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GAF Games of the Year 2011 - Voting Thread - Voting's Over, Folks!
- Thread starter timetokill
- Start date
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First we try to not send PMs pestering other users about their personal choices for GOTY, then we trust that they are adult and confident enough on their choices that discussing the games in this thread will not have any weight on their vote.
cool_dude_2049
Banned
1. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword: The best Zelda game ever made. It has the closest relationship with Zelda, non-tedious fetch quests (that's right I said it), excellent pacing, a fresh twist on dungeons, and excellent motion controls. This is what I thought Twilight Princess would be. It's the only game I ever put off playing because I did not want the magic to end.
2. Batman: Arkham City: I love Batman lore and this sequel blows it's predecessor away. The free-roaming aspect was a nice touch with challenges and random beatups. I loved the voice acting, the story and the villains, as many as there were. The combat was extremely simple but very satisfying.
3. Sonic Generations: Best Sonic game I've played in a long time, probably since Sonic Adventure for the Dreamcast. The controls for the classic Sonic stages captured the original feel perfectly, and the level design was fantastic. The modern Sonic stages were even better. It gave me that feel I once had with Sonic Adventure when everything was moving fast, all this shit was going on in the background and all I could think was "what the fuck is going on?" as I forced the joystick as far forward as it could possibly go. The best part? It went light on the shitty friends and on the story.
4. Battlefield 3: This is what a video game should be. Awesome visuals, fantastic sound and great fun. Let me talk about the sound first of all. Nothing comes close and no other game utilizes my surround sound like this. Getting shot in the face by someone with a bolt action sniper still scares the shit out of me. Nearby explosions and the ringing in my ears always gets me. Every time I explain this game to someone I saw "Jets, helicopters, tanks, jeeps, and infantry all at the same time," and their reactions are always the same :O!!!!
X Duke Nukem Forever: It's a forgettable game to say the least but it is the Duke and it has a lot of Great Humor to it. "Hmm, Don't have time to play with myself." It deserve a mention at least.
2. Batman: Arkham City: I love Batman lore and this sequel blows it's predecessor away. The free-roaming aspect was a nice touch with challenges and random beatups. I loved the voice acting, the story and the villains, as many as there were. The combat was extremely simple but very satisfying.
3. Sonic Generations: Best Sonic game I've played in a long time, probably since Sonic Adventure for the Dreamcast. The controls for the classic Sonic stages captured the original feel perfectly, and the level design was fantastic. The modern Sonic stages were even better. It gave me that feel I once had with Sonic Adventure when everything was moving fast, all this shit was going on in the background and all I could think was "what the fuck is going on?" as I forced the joystick as far forward as it could possibly go. The best part? It went light on the shitty friends and on the story.
4. Battlefield 3: This is what a video game should be. Awesome visuals, fantastic sound and great fun. Let me talk about the sound first of all. Nothing comes close and no other game utilizes my surround sound like this. Getting shot in the face by someone with a bolt action sniper still scares the shit out of me. Nearby explosions and the ringing in my ears always gets me. Every time I explain this game to someone I saw "Jets, helicopters, tanks, jeeps, and infantry all at the same time," and their reactions are always the same :O!!!!
X Duke Nukem Forever: It's a forgettable game to say the least but it is the Duke and it has a lot of Great Humor to it. "Hmm, Don't have time to play with myself." It deserve a mention at least.
Your Excellency
Banned
I guess if that's how you vote, that's fine. I think we owe it to the developers to respect the work they've put into a game and judge the games on their own merits, rather than letting our own expectations/disappoints/surprise cloud our overall placing of the game.
It's undeniable that lowered/high expectations can affect judgement, but it seems unfair when Portal 2 had incredibly high expectionations that it could never live upto in some peoples eyes, whilst something like Ghost Trick or something makes it people's number 1 on account of it being a 'surprise joy'.
Your Excellency
Banned
Seriously though, does this thread get saved and then automatically counted by a program (made by Cheesemeister), or is someone going through and physically counting, or both?
While I think that it's always lame to see a game get praise for reasons like price, size of development team, or low expectations, I also think that sequels that are similar to their predecessors are often best judged by how much they've improved upon their predecessors. You can't have qualitative judgment without comparing to other games, after all.
Why do you remove a perfectly civil and considerate reply?
Your Excellency
Banned
What did he write?
Pretty sure it is done by a scripting program which is why we need to follow the OP formatting. I would guess they have error checking to make sure noone puts in extra votes. There is probably some physical work at the end due to spelling mistakes people make and other issues.
Because I don't really want to argue about it. I just don't care all that much.
Banned for a few weeks and you return a broken man. You're a cautionary tale. Welcome back, though.
1. Super Mario 3D Land. Absolutely brilliant and massively fun. I absolutely could not put it down until I beat it through and through. Keeping it for another playthrough most likely later this month!
2. Portal 2. Brilliant follow-up to one of my favorite games.
3. NHL 12. Not without its problems but the EASHL continues to be one of the only reasons why I like this "current gen."
4. Mario Kart 7. Great game, continues the great line of MK games. Online works super slick as well.
5. Uncharted 3. Great "threequel" but didn't stand-out in my mind as much as U1 or U2.
2. Portal 2. Brilliant follow-up to one of my favorite games.
3. NHL 12. Not without its problems but the EASHL continues to be one of the only reasons why I like this "current gen."
4. Mario Kart 7. Great game, continues the great line of MK games. Online works super slick as well.
5. Uncharted 3. Great "threequel" but didn't stand-out in my mind as much as U1 or U2.
Dance Inferno
Unconfirmed Member
No, the game is actually pretty awful. I love BioWare probably more than you do, but this game was trash (IMO of course).
Your Excellency said:
This is interesting, because it was my experience with Uncharted 3. I loved U2 - it was one of my favorite games this generation, and so I went into U3 with deservedly high expectations. This happens with series you enjoy; you expect a certain level of quality from the IP due to the past efforts of the studio. What I got was a disappointing, and in some cases poorly thought out, game that, while entertaining on its own merits, was thoroughly disappointing to me as a fan of the franchise.
At the end of the day, this is a subjective matter. Was Uncharted 3 better than Uncharted 2? Maybe. I don't know. Did I enjoy it more? Hell to the no. I see the same issue cropping up with Portal 2.
Deadly Cyclone
Pride of Iowa State
1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ; One of the all-time best open world games with enough (good) content to last you years (or merely hundreds of hours).
2. Saints Row: The Third ; One of the most insane games ever and a ton of fun in co-op. Saints Row The Third brought the fun that GTA had lost, and brought the insane plot and missions you'd expect from the series; only they magnified them by ten.
3. Portal 2 ; Some of the best voice acting of this generation. Valve built a completely fleshed-out and new game based on the smaller chunk of content in Portal 1, and they did so with style.
4. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; This game will be all over the place for GOTY lists, but it blew me away. Coming in, I wasn't expecting much from it and I ended up playing hours upon hours of the game. The atmosphere and story was fantastic, and the gameplay was solid. I loved the multiple ways through each mission, and the upgrades kept you looking for those Praxis points.
