Happy New Year to all the readers of the Tech-a-holi! May your geekiness shine through all year round!

For gamers everywhere the new year is about the hottest releases scheduled across a variety of genres. In addition to the usual sequels/prequels, there are a number of new releases that are going to keep us busy all year round.

Naturally as a fan of strategy and adventure games, my priority list maybe a little different from what the rest of you have in mind. Fortunately, there is plenty to go around for everyone.

This year we may see a few bad apples but I’m inclined to think that games in general are becoming better looking, faster, smoother and much bigger. Keeping that in mind here’s a few from my list of most anticipated games. 

This week the page features action, adventure, FPS, Strategy and FPS games for 2014.

Action:

The Division

Yet another virus induced disaster is the central plot in the game, with the US falling foul on Black Friday. Players take on the role of operatives from the Division, tasked with saving what’s left of the country.

While the plot is bland, Ubisoft plans on making up with an enhanced AI system multiplayer systems, making this an ambitious third-person shooter MMO.

In addition, Ubisoft boasts better graphics with a new Snowdrop engine (better in-game physics).

Watch Dogs

From the company that brought you Assassin’s Creed (and then milked it dry), Watch Dogs is probably the most interesting game I’ve seen in awhile.

It combines some interesting elements of information warfare and third-person action. Set in a parallel universe, players have the ability to access and control virtually every element of their environment through intelligent hacking while on the move.

The gameplay trailers illustrate the manner in which players can open the peek into the digital lives of those around them, control traffic lights, hack into gadgets, and use their abilities to manipulate their surroundings with ease.

It takes a lot of Assassin’s Creed but it is definitely fresh and puts a new take on action.
 

Adventure:

Murder: Soul Suspect

Sometimes death is a mere inconvenience - that’s the case for detected Ronan O’Conner, who needs to solve his own murder mystery.

Unable to actually physically move through evidence can be troublesome, so instead players will need to possess bystanders to access information and use their senses.

In addition, Ronan gets to use his newfound supernatural abilities and his friends from the spirit world to help in his iquest. Recreating scenes of a crime is quite similar to Batman Arkham Origins, but definitely spookier.

Statis

This is one of my favourite type of horror/mystery games. Players start by awakening from suspended animation on a distressed spaceship.

Throughout the process, players will need to piece together their own origin and figure out why they are on this ship and where it is actually going. The plot is quite reminiscent of movie Pandorum.

Strategy:

Starcraft 2: Legacy of the Void

The expansion to Starcraft 2 focuses on the Protoss in the single-player campaign. The game features Zeratul as the main protagonist and unsurprisingly, will include a variety of new units and features.

The story will delve into the story of the Protoss faction and their own vast history. The game itself still requires a more development but 2014 maybe the year we finally see this sequel coming out.

Kingdom Under Fire 2

This features RPG and RTS gameplay with MMO systems. The best thing about this game is that it allows players to fight enemy heroes on the battlefield while simultaneously commanding units in the battlefield.

There are three primary factions, with more than a hundred types of units. In addition, players can also form guilds to wage battle on their enemies. 

Personally, I find the command control mechanisms the most interesting thing about this game.

FPS:

Titanfall

A thrilling FPS game that allows players to battle their enemies on foot or in mechs. The game features futuristic battle technology that features both fast-paced action on the ground and lumbering duels with mechs.

When looking at the trailers, it is nice to see that the future-tech is not out of place with the environment.

For instance, soldiers can ride on friendly mechs or call upon them to rain destruction on hostile units. In addition, the battles seem very fluid across different environments.

Wolfenstein: The New Order

Wolfenstein on steroids is one way to explain this game. As with the previous version, players still need to blast through Nazis with with all guns blazing.

Players will be fighting robotic Nazis while delving deeper into their dark and twisted environment.

The mass battles also introduce technology that would make even the most high-tech anti-Nazis blush. From the lasers and rocket propelled mayhem, players also get a taste of Nazi-inspired horror.
 

What are your most anticipated games for 2014? Have any favourites? then let us know! tell us what games you are looking forward to this year and what makes them special.

By Navam Niles