Welcome to a 2015 list of all that is awesome and mmo, and maybe a little PvP as well.. you know, I needz me my killing. I should preface by saying that star citizen won’t be included… it won’t be released this year, or probably the next unless of course the sacrifice a few more virgins to the god of feature bloat and development hell. Either that or get him out of the scrooge mcduck style money bin he’s currently swimming in long enough to get the development on track.
Ahem well, enough with the pleasantries for now and lets begin with some more Listmas cheer
This was an absolutely huge year for mmo gamers. Say what you will about the games but it’s not often we have a calendar that is this packed with huge releases. I might bitch but each was great in their own ways, providing some amazing experiences and of course lots of amazing environments
So to celebrate their I thought I’d do a top three in a couple categories.
While the year has seen some huge release within the mmo industry
Games many were looking forward to and expecting to see greater success but unfortunately disappointed for a number of reasons. Now these mmo’s could have been great but unfortunately they’re subject to some of the worst decisions in design and management possible.
So yeh, I’m calling it now. 2014: the year of Dumbass Decisions
Well, It’s been a fantastic Christmas this year due to our Listmas Special circulating around. Listmas seemed to be very much the same, just with the good cheer and merriment focused around our blogging community.
I’ve had a lot of fun writing thinking up and writing interesting lists, I’m usually one to just ramble on and these have made me focus a bit more on the message I’m trying to present. It’s also brought in a surprising amount of internet traffic to my small corner of the internetz thanks to the wonderful Mr Murf who tireless organised the event, getting people involved as well as notifying to new posts and writers; to United we game, the aggregate site for all the Links; and to both Bio Break and Casually Strolling through MMO’s for linking to my articles. And of course all those who have been retweeting links
To everyone that reads thank you as well, we hope you have enjoyed reading our recent Listmas posts as well as our word spams from the year. It just wouldn’t be as meaningful without those wonderful views.
To all the other Bloggers that got involved I say thank you, I’ve enjoyed reading all your wonderful lists Immensely. It’s amazing to see all these varying interests within our community as I believe it makes it that much stronger.
To those that went above an beyond during this time with many lists of a variety of subjects thank you for making this little Listmas idea something Special
The Short Gamer posted on his favourite games from this year and the one to come, bosses, manly men and some interesting podcasts.
Herding Cats listed a few podcasts, music, TV shows and stylish characters.
Roboheartbeat has some great lists about certain video game features, videos, interesting characters within games and pop culture, Fire Emblem, and her favourite sci-fi series that I’m probably going to have to buy very soon.
Casual Aggro highlights games of the new year that he is and isn’t interested in, similarities between Star Trek and the Secret World as well as a recap of his favourite posts from the year.
Go have a look at all these wonderful posts
It also seems the Listmas Spirit has brought out a new blogger, welcome to The Sauce Pot, a fellow anime geek, gamer, book lover and wrestling fan
And My absolute Favourite posts of the Listmas event have to go to the most influential game series over at Geek Force Network by a friend of Mr Murf. An amazing list with some amazing titles.
I’ve seen a lot of lists already about what everyone’s looking forward to in the new year, and all of that makes me excited as well. This year has been a pretty good one for game releases but next year, just wow. I guess with a new generation of consoles development it is expected to have a certain amount of growth in the industry. I’m looking forward to them as well: Wildstar, TESO, EQ Next, The Division, Destiny, Titanfall, and well… all those others. It’s an amazing line up.
I could iterate on what we all now but instead I thought I’d bring up the other games I’m interested in as well
Multi-player Stuffz
It’s going to be a really busy year for mmo’s, many big and small release to look forward to and I don’t know how well I’m going to go giving them enough time. Just have to wait and see.
Ghost in the Shell
I know very little about this title because not much has been released about it but I’m waiting with a fervent interest for ghost in the Shell Online. I’ve always loved the franchise and can’t wait to play a virtual version of it.
It’s going to be a pseudo MMOFPS kind of title with interconnected instanced spaces to PvE and PvP within where I imagine you complete missions, gain experience and maybe even items. There will be 2 factions; section 9 and the Cyber Terrorists with some sort mechanic for fighting over resources.
Yeh that doesn’t sound like much yet but there will be Tachikoma Tanks, and if you don’t like Tachikoma tanks well then… I don’t think we can be friends any more. Ghost in the Shell Online is scheduled for release in the beginning half of 2014.
kingdom Under Fire 2
I have no idea what the original title was but there is going to be a sequel coming next year. It’s going to be some sort of hybrid MMORPG/RTS type thing, A cross between a total war game with directing your army(although not as detailed) and Dynasty Warriors sooooo.. FREAKIN AWESOME!! I’ve been looking for a decent MMO RTS for some time now but they’ve mostly been rather shallow time gated grinds and this might just be it.
