1. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
2. Dark Souls
3. Skyrim
4. Portal 2
5. Yakuza 4
6. Anno 2070
7. Uncharted 3
8. L.A. Noire
9. Rochard
10. Sonic Generations

1. Xenoblade
2. Mario 3d Land
3. Zelda OOT 3D

Poor year all round, filled with disappointing sequels = (

I actually picked up basically every game I wanted to play... now if only I had 4-5 more months and no school during it.

=[

1. The Witcher 2; Simply amazing. I was immersed in the rich story and the environments like no other game. The combat can be quirky at times but nothing is perfect.

2. Portal 2; Another great release from Valve. Instant 'Classic'. Not as magical as the first game but it's still got its charm and Valve's fantastic level of quality.

3. Batman: Arkham City; A really satisfying Batman simulator. This game got everything a Batman fan will want. Impressive level designs and the combat system makes this game enjoyable punch after punch. One minor quirk was the amount of villains and playable characters. Game could have done without Catwoman as a playable character in the main story mode. Oh and the performances of all the characters were phenomenal. Especially the Joker...

4. Battlefield 3; DICE has outdone themselves in terms of tech and level of believability. The shooting mechanics are one of the finest for the genre. Hours after hours of Multiplayer fun although the maps are not as great as they could have been compared to those of 1942 or BF2.

5. Bastion; Very fun indie game. The voice narration was really well done and made an ordinary hack and slash much more memorable.
Fun weapons and lengthy main storyline with many more challenges to finish. I will be looking forward to what Supergiant games come up with next.

6. Skyrim; A big release but swamped with bugs and features mediocre voice acting and combat. However the game's magic shines when you put away the quest markers and fully immerse yourself in the world. The game's level scaling is still bad though.

7. Frozen Synapse; I just recently started playing this. The amount of complexity and depth to the strategies is incredible. Really loving the online component of the game. It's like chess but better and with guns!


Can't quite get to number 10. I still have yet to finish a lot of games on my backlog since I've bought a load more games in the Christmas sales.

1. Dark Souls
2. Total War: Shogun 2
3. Dead Island
4. Driver: San Francisco
5. Batman: Arkham City
6. Saints Row: The Third
7. Gears of War 3
8. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
9. inFamous 2
10. L.A. Noire
x. Bulletstorm
x. Catherine

2010. Bioshock 2

1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim; My most played game this year, loved the theme and enviroment, the music is wonderfull and really inmersive,i can lose hours in this game.

2. Deus Ex: Human Revolution; I am a fan of cyberpunk so i loved the world, the choice of choosing between stealth and combat is something that i liked and think they did very well. The Music superb. It leaved me wanting for more, i hope that Eidos Montreal release another game in the Deus Ex universe.

3. The Witcher 2; Gorgeous graphics, nice characters and history. The way the game improved the combat was cool, loved it <3.

1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
2. Assassin's Creed: Revelations
3. Bastion
4. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
5. DiRT 3
6. Driver: San Francisco
7. FIFA 12
8. Lego Pirates of the Caribbean
9. Killzone 3
10. Gears of War 3

1. Uncharted 3
2. Dead Space 2
3. inFamous 2 (it probably needs the votes)
4. Batman: Arkham City
5. Assassin's Creed: Revelations
6. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
7. Portal 2
8. Bulletstorm
9. Resistance 3

I've played a lot this year but despite everyone around telling me how good this year was for gaming I struggle to list even 5 nominations for my GOTY. Go figure.

1. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; First place for trying, could've been much more. Need to evolve for sequel or it will fail.
2. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings ; Combat was kinda bad until patch 2.0 came out. In my opinion it still beats Skyrim in every way possible.
3. Portal 2 ; Most polished game in top-3 but for some reason it just didn't click with me like the first Portal did. Still a great game though.
4. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception ; Bad script, dull story, broken shooting mechanics. Anticipated it to be my GOTY but in the end it didn't make it even in top-3.
5. Bulletstorm ; I'm a sucker for sci-fi thus i'll put it here. Plus I liked it more than Gears 3 and that's all I can say about them.

