Top 15 PS4 Games Coming This Year 2014

As we move in to 2014 it’s important that we reflect on all of last year’s video game news, after all, the best way to see where we’re going is to look at the trail behind us, right?   Needless to say, the release of the PS4 is still weighing heavily on a lot of gamers’ minds, with many of them still waiting for some truly groundbreaking titles to be released for the new console.  While there are some find games currently available for it, the fact remains that we’ve yet to see one or more “decidedly PlayStation 4” titles hit store shelves.  In other words, people are ready and waiting to experience the next generation of gaming with Sony’s new flagship console, and it looks like 2014 might be the year it happens.  Here are the top 15 PS4 games coming to a retailer near you in 2014…

Watch Dogs

Much has already been said and written about Ubisoft’s upcoming open-world game, “Watch Dogs”, mostly concerning how incredibly awesome it looks.  Most gamers were expecting to see the game released in tandem with the PS4 itself, so when the decision to delay its unveiling came down many were quite disappointed, as expected.  However, this setback does imply that the game’s developer is putting a bit more effort into their creation, which tends to imply a much more stable experience that’s rife with loads of extra features (in other words, maybe the wait will be worth it).

Infamous: Second Son

Since its inception, the Infamous series has been something of a Sony mainstay.  The mere notion of being able to trawl around a sandbox map, playing as a character with superpowers where you get to decide whether or not they’re a benevolent or malevolent force was (and is) incredibly tempting.  With the release of “Infamous: Second Son”, we see the IP being updated in more ways than one, with its excellent visuals being one of the big selling points.  Without a doubt, this is the Infamous experience that a lot of gamers have been waiting for.

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes

Just saying that there’s a new MGS title coming our way featuring a decidedly Solid-Snake-like character is probably enough to stoke the fires of interest for many gamers.  However, when you also add beautiful PlayStation 4 graphics and more open world level design to the mix, you have an almost irresistible combination on your hands.  Moreover, developer Kojima Productions has also incorporated a “base-building” feature into the game, where players can actually personally build and control their hideout.  Arguably, this will be the “ultimate” Metal Gear Solid title to many hardcore fans of the series.

The Crew

The concept of an open-world racing game is still somewhat relatively new, with some franchises pulling it off better than others.  Of course what makes Ivory Tower and Ubisoft’s upcoming game “The Crew” different is that it plunges players into a massive and persistent sandbox on an almost unbelievable scale.  For example, the game itself will place players in a virtual United States where they can actually drive across the country from coast to coast, which is said to take 90 minutes.  If you’re into racing titles and this doesn’t pique your interests, we don’t know what to tell you – aside from the fact that we thing it’s bloody awesome!

The Order: 1886

First off, “The Order: 1886” is sort of a familiar action / adventure game, at least where it’s mechanics and overall gameplay are concerned.  Where the game veers off into uncharted territory however is in its visual / art style (which might more or less be called “Steam punk heaven”) and alternate history storyline.  Despite the fact that a lot of gamers tend to be open to any and all concepts where storytelling is concerned, there really haven’t been a lot of great titles which offer hypothetical “what if?” accounts.  In other words, what if half-human, half-animal chimeras were lurking about and more advanced weaponry development took precedence over that of transportation development?  The Order: 1886 essentially places you in just such a reality, where the Knights of the Templar protect the world from strange monsters and Arthur’s Round Table takes on an entirely different character altogether.

The Elder Scrolls Online

Let’s face it; Bethesda Studio’s “Elder Scrolls” series is simply one of the best things to hit consoles – ever.  If you’re played around with any of their previous efforts such as “Skyrim” or “Oblivion” then you know just how awesome it is to be able to run around a large map with incredible amounts of freedom to approach gameplay your own way.  With the release of “The Elder Scrolls Online” however, it would seem that they’re upping the ante in every way imaginable.  Simply put, this game will provide you with an epic and addictive RPG sandbox experience as well as the opportunity to do it online, with others via a new Massively Multiplayer system.  If the thought of exploring the land of Tamriel with PS4 graphics, never knowing who or what you’re going to run into doesn’t get you excited, then maybe gaming just isn’t your thing…

Driveclub

Billed as an entirely new type of racing game that’s designed to promote social interaction, “Driveclub” was initially meant to be a launch release but was delayed due to technical issues.  Needless to say, if you’re seen any of the video or screenshots of the title recently it can be said without hesitation that this game provides some of the most stunningly realistic cars / driving sequences that we’ve ever seen.  If all this weren’t enough, Sony has also announced that a special free version of the game will soon be made available to all PSN users!