It has a whole range of customisation and progression for your characters and army. It is aimed at having many RTS mechanics at its core with politics, sieges, territory control and cultivation of your land and army. It will be a 3 faction based all out war with what also sounds like an interesting guild/ nation building tools where your group and alliance can take over their own territory.
Kingdom under fire 2 is set for a release in the first half of 2014 on pc and PS4
Lego Minifigures Online
Another Lego based game which after the failure of the first Lego mmo could be a bad idea.. you know Funcom though, they never seem to go the safe route with their titles… hipsters. I might actually be a bit more interested in this title as it seems to have far more in common with the very enjoyable recent lego adventure titles in terms of movement and combat. It is more of a thempark experience like these as well with certain prescribed build spots instead of any freeform building.
I also believe it’s tied into real world item much like the Skylanders and Dysney infinity as well which might work for it. Being a part of the regular Lego merchandising will definitely help sell figures and it might even bring new people into the mmo. Funcom seem to support their mmo’s over the long-term which is a great trait to have for a company.
Lego Minifigures Online is coming out for pc download, browser-based and for IOS and android which is kind of why I’m interested; an awesome browser-based title to consume some time on when away from the main puter. No release date scheduled yet except for 2014
Black Desert Online
This is my biggest name for the list and is probably one of the major titles I’m really excited for and wanting to get my hands on as soon as possible. It seems to be gaining quite the buzz at the moment with its action combat and focus on open world activities like boss battles, housing and keep sieges. Many of their ideas also seem divergent from what usually gets created, a model which feel incredibly stale.. always good to see companies moving away from that. The team creating it are incredibly ambitious, creating their own engine for it (with certain flaws) as well as having many amazing features but whether they can pull it off is still unknown.
There has been a little bit of news circulating from the first korean beta test about various mechanics but it still seems more like a concept than an mmo at the moment. It looks great with a lot of detail to the world, that map in particular looks stunning with its network of resources and such. They have also begun their own English localization for the title so it doesn’t look like it’s going to be stuck in development hell for the next year or so like another title.
Grim Dawn
Another one of those top down hack and slash type games. A multi-player ARPG in a rather lavish environment with plans to create a sprawling experience the challenges.
Meh, it’s another good multi-player Diablo Clone.. what more do you want. It’s available on Steam greenlight but it’s still very much an Alpha product at the moment. Expect more in the new year.
The Indies
Yep, we’re getting more of those little titles that amaze and contain boundless levels of creativity and amazing aesthetics. This year I’ve loved playing many Indies and can’t wait for more in the new year. As with before I’m cutting out the big titles in the Indie scene like the Dreamfall Chapters, Child Of Light, Broken Age and transistor so I can have space for a few other amazing titles.
Pixel Junk Inc
I love the pixel Junk collection. They are an amazing group of games that challenge with a wonderful aesthetic and here we have a brand new title to the franchise. This time we’re getting a base building management sim that seems to have just as much charm as those bullfrog titles all those years ago.
It seems to have some wonderful exploration themes with finding resources and such but also allowing a lot of creativity. You create a base, make recipes and refine the manufacturing process the make money to upgrade further. The more you upgrade the more you need to defend. there is no set blueprint either for your base, just figure it out as you go.. which is always fun.
Can’t wait for Pixel Junk Inc, just looks like a lot of fun.
Banished
I haven’t been following this game for very long but from what I’ve seen I will probably spend vast amounts of time within its embrace.
It is a survival RTS in the same vein as the settlers franchise just instead of going to cartoon route they made it more gritty and realistic. The size of the towns look impressive with a lot of interesting management to consume yourself with and more punishing mechanics involving the use of risk reward systems as well as a functioning ecosystem.
Banished should be coming early 2014, probably through some sort of early release steam thingy.
Lovers in a Dangerous Space Time
You’ve probably noticed by now that I’m a sucker for a certain pixel orientated aesthetic. I just love the bright colours and interesting design of these titles… it’s irresistible..
It will involve exploring this colourful universe while managing a space ship in terms of power, shields and weapons through all sorts of wondrous and dangerous encounters. It looks to be a rather chaotic mix of management in getting all these mechanics working for you while still maintaining a health happy ship and crew.
From Arrowhead Studios, the same people who created the marvellous Magicka comes this new cooperative top down shooter and, it looks fantastic. There has never been a shortage of these types of games but coming from this team I kind of have faith that they’re going to create an amazing unique experience and supporting the title for the long term.
