Siobhan Keogh: 2014 worst year for gamers

Destiny is just one of several gaming disappoints this year.

2014 has yet to deliver any standout gaming experiences for Siobhan Keogh.

When I think back on the games that have been released so far this year, I get a bit sleepy.

Frankly, I think this year may be the most disappointing year of video games in recent memory. Usually there's at least one game that hooks me for months, which I obsess over and am just in awe of. In 2014, I can't think of a single game that I'd give a 10/10 and play forevermore.

The new generation of console does tend to slow things down a bit. Developers begin working on new franchises, which is great - but quite often those franchises need some refinement and the second game in the series is the one people talk about. Uncharted 2, for example, is widely deemed to be the best of the Uncharted series.

Have a think about these new series, ones that had loads of hype and massive marketing budgets behind them. Watch Dogs showed a lot of promise, but ultimately didn't live up to expectations. And while I personally believe that the critical backlash against Destiny was a tad overblown, it also failed to live up to its own hype. And while I found it addictive for a while, I've largely stopped playing now - I didn't stop playing some of the Halo games for months, if not years.

My hope for both of these franchises is that developers and publishers take the feedback of critics and gamers alike and use it to make the next games better. If they don't I think they'll be in trouble - people are likely to be more cautious about buying these games the second time around.

And I'm fairly certain there will be a second time around for both titles - they still sold well, after all. Destiny made US$500 million on day one.

I'm told that Wolfenstein: The New Order is surprisingly good, although I haven't played it myself yet. Then there are the old games updated for new consoles, like Tomb Raider and The Last of Us. Reboots or remasters - how unexciting.

That said, we're just now getting into the tail end of the year, when many of the big games release. There are still a few blockbusters that might be worthy of a 'Game of the Year' award.

Far Cry 4 comes out shortly, and many gamers - especially those who loved Far Cry 3 and Blood Dragon - will be pinning their hopes on that. Assassin's Creed fans will be hoping that Unity will get back to the series' roots of stealth and intrigue, and Sunset Overdrive looks like something fresh.

Personally, I'm pinning my hopes on a game that's releasing this week - Civilization: Beyond Earth. Sid Meier's strategy series, Civilization, is fantastic and hasn't disappointed me yet.

There are also some indie titles worth recommending. Horror fans should definitely take a look at Outlast, wherein you play as a journalist trying to document the atrocities of an insane asylum. And there's season two of The Walking Dead, of course.

Adventure gamers may be more interested in The Vanishing of Ethan Carter. You play as a detective with paranormal abilities, and - in a twist that will shock no one - have to find a missing boy.

Even if this year turns out to be a total wash for blockbuster games, there are some things to get excited about on the horizon. In 2015, I'm looking forward to multiplayer game Evolve, Halo 5: Guardians, No Man's Sky and Battlefield Hardline, amongst others. I might even enjoy Mortal Kombat X or the new Batman game.

Let's just hope that most of those don't disappoint - and that 2015 is a better year for gaming.

- nzherald.co.nz