2014 Game of the Year 10: Wasteland 2

Before there was Fallout, there was Wasteland, the first post-apocalyptic survival role-playing game, but it seemed as though for a long while the series would be buried and forgotten in the wastes. Then, Wasteland 2 came into being after a successful crowdfunding campaign, giving a new generation of gamers a chance to head out into the scorching, irradiated, desert to make a name for themselves. This great series comeback makes it to number ten on our Game of the Year list.

Wasteland 2 throws gamers back to a harsher era of role-playing. You have to keep track of your ammunition, losing a teammate means going on without them, and your decisions lead to short and long term consequences. Players take the roles of Rangers, the closest thing the wasteland has to law enforcement. You assemble a team, manage their skills and equipment, then journey through the world to restore peace and order. Or not. How you handle things is completely up to you. Most situations have multiple solutions, depending on your team and their skill levels. You could solve every situation with overwhelming firepower, or try a little smooth talking diplomacy instead. Be sure to pay attention to the dialogue, because a character will sometimes mention a phrase that needs to be manually typed in to reveal a secret solution.

The game features turn-based combat, so players have time to plan their moves, and hopefully not die. This challenging gameplay is coupled with a sci-fi story and environment that is filled with both tense moments and dark humor. You'll encounter strange creatures, like goats that have blood curdling screams instead of baying. Meet characters like monks willing to trigger a suicide dirty bomb at the slightest provocation. Then there are the raiders... so many raiders.

Load up your guns, bring your party, and head out to the wasteland to protect, serve, and blow everything up.