It involves completing certain missions on planets with a team, hopefully all alive and then reaping the rewards. There will be a progression system containing skills, weapons and unlocks as well as a large Leaderboard system that will also be connected into unlocking certain community goals and milestones.
I’m getting some excellent Alien Swarn type vibes, that fantastic mix of engaging combat with that tense horror vibe from the promo material. With the added friendly fire mechanics and the challenge Arrowhead like to sneak up on you I see this being an amazing game where you are going to hate your friends for hours after.
Helldivers is going to be available on PSN for PS4,PS3 and Vita with cross play functionality in the new year
Aztez
Is a side scrolling bloddy beat-em up with tremendous combos and skill chains. It has a graphic monochrome style that is really quite stunning and that really shows the impact of combat. I love the mindless elements to these games where you’re just slaughtering countless numbers of creatures and people, makes you feel quite powerful at times.
It is also going to have a certain amount of management to it with maintaining your empire and the politics behind it, that is, when you’re not decapitating people and this will be procedurally generated in the event types that affect you.
It’s been a wonderful year of gaming, yes the mmo scene has been rather slow but there have been some huge release as well as many interesting Indies getting a lot of the attention they deserve. I still haven’t gotten around to purchasing and playing a lot of those big titles because these indie seem like the better choice in terms of value. I’ve been quite caught up in Guild Wars 2 for much of the year, those mmo’s take a looooot of time away from other games.
Anyway, here’s a quick list of my favourite gaming experiences in no particular order whatsoever
Walking Dead
The year started off with this wonderful interactive experience; a warm-hearted tale about the connection we have with family and other people. It created some really difficult decisions of morality and made it feel like your choices mattered.
Tomb Raider
One of the first major titles I tried for the year that absolutely blew me away. Graphically stunning, interesting character development and something that immersed and engaged. A wonderful reboot to a beloved franchise.
Fez
One of the cutest and most interesting Indies of this year. An interesting flipping mechanic combined with a platformer and puzzle game
Monaco
Absolute group insanity. Wonderfully vibrant aesthetic and interesting mechanics, it was also one of the most hilarious multi-player games of the year.
Gone Home
One of the most moving experiences of the year if not in my gaming lifetime. Immersive environment and absolutely beautiful story telling that everyone should play.
Warframe
Great co-op fps dungeon crawler. Tight fluid controls and movement with interesting and deep progression system. Now on PS4 as well
Firefall
A personal mmo favourite just based on potential. Fps mmo with a focus on open-world freedom, fast paced combat with an emphasis on movement and the beginnings of an important crafting system and economy. With a change in management and a huge funding boost near the end of the year watch this for things to come.
Risk of Rain
Wonderful rogue like that I’ve sunk dozens of hours into already. Action combat, permadeath, perfect risk v reward system and free from progression.
Terraria
Released a while ago now but this year saw the huge 1.2 patch that added a ton of content. Great mix of fluff, progression and exploration.
Diablo 3, ps3
For some reason I was a little let down with Diablo 3 when it first released as it just didn’t feel rewarding to play. Then I played it on the ps3 and fell in love.. This is how it was supposed to be.
Simcity
Even though it received a lot of hate due to the many issues and perceived slights it was a decent building game, I also had a Love and hate relationship with it but found it worth it. It very much taps into that similar and enthralling management feel but with a modern take. The regions and cities have been streamlined but there is still a lot of depth to maintaining and growing you cities and regions.
Also it’s puuuurty
Hawken
Arena lobby based mech shooter with, a wonderful steam punk aesthetic, excellent controls and really interesting map design. I gave a glowing Review but have never picked it up again since, need to correct that soon.
Far Cry 3 ps3
Not the amazing going experience my friends proclaimed it to be but still fun. It was the full shooty package wrapped up in an outlandish story with a good mix of adrenaline pumping action and sneaky gameplay.
Shadowrun Returns
Another reboot of a beloved franchise that created a good modern take. Turn based RPG with many of the cyberpunk elements that make the genre something great.
Remember Me
A wonderful but ultimately flawed game. Absolutely stunning visuals in a lovingly crafted futuristic paris, pity it was such a linear experience in terms of gameplay and mechanics.
Towns
A relaxing but deep management sim involving maintaining an over-world town and then digging deep to reveal its dangerous nougat centre. A surprising twist on the dungeon keeper series.
Kentucky Route Zero
Scroll down a little to see a quick write up. Absolutely brilliant experience in how it reflects on perception of reality and space as well as maintaining an abstract style that is both haunting and whimsical.
Reus
lovely and cute god game involving the use of gods, or a certain manifestation of them to terraform a world and provide for its inhabitants.
