"Xbox: On." Oh, dearest Xbox One. You take us to such beautiful and storied places, like Middle-earth. It's here, in this famed fantasy world, and in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, that you explore what it means to be half-man, half-wraith. You let us hunt for dragons in games like Dragon Age: Inquisition. What a marvel, to learn and love a horned Qunari warrior; what a treat to rid the land of evil. Far Cry 4 lets you hunt, though your quarry be not dragons, but wild dogs. Remember, though, that your greatest enemy is the honey badger itself, which does not, nor shall ever, give a s***.

Xbox One, you bring us the rush of Titanfall's violent parkour, combining hefty mechs and fluid wall-running in a single game that understands how important satisfying movement can be to an action game. And what about stealthy tension of Metal Gear: Ground Zeroes? This open-ended playground may seem light on content, but dig deeper, and you find a challenge worth taking on again and again. Thanks, Xbox One, for giving us a wealth of games to enjoy in 2014.