5 Games I’m Looking Forward to Playing Before 2014 Ends

I know it’s only August, and  it seems like it’ll be forever before you finally get that game you’ve been waiting for all year, but the end of the year will be here faster than you think.

Gamers, including myself, are going to have so many choices to make in the coming months, so I’ve decided to make a list of the 5 games that I’m most looking forward to playing. 

5. Civilization: Beyond Earth

I can’t wait to see this science fiction futuristic take on the traditional Civilization game. The idea of not just colonizing other parts of Earth, but exploring other planets  is the main reason I want to play this game.

Also, the three affinities players can choose, (Harmony, Purity, and Supremacy) are a new aspect to Civilization, and seems like a great way to give players a good number of options when interacting with alien races. 

Releases October 24th for PC.

4. Middle-Earth: Shadows of Mordor

I’ve heard mixed reviews about this game so far, but I find it intriguing for a variety of reasons. 

First of all, I am really interested in “the Nemesis System” and the wraith abilities the player gets. According to the Gameplay Trailer, certain characters will remember past actions that the player has taken, and it will influence how those characters react later in the game. The wraith ability allows players to control enemies, as well as ways to better focus on which enemies you want to attack first.

I’m a huge Tolkien fan, so being able to play a game based off of the Lord of the Rings world is definitely exciting, as is the idea of seeing some familiar characters.

Releases September 30th for Xbox One and 360, PS3, PS4, and PC.

3. Assassin’s Creed Unity

I enjoyed playing the other Assassin’s Creed games, and I am sure I will enjoy Unity just as much. I’m ready to scale walls, dive into haystacks, and leaps of faith all over again, this time in the setting of the French Revolution. 

Of course, there is also the four person multi-player option, which is a new addition to Assassin’s Creed games that I really want to try. I am also definitely looking forward to what they do with the main female character, Elise, and her relationship to the player character Arno Dorian. I’m really hoping Ubisoft will make her a strong and interesting female character.  

Releases October 28th for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

2. Alien: Isolation

I love the movie Alien, so once I found out the original cast was returning for one of the Alien: Isolation DLCs, I was hooked. 

The more I hear about it, the more I want to play it. I like that it’s from the perspective of Ripley’s daughter, who is mentioned in the Alien movie series a few times, but never seen. I’ve also heard that this game is pretty scary and a lot better than some of the Alien based video games released in the past: both points in this games favor. 

Releases October 7th for Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, Wii, Wii U, and 3DS. 

1. Dragon Age: Inquisition

So far, everything I’ve seen of Dragon Age: Inquisition looks incredible.The tactical view seems like it’s super helpful for smart planning during battle. I also really like that you can choose to attack specific areas like arms and legs of a dragon. Plus, unlike in Dragon Age 2 you choose your race, and even have the option of playing a Qunari.

What I really can’t wait for is meeting all the new characters and interacting with them. The storyline is the main reason why I play the Dragon Age games, and it looks like the team for Inquisition focused a lot on that aspect. 

 Releases November 18th for Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS3, and PC.