Wolf Among US
Amazing take on the fables genre with the style and incorporation of characters into a modern world. Near perfect rendition of the modern adventure game genre.
Project Zomboid
One of my surprise hits of the year that never fails to entertain and engage. Great survival game with incredibly deep mechanics that is only getting better as it nears release. I even wrote a little survival genre which ended rather abruptly. If it had multi-player I would be in love.
Well dats all folks, I hope you all have had an amazing time gaming in 2013 as well. If you didn’t well…. stop being a gaming grinch.
It has been a really slow year for mmo’s; limited schedule of new releases, what seems like only a few major expansions and a bunch of patches containing the same drudgery. Despite this though I’ve still has some amazing experience throughout the year that I will look back on fondly for years to come.
So here’s my favourite MMO experiences of the year
Firefall
There was just something about the focus on freedom and lack of restraints on content that made it an amazing experience. Even starting out from the beginning I could join in with major raids or open world bosses; I could join in and contribute with some of the hardest content available and I could play where and how I wanted whole still being able to progress my character and account.
It was a game with a plethora of options on how to progress. Multiple frames focusing on a style of play, further your crafting abilities, collecting cosmetics and accumulating wealth and you can do all this in a variety of ways. I could always play with friends in whatever was happening, Battleframe progression didn’t matter in terms of dungeons and alternative zones and my damage or healing was still useful… and I was always being rewarded useful materials and items.
There was also a wide world of events that were actually dynamic and not just events bound by restraints, they could and did spawn anywhere and at any time. It was also a game that encouraged you to be in and explore the world.. and it was rather lovely to explore.
Rift
Rift was my first hardcore mmo. I spent countless hours levelling , researching and healing people in battlefields and I was in love with it for many many months. I also believe it was an important point in bringing me to this blogging lifestyle so to say I have a soft spot for the title is an understatement.
Coming back after over a year has been an extreme nostalgia overload, something I’ve never felt as strongly as this before. I’ve gone back and played plenty of games from my youth but Rift was the one that filled me with that warm fuzzy feeling. Remembering all the good times, the people I met, becoming part of a great guild and challenging my abilities far more than I had done before. I was hooked and, still am to that MMO buzz.
Rift has changed a lot over this last couple years, so much so that it’s always like a new game at time but the core of what appealed to me is still there, maybe not as bright but there’s still a twinkle. An interesting world to explore, a sensibility towards playing with others and that familiar sense of combat once more. Plus I get to collect shiny things again aaaand make a HOUSE!
Guild Wars 2
I’ve ranted and raved a lot about GW2 over the year, more so than I would have liked but it was a game that incited me to rage based on how much I loved many parts of it. It has a wonderful foundation waiting underneath.. if only those god damn devs would stop squandering it..
Anyway, there were a lot of great point to the game but my favourite experiences would always come from the Wuv Wuv mode. If I was to write a top 10 events in GW2 they would all be some sort of battle that began either defending and attacking keeps or one of those brilliant open field engagements.
.I loved the thrill of this battlefield, the adrenalin that pumped through your body during a fight and the hidden complexity of combat that only seems to come out with your coordinated group. It was something that created that sort of trained focus, that challenge which seems to come out when you’re working together as a group: mindlessly working, moving and fighting as one in some sort of brilliant interactive dance that is forever changing its inner tune. There is nothing quite as exhilarating as open world combat and even with all its flaws Guild Wars 2 never failed to disappoint during combat.
It was also the resurgence in community I felt due to our inclusion in WvW. It is a game type that brings servers together for a common goal, constant communications amongst its members that creates long-term friendships and guild connections. A strength of bringing people together through mutual goals and of course mutual hate.
Darkfall
I’ve said a lot on Darkfall‘s failing and how it just wasn’t the pvp experience I was looking for. The combat was lacklustre and cumbersome, and it was missing a lot of features to make it an interesting sandbox experience. I don’t think it will ever be the PvP mmo people are looking for but it still has that unmistakable open world appeal.
That feeling of caution when travelling the world, apprehension at seeing another player nearby and that all-encompassing feeling of tension the world has. That alone is a thrilling experience to have at times and is what I’m after. I don’t want to feel like some invincible hero, and I miss the choice that comes from giving players control of their experience.
With the full loot and item loss it was also experience that brought out those risk reward analysis of each and every situation whether that be the thrill of attaining something amazing and then that utter crushing feeling of having it taken off you in the next instant. Those extremes of play can only be found when you allow the extremes of loss as well and I would love to feel that more often.
Even though there wasn’t much new out this year I’ve still had a fantastic time gaming in our multi-player worlds. There are some great titles out there for every interest and it seems, this will only be getting better in the new year.
Healing the masses 