5. Batman Arkham City ; A great sequel to a game that no-one saw coming and one that builds upon its predecessor in a great way. Arkham City took the initial idea Rocksteady cemented in Island and exploded it to new heights. The combat is top-notch, the city is alive and full of activities, and being Batman is just damn cool.
6. Uncharted 3 ; While not as much "wow" factor as Uncharted 2, 3 still had amazing set pieces, a great story, and improved characters. It is a great game that everyone with a PS3 should own.
7. Gears of War 3 ; I had liked Gears before 3, but it was always a "once and done" type of game. Gears 3 exceeded my expectations in every way, and brought new life to the series with an amazing story, fresh multiplayer, and a ton of co-op fun.
8. Dead Space 2 ; I don't play many horror games, I just can't deal with it most of the time. Somehow Dead Space 2 made me want to keep playing despite being scared shitless on multiple occasions. The story is better than the first, the mechanics are much improved and the UI is some of the best in the industry.
9. Assassin's Creed" Revelations ; Have not beat the game yet, but this is AC and this is fun. The game has some issues here and there, but the story is solid and gameplay is as fun as ever.
10. Tom Clancys Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars (3DS) ; For as much as I have played this game it had to make the list. Shadow Wars is not the Ghost Recon game you are expecting, it's a top-down turn-based strategy game that hooked me after the initial mission. The story is alright, but the gameplay is deep and fun.
Honorable Mention
x. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D ; Have not played enough to finish this yet but the 3D is fantastic and the game looks beautiful Gameplay is fun and the puzzles are solid.
x. L.A. Noire ; Mentioned for the tech and idea mainly. I enjoyed the game overall, but had issues with the story and Cole. Great new idea though and amazing technology that kept me engaged in the story and wanting to play more.
x. Infamous 2 ; I played a good amount of this game but did not fins time to finish it. It is a lot of fun and has a solid story (so far). A few issues here and there, but still highly recommended.
x. Crysis 2 ; My first foray into the Crysis universe was a good one. The game has a so-so story, but the missions are fun and the powers are awesome.
2010. Vanquish ; I kind of shrugged this game off when it came out, as it didn't look like my type of game. Boy was I wrong. Vanquish is a great game, albeit short, with amazing combat that keeps you wanting to play more.
2. Saints Row: The Third ; One of the most insane games ever and a ton of fun in co-op. Saints Row The Third brought the fun that GTA had lost, and brought the insane plot and missions you'd expect from the series; only they magnified them by ten.
3. Portal 2 ; Some of the best voice acting of this generation. Valve built a completely fleshed-out and new game based on the smaller chunk of content in Portal 1, and they did so with style.
4. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; This game will be all over the place for GOTY lists, but it blew me away. Coming in, I wasn't expecting much from it and I ended up playing hours upon hours of the game. The atmosphere and story was fantastic, and the gameplay was solid. I loved the multiple ways through each mission, and the upgrades kept you looking for those Praxis points.
5. Batman Arkham City ; A great sequel to a game that no-one saw coming and one that builds upon its predecessor in a great way. Arkham City took the initial idea Rocksteady cemented in Island and exploded it to new heights. The combat is top-notch, the city is alive and full of activities, and being Batman is just damn cool.
6. Uncharted 3 ; While not as much "wow" factor as Uncharted 2, 3 still had amazing set pieces, a great story, and improved characters. It is a great game that everyone with a PS3 should own.
7. Gears of War 3 ; I had liked Gears before 3, but it was always a "once and done" type of game. Gears 3 exceeded my expectations in every way, and brought new life to the series with an amazing story, fresh multiplayer, and a ton of co-op fun.
8. Dead Space 2 ; I don't play many horror games, I just can't deal with it most of the time. Somehow Dead Space 2 made me want to keep playing despite being scared shitless on multiple occasions. The story is better than the first, the mechanics are much improved and the UI is some of the best in the industry.
9. Assassin's Creed" Revelations ; Have not beat the game yet, but this is AC and this is fun. The game has some issues here and there, but the story is solid and gameplay is as fun as ever.
10. Tom Clancys Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars (3DS) ; For as much as I have played this game it had to make the list. Shadow Wars is not the Ghost Recon game you are expecting, it's a top-down turn-based strategy game that hooked me after the initial mission. The story is alright, but the gameplay is deep and fun.
Honorable Mention
x. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D ; Have not played enough to finish this yet but the 3D is fantastic and the game looks beautiful Gameplay is fun and the puzzles are solid.
x. L.A. Noire ; Mentioned for the tech and idea mainly. I enjoyed the game overall, but had issues with the story and Cole. Great new idea though and amazing technology that kept me engaged in the story and wanting to play more.
x. Infamous 2 ; I played a good amount of this game but did not fins time to finish it. It is a lot of fun and has a solid story (so far). A few issues here and there, but still highly recommended.
x. Crysis 2 ; My first foray into the Crysis universe was a good one. The game has a so-so story, but the missions are fun and the powers are awesome.
2010. Vanquish ; I kind of shrugged this game off when it came out, as it didn't look like my type of game. Boy was I wrong. Vanquish is a great game, albeit short, with amazing combat that keeps you wanting to play more.
1. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword; This one showed me how to really enjoy Zelda games again.
2. Terraria; I've put so much time into this game it would be foolish to not include it.
3. Battlefield 3; Hands down my favorite online shooter.
4. Super Mario 3D Land; Really good. I said wow at the 3D.
5. Mario Kart 7; Having a blast playing the latest Mario Kart. It's another one that is proving 3D for me.
6. Dark Souls; Nothing like a game that hates you to really make you love it.
7. Saint's Row The Third; I'm a Saint's whore, what can I say. This one is better than 2 in most ways.
8. Dead Space 2; I'm a huge Dead Space fan and 2 managed to keep me interested the whole way through and left me wanting more.
9. LittleBigPlanet 2; Between my son and myself this may be my family's most played game of 2011. grumblegrumble but it's solid.
10. The Witcher 2; Doin it better than the competition.
X. Aliens Infestation; Classic 2D side scroller with decent enough story and gameplay I enjoy.
XX. Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon; Had a lot of fun with this one solo and multi.
2. Terraria; I've put so much time into this game it would be foolish to not include it.
3. Battlefield 3; Hands down my favorite online shooter.
4. Super Mario 3D Land; Really good. I said wow at the 3D.
5. Mario Kart 7; Having a blast playing the latest Mario Kart. It's another one that is proving 3D for me.
6. Dark Souls; Nothing like a game that hates you to really make you love it.
7. Saint's Row The Third; I'm a Saint's whore, what can I say. This one is better than 2 in most ways.
8. Dead Space 2; I'm a huge Dead Space fan and 2 managed to keep me interested the whole way through and left me wanting more.
9. LittleBigPlanet 2; Between my son and myself this may be my family's most played game of 2011. grumblegrumble but it's solid.
10. The Witcher 2; Doin it better than the competition.
X. Aliens Infestation; Classic 2D side scroller with decent enough story and gameplay I enjoy.
XX. Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon; Had a lot of fun with this one solo and multi.
