Let's go halfsies; My mid-year awards.

We are halfway through 2014 (!) and with many a blockbuster title on the horizon, I figured I would look back at some games that I thought really stood out during the first half of the year.

Octodad: Dadliest Catch - (PC, Mac, Linux, PS4)

A real break-from-the-norm style of game that is genuinely funny.

Fable Anniversary - (360)

Say what you will about the Fable games (2 was the best) it is still an enjoyable and groundbreaking franchise and it's hard to believe the first one is 10 years old. A fun game that's made easier to go back to due to the better graphics.

Strider - (Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS4, PS3, PC)

The studio behind the reboot of Killer Instinct did it again with their version of Strider. A "Shadow Complex" style game that's fast, smooth, and challenging.

Plants vs Zombies: Garden Warfare - (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, soon for PS3 and PS4)

One of my biggest surprises of the year. It would have been very easy to just slap the PvZ name on a shooter and make money, but this game is actually a lot of fun and frantic.

South Park: The Stick of Truth - (PC, Xbox 360, PS3)

One of the few games I have played in my life where I actually laughed out loud. I had to pause the game a couple times because I was laughing so hard. Add to that, the fact that it's a rewarding and deep RPG. Any South Park fan's dream game and potential Game of the Year.

Dark Souls II - (PC, Xbox 360, PS3)

People who love(/hate) the series continue to love(/hate) this game. One of those rare franchises that gets better with each iteration. (Counting Demons' Souls in here btw).

Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft - (PC, Mac, iPad)

I'm not one for card games. You won't find any Magic: The Gathering cards anywhere near me, but when Blizzard puts their time and money into something, the results are usually spectacular, and this is no different. It was easy for me to get in and start winning a few games. Made me rethink my stance on card games.

Titanfall - (Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC)

One of the few shooters I actually "prestiged" in, Titanfall would hook me in and wouldn't let go. Fast, action packed matches where I constantly felt like a badass. While I wish there was more to it, it is still one of the best games of the year thus far.

Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes - (Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS4, PS3)

Just getting us ready for the spectacle that will be Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain. If Ground Zeroes is any indication, it's going to be amazing.

Infamous: Second Son - (PS4)

This might be the best looking game I have ever played. Also, it's a lot of fun. The prequel, First Light is due out later this year.

Diablo III: Reaper of Souls - (PC, Mac, soon for consoles)

New class, new mode, new loot, and tons of new reasons to come back and play the best dungeon crawler on the market.

Goat Simulator - (PC)

Seriously, you guys just need to go play this.

Mario Golf: World Tour - (3DS)

A pleasant and addictive experience and a reason why I keep seeing my 3DS XL's battery light flash.

Tesla Effect: A Tex Murphy Adventure - (PC, Mac)

If anything, it's really cool seeing an FMV game being made in 2014. Also helps that one of my favorite people, Kevin Murphy (Tom Servo from MST3K) is in this game (and delivers a line straight out of MST3K).

Wolfenstein: The New Order - (Xbox One, PC, PS4, PS3, Xbox 360)

Looks great, plays great, and shows Wolfenstein can still be relevant in 2014.

Watch_Dogs (PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One)

Many people may have been disappointed with Watch_Dogs for various reasons, and yes, it doesn't quite live up to the MEGA hype put upon it, but the game still can be fun and the premise is awesome. You will enjoy this game no matter what.

Mario Kart 8 - (Wii U)

The best looking game on the Wii U and one of the most enjoyable experiences of the year. It's more Mario Kart, and that's still awesome.

Tomodachi Life - (3DS)

Yes it's weird, and it's simple, but it's also an easy way to lose track of time and it works great as a handheld experience. You will definitely get some chuckles out of it.

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Those are some of the main ones. This is not to say I didn't enjoy other games thus far, just saying these are the ones that stood out for various reasons. The blockbusters are yet to come though, so we shall see if any of these games make it to my "Top 10" list come year's end.