12/21/12: TOP 8 BEST VIDEO GAMES OF 2014!

I know I haven't blogged in a while, but I decided to get back in the swing of things as 2014 wraps up. With that, I'll be honoring the best this year had to offer in movies, video games and news events. It'll be a three-part series that I'll have plenty of time to accomplish over my Winter Break. This is all based on my opinion, and even though I haven't seen all these movies, played all these video games and paid attention to all these news events, I was still alive gosh dang it, and they still had an impact. Probably not personally, but nevertheless I looked into them.

You've seen news events and movies, so now it's time to switch gears (or should I say switch controls) over to the best of video gaming in 2014.

#8: Five Nights at Freddy's (two-part series)

Although I didn't personally play the game, I was still frightened and freaked out as I watched others navigate through these simply-designed yet terrifying games---Five Nights at Freddy's and Five Nights at Freddy's 2---that left the ones playing on the edge of their seats as well as mine. You could argue that jump scares are too cheesy and unoriginal as scare strategies but gosh dang it they still got me flipping out. Not only that, but you're completely and utterly defenseless, add to that the fact that you remain in the same position both games. All I know is, I'm never going to Chuck-E-Cheese's again.

#7: Far Cry 4

When Far Cry 3 hit the shelves, I was blown away. When I heard of the fourth installment, I was looking forward to it. When it was finally released, I found it simply amazing. If I haven't said it before, I'll say it now: when something is outstanding (ex. Far Cry 3) the next one up will have a lot to live up too, especially the fact that people want even better, which can be very difficult. Far Cry 4 didn't have much of anything new but still had all the fun stuff we've come to know and love from the series. Yes, the story and the antagonist, Pagan Min, aren't as strong or as interesting as the previous installment, but it doesn't really matter as you barrel into outposts with an elephant and fly a jumpsuit across the Himalayas. All I want to know: Blood Dragon 2?

#6: Double Action: Boogaloo

This wasn't anything huge, and I doubt a lot of you have heard of it, but it's probably the best shooter ever made. And it's free on Steam. Right. Now. Go get it, and go play it. If you wanted to feel like an action hero, this is the game for you, as it has you back-flipping, sliding, jumping, diving, front-flipping across the map guns-blazing, with the option to slow it all down anytime you want to fulfill your desires of pure awesome. There's no other game out there that has you jumping off a wall, onto a roof, jumping down in slow-motion and blasting your shotgun at enemies down below. There may be only three classes, only free-for-all multiplayer and the poorly-done-graphics game has its glitches, but when you want to feel like a boss in this Matrix-ish world, go for it. 

#5: South Park: The Stick of Truth

I don't know much about the television series South Park, but I watched YouTube commentators have a great time with this one. After walkthroughs were done, I was very impressed at the size, scale and overwhelming amount of things to do in South Park: The Stick of Truth which I'd heard made Trey Parker and Matt Stone "want to die." But all that hard work paid off, because this game is quite the adventure, designed to look like the show, and has you playing alongside Eric, Stan, Kyle, Kenny, Butters and the other boys in this hilarious future-hit. Farting on aliens, releasing the Plagues of Egypt on Nazi Zombies, setting fire to gingers and climbing through an intestinal track is just a sample of what this game has to offer. 

#4: Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare

Call of Duty really stepped up their A-game (no pun intended) this year with the release of Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, which obviously wasn't realistic or original in the slightest sense of things, but who could complain when you have a jet pack, grenades that fly through through the air and then attach to the nearest enemy and explode, giant walking mechs that barrel down on your poor, poor enemies and ride through a rundown Detroit (so basically normal Detroit) on hovering speeding bikes like those seen on Star Wars: Return of the Jedi.

#3: Watch Dogs

My friend Reece and I also had fun with this game as well. Perhaps even more fun since this game is just designed to be more fun. As much as hackers are frowned-down-upon, it really has us realizing the destructive power that comes with technology. Hackers have the power to kill you at any moment, and it's scary to think about, but we really see how it all works in Watch Dogs. You play as Aiden Pierce, a white hat hacker (hacks for good) in a futuristic Chicago who uses nothing but his smartphone to cause city-wide blackouts, access any security camera and audio monitor in any part of town or use stoplight-manipulation to cause traffic conversions. It makes me shudder just thinking about how much of the game could actually happen. 

#2: Goat Simulator

Love it, hate it, this game is nothing but screwed up and ridiculous, which is exactly why we and I love it (just look at Double Action: Boogaloo). You play as a goat and....well, I can't really explain it, but you basically flip, jump, glitch out and stampede through the land as more than just a farm animal, but a true and hilarious evil. The same company also released a MMO version of Goat Simulator, which had you roaming through maps with other people. This is definitely the best of the recently-popular simulator games (beats Surgeon Simulator, Grass Simulator, I Am Bread, etc. by a long shot).

#1: The Last of Us: Left Behind

The Last of Us blew me away back in June of 2013, so it was no surprise that the DLC Left Behind would too. Instead of playing as Joel, players take the place of Ellie and her story before meeting Joel in the main game. The original game was all about the story and was perhaps one of if not the best story in gaming (or the gaming I've played) and made you connect with the characters and heck even the manliest gamers out there shed a tear. But this, this was the true tearjerker. No spoilers, but you'll feel somewhat depressed as the end credits roll. I know I was. Not only is it a wonderful game that makes has you experiencing the events/situations in the game so well, it captures the beauty and brutality of the human spirit. Clickers and crazy survivors aside, it was the best DLC of the year if not of all time and wins my top spot this year.