• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

GAF Games of the Year 2011 - Voting Thread - Voting's Over, Folks!

Status
Not open for further replies.
stonedwal

stonedwal

Member
1. Portal 2: If you told me this was going to be my game of the year 12 months ago, I'd have done a double take, but it was the most fun I had playing through a game this past year. The characters are what really sells it.
2. Batman: Arkham City: Obscenely well executed sequel. One of the best combat systems ever. I kind of stuck to the main path, so there's plenty left to justify a second run. Could have done without the character switching.
3. Saints Row 3: Really grabbed me for a solid 20 hours. Honestly, the mayhem pf the main story kind of wore thin on me - there's just something lacking. The trimmed down customisation and reduced side missions were a real drag, but the core mechanics more than make up for it.
4. Deus Ex: Human Revolution: This would have been number 1 if not for the boss fights. It nailed the structure, gameplay and storytelling - there just needed to be more options for how to tackle those bosses.
5. Inazuma Eleven: Picked up the UK release in August - I'm not really one for RPGs, but the core mechanics of this game are fantastic. Probably gets a little too easy once you've figured out the basics, but there are plenty of tougher challenges if you want to seek them out.
6. Kirby's Return to Dream Land: I wanted a regular ass Kirby game and I got one. With four player co-op.
7. Dead Space 2: Just as good, if not better than the original, but I didn't really like the way they tried to make Isaac Clarke more of a character. As far as I'm concerned he's just another generic middle aged dude.
8. Mortal Kombat: I thought Marvel vs. Capcom 3 was going to be my favourite fighter of the year, but I was proven wrong. Much more balanced and engaging game than I had expected to see from Netherrealm - so much content too.
9. Dead Rising 2: Off the Record: I'm a sucker for Dead Rising, and I really dug the changes they made to the story of the second game to accomodate Frank.
10. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword: To be honest, I'm only about 3 hours in, and I didn't enjoy that first 90 minutes, but the magic is coming together. It's just not grabbing me the way I had expected - I had assumed this would easily be a top 3, if not a #1.
x. Jetpac Joyride: Played a ton of this over Christmas when I was without my consoles. Only the second iPhone game that's ever really grabbed me.
x. Kirby: Mass Attack: Totally adorable with a strong core concept, but didn't play enough of it.
x. Super Mario 3D Land: I like what I've played, but it wasn't really enough to put it into contention.

2010. Alpha Protocol: Started this last year, but didn't really dig into it until the Summer lull this year. While there's some definite jank going on with the controls and action components of the game, the dialogue and story structure is damn good. I'm curious to see just how flexible that story structure is.
 
M

Mr. Sam

Member
1. Portal 2;

3D98C.png


Pretty, witty, charming, hilarious and downright fun. There's a reason Portal 2, like Portal before it, has spawned a mountain of memetic material - it's the funniest, most endearing videogame around. You don't even have to 'get' videogames to get Portal 2. There's so, so much to love about this game. Stephen Merchant as Wheatley is simultaneously hilarious and bizarrely menacing. GLaDOS, the same. The simple aesthetic of the original Portal isn't replaced; it's added to - a sort of dilapidated beauty pasted over it. The one thing the game is arguably lacking is difficulty, and you sometimes get the idea that the game's been playtested too thoroughly. Thing is, the co-op, which is nothing short of fiendish at times, more than makes up for it. Two heads are better than one, therefore the multiplayer challenges are more than twice as hard as those found in singleplayer. Let's not forget what could be one of the greatest videogame endings of all-time - an ending that's both audacious and yet sort of touching. Gorgeous, fun, dramatic, satisfying and very funny. Very brilliant. Very Valve. Now, about those combustible lemons...

2. Batman: Arkham City;

IWdK6.png


Rocksteady might have perfected close quarters combat, or have at least somehow found a way to make it addictive, challenging, simple and nuanced all at once. If that's not perfection, I don't know what is. You're Batman; you're in the middle of a thirty man mob; you're going wreck each and every one of these punks - and with panache. There's just a balance to Arkham City. A balance between accessibility and difficulty. A balance between freedom and linearity. A balance between stealth and combat. A balance between story and side quests. Balance, balance, balance. Everything compliments everything else perfectly. OK, so maybe they went a little overboard with the collectibles. Anyone that went after all three million Riddler trophies has my begrudging respect. Still, how Rocksteady created something that had both style and substance in such intimidating amounts is beyond me. It's almost as if they had the goddamn Batman on staff.

