “menace” than “hero” when it comes to stopping crimes. And if the story’s anything like the first, expect it to be more of a companion piece to the actual movie with its own separate narrative giving players another angle on the film franchise.

Bayonetta 2 – Platinum Games (Wii U)
Homepage
TBA 2014

What is it?
The action packed sequel to the first game is a Wii U exclusive thanks to Nintendo’s backing of a project that might never have come to light. Everyone’s favorite witch is back in a high-flying adventure pitting her against even more monsters, mega-bosses, and exploring fantastic backdrops. Little has been revealed thus far other than a few screenshots and teaser clips showing Bayonetta with shorter hair but with plenty of the same attitude.

Broken Age – Double Fine Productions (Android, iOS, Linux, Mac OS X, Ouya, Windows)
Homepage
January, 2014

What is it?
Double Fine asked players on Kickstarter to help fund a classic point ‘n click adventure game arguing that there was still room for those – and tens of thousands of fans enthusiastically backed the game to the tune of $3.3 million blowing far beyond the $400k they had initially asked for. The game involves parallel stories told between two characters, a young boy living on a spaceship and a young girl chosen by her village to be a sacrifice, both living in worlds imagined by Tim Schaefer (Psychonauts, Brutal Legend). It also was the subject of a bit of controversy experiencing a number of delays due to having “too much game” threatening production to run out of funding, tripping the potential release of the first half of the game sometime in January as part of Steam’s Early Access program to drum up more funds without cutting content.

Broken Sword 5: The Serpent’s Curse, Part 2 – Revolution Software (Android, iOS, Linux, Mac OS X, Vita, Windows)
Homepage
January, 2014

What is it?
Like Broken Sword, this was another Kickstarted adventure game reviving the long running Broken Sword series with a new chapter. The first half of the game is actually available right now on Steam and Good Old Games drawing together ordinary American, George Stobbart, and French journalist, Nico Collard, into another mystery set around the theft of a painting. The second half is due out in January and will be free of charge to buyers. Featuring great art, wonderful voice acting, and a bit of humor mixed in with an epic story, it’s a game that’s as much a love letter for fans as it is a welcome mat for first-time players that may have never played a point ‘n click before.

Castlevania: Lords of Shadow 2 – MercurySteam (PS3, Windows, X360)
Homepage
February 25, 2014

What is it?
The long awaited sequel to MercurySteam’s take on Castlevania will cast players as Gabriel Belmont who, following two DLC chapters from the first game, has emerged from his battle with evil as Dracula. Wielding a blood whip, new magic, and seeking to regain his power, Belmont also seeks to ready himself for another confrontation with Satan. The bad news? The Belmonts and his own son, Alucard, want to see him destroyed for what he has become.

D4 – Access Games (XBO)
Homepage
TBA 2014

What is it?
David Young, a time traveling detective, has a gift in being able to take an object and “dive” into its past. Using his new talent, other than time travel, he hopes to find the murderer of his wife by heading into the past and changing history. D4 stands for “Dark Dreams Don’t Die”. It will use the Kinect and is being designed by Hidetaka Suehiro (aka SWERY) as a surreal, cel-shaded, interactive adventure.

Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc – Spike / Spike Chunsoft (PS Vita)
Homepage
February 11, 2014

What is it?
It was initially released in 2010 for Japanese PSPs and finally made it over to the West in 2014. That’s a long wait. This is a murder mystery set in a high school for “ultimate” level students where one particularly lucky student who won a raffle to enroll there is tasked to find the culprit before they strike again. It’s said to be similar to Ace Attorney and combines a number of mini-games with which to determine the truth involving activities such as “shooting down” false statements to a rhythm-based debate system.

Daylight – Zombie Studios (PS4, Windows)
Homepage
Q1 2014

What is it?
Roguelikes have used procedural generation to spin new dungeons every time players dove into the depths, but imagine something like that being used for a horror game. That’s the idea behind Zombie Studios’ creepy Daylight where your cell phone is your only light. You play an amnesiac who awakens alone in a hospital with no idea of how she got there – only that there’s something very, very eerie hounding her every step as she tries to find a way out.

Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze – Retro Studios (Wii U)
Homepage
February 21, 2014

What is it?
Arctic invaders invade Donkey Kong’s backyard and it’s up to him and his friends to save it through platforming, flying, and traveling across six themed islands either by yourself or with a friend in co-op. Fans of Donkey Kong Country should have a lot to look forward to with the new game.

