The Top 5 Games of 2014, and Why You Should Be Freaking Out

Written by: Adam "ManKorn" Korenman, CC2K Video Games Editor

 Elder Scrolls Online

Bethesda owns the First-Person RPG market already. With platinum hits like Fallout and Skyrim already under their belts, it seems only natural that they aim a little higher for their Next-Gen outing. I’ve already carved out a chunk of my year for the Elder Scrolls Online, and you should too. If history is any indicator, you’ll need the time off.

Let’s not forget, Skyrim had over 300 hours of gameplay in the original version, and then added more content with the DLC. There are still discoveries to be made in Oblivion, and yet Bethesda has the gall to put another burden on our weary shoulders.

I saw Matthew McConaughey do this once. Didn’t work out well

Why you should freak out:

Aside from the simple fact that this is Skyrim writ large, you should freak out because Bethesda doesn’t make bad games. Sure, not every minute of the Elder Scrolls Saga has been poetry in motion, but the overall experience has been intensely gratifying. They have remained fluid as developers, changing to keep up with the times (unlike certain RPGs I could mention) and constantly try to amaze their fans.

My one reason for concern is simple: not many franchises translate to MMORPG. Star Wars seems like a perfect fit for a persistent online experience, and yet both attempts at making it happen have fallen flat. Will the Elder Scrolls still feel as compelling when you have to share the limelight with other adventurers?

Still, if there is a company that can pull this off, it is Bethesda. They are master storytellers, wonderful world-builders, and dedicated developers.