3. Rayman Origins;

Ku5l8.png


I've grown up with platformers - from Earthworth Jim and Donkey Kong Country to Super Mario 64 and Banjo Kazooie to Ratchet & Clank and Jak & Daxter to Super Mario Galaxy and Little Big Planet. Rayman Origins is up there with my very favourites. It was a dream as a kid that I'd just be able to play, well, a cartoon, and that's what Rayman Origins has done. It's a cartoon with the controller in my hands. A sumptuously fun game, wondrously beautiful, with a satisfying - and variable - level of challenge. Never mind Dark Souls - when I finish a particularly tricky bit on Origins, or uncover a particularly out of the way secret, I feel like I've got the devil's fingers. A masterpiece. A shame that all of twelve people have bought it. A further shame that there's only local co-op. C'est la vie.

4. Pokemon Black & White;

8HyVj.png


I own both versions of this game. That's a first, and I've played Pokemon games since Red & Blue. I mean, it's still a Pokemon game, and it's still very recognisable as a Pokemon game. I'd rather Game Freak stick to what they do best than throw the baby out with the bathwater, and this is the most complete Pokemon game yet. It's not revolutionary; it is an astoundingly good take on an existing formula. I found myself getting attached to these little critters that are about an inch across on a tiny screen, getting obsessed with creating the best balanced team I could. For a month or two, it was 1998 again.

5. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary;

nZa4H.png


I bought Gears of War 3, but found I had a bad case of Gears fatigue. I traded it in for Uncharted 3, but found the game too hand-holdey (and too broken in the combat department). Finally, I traded in Uncharted for a game from 2001 with a fresh skin. Best decision I ever made. I was a latecomer to the Halo series, only really starting with Halo 3, but I've fallen head over heels in love with it like everyone else. To know that it was fantastic from the very start is a comfort. Technical issues? Oh, a bunch. But, frankly, first person shooting has never been so good.

6. Tiny Wings;

mTmXR.png


Not on the list but a Wikipedia visit confirms that it was released in 2011. Look at how good I am at this game. Look. That's not even my current top scores; they're marginally better.

7. Dead Space 2;

pjOXv.png


I picked this up for £12 or something ludicrous a week or so after release. Visceral Games certainly lived up their name. Hey, EA, want a box quote for the GOTY edition? "This game is worth £12."

8. Deus Ex: Human Revolution;

72kdu.png


I had a very fun, but brief time with this. I'll admit it - I all but despaired at the first boss fight. Sad? Kind of. I'll likely pick it back up now that its price has so dramatically fallen, but I'll still not shake the feeling that I should be playing it on a PC.

9. LA Noire;

irJnj.png


The bipolar adventures of Cole Phelps proved a surprisingly popular party game. "That bitch is lying!" "Maybe that watermelon is evidence!" "So, is that your partner playing the piano, or what?"

10. Saints Row The Third;

...

x. WWE 12

RIVJY.png


Not nearly the rejuvenation that the series needs, or that was promised. Still, like a cheap hooker, I reluctantly had my fun with it, and I'm still undefeated in ladder matches against my friends. I'm proud of that record.

x. Dark Souls; Ditto.
x. Alice: Madness Returns

2010. Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood
 
I

Ikopi

Member
01. The Witcher 2
02. Ghost Trick
03. Skyrim
04. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
05. Super Mario 3D Land
06. Batman: Arkham City
07. Mass Effect 2
08. F1 2011
09. Dirt 3
10. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
 
F

FerranMG

Member
1. Portal 2
2. From Dust
3. Dead Island
4. Dead Space 2
5. Tiny Tower
6. Jetpack Joyride

lol, just realized I haven't played many 2011 games this year.
I got a few of them for Christmas that still haven't had the chance to start (Dead Space 2, Modern Warfare 3, Deux Ex). :(
 
R

RZI

Member
1. Portal 2
2. Mortal Kombat
3. Saints Row The Third
4. Yakuza 4
5. Bastion
6. Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds

Wow, this one was easy. I didn't play that many new games this year, I am still clearing my backlog. I am going to get most of 2011's games this year.
 
T

TheThunder

Member
Haven't played much 2011 games tbh, but the one game I've played is one of the best this generation along with it's predecessor.

1. Dark Souls
 
M

McCloud?

Member
1. Portal 2
2. Dark Souls
3. Super Mario 3D Land
4. Seven Little Words
5. Gears of War 3
6. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
7. Mario Kart 7
8. Pilotwings Resort
9. Crysis 2
10. Bastion

X. Bulletstorm
X. Modern Warfare 3

2010. Deadly Premonition

I think I could fill out a second, better top 10 list with all of the games I didn't get around to playing this year. 2011 has made my pile of shame gigantic.
 
