Metacritic's games of the year

[Ciggavelli]

Super Smash Bros. for Wii U is the best game of 2014

It appears that gaming's transition year has turned into transition years. The first full calendar year for next-generation consoles PS4 and Xbox One failed to spur the release of more than a handful of great games—and most of those high-scoring releases were merely re-releases of older titles for the new platforms

For the second straight year, just 11 console games (representing 9 unique titles) scored 90 or higher. Of those, only three were new games rather than ports of previously released titles. Overall, there were just 14 90+ releases in 2014 (see list at the bottom of this page), the lowest such total since 2006.

Even this year's highest-scoring new release—Nintendo's Super Smash Bros. for Wii U—had a significantly lower Metascore than previous Metacritic Game of the Year winners. Three other products actually surpassed Smash Bros.'s 92, but all three (including XB1 and PS4 versions of 2013's best game, Grand Theft Auto V, as well as a PS4 release of 2013's The Last of Us) were remastered ports of older titles, leaving Smash Bros. as the year's highest-scoring new game.

Over the following pages, we'll reveal 2014's best-reviewed games for each individual platform. Before that, here's a quick look at how the various game platforms compared this year:

Console/PC Comparison - 2014

* Games with 4 or more reviews in Metacritic's database released between January 1, 2014 and December 31, 2014 (based on North American release dates, except in cases where a game has not been released in North America).
** Excludes games with fewer than 7 reviews.
All Metascore data for this and all other tables in this report is from December 20, 2014. The pie charts reflect the percentage of all releases for each console with Positive Reviews (receiving a Metascore of 75 or higher indicating), Mixed Reviews (receiving a Metascore of 50-74), and Negative Reviews (receiving a Metascore of 49 or below). Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding.

And here are 2014's best-reviewed titles, regardless of platform (iOS games are excluded; they're ranked in a separate article):

The 90+ Club: The Best-Reviewed Games of 2014 (Any Platform*)

http://www.metacritic.com/feature/best-video-games-of-2014

 

[Ciggavelli]

Best Xbox Exclusives, 2014
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5

86

85

81

77

77


Best PlayStation Exclusives, 2014
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5

95

86

80

80

73

Best Wii U Exclusives, 2014
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5

92

91

88

83

82

Best PC Exclusives, 2014
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5

89

87

87

87

86

 

[Ciggavelli]

Best Nintendo 3DS Exclusives, 2014
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5

85

85

85

83

83

Best PS Vita Exclusives, 2014
#1 #2 #3 #4 #5

84

82

77

76

75

 

[Ciggavelli]

Not a great year....

 

[Fatboi1]

Not a great year....

Nope, not imo. It's been a great year. This "it hasn't been a good year..." talk is subjective. I've had a blast this year across all platforms that I own.

 

[Ciggavelli]

Nope, not imo. It's been a great year. This "it hasn't been a good year..." talk is subjective. I've had a blast this year across all platforms that I own.

And your opinion is subjective as well. At least with numbers we can try to be a little objective. The best games of the year were remakes How can that be a good year?

 

[Fatboi1]

And your opinion is subjective as well. At least with numbers we can try to be a little objective. The best games of the year were remakes How can that be a good year?

No. The best games of the year were Smash Bros Wii U, Bayonetta 2, Mario Kart 8, Dark Souls 2, Velocity 2x also. If none of the aformentioned games came out then you'd be correct but to say it was ALL remakes is disingenuous. There were only 5 serious remakes this gen of which only like two were considered for GOTY respectively. Y'all can stop this narrative that this gen is full of next gen remasters when that's far from the truth. The only reason it seems like that is because like it's been pointed out, the main remasters/remakes this gen were critically acclaimed games.

 

[Ciggavelli]

No. The best games of the year were Smash Bros Wii U, Bayonetta 2, Mario Kart 8, Dark Souls 2, Velocity 2x also. If none of the aformentioned games came out then you'd be correct but to say it was ALL remakes is disingenuous. There were only 5 serious remakes this gen of which only like two were considered for GOTY respectively. Y'all can stop this narrative that this gen is full of next gen remasters when that's far from the truth. The only reason it seems like that is because like it's been pointed out, the main remasters/remakes this gen were critically acclaimed games.

What narrative? Can you read? The top ranked games were remakes, that's all I said. You're confusing me with somebody else. I've never said this generation is full of remakes. It just so happens this year's highest rated games were remakes. It's a fact. Those aside, the best games were definitely on the wii u this year.

I'm just going by the article. They said this was the worst year since 2006. Those are their words not mine. i think its something to consider, or at least talk about.

Don't get so defensive. I'm not talking shyt on your ps4

 

[Fatboi1]

What narrative? Can you read? The top ranked games were remakes, that's all I said.

The narrative that this gen so far is all remasters/remakes and that no original games came out worth talking about. The top ranked games from 1-10 or just the number 1 and 2 rated titles?

You're confusing me with somebody else. I've never said this generation is full of remakes. It just so happens this year's highest rated games were remakes. It's a fact. Those aside, the best games were definitely on the wii u this year.

I'm not saying you said that but every time this topic seems to come up the narrative that it's been remasters only rears its head. The best games this year were on the Wii U critically speaking but I felt like each platform had great titles this year subjectively.

I'm just going by the article. They said this was the worst year since 2006. Those are their words not mine. i think its something to consider, or at least talk about.

Them nikkas crazy.

Don't get so defensive. I'm not talking shyt on your ps4

I'm not getting defensive and what does this have to do with a PS4??

 

[Ciggavelli]

The narrative that this gen so far is all remasters/remakes and that no original games came out worth talking about. The top ranked games from 1-10 or just the number 1 and 2 rated titles?

I'm not saying you said that but every time this topic seems to come up the narrative that it's been remasters only rears its head. The best games this year were on the Wii U critically speaking but I felt like each platform had great titles this year subjectively.

Them nikkas crazy.

I'm not getting defensive and what does this have to do with a PS4??

Well, leave me out of that narrative. I've never once said this gem is full of remakes, nor do I think that.

I do agree with metacritic though, this was a bad year in my opinion. I had fun, but not as fun as previous years. It is what it is.

Some of my most anticipated games turned out to be duds. I probably shoulda had lowered expectations. But I did find fun in some games this year. I just hope 2015 is better. There's a lot of hype about many of these games. I'm excited for the future.

 

[Fatboi1]

Well, leave me out of that narrative. I've never once said this gem is full of remakes, nor do I think that.

I do agree with metacritic though, this was a bad year in my opinion. I had fun, but not as fun as previous years. It is what it is.

Some of my most anticipated games turned out to be duds. I probably shoulda had lowered expectations. But I did find fun in some games this year. I just hope 2015 is better. There's a lot of hype about many of these games. I'm excited for the future.

This year was suffice for me. Smash Bros Wii U came and delivered more than i expected and Driveclub despite getting docked critically for dumb ass reasons is the best racing game I've played in years and more people are seeing that(That thread being bumped consistently isn't just me singing it's praises now.) Not too many AAA games like Bayonetta 2(well none really) came out for PS4/XB1 this year.

 

[Return of the Jedi]

Smash 4 is definitely GOTY.

 

[Dominic Brehetto]

This gen has sucked so far. Its just the way it is. And im strictly talking ps4/xbox.


Nintendo is nintendo. They always drop quality. Their consistency has no rival in the industry. I just expect them to have great games. I dont even include them as compwtition because they arent. They do their own thing. Nintendo gon' nintendo.

 

[Family Lives Matter]

What a shytty year for gaming

 

[Ciggavelli]

What a shytty year for gaming

Other than nintendo, it really has been