Honorable mentions in alphabetical order:

x. Alice: Madness Returns ; for the best GPU PhysX usage in 2011
x. Batman: Arkham City ; for Batman in Arkham City, also -- Catwoman!
x. Battlefield 3 ; for showing that even AAA titles can target PC hardware graphically
x. Crysis 2 ; for providing me with a benchmarking tool for DX11 hardware
x. Dead Space 2 ; dissapointing sequel for one of my favorite games of this generations, story was just meh, Isaac should've stay silent
x. L.A. Noire ; for a new gameplay in an old GTA formula, for 1940s L.A.
x. Limbo ; while technically being a 2010 game it still was my favorite Steam indie title of 2011
x. Need for Speed: The Run ; for the best arcade NFS expirience since Most Wanted, also - for the best NFS idea since High Stakes
x. Rage ; for being a shooter from id Software
x. Renegade Ops ; for explosions, explosions and more explosions
x. Serious Sam 3: BFE ; for being insane in a very good way
x. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ; for that beautiful Digital Foundry Skyrim Timelapse video, for giving mod community something to improve on for the next ten years

Also haven't played these yet:

x. Assassin's Creed: Revelations
x. Dark Souls
x. Driver: San Francisco
x. Infamous 2
x. Killzone 3
x. MotorStorm: Apocalypse
x. Rayman Origins
x. Resistance 3
x. Trine 2

I'm kind of curious how many of those who have Witcher 2 on their list actually played the first.

Top 10 of 2011

1. Portal 2 ; I wasn’t sure if it was possible for this to live up to the original, but I am glad to say that it does. The gameplay was fantastic, as were the puzzles. The atmosphere also stood out to me, especially as you travel through the different eras of Aperture Science. Stephen Merchant and J.K. Simmons were wonderful additions to the cast as Wheatley and Cave Johnson. Finally, co-op was another great addition to the game. The level where you have to collide with your co-op partner in mid-air to be able to stop your momentum and land on a platform still stands out to me half a year later. The ending sequence was also probably one of my favorites from this entire generation.

2. Saints Row: The Third ; This is the game that I wanted Grand Theft Auto IV to be. I almost missed this game, but thankfully decided to bite on the THQ UK sale. Everything is so over-the-top, but since the game never takes itself seriously, it works extremely well. Surprisingly, it is the main storyline that really drives a lot of the zaniness and fun in the game. Two standout moments for me was the Deckers.Die mission, particularly the text adventure, and the “pony” cart chase from the S&M club. Also, your characters obsession with the Mayor and who it is was just an amazing touch.

3. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings ; I actually upgraded my PC several months before I originally planned, largely due to this game. I am glad that I did as well. What continues to stand out for me about the Witcher series is how CD Projekt does such a wonderful job making the choices various shade of gray. It is rare that you ever have a Bioware style black vs. white. They also upped the ante with the consequences to your choices, to the point that the third chapter is completely different depending on your choices in chapter two. The only other current RPG developer I feel that could pull that off is Obsidian.

4. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ; This is a game that I was obsessed with on release. Not only did I beat, I actually made sure to complete every Steam achievement as well, which is rare since in general I am fairly disdainful toward achievements. I just had to keep playing the game, so in this case I would take any goal that I could find. Unfortunately, the longer I have had to think about it, the more flaws I am able to think about. Like most Bethesda games, the story and writing continues to be non-existent to abysmal. There were also no stand-out quests. Even Oblivion (which I did not like due to the leveling system) had the Dark Brotherhood storyline. Still, despite these problems, any game that takes that much of time up must be doing something right.

5. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; I was really impressed with what Eidos Montréal managed to do with this game. They modernized it without destroying everything that was special about the original. It allowed you to approach scenarios from different perspectives, with all of them being fun and rewarding. In particular, I was impressed with the stealth gameplay, which is rare for me since it is not something I usually enjoy.

6. Batman: Arkham City ; I was a big fan of Arkham Asylum and this game is largely an improvement on it. I thought the combat was better, with both a better variety of moves for Batman, as well as having a larger variety of enemies. Boss design was also much better, with Mr. Freeze in particular standing out for me. There was also no particular part that frustrated me, like Croc’s area in the original. On the other hand, I wish Rocksteady would have done more with the open world. It seemed largely pointless to me and there really wasn’t much to do, outside of some rather uninteresting side quests and lots and lots of Riddler challenges. I also didn’t like the way they handled pre-order DLC, both with the Catwoman issues (which as a PC player I thankfully didn’t have to go through) and the ridiculous separation by retailer of alternative costumes for Batman. Also, I wouldn’t mind if Rocksteady’s next game was Catwoman focused instead. I really liked the way she handled and would like to see more of it.

7. Terraria ; Like Saints Row and GTA, for me this is more of what I wanted out of Minecraft. There is an amazing amount of stuff you can do with exploring, crafting, and building, but there is also much more of a “game” to it, with a wide variety of enemies, bosses, and even a dungeon. I am a big fan of the art style and I attribute liking the building aspect more due to it being 2D. The co-op worked well for me and my friends, which was also a plus. Finally, I appreciate the level of support the creator of the game has been giving with new, substantial content additions.