W

Wiseblade

Member
1. Xenoblade Chronicles ; Easily the best RPG of the generation.
2. Pokémon Black/White ; The best Pokémon game.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword ; While I haven't finished it yet, it's the most fun I've had with a Zelda game. It also manages to be the best iteration on the established Zelda formula while still innovating on it in some interesting ways.
4. Inazuma Eleven ; Football RPG? Football RPG.
5. Arcana Heart 3 ; I really like this game, it just hates me.
 
C

codecow

Member
1. Rift ; 11 days played says it is/was pretty fun.
2. Battlefield 3 ; Runner-up in days played.
3. Skyrim ; Great fun for a bit.
4. L.A. Noire ; One of the two games I finished this year.
5. Portal 2 ; The other game I finished this year.
6. Star Wars The Old Republic ; Liked it more initially than I do now, but it's pretty good.
7. Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 ; MP only and not a ton yet, but it's CoD.
8. Gears of War 3 ; Only played multiplayer.
9. Bulletstorm ; Didn't quite finish it, but enjoyed while it lasted.
10. Dark Souls ; Didn't play a ton but enjoyed it until I messed up my game.
 
Dr. Acid Avatar

Dr. Acid Avatar

Member
1. Dark Souls
2. Uncharted 3
3. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
4. Batman Arkham City
5. Dead Space 2
6. Mortal Kombat
7. Portal 2
8. Infamous 2
9. Shadows of The Damned
10. Catherine
 
M

MarkMclovin

Member
WIP:

1 - Battlefield 3
2 - Deadspace 2
3 - Batman - Arkham City
4 - Zelda - Skyward Sword
5 - Modern Warfare 3
6 - Portal 2
7 - Bulletstorm
8 - Uncharted 3
9 - Terraria
10-Mariokart 7
 
U

UrbanRats

Member
I'm gonna do a tomporary list, in case i forgot.
I might leave it like this anyhow, i don't know:

1. Dark Souls.
2. Batman Arkham City.
3. Saint's Row: The third.
4. Deus Ex: Human Revolution.
5. The Witcher 2.
6. Skyrim.
7. Gemini Rue.
8. Shogun Total War 2.
9. Portal 2.
10. Alice Madness Return
 
R

Roddslayer

Member
1. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
2. Bastion
3. Portal 2
4. Battlefield 3
5. Halo CE Anniversary
6. Rayman Origins
7. Joe Danger SE
8. Beyond Good & Evil HD
9. Gears of War 3
10. Torchlight XBLA

2010: Just Cause 2
 
C

Caspel

Business & Marketing Manager @ GungHo
havent played enough, but from what I played

1. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
2. Dark Souls
3. Batman: Arkham City
4. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
5. Bastion
 
C

Clever Pun

Member
1. Portal 2
2. Bastion
3. Xenoblade Chronicles
4. Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation
5. Spacechem
6. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
7. Dungeons of Dredmore
8. Dungeon Defenders
 
IrishNinja

IrishNinja

Member
1. Dark Souls ; 4 points
2. Legend of Zelda - Skwyard Sword ; 3 points
3. Yakuza 4 ; 3 points
4. Portal 2 ; 2 points
5. Sonic Generations ; 2 points
6. Child of Eden ; 2 points
7. Uncharted 3 ; 1 point
8. Mario Kart 7 ; 1 point
9. Shadows of the Damned (because fuck you) ; 1 point
10. Catherine ; 1 point

this really sucks, because i just started Mario Land 3D, and just got Witcher 2 and Deus Ex HR from the holiday sales & haven't even installed them, i'm certain a few of those would've ranked highly. prolly Ghost Trick, To The Moon and TitS too. ah well.

ps so mad i cant vote for Pac-Man CE DX again. 2010 GOTY.
 
D

Dorrin

Member
1. Dark Souls ; I never had the chance to play Demon Souls but after watching some streaming in twitch.tv I had to give this game a try. It can be as frustrating as hell but I never felt the game cheated it was something I did wrong. Even after battling some of the bosses for 2hours I kept coming back. This is the closest I've felt to an area of NES/SNES challenge in many years. Very rewarding and it felt great to beat it.

2. Skyrim ; Only in a game like Skyrim or an MMO would I find myself with three different characters all going through the same content at the same time.

3. Star Wars the Old Republic; I never jumped on the WoW bandwagon but having played EQ, DAoC and Lotro I can say I'm really enjoying this MMO experience more then any other. The voice acting and cutscenes are really making it for me.