Your Excellency
Banned
And that's just from page 1 of this thread, where it was rated 7, 10, x, and 9. It's a shame for the fantastic team at ND that their great game - one of the best of the year - will ultimately end up being considered an epic failure by Neogaf. It wasn't a failure in the same way that, say, Crysis 2, Resistance 2, or MGS4 were failures, it seems people dislike it because it didn't improve on UC2. Quite how the game could improve on UC2 (except for, yknow, building a fantastic multiplayer, adding co-op campaigns, adding split-screen play, etc) is unclear, especially since it had a development team about half the size of UC2.
Exterminieren
Banned
1. Xenoblade Chronicles.
x. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D: An excellent game, only dulled by the fact I've played it before. Still essential, particularly if you haven't played the original.
x. Duke Nukem Forever: I'm a bit young to have experienced Duke the first time round, but this game is a fun experience, albeit a heavily flawed one.
I have yet to play Mario Kart, Uncharted or Dark Souls. I flatly refuse to put Skyrim anywhere near this list, because the version I've played is nothing short of broken, with little prospect of fixing. Go screw yourselves, Bethesda.
- And it's not even close. A superbly rich, enormous world, with secrets out the ass, well drawn, sympathetic characters, an interesting and rich story, and a deceptively deep battle system. GotY, and one of the finest games of recent times.
- What can be said? A followup to one of the finest games of the generation, with enormous charm and one of the most intuitive and involving puzzle mechanics seen in a game. The only problem is that it never quite escapes the shadow that the original casts over it.
- Or, more specifically, White. The best Pokemon designs since the originals, interesting new spins on the old battle mechanics, a superb new region, and one of the finest soundtracks this year, beaten only by Xenoblade and Skyward Sword at its absolute best moments.
- This is a game which, when at full steam, stands tall amongst the finest gaming has to offer. Superbly designed dungeons, the finest bosses the series has to offer by a country mile, the best motion controls in a game, and the single best region in games this year in the form of Lanayru Desert. It's only the occasionally irritating companion and the occasional over-dependence on backtracking that stops this from going toe to toe with Xenoblade for the top spot.
- Again, this is building upon what made the original so great. Batman is enormously satisfying to control, and I love the heightened scope that the game brings to the table. However, like Portal 2, it lacks the shock of the new which helped make the original so compelling, and doesn't contain any moments of brilliance quite comparable to the Scarecrow sections of Arkham Asylum.
- The difference between what I thought this game was going to be and what it actually turned out to be simply blew me away. For me, it had quick and easy 3DS bolster written all over it, with little of the sumptuous level designs that Galaxy boasted. Instead it was a new and unique beast, with a charm of its own, a lovely graphical style and some extremely satisfying platforming in it. The main problem was the difficulty curve, or, to give it a more apt term, the difficulty cliff; the first 8 worlds offered little to no challenge, while the Special Worlds were up there with the difficulty levels of Galaxy 2's later stages, A flawed gem, as opposed to the turkey that it looked like it might be.
- A wonderfully charming little title, which deserved to do far better than it did. Putting aside Ubisoft's stupidity and the apathy of gamers, this is the sort of game which really needs to be supported. Doesn't quite scale the heights of other games on this list, but is never any less than thoroughly involving and lovely.
- Coming from absolutely nowhere, this game has absolutely smoked every single other downloadable game that Nintendo has ever put out, and, quite astoundingly considering the company behind it, has turned out to be absolutely my favourite downloadable game of the year. Intuitive, wonderfully satisfying combinations of platforming and puzzling, as well as being the finest showcase of 3D in gaming to date. I've showed this game to three people, all of whom have bought a 3DS on the back of it.
- I'm no big fan of shooters, and I find the story mode entirely ridiculous and juvenile, but there's no really denying it's multiplayer where this one shines. It's rare that a game gets to my GotY list on the basis of multiplayer alone, but MW3 is just such a blast in that department that I can't overlook it.
- An excellent sandbox rescues this game from some of its other, more irritating elements. It's a blast to explore, which is just as well, because the forced wackiness of the game really grates after a while.
x. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D: An excellent game, only dulled by the fact I've played it before. Still essential, particularly if you haven't played the original.
x. Duke Nukem Forever: I'm a bit young to have experienced Duke the first time round, but this game is a fun experience, albeit a heavily flawed one.
I have yet to play Mario Kart, Uncharted or Dark Souls. I flatly refuse to put Skyrim anywhere near this list, because the version I've played is nothing short of broken, with little prospect of fixing. Go screw yourselves, Bethesda.
Franklinator
Member
My top three are almost interchangeable, but I'm gonna go with:
1. Portal 2
2. Saint's Row the Third
3. Skyrim
4. Littlebigplanet 2
5. Child of Eden
6. inFamous 2
7. Super Mario 3D Land
8. Pokemon Black
9. Uncharted 3
10. Terraria
x. Rayman Origins (it would definitely make my top ten, but I haven't gotten very far in it yet)
x. Battlefield 3
x. LA Noire
x. Ghost Trick
2010. Super Meat Boy
1. Portal 2
2. Saint's Row the Third
3. Skyrim
4. Littlebigplanet 2
5. Child of Eden
6. inFamous 2
7. Super Mario 3D Land
8. Pokemon Black
9. Uncharted 3
10. Terraria
x. Rayman Origins (it would definitely make my top ten, but I haven't gotten very far in it yet)
x. Battlefield 3
x. LA Noire
x. Ghost Trick
2010. Super Meat Boy
I don't know why you take such wild liberties with other people's opinions. All you know is they like it less than UC2, you don't know how much less, you don't know why, you basically have no idea. You also don't know where they would be rating UC2 in those lists, for all you know it could be only one spot higher. You pull blind speculation out of the air, then complain about it, it's utterly pointless.
Wonko_C
Member
01. Ultimate Marvel VS Capcom 3: I've never been a fan of VS games with their insane full screen supers and crazy combos, but Tatsunoko VS Capcom made me a believer, and MVC3 (and UMVC3 by extension) all by itself created a local fighting game community in my area with small monthly tournaments and all that, never had so much fun with Fighting Games since the original Street Fighter II.
02. Deus Ex: Human Revolution: Amazing mix of Metal Gear Solid-style stealth and RPG. I love the futuristic black & gold motif the game has, wonder what a TRON game would be like by this team.
03. The King of Fighters XIII: A vast improvement after the disastrous KOF XII, dare I say that if the online was better it would have given UMVC3 a run for its money.
04. Forza Motorsport 4: I was never a fan of sim-style racers, they all felt too slow and "sterile" to play, after giving the Forza 3 demo a try I went out and bought the now discontinued Microsoft Wireless Wheel. Now Forza 4 is the only game I use the wheel with and it's still pure bliss. With this game it's not all about driving, though, even if you don't play online you can take advantage of all the designs the community produces, buy some cars at the auction house, drool at the Autovista models and try to beat your friends' Rival times. I actually have spent more hours on the menus than in actual races!