Dreamfall Chapters: The Longest Journey – Red Thread Games (Linux, Mac OS X, Wii U, Windows)
Homepage
November 2014

What is it?
Successfully Kickstarted, it’s the long awaited continuation of the story that abruptly ended in 2006’s Dreamfall: The Longest Journey. Chapters will take on an episodic approach to telling the story of Zoe Castillo and her struggle to save the cyberpunkish future world of Stark and the fantasy world of Arcadia from an ongoing conspiracy that could destroy them both. With the help of her friends and allies such as April Ryan from The Longest Journey, it’s up to everyone to find a way to stop whatever is stealing everyone’s dreams.

The Evil Within – Tango Gameworks (PS3/4, Windows, Xbox 360, XBO)
Homepage
TBA 2014

What is it?
Shinji Mikami, the man behind Resident Evil, is going back to his roots with a gritty and bloody survival horror debut with publisher Bethesda putting players into the shoes of a detective as he squares off against an unspeakable evil in his latest case. There will be limited resources, terrible creatures lurking in the shadows, traps to skewer the careless, and puzzles to think through in Mikami’s return to scary things.

Fortnight – Epic Games (Windows)
Homepage
TBA 2014

What is it?
A survival game from the makers of Bulletstorm where players can team up to survive the night against hordes of monsters. During the day, they’ll be able to explore an open, comically rendered world for supplies and materials needed to build up their home base and defend it. It sounds like it will have destructible environments and a unique art direction that promises to be something that players can tackle as a shooter, an RPG, or a building game.

Hohokum – Honeyslug (PS3, PS4, PS Vita)
Homepage
TBA 2014

What is it?
Indie developer, Honeyslug, is creating this unique exploration game where players are in the role of a colorful serpent that flies around a mysterious, non-linear world cued to music. Unlike many games, players aren’t limited by scores or time limits and there is no tutorial to hold their hand. There will be different worlds with characters, goals, and activities to enjoy in a “relaxing” experience.

Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number – Dennaton Games – (Linux, OS X, PS Vita, PS4, Windows)
Homepage
TBA 2014

What is it?
The ultra-violent, top-down action game, Hotline Miami, returns in a retro-pixeled sequel taking players through twenty brutal chapters packed with new weapons, enemies, and music in “a brutal conclusion to the gruesome saga”. This unique indie title was renowned for its over-the-top brutality and challenging difficulty as much as its bizarre setting wallpapered with 80s pastels and pizza helping it stand out from the crowd wearing a chicken mask.

Infamous: Second Son – Sucker Punch Productions (PS4)
Homepage
March 21, 2014

What is it?
It’s the third game in Sucker Punch’s Infamous series taking place in an open world set in a “locked down” Seattle and centered around a new character, Delsin, with new powers. The game takes place seven years after the last game and a new Department of Unified Protection has declared war on superpowered humans with Delsin caught in the middle – and who may be the only one capable of standing against them.

LEGO The Hobbit – TT Games (Nintendo 3DS, PS3/4/Vita, Wii U, Windows, Xbox 360, XBO)
Homepage
March 31, 2014

What is it?
TT Games’ adaptation of the first two films of the Hobbit trilogy will allow players to jump into the roles of their favorite characters such as Bilbo and give them another opportunity to adventure through Middle-Earth LEGO style. Players will be able to mine gems, craft items, loot enemies, and build giant LEGO sets while on a quest to find excitement with friends or as a solo adventurer. Because it’s merging the first two films into one game as opposed to treating each one separately, the title is a strange case of catch up capitalization on a trilogy before it’s even completed.

The LEGO Movie Videogame – TT Games (PS3/4, Nintendo 3DS, Wii U, Windows, Xbox 360, XBO)
Homepage
February 7, 2014

What is it?
TT Games’ experience with LEGO games returns with an adaptation for the upcoming movie with over 90 characters and will draw from the plot of the movie allowing players to build construction sets using discovered blueprints. For LEGO fans, it’s a big game to get excited about especially if it turns out to be a movie adaptation that doesn’t suck.

Mad Max – Avalanche Studios (PS3, PS4, Windows, Xbox 360, XBO)
Homepage
TBA 2014

What is it?
The makers of Just Cause are using their sandbox skills to render a post-apocalyptic waste for Mad Max as a new movie closes in on a release date. Fans will take on the role of the famous road warrior as he pursues a raider party that has stolen his trademark vehicle, the Interceptor, right before he plans to head off to find peace in the “Plains of Silence”. Expect plenty of wasteland justice with either Max’s fists or an arsenal of weapons including an upgradeable, souped up stand-in for his favorite car. All with an Australian accent.

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes – Kojima Productions (PS3/4, Xbox 360, XBO)
Homepage
March 18, 2014

What is it?
The anticipated follow-up to the events of Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker as Snake heads to Cuba on a rescue mission during a lull in the Cold War set in 1975. The game is setting out to be more open-world than its predecessors using vehicles to visit different areas expanding on systems Peace Walker had touched on in allowing players to revisit previously cleared zones. Base building will also make a return, night and day cycles will play a part, and players will be able to pick and choose which order to take on missions in this prologue of what promises to be MGS’ biggest chapter yet.