4. Portal 2
5. Kirby's Return to Dream Land
6. Minecraft
7. Terraria

2010. Game Kirby's Epic Yarn ; All four of my sons loved this game, the coop the no penalty for dieing was a great beginning platformer for them.
 
W

Wichu

Member
1. Xenoblade Chronicles
2. Minecraft
3. Pokémon Black/White
4. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
5. Terraria

2010. 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors

Those are pretty much the only games I've completed/put a lot of time into this year. I still have a huge backlog of DS/Wii/PC games that I've either not started or am in the middle of (e.g. Portal 2, Skyrim, Bastion, Skyward Sword, Inazuma Eleven, Solatorobo) that will be vying for the 2011 spot next year :)
 
M

More Fun To Compute

Member
1. Shogun 2: Total War ; A Total War war game where the design is tighter and faster paced meaning that it is more of a "just one more turn" experience than ever before. And now also more of a "just one more online tactical battle" game due to the horribly addictive avatar battle mode.
2. SpaceChem ; The problem with puzzle games is that they often have one solution and the modern fix for this is to make them easy and give lots of subtle or not so subtle cues to the player on how to solve them. SpaceChem is the opposite in that there are many ways to solve levels that are often incredibly complicated. Instead of holding your hand the designer just tells you that many other people are playing the game and you can help each other. As a result the game is amazing.
3. Frozen Synapse ; Tactical strategy games have never felt so precise and knife edge. Or had such good music and cool presentation.
4. Terraria
5. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
6. Portal 2
7. Atom Zombie Smasher
8. Child of Eden
9. Saints Row The Third
10. Bastion
x. Dungeons of Dredmor
x. Realm of the Mad God
 
E

Eric Hall

Member
1. Batman: Arkham City
2. NBA 2K12
3. Portal 2
4. Halo CE: Anniversary Edition
5. Bastion
6. Joe Danger: SE
7. Uncharted 3
8. Battlefield 3
9. Mortal Kombat
10. Dead Space 2

2010. Alpha Protocol
 
Clear

Clear

CliffyB's Cock Holster
My picks:

1. Dark Souls
The Souls' games refusal to pander to expectations makes them the most exciting and vital franchise this gen. Challenge is not a dirty word, and the value of a success earned is immeasurably greater than one freely given.

2. Batman: Arkham City
Probably the best game ever built around a licensed character/universe.Superb in all respects.

3. Dead Space 2
Better than RE4.The multiplayer was disposable but when the single-plyer campaign is this good, who cares.

4. Uncharted 3
The only really complaint about Uncharted 3 is that it doesn't really advance on its predecessor to any great degree,
but its a truly excellent all-round package and a technical standout.

5. Little Big Planet 2
The original LBP was with the benefit of hindisght a bit overrated. LBP2 on the other hand really lives up to the promise made.

6. Resistance 3
Saved by the extended deadline! I actually played this in 2012, but I was umming and awwing about it all over Christmas, and its a 2011 game, so it gets in!
As a rule, I generally don't like FPS much, the focus on multiplayer over campaign has spoiled them for me in recent years, and I'm not a fan of gung-ho militarism at the best of times. That being said, I like R3 A LOT, because it bucks a lot of recent trends and offers up a kick-ass single-player campaign with a wide choice of fun and inventive weapons.

7. ICO+SOTC Collection
2 stone-cold classics updated and packaged together at mid price. Made of win, Indeed.

8. Pixeljunk Shooter 2
So many clever ideas and such a beautifully polished package... criminally underrated.

9. Pixeljunk Sidescroller
Pixeljunk strike again with a loving recreation of the old-skool shooter experience, analog glow and all.

10. Tiny Wings
Simple and effortlessly charming. The quintessential smartphone game.


Bonus Awards:

The wooden spoon (#11 Spot): Child Of eden
Jibbed out of 10th spot by the dark horse of R3. Like Rez before it, I like the idea and intention more than the gameplay.
On the other hand, I do love the phoenix at the end of "Evolution". The most iconic, optimistic, and inspirational image in gaming this year.

Biggest regret: LA Noire

Nice idea, but its simply no fun.


2010 Game of 2011: Nier

The doleful afterglow of Cavia's swan-song still lingers in my mind 18 months after release. Not for everyone, but for some of us, something very special indeed.
 
