I played a lot more of the year's release in 2014 than I've ever had, because I may have caught a hoarder bug that I'm hoping to fend off eventually. Top 5?
1.
DanganRonpa 1 and 2 These games are front-to-back the most edge-of-the-seat thrilling visual novels I've ever played, I had stayed up all night finishing chapters. Me and
Discoalucard even had long private exchanges about these games regarding specific characters: that's how riveting they are! They made me feel that I got my money's worth for getting a Vita.
2.
Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze Retro Studio has done fantastic work in establishing the new DKCs identity as a challenging platformer with LOOOONG levels, many collectibles, and tons of tough sections to traverse, and then refining the physics and collision detection to make them more intuitive. DKCTF is the best yet because it improved the controls by leaps and bounds, the visuals are amazing, and the music is heavenly.
3.
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy It's to the prequel trilogy what Unwound Future was to the original: as the Layton game with the best story and the most tearjerking ending. Traveling various locations made this one felt closer to Indiana Jones, and that's what I always hoped the Layton games were.
4.
Miles Edgeworth Ace Attorney Investigations 2 Yeah it's technically not 2014 but it recently got a fan translation. I was most anxious about this game because I found the non-Phoenix Wright AA to be pretty lacklustre, but this one is by far the best game not to feature him and is comparable to some of his.
5.
Final Fantasy Theatrhythm Curtain Call The most brainless, comfort food entry but hey, playing music from nearly every Final Fantasy games? What's not to like?
I'd also like to list games for certain categories:
Non-2014 Game of the Year: I played A Link Between Worlds, Atelier Meruru Plus, Zero Escape Virtue's Last Reward, Etrian Odyssey Untold, possibly a few more. They're all good, but
Super Mario 3D World takes this one. It's Super Mario 3D Land with more powerups and a lot more fanservice, and there really is nothing wrong with that. I do wish for the next 3D Mario platformer to have a completely different setting/theme/feel though; I only allow Nintendo one repetition in their platformers.
Favorite videogame character of 2014:
Gundham Tanaka of DanganRonpa 2. He's a Pokemon trainer with hilarious delusions of being an evil overlord. His lines and his VA's delivery always crack me up!
Worst videogame character of 2014:
Sho Minazuki who should also win the Marie award for annoying new character in a Persona spinoff/update.
Game that would've been in my top 5 if the latter half was anywhere as good as how it began:
Bravely Default. That chapter 5 was horrible!
Most disappointing story:
Persona 4 Ultimax. They repeated everything from Arena and made the characters a lot more one-note.
Game that probably would be in my top 5 but I'm still too early to put it there:
Persona Q. Just when I think I'm done with P3 and P4 crew a game like this gets released to prove me wrong. It's been too long since a new Persona RPG came out and WHO KNEW that Persona + Etrian Odyssey would result in such an addicting game? I would've liked it without the P3 and P4 cast anyway but their interactions engrossed me with this game even more.
Best soundtrack: well this one is tough, 2014 certainly isn't lacking in memorable videogame OSTs. I dug Persona Q's and Azran Legacy's, I really enjoyed the full symphony arrange of Ace Attorney Investigaions 2, but it boiled down to Professor Layton x Phoenix Wright and
Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze and I ultimately gave David Wise the slight edge for variety.
Games I got but should get around to playing: Shovel Knight, Atelier Escha and Logy, Swapper, Bayonetta 2
Games I am entirely done hearing about: all the Souls games.
Worst game: both of Telltale's games, Fables and The Walking Dead Season 2. They're both riveting to watch but are really stretching the definition of what constitutes a game when there's barely any interaction or player agency.