8. Bastion ; Bastion got on my radar thanks to the special features that ran on Giant Bomb for much of the year. I was then sold on it by having a chance to play it at PAX East. The gameplay was largely enjoyable, but what really sold me on the game was a combination of the art, music, and atmosphere. The art was lovely, and I very much enjoyed how the world would build itself around you as you moved throughout the level. The music also stood out for me, which was not something I expected. Combined with the narrator, it really helped bring the world to life and I actually went back and bought the soundtrack as soon as I finished the game.

9. Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine ; Relic can largely thank itself for me getting interested in the 40k universe with Dawn of War. While I am not to the point where I am going to go out and buy miniatures and paint (I lack all artistic ability), I am pretty much going to buy any 40K game they put out. I am glad I did as well, since the gameplay is pretty fantastic. The shooting is satisfying and the melee is works very well. It is hard to describe, but the Space Marines also have the correct weight, as it were, that you would expect out of a massive, genetically-engineered super-being wearing an armor suit. I would have liked to see someone besides Chaos as an enemy (I am always fine with Orks) and the story was largely forgettable. Multiplayer was pretty fun with the level of customization you could have with your character, but I am still not a fan of unlocking weapons and perks. They sort of made it more bearable with the ability to use the loadout of whoever killed you, but I would prefer to just be able to have everything unlocked from the start. Also, the lack of dedicated servers on the PC really sucked.

10. Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War II – Retribution ; I will straight up say that this is sort of disappointing after the phenomenal Chaos Rising expansion. The story line had to be fairly generic to be able to work with the different races and I am pretty disappointed that that after how heavy of a focus the story played in the earlier DoW games, that they ended the current story line for the Space Marines here. On the other hand, I finally got to be the Orks in the main campaign (as well as the Guard) which I liked. I also liked how you could chose to play the game just like DoW 2 and focus on your hero characters or trade them out for stronger versions of the squads and play the game more like the original DoW.

x. Orcs Must Die! ; This was another game that I probably wouldn’t have even heard of, if I didn’t run across it at PAX East. I am glad that I did, because it was a wonderful little game. It has a lot of charm and some fun ideas to help differentiate itself in what seems to be a quickly over-saturated genre. My only complaint might be that might clicking finger actually starts to hurt after an hour or two of playing this game.

x. Dungeon Defenders ; I don’t really have a ton to say about this game (need more play time), but this takes a lot of things I like about Orcs Must Die!, but puts an online twist to them. I also appreciate the loot aspect of the game.

2010. Red Dead Redemption ; Not entirely sure why I missed this game last year, but I regret that I did. It is a very fun game, even if the story tends to drag in parts. There is a surprisingly large amount of stuff to do in the world, which I really appreciated.



Disappointments of 2011 – This does not mean I think the games were bad. They just didn’t live up to the expectations I had for them.

Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception – I have a lot of mixed feelings about this game, but in the end after how much I liked Uncharted 2, I just expected a lot more. The story in particular let me down. It very much felt like they created what they hoped would be cool set pieces and forced the story around it. That would actually be fine in most cases, but they put so much emphasis on story in this game series, that I just don’t think it worked. Also, I wasn’t that impressed with the melee system for how much focus they put on it. I was also surprised how many technical issues I ran into with UC3, which is not something I expected from Naughty Dog. On the other hand, I did appreciate that they kept the supernatural junk to a minimum this time and I was fine with a lack of a terrible boss battle. I also like what they are trying to do with the animation system, even if it comes off a bit funny sometimes (as a recent GAF thread put a spotlight on).

Assassin's Creed: Revelations – I realize they are trying to finish up Ezio’s storyline so they can move on to AC3, but I think they should have gave this series a rest for a year or two. I really loved AC2 and Brotherhood, but I think the formula is starting to wear some for me. It didn’t help that I got what was pretty much the best armor a third of the way into the game from having a Master Assassin, which took away almost all of the challenge. I also disliked the new additions they added, especially the den defense. That was just not a fun mechanic at all.


Did Not Play – These are games that I haven't played yet, but I think would have a shot of changing up my top 10.

Anno 2070
Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
Alice: Madness Returns
Pokemon Black/White
Super Mario 3D Land
The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Dark Souls
Gemini Rue
Rayman: Origins

DoctorWho said:

I'm kind of curious how many of those who have Witcher 2 on their list actually played the first.

Click to expand...

The first Witcher is one of my favorites RPGs of all times.

DoctorWho said:

I'm kind of curious how many of those who have Witcher 2 on their list actually played the first.

Click to expand...

I would imagine most of them. It's the hardcore PC crowd who played it and the first game was pretty big when it came out.

