We Got This Covered’s 10 Best Gaming Moments Of 2014

With each year that passes us by, there are always a handful of moments that stand out when reminiscing about our gaming experiences -- a nostalgic pantheon that has been graced by Journey and Telltale's The Walking Dead in recent years. And though 2014 arguably lacked that one standout title that took the industry by storm -- in the vein of last year's Grand Theft Auto V or The Last of Us, for instance -- the past twelve months have still served up an array of moments that will likely resonate with us for a very long time indeed. Those moments that can only be measured by taking your breath away, whether it's gingerly creeping around the dimly-lit halls of Sevastopol station, blowing Seattle city to kingdom come with your superpowers, or exploring the solar system with a dedicated fireteam. And these blockbuster were supported by the release of several indie titles that proved you don't need triple-A production values to instil a sense of awe in players. So, without further ado, after ploughing through as many games as possible, the We Got This Covered staff present to you the twelve best gaming moments of the last twelve months. Alien: Isolation - First Time Encountering the Xenomorph We've touched upon the near-perfect atmosphere and sense of place within The Creative Assembly's Alien: Isolation, and generally speaking, it all gravitates around one being in particular: H.R. Giger's nightmare-inducing Xenomorph. However, much like Steven Spielberg's method of approach with Jaws, the studio kept their main attraction largely under wraps during the opening segment of the game, instead opting to build an unnerving sense of tension through the meticulous environments and pitch-perfect score. But just because it's out of the line of sight doesn't mean that the unrelenting killing machine isn't around. For the first hour or so, players are exposed to the aftermath of its wrath, with decimated corpses littering the halls of the Sevastopol station. It's a harrowing sight, and knowing that the beast is still lurking in the shadows creates an almost overwhelming sense of trepidation. And so, after creeping gingerly up to the point where you first encounter Axel, you might be fooled into thinking that you've reached an artificial safe haven -- I mean, the Xenomorph wouldn't dare approach you when one person is armed with a gun, right? Well, as Ridley Scott and later James Cameron taught us all very well, these acid-spewing extra-terrestrials are basically the perfect organism -- a survivor... unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality. And it's only after Axel is taken out that you first encounter Giger's towering goliath, unfolding from a ceiling vent in a eerie, serpentine fashion. Such is Alien: Isolation's emphasis on player vulnerability that your only course of action is to cower under the desk, even as its prolonged tail drips over the counter in a move that is almost too close for comfort. It's a wonderful, cinematic scene that typifies Isolation's deft and masterful touch. Proving that The Creative Assembly know all too well that one well-timed segment is more terrifying than a dozen cheap jump scares. Watch Dogs - Hacking Into ctOS To Take Down a Gang Hideout After a prolonged spell in development and a seemingly insurmountable amount of hype lingering over its head, it's no wonder that Ubisoft's Watch Dogs proved to be a flash in the pan. Granted, its staying power wasn't aided by questions of graphical downgrading not to mention its uninspiring story, but the studio still showcased some intriguing, futuristic gameplay throughout the open-world that served as a promising foundation of what to come in the inevitable sequel. Given that Watch Dogs largely orbits around ctOS -- a fictional operating system that effectively controls Chicago in Ubi's Orwellian world -- it's no wonder that the best moments from the title stem from the ability to hack into the various systems and wreak havoc on just about anything. And while the amount of freedom isn't as expansive as the marketing campaign would have had you believe, infiltrating electronic devices, cameras and traffic lights to manipulate the world around you still proved to be a liberating and empowering experience. And this was especially the case when it came to taking down one of the in-game gang hideouts. Much like the outposts in Far Cry, this strand of side-missions forced Aiden Pearce to take down a number of guards in whatever way you see fit -- whether it's operating a crane to drop a shipping container or causing a nearby control unit to explode, these excursions encouraged a sense of creativity and experimentation. And given that the world of Watch Dogs and its story only offered up a fraction of those lofty, overblown expectations, these gang hideouts proved to be a welcome respite. P.T. - Final Sequence Between the release of Metal Gear Solid: Ground Zeroes and P.T. -- the playable teaser that introduced us to Silent Hills -- Hideo Kojima knows a thing or two about crafting bitesized titles that are remarkable experiences in their own right. And it was the latter that proved to be Kojima's own Pandora's Box, forcing players down the same hallway over and over in a seemingly endless loop to understand the unspeakable tragedy that unfolded before your very arrival. As a playable teaser, it's fantastic. But as a standalone horror game, it's simply on another level. Expertly paced and wonderfully realized, Kojima's slice