05. Yakuza 4: You can say all you want about the insane number of sidequests, the huge amounts of activities, the great story and intrincate detail of Kamurocho, but in my opinion it all boils down to busting up some punks with awesome heat moves, it never gets old.
06. Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Dreamy Theater 2nd (Japanese import): This is and odd one: I didn't know about Hatsune Miku and only knew that Vocaloid was some kind of voice program. By the end of last year it was thanks to Shatter and the Amethyst Caverns song, (a song which didn't actually use Vocaloid) that sparked my interest, so I did a quick Google search and the first thing I found out was that there was a PSP game about Vocaloid, and since my PSP hadn't been used in like, forever I tried the demo out and it was infectiously addicting, and finally a rythm game that's not crazy hard so I can beat it! To me the PS3 version (which came out this year) is the real game, where thanks to the 60 frames per second it is actually playable. Literally dozens of hours wasted on this. I have no regrets.
07. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky: I was only interested in Falcom's Ys franchise, I'm glad I tried something different from them because this is easily one of the best traditional RPGs in years. Falcom's games embody my vision of what games would've become if we hadn't go completely 3D, and I love them for it.
08. Hard Corps: Uprising: I've always made a joke of how all Ark System Works games play the same, but this takes the cake. Air Dashes in my Contra!? I thought "Get outta here!" at first, but it actually super-charges the game and makes the action even more over-the top, the online was incredibly playable and lag-free for the most part, and finally Rising mode gave it some form of RPG-like progression system for those grind-addicts.
09. Renegade Ops: 4-player online coop. Jackal-style fun. Explosions. Please buy this game.
10. RAGE: Pristine game. 60 frames per second, unnoticeable foliage and object pop-up, the enemies actually jump through obstacles or use pipes in the ceiling to move quicker, they don't walk around a waist-high box to look for cover, they frigging roll over it! And unlike 99% of shooters today the guns are actually FUN.
02. Deus Ex: Human Revolution: Amazing mix of Metal Gear Solid-style stealth and RPG. I love the futuristic black & gold motif the game has, wonder what a TRON game would be like by this team.
03. The King of Fighters XIII: A vast improvement after the disastrous KOF XII, dare I say that if the online was better it would have given UMVC3 a run for its money.
04. Forza Motorsport 4: I was never a fan of sim-style racers, they all felt too slow and "sterile" to play, after giving the Forza 3 demo a try I went out and bought the now discontinued Microsoft Wireless Wheel. Now Forza 4 is the only game I use the wheel with and it's still pure bliss. With this game it's not all about driving, though, even if you don't play online you can take advantage of all the designs the community produces, buy some cars at the auction house, drool at the Autovista models and try to beat your friends' Rival times. I actually have spent more hours on the menus than in actual races!
05. Yakuza 4: You can say all you want about the insane number of sidequests, the huge amounts of activities, the great story and intrincate detail of Kamurocho, but in my opinion it all boils down to busting up some punks with awesome heat moves, it never gets old.
06. Hatsune Miku: Project Diva Dreamy Theater 2nd (Japanese import): This is and odd one: I didn't know about Hatsune Miku and only knew that Vocaloid was some kind of voice program. By the end of last year it was thanks to Shatter and the Amethyst Caverns song, (a song which didn't actually use Vocaloid) that sparked my interest, so I did a quick Google search and the first thing I found out was that there was a PSP game about Vocaloid, and since my PSP hadn't been used in like, forever I tried the demo out and it was infectiously addicting, and finally a rythm game that's not crazy hard so I can beat it! To me the PS3 version (which came out this year) is the real game, where thanks to the 60 frames per second it is actually playable. Literally dozens of hours wasted on this. I have no regrets.
07. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky: I was only interested in Falcom's Ys franchise, I'm glad I tried something different from them because this is easily one of the best traditional RPGs in years. Falcom's games embody my vision of what games would've become if we hadn't go completely 3D, and I love them for it.
08. Hard Corps: Uprising: I've always made a joke of how all Ark System Works games play the same, but this takes the cake. Air Dashes in my Contra!? I thought "Get outta here!" at first, but it actually super-charges the game and makes the action even more over-the top, the online was incredibly playable and lag-free for the most part, and finally Rising mode gave it some form of RPG-like progression system for those grind-addicts.
09. Renegade Ops: 4-player online coop. Jackal-style fun. Explosions. Please buy this game.
10. RAGE: Pristine game. 60 frames per second, unnoticeable foliage and object pop-up, the enemies actually jump through obstacles or use pipes in the ceiling to move quicker, they don't walk around a waist-high box to look for cover, they frigging roll over it! And unlike 99% of shooters today the guns are actually FUN.
Your Excellency
Banned
I can make an intelligent guess and state
1. They all thought UC2 was one of the games of the year, the year it came out (ie in the top 5, probably top 2)
2. They didn't like it based on the reasons given (snipped from that post above for clarity, but it was mostly reasons such as the aiming thing (now fixed) and 'more of the same' (a criticism?)
I don't see why you're not keen to discuss the issue; the thread would be pretty dry if it merely consisted of lists with no tolerance for discussion about how people made their choices.
I have no issue discussing things in a GotY thread in theory, I just don't see the point to any of the discussions you've raised, because they're all based on the premise your opinion of the game is correct and other people are wrong, and they're being 'unfair' in various ways.
According to Gamerankings, in 2009 Uncharted 2 was the highest rated game, in 2011, Uncharted 3 is the ninth highest rated. Maybe you don't think it's weaker, but it seems it's the common opinion.
ShockingAlberto
Member
Man, are we seriously going to do this? Are we seriously going to bitch about why a game "deserves" higher than people's experiences with it?
Fine.
Uncharted 3 didn't just not improve on UC2, it was not as good a game. The aiming was off, the setpieces were less awe-inspiring, the combat design was bad (not just "not as good as Uncharted 2," straight-up bad), the story spends hours going nowhere and ends with a fizzle that is at best a straight copy of Uncharted 2's and at worst its retarded little brother.
I liked UC3 (it's not making my list, as I enjoyed ten games more this year), but don't do this bullshit.
The game is still in their lists so it is not like they hated Uncharted 3. It is obvious just by reading the OT for the game that many had issues with it compared to Uncharted 2 so a slight drop is expected.
I think the game could still end up as the GAF GOTY... it is showing up on a lot of lists. It may not be #1 that often but it is still racking up a lot of points. On top of that, GAF seems to be a very Sony-centric forum which will help Uncharted 3 over a game like Skyrim with its PS3 issues.
The_Darkest_Red
Member
I think the issue is you jumping from "slight disappointment after Uncharted 2" to "will ultimately end up being considered an epic failure by Neogaf" as if those two opinions are the same. Why not just let everyone speak for themselves?
ShockingAlberto nails it. Uncharted 3 is a step down from Uncharted 2 but it is still a good game.
It's kinda weird that you dislike people praising a game for being a "surprise" while using the size of the UC3 team to defend UC3.