1. Uncharted 3. Call it "basically Dragon's Lair" in my presence, get one free punch in your reproductive organs.

2. Portal 2. Worth it for JK Simmon's lemon monologue alone. Puzzles were pretty good too.

3. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword. Slow start but all is forgiven once you get to the dungeons.

4. Super Mario 3d Land. PETA approved!

5. Batman: Arkham City. Not as good as the first one, still better than most other games.

6. Rayman Origins

1. Killzone 3
2. Uncharted 3
3. Infamous 2
4. Resistance 3
5. LittleBigPlanet 2
6. Mortal Kombat

I've got Battlefield 3 and Dead Space 2, but haven't beaten them yet.

1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
2. Portal 2
3. Batman: Arkham City
4. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
5. Bastion
6. Dead Space 2
7. Bejweled 3
8. Dead Island
9. Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3
10. Full House Poker

I'll be back the last day, these are mostly placeholders but who knows...

1) DoDonPachi Resurrection
2) Super Mario 3D Land
3) The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
4) Batman Arkham City
5) Tiny Wings
6) Mario Kart 7
7) Ghost Trick
8) Dark Souls
9) Uncharted 3
10) Xenoblade Chronicle

2010: Gran Turismo 5

1) Portal 2
2) Deus Ex: Human Revolution
3) Tactics Ogre
4) Bulletstorm
5) Bastion
6) Jetpack Joyride

2010: Super Meat Boy

Edit: Took out 2k12. After spending more time with it. It has way too many issues.

1. Skyrim
2. Portal 2
3. Deus Ex
4. Legend Of Zelda Skyward Sword
5. Forza 4
6. Batman Arkham City
7. Rayman Origins
8. Gears of War 3
9. LBP2
10. Uncharted 3

1. Dues Ex: Human Revolution : I went back and forth on this game and my number 2 choice. Dues Ex won out due to it being the Metal Gear game I have always wanted. Yeah strange statement in some ways but really had more fun with stealth in this game then any game since MGS. The praxis system aside I really want more of this game. Hope they are working on some sorta of sequel.

2. Alice: Madness Returns : Went in not expecting much if anything at all and ended up playing one of the best platformers I have played in ages. Loved the worlds and the HAIR omg a game that did hair right should get votes just for that. Sure there was a world that went on just a tad long but over all I loved this game.

3. Batman: Arkham City : Ok I am odd when it comes to this game, infact I honestly could care less about the story or the characters in this game (yes being Batman helps) but it's the combat engine I love. They really took the already great free-flow system from the first game and just fixed a few issues and added better depth to gadgets and redricts. AA was already game I spent too much time with AC with it's better combat is going to be something I play until they make the inevitable next game.

4. Uncharted 3 : I liked this better then 2 on many levels. But I it really at this point did not do anything "new" it just kept on doing what it does so well. Mind you I did not play this until after the "aim" patch so I have no idea how the default was. It was a great ride as normal with some scenes of character interaction that Hollywood could learn from.
5. Warhammer 40K: Space Marine : I have played the table top version of 40k off and on for 20 years now this game was just pure fun. Wish it had more options for single player looks but hey was a great first outing. Next game needs more nids.

6. LA Noir : Not sure how to explain the way this game grabbed me and pulled me through to the end. I know most people ended up not liking the game, but for me something clicked and I really enjoyed the odd ride it was to the end.

Still Have Not Played
Assassin's Creed : Revelations
Skyrim (most likely won't due to having only a PS3 and a PC that can not run it)

Reading through the list made me realize that every game I played this year did not come out in 2011

1. Dark Souls
2. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
3. Total War: Shogun 2
4. Mortal Kombat

2010. Gran Turismo 5

1. Dark Souls

2. Pokemon White / Black

3...


I Play way too few new games

1. Ghost Trick: Reminded me just how good games can be. Characters that I actually cared about and an amazing story that never ran out of steam.

2. Xenoblade Chronicles: Towers above every other RPG this gen, HD twins included. Puts games with a higher budget to shame. Gaur Plains, what else is there to say?

3. Rayman Origins: Playing the game gives the impression of a labour of love. Amazing animation and pixel perfect controls.

4. Alice: Madness Returns: Amazing art direction and storytelling, genuinely interesting levels and tight platforming.


LTTP 2010:

Deadly Premonition: A game that is far, far greater than the sum of its parts. Dated graphics, poor controls, yet I didn't care one bit. Sucked me in like no other game last year.

Well here goes.

1. Dark Souls
2. Ghost Trick
3. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
4. Shadows of the Damned
5. Portal 2
6. Uncharted 3
7. Dead Space 2
8. Bastion
9. Mortal Kombat
10. ?

I really can't seem to think of a game for the 10th spot. I would throw Skyward Sword in there, but I only played the first 6-8 hours and I didn't particularly enjoy most of my time spend with that game.