of unmitigated terror tells the story of one man's spiralling decent into insanity, exemplified through the corridor paradox -- imagine the Penrose steps, only decorated in blood and scrawled writing. And with each passing journey through that ominous door, the Pandora's Box unveils a new layer of harrowing chaos. P.T. is by no means a long game, but without the correct walkthrough to guide you on your journey, players could find themselves lost in the dimly-lit hallway in perpetuity. Thankfully, the Internet managed to solve the puzzle before long -- despite Kojima claiming it would take months to figure out -- by following the cryptic clues. Waiting for the clock to strike midnight, hearing the baby laugh three times, walk ten steps in any direction before freezing until the phone rings...sounds simple, right? Well, it proved to be anything but. But after stalking the corridors for hours on end, I did manage to unlock the final puzzle -- more through luck than skill, but no matter -- that unveiled the trailer for Silent Hills. Many dismiss P.T. as nothing more than a smart, well-produced marketing ploy, and there's no question that it is. But it proved to be much, much more than that, as it's an intelligent horror experience that will likely keep you up long into the early hours of the morning. Dragon Age: Inquisition - Encountering 1 of the 10 Dragons As mythical beings, there's something about the dragon that immediately evokes a sense of awe. Perhaps it's their mystical aura that sends a shiver down the spine of men, or maybe it's purely because of how fantastical they really are: serpentine, scaly behemoths that can breath fire, basically. Whatever the case, in the immersive, pixelated realm of video games, that sense of presence really comes to the fore with titles like Dragon Age and, more recently, Skyrim showcasing the beasts in all of their mighty glory. And this year, the latest installment in the DA franchise, Dragon Age: Inquisition proved to be no different, implementing the titular goliaths as one of them most formidable enemies in all of Thedas. There are ten in total scattered across the four corners of BioWare's fantastical realm, ranging from fire, ice and electricity-spewing monoliths. But going toe-to-toe with one is absolutely not for the ill-prepared, never mind the faint-hearted. Given that Inquisition is an RPG to its core, there is no specific dragon that acts as numero uno, with players having the freedom to explore across the distant highlands and lowlands at will. But in all likelihood, your first encounter will be with the Fereldan Frostback lurking within The Hinterlands and, if you're like me, you'll have stumbled upon the lumbering titan by accident. Nonetheless, it's a defining moment in the game, one elevated by the rich score and environmental effects, and ultimately serves as the perfect reminder of just how much content that is lurking within BioWare's latest. Destiny – Completing the Vault of Glass It has become a cliché by now to discuss how disappointing Destiny is. Yes, we all very much know by now how colossally short Bungie’s latest has come of expectations. But there is simply no denying that it’s one of the most fun co-op shooters to have come along in a while. The indisputable proof? When Destiny launched its first raid: The Vault of Glass. Borderlands 2’s first-person-Diablo gameplay, Halo’s co-op campaigns, and surviving a legion of zombies with three other pals in Left 4 Dead are some examples of FPS co-op at its best. The Vault of Glass, however, is in its own league. For Destiny’s raid, you had to assemble a crew of six people who could carry their weight and will — must — cooperate with each other to the very end. There is no “hero ball,” if you will. The opening puzzle alone put a fire team’s trust and reliability to the test by splitting the six-man team into three two-man teams. It was an intense exercise in talking like those people who demo online multiplayer at E3. You know, all the corny-ass “enemy on the left!” or “hey, reload, we gotta keep up the pace” kind of shit you would never dream of actually saying (until now). On top of the heavy stress that the raid puts on your team, there was a fascinating sense of mystery as your team tries to figure out what the hell is supposed to be done next. Literally nothing is told to you nor is there any holding by the hand. Your team is just dropped off and that’s that. This added supremely to the chest-thumping and adrenalizing thrill of overcoming the raid for the first time, by finally getting your team dialled in and clicking for that one magical run that has you blowing Atheon to bits. And with The Dark Below “expansion” (come on, it’s only an expansion by name) out and adding another raid, there’s no denying that Destiny’s raids are some of the most engaging moments to be had in 2014. The Walking Dead: Season Two - Kenny's Return in Episode 2 By the time the second episode of The Walking Dead: Season Two kicked off, Clementine had been forced to separate from the group of survivors she’d been living with since the original game began. By the episode’s midpoint, players were likely starting to get used to the new group, but a surprise was waiting for series veterans when a tense encounter with another pack of survivors occurred. Both Clementine and the player are shocked to see that Kenny, a companion throughout the entire first game, was in fact alive. Last seen cornered offscreen by a massive horde of walkers, it had been assumed for quite