It's really hard to tell if you're meant to be a parody. For the sake of this discussion, I'll just assume that you're actually for real. There is a little more nuance to opinion than LIKE or DISLIKE. I liked Uncharted 3, that's why it earned an honorable mention over several other games, but it had shortcomings that prevented it from being one of my favorites of the year. I don't dislike it or consider it an "epic failure".
The_Darkest_Red
Member
Man, it's sad to see how much you completely loathe, despise, and hate every single thing about Uncharted 3. Poor Naughty Dog.
1. Skyrim ; I have no free time and I've still put in 45 hours. The amount of quality content packed in is staggering.
2. Dark Souls ; An extremely tight and unusually rewarding experience. I can't think of any other game that made me experience so much elation by defeating a boss -- or occasionally, a single enemy.
3. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; I was ready for a suckfest -- imagine my astonishment when I discovered they succeeded at making a sequel to goddamn Deus Ex.
4. Uncharted 3 ; It didn't reach quite the same heights as Uncharted 2, but that doesn't mean it wasn't still dizzyingly high.
5. Portal 2 ; To the moooooooon!.
6. Minecraft ; My wife and I have played Minecraft together more than any other game in the history of our relationship. That alone gets it on this list.
2. Dark Souls ; An extremely tight and unusually rewarding experience. I can't think of any other game that made me experience so much elation by defeating a boss -- or occasionally, a single enemy.
3. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; I was ready for a suckfest -- imagine my astonishment when I discovered they succeeded at making a sequel to goddamn Deus Ex.
4. Uncharted 3 ; It didn't reach quite the same heights as Uncharted 2, but that doesn't mean it wasn't still dizzyingly high.
5. Portal 2 ; To the moooooooon!.
6. Minecraft ; My wife and I have played Minecraft together more than any other game in the history of our relationship. That alone gets it on this list.
Not many new games this year for me, been focused on 2010.
1: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword: Mixed old style Zelda with new gameplay ideas. Loved the artstyle and visuals, the OST, the combat system and the story. Dug it's teeth in and did not let go until 40 hours later when I sat in awe admiring the scenery of the final battle and then the brilliant ending.
2: Saints Row The Third: One of the best sandbox games I have ever played so much to do and there is never a dull moment. Great VA, ridiculously funny at times and with an amazig sense of "do what the f*** you want when you want". Hands down the best open world title I have played since Vice City.
3: Yakuza 4: Took everything that was great about the third and dialed it up a few notches. A story full of twists and turns, 4 great playable characters each with a unique style, enough side missions to kee p you playing for a long time, oh, and nigh on uncut in terms of Japanese content(iirc just the weird Japanese quiz sections didn't make it)
Worthy mention
ICO/Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection: SotC is not much imo, but this package was worth every penny just to enjoy the experience that was ICO. Everything felt magical and just so elequently designed, it's only failing being it's short play time, but every moment oozed quality. Would have been number 3 if allowed.
Skyrim: Exceptional for the first twenty hours, then it started crapping up. FOr that reason I will not include it in my list, but if it had not had its technical failings it would've made my top 5.
2010
Nier: I bought this on a whim in February not expecting much, and I was blown away by an amazing soundtrack, a wide variety of game play mechanics melded into one, characters and a story I genuinely cared about with plot twists that tore at me during my second play through. One of my favourite PS3 titles period, and one I hope is further explored somewhere down the line.
1: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword: Mixed old style Zelda with new gameplay ideas. Loved the artstyle and visuals, the OST, the combat system and the story. Dug it's teeth in and did not let go until 40 hours later when I sat in awe admiring the scenery of the final battle and then the brilliant ending.
2: Saints Row The Third: One of the best sandbox games I have ever played so much to do and there is never a dull moment. Great VA, ridiculously funny at times and with an amazig sense of "do what the f*** you want when you want". Hands down the best open world title I have played since Vice City.
3: Yakuza 4: Took everything that was great about the third and dialed it up a few notches. A story full of twists and turns, 4 great playable characters each with a unique style, enough side missions to kee p you playing for a long time, oh, and nigh on uncut in terms of Japanese content(iirc just the weird Japanese quiz sections didn't make it)
Worthy mention
ICO/Shadow of the Colossus HD Collection: SotC is not much imo, but this package was worth every penny just to enjoy the experience that was ICO. Everything felt magical and just so elequently designed, it's only failing being it's short play time, but every moment oozed quality. Would have been number 3 if allowed.
Skyrim: Exceptional for the first twenty hours, then it started crapping up. FOr that reason I will not include it in my list, but if it had not had its technical failings it would've made my top 5.
2010
Nier: I bought this on a whim in February not expecting much, and I was blown away by an amazing soundtrack, a wide variety of game play mechanics melded into one, characters and a story I genuinely cared about with plot twists that tore at me during my second play through. One of my favourite PS3 titles period, and one I hope is further explored somewhere down the line.
1. Super Mario 3D Land ; 3DS. After playing both Galaxy games, I thought I'd be relatively disappointed in this. Not so. Great animation, graphics, and a fun soundtrack. Starts off easy, but the final stage especially will demand everything you've got. Don't cheat yourself by using the Tanooki suit!
2. Portal 2 ; Multi. Everything the first game was and so much more. Great writing, VO, and puzzles that make Portal 1 look like an unfinished tech demo by comparison.
3. Saints Row: The Third ; Multi. I normally don't like open world games, but this was tremendous fun. Love that it never takes itself seriously and is just a blast to play through and mess around in.
4. Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation ; DS. A remake, but it was awesome to finally complete the entire DQ series in English. While it's the weakest of the Zenithian trilogy, I still had a great time with it. Some of the best 2D animation on the DS, too.
5. Pushmo ; 3DS. I love games like Picross, so this was right up my alley. Love the polish and the QR Code support pretty much gives it a near-endless source of fun and creativity.
6. Groove Coaster ; iOS. As a music/rhythm game fan, I really enjoyed this one. Some annoying songs, but most were really good.
7. Forza Motorsport 4 ; 360. Didn't hold my attention like FM3 did, but it's still an objective improvement over its predecessor. Photo mode still sucks in comparison to GT5.
8. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception ; PS3. Good game with cool set pieces and tech, but a relative disappointment compared to UC2.
9. Infinity Blade II ; iOS. Not usually a fan of games like this, but I have to hand it to Chair for pulling out the stops and creating such a beautiful and fun game on iOS. People who write off iOS games as nothing more than Angry Birds need to open their eyes.
10. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D ; 3DS. Another remake, but still a classic in every sense of the word. Loved it even more this time vs. the first time I played it back in the day. Shows that good design is timeless.
x. Jetpack Joyride ; iOS. Addicting as all get out with a nice leveling system and that crucial "just one more" quality to keep you coming back. This one takes some really good hand-eye coordination and reflexes, too. Nicely produced game.
x. Catherine ; PS3. Stylish, original, but felt one-dimensional to me. Props to Atlus for bringing this to the US.
2010. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; Wii. Better than the first in all areas except maybe the music. Loved the green star challenges. Just about as perfect a game as I've played. Game of the Generation.