Did not play, but still intend to:
Alice: Madness Returns
Batman: Arkham City
Rayman Origins (aside from the fantastic demo)
Xenoblade (only 2 hours)
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
L.A. Noir (only the first 2-3 hours)
Catherine
and many many more...

sweet fancy moses, we've had like 900 posts and I'm the only one that ranked solatorobo on my list. I knew it would bomb saleswise but it can't even manage to get attention from niche-loving people on messageboards haha, wow.

randomkid said:

sweet fancy moses, we've had like 900 posts and I'm the only one that ranked solatorobo on my list. I knew it would bomb saleswise but it can't even manage to get attention from niche-loving people on messageboards haha, wow.

Click to expand...

I'm guilty of not buying it even though I was at least somewhat interested in the concept and it's technical achievement (60fps on the DS weee).

*grumbles about Japan's late release dates this year* Done! Per usual, I'm going to do my "official" list with explanations with games released to home consumers in 2011 in their region of creation, but I'll do the wrap-up for points with the NeoGAF rules. They don't match! Read the former, count the latter.

01. Turnabout Prosecutor 2/Ace Attorney Investigations 2
I am only partly joking here. HEY, DOUCHES WHO HATE THE CIRCUS CASE FROM JUSTICE FOR ALL. GUESS WHO'S BACK? IN 2 CASES? SUCK IT.
So, yes, you get the BEST ACE ATTORNEY CASE IN THE SERIES, political plotting from the 1st Edgeworth game and from the new, self-righteous rival (1 of my favorite characters in the series), Iwadare doing his thing, and a main thread that gets at Edgeworth's essential character. It's my favorite game of the 5 even though it gets a few things wrong. Everything else is aimed right at me.

02. Hero 30 Second/Half-Minute Hero 2
Even with the previews, I couldn't have expected this. If the 1st game was a game about role-playing games, this is a game about the 1st game. It finds its home in the 16-bit era, so where Hero 30 parodied 8-bit nonsense, Second pokes fun at the 16-bit's self-seriousness. It's a testament to the team that this game wasn't a lark. To balance a proper, linear, quest-based role-playing game with the caffeinated twitch strategy of its original premise is a proper achievement. I will miss your butt-rock, Hero 30, but I find your more arch musical comedy a worthy replacement.

03. Shogun 2: Total War
I wanted Empire to be so good. Can I just sum up my feelings with a timeline? The past: the original Shogun. The present: what Empire should have been. The future: an expansion based on the Bakumatasu period (that is, the best thing ever). You did it, The Creative Assembly!

04. Bangaio Missile Fury/Bangai-O H.D. Missile Fury
Bangaio Spirits is 1 of my 10 favorite games. This dials down the at times contemplative boom-bangs and splits the difference between its prequels. The package is bare bones, but I presume that's for your safety. The bliss/seizures you'll have from the main game's missile onslaught are enough to ruin you for other games.

05. Terror Of The Stratus/Terror Of The Stratus
You're telling me that Nude Maker did an overwrought space opera with phenomenal production values, a gameplay segment devoted to graphic adventure conversations, a segment devoted to an investigative beat-'em-up where you suss out enemy weaknesses with your 3-person party, and a segment devoted to a shoot-'em-up for smart people? NOM.

06. Grand Knights History
And this is the side project! It's hilarious that the Vanillaware interpretation of this genre is "boot camp" where everyone else's is "medieval epic." I obviously haven't played the online, but this bizarro version of the handheld Final Fantasy Tactics games (item-skill system, music by Sakimoto's company, and all!) appeals to me just as much as those do.

07. Lightning 11 4: Go/Inazuma Eleven 4
Level-5, are you overburdened? There's barely anything new. Mitsuda is gone from composing. It's a yearly entry after the original trilogy that arguably necessitated that pace. You're taking on new annual media properties. What's the rush? It's lucky for you that this was this (last?) generation's best new series.

08. Puyo Puyo Birthday/Puyo Puyo 20th Anniversary
It's the best version of 1 of the best puzzle games. This has 20 years of content packed into a candy-colored shell. Why is Tetris the handheld "killer app," again?

09. Classic Dungeon: X2/Cladun x2
Except for the not-as-good music, it's Classic Dungeon but more so. System Prisma does sequels correctly. To innovate, a developer shouldn't take a step back and look for something new outside of the property's foundations. It should dig deeper into the mechanics to find the quirks and extrapolations that they missed as novices. Nerds, let them reward you!

10. Slime Of Gusto: Tails Squad And The Great Pirate/Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a47zbhZeXw4 Either you find those last 45 seconds (and, therefore, the game) charming or you don't. While the series proper is going through an identity crisis, it's Slime's clever comforting puzzle solving that's the bright spot for Square-Enix.