Tom Clancy’s: The Division

If post-apocalyptic games are more your speed then “Tom Clancy’s: The Division” is really going to tickle your fancy.  Unlike other titles that plunge you into a massive derelict city, TC’s: The Division plays out more like something else entirely.  First off, the game details the aftermath of a massive disease outbreak that takes place on the heels of a Black Friday sale, effectively plunging the United States into full-tilt economic collapse.  The result of course is widespread unrest and turmoil – something that your player (and their intergovernmental agency, called SHD) must confront and deal with.   The best part of course is that this isn’t your standard open-world affair; it’s also a massively multiplayer title, meaning that you’ll be pitted against others instead of lumbering A.I.    Moreover, the game contains some truly amazing graphics, which will undoubtedly enhance the already incredible concept.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

First off, “The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt” looks absolutely amazing in terms of its graphics, which are decidedly entrenched in J.R.R. Tolkien-inspired fantasy tropes.  Having said that, TW3: WH certainly has its own unique charms and looks to go “bigger and badder” than Skyrim in terms of map size as well as action.  However, perhaps the most interesting facet of this game is its engine (REDengine 3) which was apparently specially developed for nonlinear open-world RPG gaming.  In short, this will allow gamers to experience a truly complex story line and progression on a scale previously unheard of, where your decisions actually influence the course of events in completely unexpected ways.

Thief

The “Thief” series has long been a mainstay among people who enjoy stealth-based gameplay, but with the release of newest title, the series is being rebooted and revamped.  In short, you play as the master thief, “Garrett”, who returns to his hometown to find it infested with a strange plague and suffering at the hands of a despotic tyrant.  Unlike other stealth titles, the purpose of thief isn’t to inflict maximum damage while remaining undetected; instead players are introduced to a unique style of gameplay where the goal is be creative in your approach to “stealing from the rich to give to the poor”.  Of course what makes the title even more interesting is the fact that a new specialized type of A.I. has been constructed for it, where the various NPC’s actually consider where you might be hiding after being detected.  Add to this, great graphics, and you have a title that’s more than desirable.

Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn

For those unaware, the first outing of FFXIV didn’t exactly go as planned.  In fact, one might even say that it was something of a failure for developer Square Enix.  With the upcoming release of “Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn” however, they are attempting to redeem themselves in a major way, and with a MMORPG, no less.  Taking place 5 years after the events of the original game, this outing finds players assuming the role of a time-traveling hero who is tasked with dealing with the very real threat of a planetary invasion.  What makes it truly interesting though is its excellent graphics and somewhat familiar gameplay system, which services true RPG fans.

Outlast

Toward the end of 2013 PC gamers were treated to a unique and exhilarating survival horror experience – otherwise known as “Outlast”.   When it was announced that this title was also coming to the PS4 in the first quarter of 2014, it generated quite a stir amongst the video gaming community, many of which don’t particularly care for titles which are only found on Windows.  In essence, “Outlast” is a game that places you in the shoes of a journalist who receives a tip from an anonymous source to check out a mental asylum, as there have been strange occurrences reported which are connected to a shady corporation.  Nevertheless, upon arriving, the protagonist discovers that things are much worse than anticipated and left largely unprepared for what they would face, their only course of action is to move around furtively, finding hiding spots and avoiding them.  Moreover, due to the fact that you’re in relative darkness most of the time, you have to rely on your camera’s night vision feature to navigate, which greatly adds to the suspense.

The Evil Within

There are two things which (right off the bat) should greatly interest you about this upcoming survival horror title.  First off, it’s being directed by the guy who created the Resident Evil series, and secondly, it looks scary as hell.  Whether or not this title will reinvent the survival horror genre is still up for debate, but one thing’s for certain – the graphics, environments, characters, plot and concept seem to be rock-solid and offer gamers a glimpse into a horrifying new world and reality.  You assume the role of Detective Sebastian Castellanos, who is plunged to the brink of insanity by some unknown force at the site of a mass murder.  After seeing his fellow officers destroyed, he passes out and wakes up in another world – one where monsters have assumed dominance over the land.  Not one to rest on his laurels, detective Castellanos sets about the task of uncovering the truth about what happened, even if it means delving into utterly terrifying scenarios.

Destiny

When developer Bungie announced that they were working on a next-gen MMORPG / first person shooter, it caught the attention of many gamers and industry insiders.  We are, after all, talking about the minds behind the mega-successful Halo franchise here, so it’s clear that they know what they’re doing.  Well, to make a long story short, “Destiny”, which hits the PlayStation 4 in September 2014, appears to be nothing short of a revelation.  Thrusting players into a massive post-apocalyptic open world only in a decidedly sci-fi setting, the game offers us the opportunity to experience something familiar yet entirely new.  Moreover, when you consider the fact that this title also features some truly amazing graphics and gameplay, it’s not hard to see why everyone’s up in arms about “Destiny”.

Daylight

Last but certainly not least, we have “Daylight”, a new survival horror IP that also introduces us to an entirely fresh concept with randomly-generated level design.  This first-person perspective title not only looks fantastic, it also forces you to think creatively, as you’re not going to be able to simply memorize pathways through the game on subsequent playthroughs.  In essence, this could very well open the door to some truly terrifying moments, where you’re scrambling to get away from unknown enemies in the dark, in completely foreign, procedurally-generated environments.