2. Portal 2 ; Multi. Everything the first game was and so much more. Great writing, VO, and puzzles that make Portal 1 look like an unfinished tech demo by comparison.
3. Saints Row: The Third ; Multi. I normally don't like open world games, but this was tremendous fun. Love that it never takes itself seriously and is just a blast to play through and mess around in.
4. Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation ; DS. A remake, but it was awesome to finally complete the entire DQ series in English. While it's the weakest of the Zenithian trilogy, I still had a great time with it. Some of the best 2D animation on the DS, too.
5. Pushmo ; 3DS. I love games like Picross, so this was right up my alley. Love the polish and the QR Code support pretty much gives it a near-endless source of fun and creativity.
6. Groove Coaster ; iOS. As a music/rhythm game fan, I really enjoyed this one. Some annoying songs, but most were really good.
7. Forza Motorsport 4 ; 360. Didn't hold my attention like FM3 did, but it's still an objective improvement over its predecessor. Photo mode still sucks in comparison to GT5.
8. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception ; PS3. Good game with cool set pieces and tech, but a relative disappointment compared to UC2.
9. Infinity Blade II ; iOS. Not usually a fan of games like this, but I have to hand it to Chair for pulling out the stops and creating such a beautiful and fun game on iOS. People who write off iOS games as nothing more than Angry Birds need to open their eyes.
10. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D ; 3DS. Another remake, but still a classic in every sense of the word. Loved it even more this time vs. the first time I played it back in the day. Shows that good design is timeless.
x. Jetpack Joyride ; iOS. Addicting as all get out with a nice leveling system and that crucial "just one more" quality to keep you coming back. This one takes some really good hand-eye coordination and reflexes, too. Nicely produced game.
x. Catherine ; PS3. Stylish, original, but felt one-dimensional to me. Props to Atlus for bringing this to the US.
2010. Super Mario Galaxy 2 ; Wii. Better than the first in all areas except maybe the music. Loved the green star challenges. Just about as perfect a game as I've played. Game of the Generation.
1. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; my only complaints are the last level was poor compared to the rest of the game and shooting your way through the game was nowhere near as fun/rewarding as a stealthy approach
2. Star Wars: The Old Republic ; not even officially released (5 hours or so to go) yet I have put FAR more time into it than the games below. Some clunky UI issues but just the SW game I have wanted for ages and a very acceptable substitute for KotOR3. I fucking love it.
3. Batman: Arkham City ; a great game but I'm not fond of how they handled side missions.
4. Portal 2 ; loved it but... I dunno, no real complaints but not as good as the 3 above it.
5. Infamous 2 ; After the other super hero game series in my list, it is the best about.
6. Gears of War 3 ; a good single player and the online is the best out when the dedicated servers work.
7. Dead Space 2 ; a great RE4 imitation & a fine improvement over DS1.
8. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception ; good game but not as good as U2 for a few reasons I have already discussed elsewhere and cba to do so again.
9. Bulletstorm ; a blast from beginning to end but nothing but, easily my surprise of the year.
10. Resistance 3 ; great campaign but the online was kind of terribly laggy.
x. Alice Madness Returns ; totally out of nowhere, probably wouldn't have played it if not for GAF. Major pitfall is that it's too long(!) and would have been better served condensing stuff imo.
x. Dirt 3 ; better than its predecessor but not the original in the series.
x. Shadows of the Damned ; fun to play through, ridiculously absurd but no real substance.
2. Star Wars: The Old Republic ; not even officially released (5 hours or so to go) yet I have put FAR more time into it than the games below. Some clunky UI issues but just the SW game I have wanted for ages and a very acceptable substitute for KotOR3. I fucking love it.
3. Batman: Arkham City ; a great game but I'm not fond of how they handled side missions.
4. Portal 2 ; loved it but... I dunno, no real complaints but not as good as the 3 above it.
5. Infamous 2 ; After the other super hero game series in my list, it is the best about.
6. Gears of War 3 ; a good single player and the online is the best out when the dedicated servers work.
7. Dead Space 2 ; a great RE4 imitation & a fine improvement over DS1.
8. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception ; good game but not as good as U2 for a few reasons I have already discussed elsewhere and cba to do so again.
9. Bulletstorm ; a blast from beginning to end but nothing but, easily my surprise of the year.
10. Resistance 3 ; great campaign but the online was kind of terribly laggy.
x. Alice Madness Returns ; totally out of nowhere, probably wouldn't have played it if not for GAF. Major pitfall is that it's too long(!) and would have been better served condensing stuff imo.
x. Dirt 3 ; better than its predecessor but not the original in the series.
x. Shadows of the Damned ; fun to play through, ridiculously absurd but no real substance.
Incendiary
Banned
Here's my list.
1. Batman: Arkham City; The open-world environment was a great improvement on Arkham Asylum. The combat mechanics are fantastic and I enjoyed putting together combos in the Riddler's Revenge maps much more than AA. On top of that, there was an amazing story and engaging villains, plus much more varied boss fights. One of the few games where I'm done with the main story and went back to finish all the sidequests and try to 100% the game. Definitely my GOTY this year.
2. Portal 2; The puzzles, the story, the humor, everything about this game was top-notch. I just got around to playing the co-op missions with a friend of mine, and they are just as awesome and so much fun to screw around in. Of all the games I played this year, this one will probably be the first that I replay solely to experience the single-player a second time.
3. Deus Ex: Human Revolution; Probably the best stealth game I've played since the Metal Gear series. Also there was enough difference in playstyles that I immediately went back and started playing it a second time just so I could experience all the other cool gadgets and things I missed the first playthrough. The music is also probably the best of the year.
4. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception; I'm going to be honest, I didn't like it as much as Uncharted 2. However, the latest installment of Drake's adventures had enough awesomeness in it that I still thoroughly enjoyed playing it. Part of the reason I didn't enjoy it as much was because I spoiled myself through media on some of the more epic setpieces in the game, which is my fault, not the game's. Naughty Dog still has me for whatever they come up with.
5. Bastion; This is the best downloadable game of the year. The quality of the animation is well above par. Plus, it has one of the most emotionally-evoking scenes I've experienced in a game in years, and does it without any dialogue whatsoever. The narrator was a cute touch, and the replayability with the idol mechanic makes this a must-play.
6. Bulletstorm; The dialogue is over-the-top hilarious. It shoots past offensive into just plain ridiculous territory. But the solid gameplay mechanics is what puts this on my list. Executing skillshots is just plain fun. Much more engaging than Mad World (which had similar style but fell flat) and the Echoes mode is one of the few score attack modes I replay over and over again. And Anarchy mode is a blast with some friends.
7. Dark Souls; This would be higher, but it wore me down to the point where I just couldn't place it any higher. There are things that make this game amazing and improve upon Demon's Souls, especially the covenants. However, there were a lot more cheap and frustrating parts that, unlike Demon's Souls, I felt were the game's fault and not my own. Still, it says something about the greatness of the game that I kept coming back to it even after I was frustrated beyond belief.