1. Ace Attorney Investigations 2
2. Half-Minute Hero 2
3. Shogun 2: Total War
4. Bangai-O H.D. Missile Fury
5. Terror Of The Stratus
6. Inazuma Eleven
7. Puyo Puyo 20th Anniversary
8. Cladun x2
9. Dragon Quest Heroes: Rocket Slime 3
10. Mighty Milky Way

1. Portal 2 ; In total a phenomenal experience that I consider one of the high points of this generation. Expanding on the mythos of Aperture Sciences provided a continuously compelling backdrop due in large part to the superb voice actors and OST. Though not without its faults, gameplay was overall outstanding with near pitch-perfect challenge. Lastly, the dedication by Valve to provide immensely enjoyable and unique single-player and multi-player experiences cements this game, for me, as GOTY 2011.

2. Dark Souls ; Having never experienced its predecessor I only knew to expect death, and much of it. The surprise for me was how wholly enjoyable this game with its excellent, albeit challenging, gameplay, engrossing and impressive world, and multiplayer integration. It really is amazing how anonymity and randomness can bring out both douche bags and true gentleman - and I loved every second of it.

3. Bastion ; Hands down the best downloadable title released this year and definitely on the short-list for this generation. Neither complex or difficult in the gameplay department, Bastion shined brightest in the presentation of its narrative. Storybook-esque delivery combined with an inventive and impressive OST made for such a compelling experience that once the credits ended I immediately started a second playthrough. That such a game was made by just a handfull of people, further underscores the accomplishment this game is.

4. Xenoblade Chronicles ; The wait was long but the best console JRPG this gen finally arrived. Expansive world, stellar OST, and engaging melodrama brought back fond memories of PS2 gems like FF XII and erased bitter ones of FF XIII. Gameplay was solid overall, blending Tales of and FFXII styles and the loot system was great for OCD people such as myself.

5. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ; A significant advancement on all fronts from Oblivion, Skyrim provides a beautiful and immersive world to drown away hours best measured in days. Quest structure, companion and perk system lacks the immersion and nuance of Obsidian's Fallout: New Vegas; however, the thrill of dragon slaying and exploration (at least for the first 20 or so levels) have kept me feeling like a true Nord this past month.

6. Dungeons of Dredmor ; Highly addicting for loot-whores, and often quite cute, rogue-like that became my most played game on my laptop this year. Definitely a game that provides a love of the re-roll.

7. Pokemon Black/White ; With a swathe of new refinements and a whole new perspective, Black & White breathed new life into a stagnating franchise. Don't be fooled though, only crazy people 'catch them all'.

8. Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP ; Bold and novel take on iOS gaming whose OST is nothing short of sublime.

9. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together ; One of Mastuno's finest made even better, gameplay-wise and artistically, on top of being now portable. An absolute gem for SRPG lovers.

10. Radiant Historia ; Charming and all-around fun, Radiant Historia was superb addition to the already jam-packed library of DS RPGs. Solid story, great music and an excellent battle system will likely see this game regarded as a hidden gem with time.

1. Portal 2
2. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
3. Batman: Arkham City
4. Super Mario 3D Land
5. Uncharted 3: Drakes Deception
6. Mario Kart 7
7. Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
8. Assassins Creed: Revelations
9. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
10. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3

Rather boring but solid list from me this year. Need greater genre variety to my play next year.

Man this is hard.

1. Saints Row The Third
2. Skyrim
3. Crysis 2
4. Two Worlds II
5. Resistance 3
6. Tom Clancy&#8217;s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars
7. DiRT 3
8. Driver: San Francisco
9. Bulletstorm
10. Super Mario 3D Land

2010. Alpha Protocol

1. Skyrim
2. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
3. Portal 2
4. Uncharted 3
5. Gears of War 3

All existing IPs.... :-(

1. Uncharted 3
2. Zelda Skyward Sword
3. Battlefield 3
4. Fishing Resort
5. Dark Souls
6. Tactics Ogre
7. Catherine
8. Infamous 2
9. Xenoblade
10. Skyrim

I'm surprised I loved so many Wii games this year, especially Fishing Resort AKA the most relaxing game ever. Skyrim would have been higher, but the PS3 fiasco seriously soured the experience. I wished I had a better gaming PC.