some time that Kenny was among the series’ always-growing body count, and while he’s often been a divisive character among fans since an infamous conflict in a meat locker early in the series, it was still a relief amongst all the tragedy to see a familiar face. The Wolf Among Us - Bigby vs. Bloody Mary Since her initial appearance at the end of the series’ third episode, Bloody Mary was established as one of the biggest threats to Bigby Wolf and his murder investigation. A sadistic and bloodthirsty entity, her first fight with Bigby left him recovering from some nasty wounds in the follow-up episode. By the time the finale came about, Bigby and Mary faced off in a rematch that served as the climax of the series in terms of pure action. After reverting to her grotesque true form, Mary showed off the ability to generate a legion of clones, who attacked Bigby en masse. This ended up showing something the series had hinted at through its entirety, as Bigby had a true form of his own saved for occasions like this. Now a gargantuan wolf, he proceeds to decimate the army of Bloody Marys. This combination of one of the most intense fights in The Wolf Among Us and perhaps its coolest reveal resulted in one of the game’s definite highlights. The Evil Within - First Encounter with The Keeper Despite being a flawed and disjointed experience, The Evil Within was the perfect love letter to Shinji Mikami’s prolific career in the survival horror genre. It’s almost difficult to choose the creepiest monstrosity from the game since so many encounters left you shaking in fear, but one guy clearly stands safe and shoulders above the competition: the Keeper. This safe-headed behemoth made his first appearance late in the game, stepping into the spotlight for a fearsome battle that leads you through a dark labrynth slowly filling up with poison gas. It’s up to you to turn off the gas while avoiding the Keeper, who can’t technically be killed. Once one body is destroyed, another safe begins vibrating before sprouting another body. Undeniably tense and definitely terrifying, this claustrophobic encounter is made even more memorable by the mannerisms the Keeper inhabits. It’s already scary enough having a literal giant with a safe for a head chase you through a dark maze, but hearing him beat his hammer against his head as he searches for you will leave you unsettled throughout the entire battle. Even though another meeting with a long-haired spider girl left my chair wet with fear piss, it’s the introduction of the Keeper that stuck in my mind the longest after The Evil Within was over. South Park: The Stick of Truth - Battling Beneath Your Parents While They Have Sex Surprisingly good doesn’t even begin to describe the experience of playing South Park: The Stick of Truth for the first time. Fans of the show will absolutely love wandering through the titular town without a leash, and the trademark humor has remained intact and been turned up to 11 in some instances. Perhaps the most memorable moment that couldn’t have made it to television comes from the gnomes in your room, though. At one point, Douchebag catches some gnomes in his room, who then shrink him down to their size and lead him on a chase through his house. While crawling through the walls and up Big Gay Al’s ass is a blast, the climactic battle with the gnomes takes place beneath your fucking parents – literally. As your parents start to get frisky, in classic South Park fashion, you must battle the gnomes beneath your mother’s heaving breasts and your father’s sack of manhood (for lack of a better euphemism). To add to the experience, they’re a very vocal couple when they get it on. Refusing to restrain their sick sense of humor is just one of the many reasons Trey Parker and Matt Stone made the transition to video games so well, and The Stick of Truth is a better product for it. To have one moment stand out among the rest in a game as hilarious as this is a high compliment, and this scene definitely brought the shock value and sheer hilarity fans of the show were looking for. Wolfenstein: The New Order - Bridge Explosion This was one of the trickier games on the list due to the fact that it was full of memorable scenes that could have easily made the rankings. The tense card game on the train with Engel was a close contender, as was the fraulein’s disgusting death scene in the prison camp that found her shattered face inches away from the screen before a giant mech killed her in the best way. But the one that takes the cake here is the destruction of the bridge with an advanced and extremely powerful weapon. One of the technologies created by the Da’at Yichud, this ball fired out a ton of powerful cables in every direction on the bridge before rapidly drawing them back into itself and turning the road into a pile of rubble in seconds. Blazkowicz and company watch on in horror as they realize how much destruction and death they’ve caused with just one machine, but gamers are allowed to watch with a bit more awe and surprise, because this scene is orchestrated beautifully. Of course, playing through the wreckage is just as fun as watching it occur, leading to yet another creative stage from Wolfenstein: The New Order. Sure, you get to go to the moon and back at one point, sending Nazi carcasses into space, but the most memorable and explosive moment (pun intended) takes place right here on Earth.

We Got This Covered’s 10 Best Gaming Moments Of 2014

The Walking Dead: Season Two – Kenny’s Return in Episode 2