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I’ve heard lots of people getting down on 2014. Where was that mind-boggling next gen masterpiece we all expected? Hold on; slow your roll. 2014 had a ton of incredible games that you probably missed as you were being disappointed by Destiny and DriveClub. Funny games, weird games, stylish games, heartfelt games – GREAT games. Why not dive into some of 2014’s brightest hidden gems while the industry endures post-holiday no-release land?                                     Â
Best for the Irreverent at Heart: Jazzpunk – PC
Words can’t adequately describe Jazzpunk. Imagine your favourite National Lampoon movie. Now imagine that in a super saturated retro world. And you’re a cold war super spy. Jazzpunk is equal parts brilliant and hilarious, with a generous scoop of absurd on top. If silly one-liners and highly stylized visuals are your thing, play Jazzpunk. Seriously. Also, ignore the trailers – they don’t nearly do this thing justice.
 “Jazzpunk is equal parts brilliant and hilarious, with a generous scoop of absurd on top.”
Best for Home Arcade Aficionados: Bayonetta 2 – Wii U
Although it received a lot of accolades this year, not enough people have played Bayonetta 2. In a year that saw the release of new Mario Kart and Smash Bros games, Bayonetta 2 is the absolute best reason to pick up a Wii U. It’s everything that’s incredible about Japanese games in one place. It’s stylish, it’s absurd, and it feels buttery smooth – every input is translated exactly on the screen. Need more convincing? The least crazy point in the game has you fighting otherworldly beasts on top of a fighter jet. While it’s flying.
Best for Retro Lovers: Shovel Knight – Multiple Platforms
Another game that received accolades for days but not enough people have actually played! If Mega Man 2 came out in 2014 and starred a shovel carrying knight, it would look like this. 8 bit in every sense of the word, Shovel Knight is a challenging and rewarding platformer with plenty of jumping, dueling, crazy characters, and an excellent chiptune score. If you harbour any love for classics like Ghouls n’ Ghosts or Duck Tales, Shovel Knight is well worth your time.
 “If you harbour any love for classics like Ghouls n’ Ghosts or Duck Tales, Shovel Knight is well worth your time.”
Best for History Buffs: Valiant Hearts: The Great War – Multiple Platforms
Follow four soldiers through the trenches of WW1 while solving adventure style puzzles. Valiant Hearts boasts one of the most heartfelt and genuine feeling stories of last year, and is built on top of the gorgeous UbiArt engine. Adventure games aren’t really my jam, but the storytelling really resonated with me – all too often war gets boiled down to a numbers game. Valiant Hearts is a poignant reminder that war affects individuals.
“…Â all too often war gets boiled down to a numbers game. Valiant Hearts is a poignant reminder that war affects individuals.”
Best for Story Buffs: The Fall – PC
As an AI charged with saving an injured pilot, The Fall manages to bring a very human quality to a mechanical system. The adventure game elements are interesting without being tedious, and the story is brilliantly realized in a highly stylized future setting. It looks and plays great, and developer Over The Moon (shout out to our fellow Vancouverites!) has 2 more acts in the works. Play it!
 “The adventure game elements are interesting without being tedious, and the story is brilliantly realized in a highly stylized future setting.”
Best for Portal Fans: The Talos Principle – PC
From Serious Sam developers, Croteam, comes a totally unexpected product. It’s first person, but you’ll swap your twin machine guns for your thinking cap in The Talos Principle. The puzzles are clever and rewarding, but perhaps more interesting is the storyline. The protagonist is a robot, while the narrator is the voice of God, and there are plenty of interesting biblical parallels to be spotted. Bonus points for the inclusion of tetrominos (Tetris pieces) as the game’s collectible of choice.
Best for Twitchy Gamers: Velocity 2X – PS4, Ps Vita
Part intense top down shooter, part crazy sci fi platformer, all arcade excitement – with no need for quarters. It’s an absolute hoot to play, and is the perfect game to pull out when you have a spare 20 minutes. It’s tough without being frustrating, the tight control is something to behold – speed is rewarded, and failure only motivates you further.
“Part intense top down shooter, part crazy sci fi platformer, all arcade excitement – with no need for quarters.”
Best for Puzzlers: Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker – Wii U
Captain Toad has been around for a while – he actually first debuted in Super Mario Sunshine on the Gamecube. He’s finally got his own adventure, and it’s disgustingly cute. As Captain Toad (or Toadette!) you’ll, well, track treasure. What it lacks in adrenalin fueled excitement, it compensates for with methodical and rewarding exploration – the game encourages you to take your time and scour every level for its secrets. I wouldn’t sit down and play it for hours, but Captain Toad is a refreshing and entertaining palette cleanser.
“What it lacks in adrenalin fueled excitement, it compensates for with methodical and rewarding exploration…”
Best for Hardcore RPG Lovers: Divinity: Original Sin – PC
Divinity is a master class in classic RPG design, and stands tall with heavyweights like Dragon Age: Origins. It has a giant and cliche-ridden (in the best possible way) world, an incredible magic system, and a completely open approach – you’re dropped into the world with minimal introduction, and left to your own devices. Do you get involved in crafting? Thievery? It’s all up to you in this Kickstarter adventure.
Best for Spooky Folks: P.T. – PS4
PT is the scariest game I’ve ever played. Yeah, it’s just a demonstration of what’s in store with the next iteration of Silent Hill, but it will scare the sh** out of you. Don’t lie to me. The atmosphere is tense as hell, and it plays masterful mind games with you. It’s also one of the best looking experiences out there. Oh, and it’s free. C’mon, live a little!