GhaleonQ said:

*grumbles about Japan's late release dates this year*

// list stuff //

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You're a real showoff with all those Japan-exclusive games. :<

I haven't played all the games that I might consider placing it in this list, but since my schedule is so robust, I don't think I will play them all before the deadline. So here is my list:

1) Dark Souls ; Out of all the games I have played this year, Dark Souls which I have played for 150+ hours is the only game that I will remember a few years from now. The moment I saw the first trailers I knew From Software was concocting something special. From the standpoint of artistry Dark Souls is beautifull, from the standpoint of gameplay Dark Souls is almost flawless, from the standpoint of balance and challenge Dark Souls is this years ultimate deliverance. Well done and let's hope the succes will push From Software to newer heights, the industry needs it.

2) Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception ; Once again, Naughty Dog prove they are the ones to beat, when it comes to graphical presentation. Uncharted 3 set pieces are astounding and the visuals are in the upper echelons at this moment. To fully enjoy the attention to detail Naughty Dog has put into this game is to play it at least 2 times. I have enjoyed the gunplay aswell, some remarkable designed levels are what makes Uncharted 3 rememorable to me.

3) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ; Bethesda has always been a love and hate relationship. They make the kind of games I want to play, but this generation they made them with ambitions that I don't hold as dearly. I would have never thought that Skyrim would make my goty list. The improvements in Skyrim are sizable, but it is still not the game I would sink 100+ hours in. Let's hope Bethesda reinvents itself and push themselves more in terms of playability.

4) Portal 2 ; I would have been fine to just watch someone else play this game, instead of playing it myself. It's visual excellence and high production values are remarkable. Valve have done a great job.

5) Dead Space 2 ; A disappointment, but nonetheless I have enjoyed Isaacs bad luck day. Consider it my guilty pleasure.

1. skyrim
2. witcher 2
3. portal 2
4. deus ex: human revolution
5. saints row 3
6. uncharted 3
7. bastion
8. batman ac
9. la noire
10. resistance 3

2010: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors

1. Dead Space 2; Not *quite* as good as my 2008 GOTY, but easily me best experience this year, amazing polish, and some nice improvements, only the last few levels let it down.
2. Batman : Arkham City; Possibly TOO much content, sprawling and not as focussed as AA, but it had so much more to it as well, I couldn't put it down. It weaned me off Dark Souls too, which is no mean feat.
3. Dark Souls; from someone with no PS3 and has never played Demon's Souls, I was pleasantly surprised, not as unrelentingly difficult as I expected, amazing world, looking forward to getting back and kicking Smaugh and Ornstein when I get some time.
4. Elder Scrolls V : Skyrim; been on this since my winter holidays started, and it's already a huge improvement on Oblivion.
5. Deux Ex: Human Revolution

Pretty easy decisions for me this year, still to complete 3,4 and 5, just not had the time for games much with work over the last 6 months

Not even bought Gears 3 yet!

1. Dark Souls
2. Skyrim
3. Super Mario 3D Land
4. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
5. Tom Clancy&#8217;s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars
6. Bastion
7. Mario Kart 7
8. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
9. Ghost Trick
10. The Next Big Thing

2010.Red Dead Redemption

Both Dark Souls and Skyrim have become my favourite games of the generation, but DS was so fresh and different from every other game that it deserves the number 1's spot.

I still have a lot of games from this year to play (Portal 2, Batman, Dead Island, AssCreedRev, etc) so one of those will probably be my "2011" pick next year.

slaughterking said:

You're a real showoff with all those Japan-exclusive games. :<

Click to expand...

Substitute, "mad that he broke the bank because no one is bringing them over." I should have waited on Grand Knights History, though.

I'd almost be more angry if Capcom localized Edgeworth or XSeed did Hero now. Almost.

1. Skyrim
2. Batman: Arkham City
3. Bastion
4. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
5. Modern Warfare 3
6. Portal 2
7. Gears of War 3
8. L.A. Noire
9. Bulletstorm
10. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

x. Battlefield 3

Uncharted 3 probably would've been on my list, but haven't gotten around to playing it yet.

here we go

1. Xenoblade Chronicles ; For someone like me who plays a lot of mmorpgs, espacially asia grinders, this is THE perfect singleplayer game. The adequate bland of story, soundtrack, world design and battle mechanics/gameplay makes this my favorit game - ever.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword ; I even liked the motion controlls and would keep them for future titles
3. Mario Kart 7 ; Probably the best Mario Kart Yet. There are only 2 or 3 Tracks which I don't like.
4. Okamiden ; Not as good as the Original Okami, but that would have been impossible anyway.
5. Inazuma Eleven ; Interessting idea for an RPG. It has some major weaknesses but is pretty good overall
6. Minecraft ; Depending on how you look at it, you could rate it the worst game ever. If you like creating insane stuff, this is for you.
7. Rayman Origins ; not much to say... great art.
8. Professor Layton and the Last Specter ; If you like Layton, you know what to expect here.



