Most Anticipated 2014: Andrew's Picks

There's a lot to be excited for in the new year, like y'know--VIDEO GAMES. The Shacknews staff pick their most anticipated games of 2014. Finally, here's editor-in-chief Andrew Yoon.

Child of Light

Ubisoft | Xbox 360, PS3, Wii U, Xbox One, PS4, PC

Take the beautiful graphics engine of Rayman Legends, combine it with the creative director of Far Cry 3, and mix it with a battle system inspired by Grandia, and you have a game that's clearly designed for me. It's beautiful and enchanting experiment from Ubisoft, whose recent digital efforts have been sublime. As a fan of old-school JRPGs, I can't wait to see how Ubisoft Montreal innovates in that genre.

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Super TIME Force

Capybara | Xbox 360, Xbox One

Capybara is not only the nicest game studio in the world, but they're pretty damn talented, having worked on games like Sound Shapes and Superbrothers. They've been working on Super TIME Force for what seems to be an eternity, and we can only assume it's to add even more polish to what's been a very fun game for a very long time. The concept is a bit difficult to explain with words, as the oxymoronic term "single player co-op" should make your head explode. There's a huge learning curve with this one, but there's nothing quite like playing a game where you can save yourself by sending a clone of you into the past to stop an enemy from killing you in the first place.

Murdered: Soul Suspect

Airtight Games | Xbox 360, PS3, PC

With almost no buzz, it's likely Square Enix will send this last-gen murder mystery... to die. That's a shame, because I really liked what I've seen so far. It's essentially a big-budget 3D Ghost Trick, which has you solving your own murder by using various ghastly powers. You'll be able to sneak into the minds of NPCs and even run away from soul-eating monsters that devour ghosts that should be in the afterlife.

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Respawn Entertainment | Xbox 360, Xbox One, PC

Ever since I had a chance to play it at E3, I've been hooked. Respawn Entertainment's debut game has been winning awards left and right, and rightfully so. While Respawn may be a new team, they're comprised of vets that helped turn Call of Duty into the money-printing phenomenon it is today. Released of their obligations to an annualized military shooter, their multiplayer-only game showcases a number of innovations that are a delight to play. The integration of interesting NPCs, numerous AI opponents, and giant mechs leads to one of the most freshest multiplayer experiences I've had in a long time.

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Mario Kart 8

Nintendo | Wii U

Nintendo's flagship kart racing franchise has been stagnant in recent years. However, the addition of weird gravity effects to the upcoming Wii U title might just be what the series needed. Hey, it worked for Super Mario Galaxy didn't it? With Nintendo firing on all cylinders with its recent Mario and Zelda games, there's high hope that Mario Kart 8 can restore some of the magic lost since its early days.

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