8. L.A. Noire; I thought for sure this was going to be my Game of the Year when it came out earlier, because I was thoroughly engaged and love the game while I was playing it. However, unlike everything I've listed before this, L.A. Noire simply faded from my mind. I haven't had an interest in going back to it, or five-starring cases. The experience was great, but it didn't give me the motivation to replay it. Still a great game to play, though, and I'm glad for it's innovations and trying something new.
9. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim; I would be amiss if I didn't put Skyrim on here. I've loved exploring the world, and the magic system is probably the best of any game I've played. But I think my enjoyment of Skyrim suffered from simply overstimulation. There's too much to do in it. Also, most quests end with you exploring some three-level dungeon with tons of monsters and after 50 hours of dungeon exploration I was suffering from exhaustion. Still, though, the enjoyment of random things that happen to me make it a game that has to be in my top 10.
10. The Binding of Isaac; This was a tough call between this and one of my honorable mentions, but ultimately Isaac won out. I'm not normally into roguelikes, but I've poured hours upon hours into exploring Isaac's randomized dungeons. The soundtrack is great, and all the abilities you get are super humorous. Plus, all the bosses have a certain charm to them. Great little game to pick up.
x. Catherine; Almost got top 10, but I decided I enjoyed and replayed Isaac just a tad more. Catherine's mix of puzzle and romance, though, definitely warrants some sort of note. The block-moving puzzles were a lot more entertaining than I would have expected. What surprised me is that the non-puzzle portions were what dragged the game down. The story was amazing, but a little more to do outside puzzles besides talking to people would have been nice.
x Rayman Origins; Forgot about this when I initially made the list. While I can't justify placing it in my top 10 because I've enjoyed every other game more, this one was still a standout hit. Fresh turns on old-school sidescrolling platforming, crisp graphics, and a fun soundtrack make this worth it. Reminded me vaguely of the Donkey Kong Country series, actually.
2010. Vanquish; I wasn't able to post on GAF in 2010, but I played Vanquish for the first time in 2011 and this definitely would have gone on my top 2010 list if I could have made one then. The action is intense, and you really feel badass once you start figuring out the controls and knowing what you're doing. Probably my favorite non-2011 game that I've played this year.
1. Batman: Arkham City; The open-world environment was a great improvement on Arkham Asylum. The combat mechanics are fantastic and I enjoyed putting together combos in the Riddler's Revenge maps much more than AA. On top of that, there was an amazing story and engaging villains, plus much more varied boss fights. One of the few games where I'm done with the main story and went back to finish all the sidequests and try to 100% the game. Definitely my GOTY this year.
2. Portal 2; The puzzles, the story, the humor, everything about this game was top-notch. I just got around to playing the co-op missions with a friend of mine, and they are just as awesome and so much fun to screw around in. Of all the games I played this year, this one will probably be the first that I replay solely to experience the single-player a second time.
3. Deus Ex: Human Revolution; Probably the best stealth game I've played since the Metal Gear series. Also there was enough difference in playstyles that I immediately went back and started playing it a second time just so I could experience all the other cool gadgets and things I missed the first playthrough. The music is also probably the best of the year.
4. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception; I'm going to be honest, I didn't like it as much as Uncharted 2. However, the latest installment of Drake's adventures had enough awesomeness in it that I still thoroughly enjoyed playing it. Part of the reason I didn't enjoy it as much was because I spoiled myself through media on some of the more epic setpieces in the game, which is my fault, not the game's. Naughty Dog still has me for whatever they come up with.
5. Bastion; This is the best downloadable game of the year. The quality of the animation is well above par. Plus, it has one of the most emotionally-evoking scenes I've experienced in a game in years, and does it without any dialogue whatsoever. The narrator was a cute touch, and the replayability with the idol mechanic makes this a must-play.
6. Bulletstorm; The dialogue is over-the-top hilarious. It shoots past offensive into just plain ridiculous territory. But the solid gameplay mechanics is what puts this on my list. Executing skillshots is just plain fun. Much more engaging than Mad World (which had similar style but fell flat) and the Echoes mode is one of the few score attack modes I replay over and over again. And Anarchy mode is a blast with some friends.
7. Dark Souls; This would be higher, but it wore me down to the point where I just couldn't place it any higher. There are things that make this game amazing and improve upon Demon's Souls, especially the covenants. However, there were a lot more cheap and frustrating parts that, unlike Demon's Souls, I felt were the game's fault and not my own. Still, it says something about the greatness of the game that I kept coming back to it even after I was frustrated beyond belief.
8. L.A. Noire; I thought for sure this was going to be my Game of the Year when it came out earlier, because I was thoroughly engaged and love the game while I was playing it. However, unlike everything I've listed before this, L.A. Noire simply faded from my mind. I haven't had an interest in going back to it, or five-starring cases. The experience was great, but it didn't give me the motivation to replay it. Still a great game to play, though, and I'm glad for it's innovations and trying something new.
9. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim; I would be amiss if I didn't put Skyrim on here. I've loved exploring the world, and the magic system is probably the best of any game I've played. But I think my enjoyment of Skyrim suffered from simply overstimulation. There's too much to do in it. Also, most quests end with you exploring some three-level dungeon with tons of monsters and after 50 hours of dungeon exploration I was suffering from exhaustion. Still, though, the enjoyment of random things that happen to me make it a game that has to be in my top 10.
10. The Binding of Isaac; This was a tough call between this and one of my honorable mentions, but ultimately Isaac won out. I'm not normally into roguelikes, but I've poured hours upon hours into exploring Isaac's randomized dungeons. The soundtrack is great, and all the abilities you get are super humorous. Plus, all the bosses have a certain charm to them. Great little game to pick up.
x. Catherine; Almost got top 10, but I decided I enjoyed and replayed Isaac just a tad more. Catherine's mix of puzzle and romance, though, definitely warrants some sort of note. The block-moving puzzles were a lot more entertaining than I would have expected. What surprised me is that the non-puzzle portions were what dragged the game down. The story was amazing, but a little more to do outside puzzles besides talking to people would have been nice.
x Rayman Origins; Forgot about this when I initially made the list. While I can't justify placing it in my top 10 because I've enjoyed every other game more, this one was still a standout hit. Fresh turns on old-school sidescrolling platforming, crisp graphics, and a fun soundtrack make this worth it. Reminded me vaguely of the Donkey Kong Country series, actually.
2010. Vanquish; I wasn't able to post on GAF in 2010, but I played Vanquish for the first time in 2011 and this definitely would have gone on my top 2010 list if I could have made one then. The action is intense, and you really feel badass once you start figuring out the controls and knowing what you're doing. Probably my favorite non-2011 game that I've played this year.
Dog Problems
Banned
1. Bastion ; Beautiful art and music, awesome narration. I know the gameplay gets crap for being boring or too bland but it reminded me of two older games I enjoy, LandStalker and Dark Savior, so I had no problems with it. There's also a bit of dialogue towards the end that really hit home.