Metrico – Digital Dreams (PS Vita)
Homepage
TBA 2014

What is it?
It’s been described by its developer as an “atmospheric puzzle action game” that responds to the player’s input as they guide a 2d character across a world and platform across infographics. That means pie charts, bar charts, all shifting and twisting to challenge how you will explore Metrico’s strange world. It’s a spreadsheet fan’s dream come true and it also helps that it sounds like a fine game as well.

Jane Jensen’s Moebius – Pinkerton Road (OS X, Windows)
Homepage
TBA 2014

What is it?
It’s still on track, though it has moved significantly from its previously estimated date of March, 2013, pushing into sometime in 2014. As noted last year, Moebius will revolve around an antiquities dealer named Malachi Rector who soon becomes involved in investigating a mysterious murder in Venice. An alpha trailer shows off a bit of the story, voice acting, and gameplay elements that fans can expect to challenge their imaginations with from Jane Jensen’s latest thriller.

Murdered: Soul Suspect – Airtight Games (PS3, Windows, Xbox 360)
Homepage
Q2 2014

What is it?
Cast as detective Ronan O’Connor, players get to experience the game as a ghost after they’re killed. But don’t count on Whoopi Goldberg to help you through this one. Players will adventure throughout the spooky town of Salem as a disembodied spirit to find the truth while trying to stay one step ahead of the dark creatures in the afterlife hungry for Ronan’s soul and are just waiting for him to slip up one final time.

The Order: 1886 – Ready at Dawn (PS4)
Developer’s Homepage
Q3 2014

What is it?
A steampunkish take on the year 1886 where technology and monsters collide. In this history, half-breed beast humans appeared sometime in the 7th or 8th century and humanity had been waging a losing war since then, even after King Arthur and his knights had managed to achieve a brief advantage with the discovery of a strange new power. But with the Industrial Revolution and the new inventions created with the power of science, humanity has finally gained the upper hand beneath the veil of martial law everyone lives under. It has a lot going for it with its setting. Hopefully the gameplay will also be just as intriguing.

Outlast – Red Barrels (PS4)
Developer’s Homepage
Q1 2014

What is it?
It’s the PS4 port of the terrifying horror game that debuted on PCs. In this one, players are cast as Miles, a journalist looking for the next big story who investigates the Mount Massive Asylum run by the mysterious Murkoff Corporation. Using his camera to record strange events, and light his way through the dark on occasion, he soon discovers that he isn’t welcome and is trapped inside with something unspeakable.

Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy – Level-5 (3DS)
Homepage
February 28, 2014

What is it?
For fans, it will be something of a sad farewell as it will be the last Layton title to star the eponymous professor as the main character. This latest chapter will take players on an adventure that picks up after Professor Layton and the Miracle Mask promising plenty of exploration, challenging puzzles and clues, and a strong story tying all of it together brushed by the series’ distinctive art direction. This time, it’s on a quest to peel back the mysteries of an ancient civilization before nefarious seekers beat Layton and his friends to finish line.

Professor Layton vs. Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Level-5 (Nintendo 3DS)
Homepage
TBA 2014

What is it?
Released two years ago in Japan, this title is finally coming out in the West in 2014. In this adventure, Professor Layton and his assistant are pulled into a mysterious book’s world by magic after a mysterious girl seeks him out for help. Later, Phoenix Wright and his assistant are also pulled into the same book while in London. Professor Layton seeks answer to the mystery behind the city they are in while Phoenix Wright attempts to defend the mysterious girl, named Espella, from accusations of witchcraft. They don’t necessarily get along, but together, their unique skills are all that stand between Espella and the dark threat of whoever wants her gone.

Quadrilateral Cowboy – Blendo Games (Windows)
Homepage
TBA 2014

What is it?
Brendon Chung, the indie developer behind Gravity Bone and Thirty Flights of Loving, is planning on turning players into first-person hackers living in the 90s when 56.6k modems were tying up phones and 256k of RAM was all anyone needed on top of multi-megabyte drives. Armed with a laptop and challenged to hack past cameras and security zones in a variety of missions, if you’ve ever wondered what it might be like to be part of the team from Sneakers or just want to hack things old school, Chung’s latest might be what you’re looking for. Definitely another one for the most anticipated list.

Sacrilegium – Reality Pump (PS3, OS X, Wii U, Windows, Xbox 360)
Homepage
Q4 2014

What is it?
Now pushed towards the end of 2014, Reality Pump’s horror title is still in development. The developer is better known as the name behind the Two Worlds RPGs, but now they want to creep players out with an adventure game. Like last year, not much has really changed on the official site which talks up the story in taking the player from the “misty shores of San Francisco to the fearsome and foreboding corners of the Old Continent”. With Jane Jensen’s Moebius also expected out in 2014, Sacrilegium could be in good company.

