As is now the standard, November is the month where tons of blockbusters make their debut, and your wallet suffers the consequences. This year was no different.
From completely new titles like Persona Q and Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, to remakes/re-releases like Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Grand Theft Auto V and Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, to fantastic sequels like Far Cry 4 and Dragon Age: Inquisition, November of 2014 has you covered on nearly every front.
So let's take a look back at some of these awesome titles, which should undoubtedly be a part of your backlog this year.
Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare (Review)
This year we got a Call of Duty game developed by Sledgehammer Games, making it their first console Call of Duty to date. And what a way to make an entrance.
Advanced Warfare felt like a return to roots, while also infusing the game with some badass exoskeleton abilities. The campaign was probably one of the strongest entries yet, complemented by a fantastic performance by Kevin Spacey. However, the multiplayer got an injection of adrenaline as the exo abilities enhanced the battle more than ever before. Players could move swiftly, double jump, slam down on the ground and much more, thanks to this enhancement. Also, it had the Combat Readiness Program for players like me who… well, suck.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection (Review)
A celebration of the Halo franchise containing all the core Halo games from the very first game that made its debut on the original Xbox to the most recent Halo 4. Both Halo 1 and 2 were presented in their Anniversary makeovers, giving the games a much needed facelift.
The entire experience was extremely customizable, allowing players to jump into any of the four games as well as any campaign mission at will. For those that enjoyed Halo's multiplayer, Master Chief Collection contains every single multiplayer map from every Halo game. While the game's matchmaking has yet to be fixed, anyone wanting to relive Master Chief's journey in full 1080p resolution won't find a better package. Oh yeah, it's 60 freaking dollars!
World of Warcraft: Warlords of Draenor
The undisputed king of MMOs launched a brand new expansion, Warlords of Draenor, that will once again increase level cap, add new zones, but also include a brand new look to all the races.
Warlords also offers some crazy end game content, as well as Garrisons, which sort of act like player housing that can be upgraded and defended. If you've taken a long hiatus from World of Warcraft, the new changes are well worth coming back to. You know, at least for a month.
Valkyria Chronicles (Review)
Valkyria Chronicles may not be a new game, but it stands as one of the best early PS3 games ever made. Now PC players can experience the amazing turn-based tactical gameplay in glorious 60fps and 1080p resolution, save for the cutscenes.
For those that never had a PS3 or perhaps skipped out on Valkyria Chronicles back in the day, this is by far the best deal for one of PS3's best games.
Dragon Age: Inquisition (Review)
Do you have 100+ hours to spare? Get lost in Thedas as you build the Inquisition, recruit party members to join your cause, explore giant maps with tons of sidequests and battle demons and dragons until your heart's content.
BioWare really hit it out of the park with Inquisition after the rather lackluster Dragon Age 2. It's a massive game with fantastic characters, great locations to explore and a story that will captivate you, even if you somehow managed to skip out on the first two games. Whether you're new to the franchise or coming from past games, everyone should visit Dragon Age Keep to customize their world and learn the backstory of the first two games.
Far Cry 4 (Review)
Ubisoft's reinvention of the franchise with Far Cry 3 was the best thing to happen to it, and the follow up is just as fantastic. Taking place in the fictional region of Kyrat, which is located next to the Himalayas, as Ajay, you're sent to place your mother's ashes in her homeland. However, a civil war that's raging on catches Ajay in its midst, and it becomes your mission to take down the villanous yet completely charming, Pagan Min.
If you loved Far Cry 3, there is no reason to hesitate about Far Cry 4. It might be more of the same, but that's perfectly fine with us.
Grand Theft Auto V (Review)
When GTA 5 wasn't announced for next-gen consoles last year, I cursed Rockstar. At that point, I figured that if they ever do announce it, it will be too little, too late. After all, what purpose would I have to rebuy a game that I already poured hundreds of hours into, other than the resolution being higher?
Answer: First Person Mode
Seriously. Playing the game in first person changes up the experience completely. Los Santos also feels much bigger when you're looking at it through the eyes of one of the characters. Everything is also way more intense; stealing cars, shootouts, robberies and especially heists. Even if you already played the crap out of GTA 5 on last-gen consoles, it's certainly worth diving into all over again. Just please fix GTA Online Rockstar…
Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
I admit, Ruby and Sapphire were probably my least favorite games in the series. I know, I know, they're almost universally loved, so I was certainly an outlier. I didn't really have much interest in Omega or Alpha. Just an hour into them, I changed my mind.
This was no slight graphical upgrade, this was a complete overhaul, making the game look like Pokemon X and Y. You could now catch every single Legendary Pokemon between the two games also, making them very lucrative for those obsessed with having all of them.
Also, you can fly on top of a Legendary Pokemon… *drops mic*
Super Smash Bros. for Wii U (Review)
I'd like to think some of my best gaming memories in middle and high school were tied to both Super Smash Bros. Melee and Brawl. Nothing was more exciting than getting my friends over and sitting around the TV, cheering as four of us are duking it out as one of Nintendo's finest.
The latest Smash is a tour de force, offering the biggest roster of characters, gorgeous graphics with a silky smooth 60fps framerate, and tons of modes and unlockables. While the levels were a bit repetitive, offering some gimmicks that were more annoying than fun, this is still the defining Super Smash Bros. title that makes Wii U owners everywhere happy they invested in the system.
Persona Q (Review)
A peculiar mash up of Etrian Odyssey gameplay and Persona characters that actually ended up being a fantastic game. While Etrian newcomers might be a bit confused by all the different elements found in this game, it strikes a perfect balance for fans of both titles.
It also stars the biggest cast of both Persona 3 and Persona 4 characters, all teaming up to escape the cultural festival. To do this, they must restore memories to two original characters, Rei and Zen, by defeating the game's bosses. It's certainly a time sink, but both fans of Etrian Odyssey and Persona know that both can be very long experiences. Certainly give it a shot if you're just a fan of one but not the other, you might be surprised.