2010. Infinite Space ; I have no words to discribe how much I loved this,

1. Gears of war 3
2. Skyrim
3. Saints Row The Third
4. Bulletstorm
5. Trenched
6. WWE Allstars
7. Portal 2
8. Dead Island
9. Rayman Origins



2010 - Red dead redemption

1. Skyrim
2. Portal 2
3. Skyward Sword.

That's pretty much it for me. Haven't played anything this year, been WAY too busy.

1.Skyrim
2.Uncharted 3
3.Batman Arkham City
4.Portal 2
5.Gears of War 3
6.Pokemon Black
7.Dead Space 2
8.Mortal Kombat
9.Super Mario 3D Land
10.Rayman Origins

GhaleonQ said:

HEY, DOUCHES WHO HATE THE CIRCUS CASE FROM JUSTICE FOR ALL. GUESS WHO'S BACK? IN 2 CASES? SUCK IT.

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*raises hand to self-identify as part of the douche group*

04. Bangaio Missile Fury/Bangai-O H.D. Missile Fury
Bangaio Spirits is 1 of my 10 favorite games. This dials down the at times contemplative boom-bangs and splits the difference between its prequels. The package is bare bones, but I presume that's for your safety. The bliss/seizures you'll have from the main game's missile onslaught are enough to ruin you for other games.

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Glad to see you came around to this after your initial consternation over the platform choice.

Otherwise the list is basically what I expected from you, more or less. What did you think of Shadows of the Damned, if you played it?

1. Saints Row The Third
2. Alice: Madness Returns
3. Dark Souls
4. Child of Eden
5. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
6. Rayman Origins
7. Super Mario 3D Land
8. Trackmania 2: Canyon
9. Monster Tale
10. From Dust

1. Dark Souls ; Not the most polished game this year but definitely my favorite.
2. The Witcher 2 ; Geralt is amazing at loving and fighting and his game is gorgeous.
3. Gundam Extreme VS; The best "fighting" game I've played in ages. Awesome multiplayer.
4. Portal 2 ; Well executed in every way and some of the funniest game dialogue ever.
5. Uncharted 3 ; My favorite in the series so far. The new melee system is fantastic.
6. Dynasty Warriors Gundam 3 ; Looks, runs and plays great. The best musou game yet.
7. The Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword ; Best motion controls on the Wii. Loved the new look!
8. Mortal Kombat; Tons of content and looks and feels better than ever.
9. Ico/SotC Collection; Two amazing games remade in HD and in 3D with bonus content.
10. Catherine ; Original. Unique. Memorable.


2010. 999 ; I've never had a game engross me quite the way 999 did. Loved the puzzles and the story!

1. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; Highly original, was the first immersive sim game with fantastic core gameplay in the form of a polished stealth system that used the hold to cover system from Splinter Cell: Conviction, was one of the longest games of year but did not have much repetition, had flawless gameplay design and art direction at the same time, the idea of exploring transhumanism was at the center of the game and made story and characters shine, the financial success of the game has implications for the future of the video games industry.

2. Dark Souls ; Was resisting because of the notorious difficulty level, the game turned out to be very well balanced, the insanely hard stuff was optional, a brilliantly designed game that reminded me of Resident Evil 4 (the challenge, brilliant core gameplay in the form of melee combat, built around designed enemy encounter design that avoids repetition), the ambience of the world is of the charts good and the graphics are too,

3. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword ; Somewhat original due to the novel control mechanism, was one of the best designed game of 2011, makes you sad that only Nintendo knows the secret recipe

4. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ; Not original, but finally an elderscrolls title with a level progression system that works. Scope of the world building, graphics and some specific locations are impressive.

5. Batman: Arkham City

6. Dead Island

7. L.A. Noire

8. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings

9. Portal 2 ; Not very original, puzzles were too "designed" compared to the original which relied on discovering the magical properties of portals, game was not a "comedy game", but the puzzle design (also one of the major flaws) gets it a spot on the top 10.

10. Terraria

2010. Nier

1. Dark Souls
2. Deus Ex HR
3. Uncharted 3
4. Witcher 2
5. Battlefield 3
6. Crysis 2
7. Dead Space 2
8. WH40k: Space Marines
9. KillZone 3

for people that want an easier time reading the titles released this year, check out wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2011_in_video_gaming

1. Pullbox/Pushmo ( Yes, I went there)
2. Xenoblade Chronicles
3. Legend of Zelda: Skyward sword
4. Mario 3D Land
5. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
6. Mario Kart 7
7. Pro Evolution Soccer 2012 Playmaker (Wii)
8. Dark Souls (PS3)
9. Dragon Quest 6 DS
10. Starfox 64 3D