Strider – Double Helix Games (PS3/4, Windows, Xbox 360, XBO)
Homepage (Japan)
TBA 2014

What is it?
With the success of Killer Instinct under their belts, Double Helix is also working on a re-imagining of the first Strider with a high-def look mixing the unique action of the first two Striders (not the NES adventures) with a little Metroidvania mixed in for what promises to be a winning combination of greatness. Perhaps not too surprisingly, the official site in Japan is typically amazing packed with screens and clips against a backdrop of Strider win. Can’t wait to slash and vault my way through this.

Thief – Eidos Montreal (PS3, PS4, Windows, X360, XBO)
Homepage
February 25, 2014

What is it?
It’s the long awaited reboot of the famous stealth series that was first mentioned in 2009, disappeared for a few years, and finally came out with something more tangible than a screenshot in 2013 after disturbing hints of a shakeup with the team. This is a game that has some fans of the original series divided though developers have promised that it will stick closely to the elements that made the grandfather of the stealth genre so epically good. Series protagonist Garrett returns to the medieval City where he has to steal his way through another mystery threatening everyone within it. I’ve got high hopes for this one.

Valiant Hearts: The Great War – Ubisoft Montpellier (PS3/4, Windows, Xbox 360, XBO)
Ubisoft Blog Page
TBA 2014

What is it?
A 2D, adventure game featuring five different characters each trying to survive the trenches of WW1. Despite the brutal setting that this takes place in, the writeup on Ubisoft’s blog promises a bit of comedy interspersed with moments of seriousness including a lovelorn German soldier and a faithful dog. It’s being built on the same engine that runs Rayman Legends and the cartoonish style adopted for the game looks fantastic making it another example of Ubisoft’s artistic dares in gaming alongside Child of Light.

Watch Dogs – Ubisoft (PS3, Windows, Xbox 360)
Homepage
Q2 2014

What is it?
Pushed into 2014 and completely missing the next-gen launch which disappointed more than a few people, Ubisoft delayed this title to work on polishing it, slating it for release sometime in the beginning of 2014. It’s still going to take place in a “near now” vision of the future where a complex network controls the city of Chicago. The action centers around a vigilante named Aiden Pearce who, with his smart phone, is able to illegally tap into the system and manipulate it in order to pursue targets in the real world whether he’s using face recognition, altering stop lights, or using visual tags to identify the people and topics around him. It’s information warfare turning Chicago into a parkour battleground asking the question of whether the world is racing towards a bright future or is becoming a technological nightmare where privacy is about as dead as disco.

The Witness – Number None, Inc. (iOS, PS4, Windows)
Homepage
TBA 2014

What is it?
One of the year’s surprises came from Jonathan Blow and the Braid developer’s announcement of his next project’s exclusivity on the PS4 later clarifying as limited while saying that development for the PC and iOS versions would be unaffected. Now pushing into 2014, players will get the chance to freely explore a mysterious island and solve its many puzzles. One of the aims of the game is to play on players’ perceptions in order to create unique experiences that write their own way through the story.

The Wolf Among Us – Episode 2: Smoke and Mirrors – Telltale Games (iOS, OS X, PS3, PS Vita, Windows, Xbox 360)
Homepage
TBA 2014

What is it?
Telltale has been on a production streak with the success of titles such as The Walking Dead invigorating adventure games. Now they’re serializing Vertigo’s Fables comics series dealing with fairy tale creatures living in our world. In the this case, in colonial America where they had fled after their own lands were taken over by an entity known only as the Adversary. The first chapter introduced players to Bigby Wolf who is the sheriff of Fabletown confronted with a deadly mystery. The next chapter is slated to come out sometime in 2014 and the whole parade is slated to run up to five episodes.

Yaiba: Ninja Gaiden Z – Team Ninja (iOS, PS3, Windows, X360)
Homepage
March 4, 2014

What is it?
You play a ninja asshole named Yaiba in this third-person slice ‘n dice against legions of zombies in a quest of revenge against Ryu Hayabusa – the much cooler guy who beat him down the first time around taking his eye and left arm. Both of those are now replaced and he’s slicing his way to a date with his nemesis while painting the screen as Jackson Pollock the Ninja.

Yoshi’s New Island – Arzest (Nintendo 3DS)
Yoshi’s New Island E3 page
Spring 2014

What is it?
A new sequel starring Nintendo’s favorite dinosaur, Yoshi, in a whole new adventure. The game will also feature a variety of artstic directions from watercolors to oils and even crayon to illustrate the platforming action as Yoshi flutter jumps his way across the world, pounds enemies with egg attacks, and discover hidden areas.