So it's at that time of year for a reflection on the year behind us and I gotta say, it's been an
amazing year for games. I say in 10 years time people will look back on this year very fondly. So with that in mind, I say we pool together and give our own lists of the best games to have come out this year. Ideally, here's how I see this will go down:
- Let's make a list of your own Top 5 games of the year. It can be of any genre or platform, no game is off limits. The only exception to the rule I would suggest is that it has to be a game that you have played this year and ideally a game that was released in 2011. See this list of games in 2011 if you need clarification. If you haven't played that many 2011 games then feel free to branch out and include one that's not on the list.
- For each game, give a summary of why it's made it onto your list. You can really sell your love of the game by sharing key moments or talking about what the game does really well. It can be as short or as detailed as you want it to be.
And that's it really! Allow me to get the ball rolling:
5. Tactics Ogre : Let Us Cling Together
Gotta be honest, I wasn't really liking the game when I first started out. I wanted to, but the game doesn't really do a decent job in easing the player in with it's gameplay mechanics or in it's complex story of geo politics and warfare from the get go. But in given time it's hooks start to sink into you and like any good RPG, you always have that feeling of 'oh just 1 more fight' to get that new ability or possiblity of better loot. It's a challenging game, but rewardingly so, there's a real sense of accomplishment in knowing that your tactics outsmarted the often difficult AI. The story becomes engaging and usually takes wildly varying directions in where it goes based off your decisions, which can even create a different narrative which you don't see in many games. There's also Skyrim levels of depth in here, with the game unlocking more and more content the further you get into it. And thankfully, unlike Final Fantasy Tactics, the game performs well, it never slows down, load times are fast and it all looks clean and sharp. Definately recommend it to anyone looking for a good strategy JRPG to sink their teeth (and time) into.
4. Batman : Arkham City
While the sequel was never going to have the same surprise factor as Arkham Asylum, there's no denying the fact that Arkham City is a better game overall. It looks sharper and there's just more of everything to do. The new flight/gliding system across the city is so cool, the combat so elegant and satisfying with a lot of complexity despite having the controls so easy to use and the number of gadgets and options at your disposal to take down petty thugs and super villans alike is so wide that you can't help but feel like Batman.
3. Deus Ex : Human Revolution 
I think fans of the series were widely susceptible of this game from the beginning. While the original is a classic for pushing the boundaries of story telling and gameplay in so many ways, the direct sequel, Invisible War wasn't widely rated. With the series having been on hiatus for so long, how then would this game turn out? Third person cover mechanics didn't sound too appealing as it seemed it might focus more on action for a modern audience. But thankfully, Human Revolution came out as a love letter to the original, recreating everything that made it so great. It's a game that allows you to play out situation exactly how you want. You could go in all guns blazing through the main entrance, or you could just as easily avoid direct confrontation entirely by sneaking around in air vents or hacking computer terminals to open up doors. And it's still fun to do. It's quite surprising that no other game has been able to recreate this kind of gameplay for 10 years now. The story is intelligent and thought provoking that's reminiscent of Blade Runner and the soundtrack is also worthy of a mention.
2. The Elder Scrolls V : Skyrim
Well what is there to say about Skyrim that I haven't said already? If you've been following the Elder Scrolls thread then hopefully you'll know why I love the game by reading the adventures of my character, Timeon Waters. It's an incredible game of such breathtaking scope and beauty that it's impossible to not be impressed by it. Had it been any other year, then it surely would have been my top pick. Instead, it just misses out thanks to...
1. Bastion
Now if you had said last year that my GOTY for 2011 would be an XBLA game I would have laughed in your face. But there's a multitude of reasons why Bastion is deserving of it. In fact, to give you an idea of why I picked it, let me tell you my thoughts on the game as I was playing it.
When I started the game: The game looks really pretty. Combat's cool. The story isn't really all there but whatever, I'm enjoying it.
At the midway point: The combats really opened up, the soundtrack is awesome and the story is actually really well told.
Then there comes a point, near the end of the game, where you go through a gameplay sequence which normally would typically be done through a cutscene in any AAA game you care to mention. But you're the one in control, you play it yourself and the narrative is determined and driven through your actions. You start the process, a song begins to play which you never heard of until now, events start to happen, a realisation kicks in and all of this combined quite literally, made me genuinely well up with tears in my eyes.
You have to understand, it's rare for a product of any medium to make me that emotionally invested in the story and in it's characters. It's a stunning scene, one amongst several throughout the course of the game. Not only that but the story ends strongly, it's certainly more memorable and affecting than most other games I've played that kind of leave things open for a sequel. I can say that the story was the biggest surprise about Bastion, I absolutely adore it for the way that it's told and for strength and beauty of the actual tale itself. On top of that, it looks gorgeous, plays really well and the soundtrack absolutely deserves every accolade thrown at it. It is one of the most unique games of 2011 and one I would gladly say is one of my favourite games of all time.
Honorable Mentions- Dead Space 2
- Dirt 3
- FIFA 12
- Bloodrayne Betrayal
- LA Noire
Topic: Best Games of 2011 (Read 2345 times)