Welcome to PlayStation LifeStyle’s year-end awards where we name the best game in each genre and then some.
We’ll be rolling out different categories for each day, with the Game of the Year winner named in the final post along with a summary of every award we’ve handed out so far. Astute readers might also notice that there are some genres which are noticeably absent. No, we haven’t forgotten about ’em, but for genres which we think didn’t have a standout game, we avoided naming the best in that category altogether since we think only the best games should get a nod.
Those wondering how each game won, the staff voted on each game in each category, with the most votes being declared the winner.
Make sure to check back tomorrow for another batch of categories and nominees.
What games won us over when it comes to violence coupled with fantastic gameplay? Check the gallery below to find out.
Those wondering where Grand Theft Auto V for the PS4 and the like are, those games are in a completely separate category and we didn’t count remastered games.
Read on for which game won the best musical score and more.
Best Action Game
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Assassin's Creed Unity
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
"With Unity, I felt like I was playing Assassin’s Creed 1 and 2 again, with improvements that made sense to the series as opposed to the odd additions that strayed too far from the creed. The entire experience was enrapturing, and the odd skating citizens in crowds were not enough to deter me from thoroughly loving every moment that I spent with Arno. I don’t give Assassin’s Creed Unity a perfect score lightly, but a return to the core of the series and a strengthening of those central pillars makes Unity shine like the glint of a well polished hidden blade and stay true to the creed."
(Read the full review here)
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Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Developer: Monolith Productions
"Overall, there is simply too much to cover in Shadow of Mordor and this is one of its greatest assets. As you progress through the game things expand exponentially, giving more room to play around in, but on a learning curve that is paced out perfectly. Fantasy fans will probably owe it to themselves to give Shadow of Mordor a shot, especially if they are fans of Tolkien’s work. If you are not overly familiar with the lore from the books and movies, you may find it difficult to appreciate most of the content available here, but you will still find a fantastically fun fantasy action title with a robust amount of content, with some familiar core gameplay."
(Read the full review here)
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Watch Dogs
Publisher: Ubisoft
Developer: Ubisoft Montreal
"When I went from blowing up a sex slave auction to chasing down Aiden’s nephew who texts, but doesn’t speak to him, I felt the weight of a 21st century world screaming through my eardrums like the L-train. It’s at that precise moment that I realized the prevalence of technology in our lives has driven us all a little insane. Aiden’s nephew Jackson serves as an emotional ground for all this electrifying action. When all I did for hours was blow away gangland thugs and disrupt drug deals, Jackson served to remind me, perhaps more than Aiden, that life doesn’t serve our appetite for destruction quite so readily as the virtual worlds we inhabit."
(Read the full review here)
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And the Winner is...
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Winner - Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor
Monolith's first outing with Talion comes out the winner! Not only did it win with an overwhelming amount of votes, but most of the staff were caught off-guard at just how awesome Shadow of Mordor is.