2. Ghost Trick ; A pretty good adventure game. I was immersed in the world, cared about a lot of the characters, and was really into the story. The puzzles were a lot of fun and I just love everything about it.
3. Gray Matter ; It's nice seeing Jane Jensen involved in a game again. It's not quite as good as the Gabriel Knight games (well, at least the first two) but it still a damn good adventure game. This would probably be my number three game it I were to include it on my top ten list.
4. The Witcher 2 ; The first Witcher is one of my favorite RPG's of this generation, and I still prefer it over this second game, but despite that this still shot up to one of my favorite games of this year. I don't know what else to say that hasn't been said already. I can't wait for more people to experience it next year when it's released on the 360.
5. Gemini Rue ; I love the Blade Runner style, puzzles were fun, the story was interesting, and I like the characters. The shooting sequences seemed out of place but I had no problems with them and it was a nice change of pace from what's in a lot of adventure games.
6. Dead Island ; Despite the problems it had on PC during its launch, it didn't stop me from playing through two times in a row. I wish there were more to the story and characters but I still got immersed in the world.
7. Swords & Sworcery ; There were a lot of games I had my eye on for the iOS devices but this is the game that made me really want to get into it. I can't really think of any complaints I have. I guess maybe the length but it wasn't that short, just right for an adventure game. Fun puzzles, some of which used the touchscreen nicely. Wonderful art and music. One of my favorite soundtracks of this year.
8. To the Moon ; Thank goodness for the deadline extension otherwise I would have never been able to add this game. It's light on the gameplay but the story, characters, and emotion involved more than make up for it. Fans of point-and-click adventures and visual novels should definitely check it out.
9. Back to the Future (season) ; I know the first episode was released a year ago but the rest came this year. Hope it's okay to count the entire season rather than a specific episode? Anyway, I'm a huge fan of the movies and this season was a nice continuation of them. The new characters are great and I love the humor and overall style. They're too easy but that's okay because it's Back to the Future.
10. Snoopy's Street Fair ; Yeah, it's a casual "freemium" game for iOS devices, but damnit, I'm obsessed with it. A large part of that is because I'm a huge Peanuts fan.
x. Professor Layton and the Last Specter ; Normally a Professor Layton game would be on my top five list but I wanted to change it up this time. Give some other games a chance on the list. I loved everything about it, though, and London Life made it so much better.
x. Dead Rising 2: Off the Record ; Just like Layton a Dead Rising game would also be towards the top of my list but again, like Layton, I included it here to give other games a chance. I never get tired of the gameplay in a Dead Rising game so more is always welcome.
There's a lot of recents releases (Skyrim, Arkham City, etc.) that I haven't played yet that I'm sure would make my list.
2. Ghost Trick ; A pretty good adventure game. I was immersed in the world, cared about a lot of the characters, and was really into the story. The puzzles were a lot of fun and I just love everything about it.
3. Gray Matter ; It's nice seeing Jane Jensen involved in a game again. It's not quite as good as the Gabriel Knight games (well, at least the first two) but it still a damn good adventure game. This would probably be my number three game it I were to include it on my top ten list.
4. The Witcher 2 ; The first Witcher is one of my favorite RPG's of this generation, and I still prefer it over this second game, but despite that this still shot up to one of my favorite games of this year. I don't know what else to say that hasn't been said already. I can't wait for more people to experience it next year when it's released on the 360.
5. Gemini Rue ; I love the Blade Runner style, puzzles were fun, the story was interesting, and I like the characters. The shooting sequences seemed out of place but I had no problems with them and it was a nice change of pace from what's in a lot of adventure games.
6. Dead Island ; Despite the problems it had on PC during its launch, it didn't stop me from playing through two times in a row. I wish there were more to the story and characters but I still got immersed in the world.
7. Swords & Sworcery ; There were a lot of games I had my eye on for the iOS devices but this is the game that made me really want to get into it. I can't really think of any complaints I have. I guess maybe the length but it wasn't that short, just right for an adventure game. Fun puzzles, some of which used the touchscreen nicely. Wonderful art and music. One of my favorite soundtracks of this year.
8. To the Moon ; Thank goodness for the deadline extension otherwise I would have never been able to add this game. It's light on the gameplay but the story, characters, and emotion involved more than make up for it. Fans of point-and-click adventures and visual novels should definitely check it out.
9. Back to the Future (season) ; I know the first episode was released a year ago but the rest came this year. Hope it's okay to count the entire season rather than a specific episode? Anyway, I'm a huge fan of the movies and this season was a nice continuation of them. The new characters are great and I love the humor and overall style. They're too easy but that's okay because it's Back to the Future.
10. Snoopy's Street Fair ; Yeah, it's a casual "freemium" game for iOS devices, but damnit, I'm obsessed with it. A large part of that is because I'm a huge Peanuts fan.
x. Professor Layton and the Last Specter ; Normally a Professor Layton game would be on my top five list but I wanted to change it up this time. Give some other games a chance on the list. I loved everything about it, though, and London Life made it so much better.
x. Dead Rising 2: Off the Record ; Just like Layton a Dead Rising game would also be towards the top of my list but again, like Layton, I included it here to give other games a chance. I never get tired of the gameplay in a Dead Rising game so more is always welcome.
There's a lot of recents releases (Skyrim, Arkham City, etc.) that I haven't played yet that I'm sure would make my list.
plaidtopia
Member
1. Skyrim
2. Portal 2
3. Dark Souls
4. Batman: Arkham City
5. Gears of War 3
6. Dead Space 2
7. Catherine
8. FIFA 12
9. Bastion
10. Uncharted 3
Honorable Mention:
x. Orcs Must Die
x. MvC3
x. Iron Brigade/Trenched/Whatever
x. Saint's Row 3
2. Portal 2
3. Dark Souls
4. Batman: Arkham City
5. Gears of War 3
6. Dead Space 2
7. Catherine
8. FIFA 12
9. Bastion
10. Uncharted 3
Honorable Mention:
x. Orcs Must Die
x. MvC3
x. Iron Brigade/Trenched/Whatever
x. Saint's Row 3
Foliorum Viridum
Banned
Your Excellency is really shitting up this thread.
H_Prestige
Banned
1. Dark Souls
PooBone
Member
1. Portal 2
2. Elder Scrolls IV: Skyrim
3. Dead Space 2
4. Catherine
5. Gears of War 3
6. Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception
7. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
8. Rayman Origins
9. Assassin's Creed: Revelations
10. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
x. Mortal Kombat
x. Shadows of the Damned
2010: Mass Effect 2
EDIT: I left off Halo: Combat Evolved and SOTC/ICO. They're both great but I don't consider them 2011 games.
2. Elder Scrolls IV: Skyrim
3. Dead Space 2
4. Catherine
5. Gears of War 3
6. Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception
7. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
8. Rayman Origins
9. Assassin's Creed: Revelations
10. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
x. Mortal Kombat
x. Shadows of the Damned
2010: Mass Effect 2
EDIT: I left off Halo: Combat Evolved and SOTC/ICO. They're both great but I don't consider them 2011 games.
- Status