M

Micerider

Member
1. Skyrim ; Best Elder's Scrolls game yet, I keep on coming back, and for once, even the scenario of the main quest is not that bad.
2. Rayman Origin ; The Fun! The Art! The interestingly challenging difficulty. Ancel and Ubi Montpellier just made a demonstration, BEST 2D plateformer of the 2 last gen.
3. Portal 2 ; still amazed by the humor, the quality of the gameplay and by the simple fact that they managed to live up to the expectation.
4. The Witcher 2 ; They managed to take the interesing part of the first game while applying a better gameplay, better pacing and better characters. Mature and clever, it does not force you to jump on moral choices but still makes them important...and best looking game this year as well.
5. Batman : Arkham City ; The fantastic open-world approach enriched the game a great deal (sadly disapointed in the overly packed casting of baddies, some are under-used).
6. Uncharted 3 ; Still impressive, wih a more "sensible" approach...not as well paced as the second one though.
7. Deus Ex : Human Revolution : I still can't believe they managed to make a worthy "prequel" to the first Deus Ex. The series was dead to me after the second game and I have high hopes again.
8. Dead Space 2 ; a horror rollercoaster till the end, too bad it lacks the still horror moments of the first one and has a below average scenario.
9. Forza Motorsport 4 : Best racing game ever.
10. inFamous 2 ; Still that unique super-power sandbox approach, maybe too much of the same.
x. Gears of War 3 ; Not a bad game at all, so it deserves an honourable mention, but too much of the same and not enough "classic" moment to fill the bill.

2010. Assassin's Creed : Brotherood ; Best Ass-Creed game to date (yes, better than Revelation).

I purchased but did not have the opportunity to play Skyward Sword, Dark Souls or Bastion yet. Could have been good candidates though.
 
B

Boogiepop

Member
1.) The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
2.) Super Mario 3D Land
3.) Mario Kart 7
4.) Pokemon Black/White
5.) Ghost Trick
6.) Professor Layton and the Last Specter

And I think that's about it for me.
 
T

teebs33

Neo Member
1. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception ; The Drake story carries this one to the top, it was a tough choice ordering my top 4.
2. Dark Souls ; Up there for most rewarding and challenging game I've ever played, the excitement of progression was pretty unmatched.
3. Portal 2 ; All of the fun of portal 1 with better environments and story elements.
4. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim; I wasn't sold on it until I started side questing. The world was so engaging that I got sucked in for days.
5. FIFA 12 ; My homer pick. Gameplay was a great improvement with the tactical defending really changing the game.
6. Batman: Arkham City ; It's Batman!
7. NHL 12 ; In a year that Vancouver came within 1 game of a Stanley Cup this game is a great reminder of what could have been.
8. GPrix Story iOS ; iPad battery killer, day after day.
9. Bastion ; My first choice for best use of audio in any game this year.
10. Swords and Sworcery iOS ; Creative and fun to play through.
x. Ascension iOS ; best head to head game on iOS
x. L.A. Noire ; Appreciative pick for the effort involved in crafting the world and stories. I didn't dig playing it as much as I thought I would though.
 
R

Rctdaemon

Member
1. Rayman Origins
2. Alice: Madness Returns
3. Child of Eden
4. Portal 2
5. Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
6. RAGE
7. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
8. Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet
9. Dark Souls
10. el Shaddai
x. Trackmania 2: Canyon
2010. Super Meat Boy
 
S

Satchel

Banned
1. Gears of War 3

This is based on a few factors. First off, I don’t think any other game offers the overall package Gears 3 does. Decent SP campaign made amazing by Arcade mode and 4 player co-op in both Arcade and regular SP. You then have Horde 2.0 which takes the already fuck awesome Horde and adds tower defense elements. You then have Beast mode, which is Horde with a twist. Of course there’s then standard multiplayer, which has dedicated servers, making it lag free perfection.

Oh, and for when the community dies off, you can play against bots. The game is just the complete package.

2. The Legend of Zelda - Skyward Sword

I’m a bit biased here because I adore Zelda titles despite any flaws they may have. I’ve already logged 40 hours into it and I still have a fair way to go. The sense of adventure is still unparalleled for me. The motion controls are a bit off, and seem unnecessary, but they’re not enough to take away from how amazing this game is. Easily in my Top 3 Zelda games of all time.

3. Dead Space 2

Not quite as enjoyable as the first game, but like Uncharted 2, it technically does everything better than it’s predecessor despite not being quite as enjoyable. They took away some of the horror/intensity, but upped the action, so it wasn’t all bad. Either way, it’s an amazing game and I can’t wait for the 3rd one.

4. Rage

I bought the rather unpolished PS3 version, but even that glaring texture problems didn’t take away my enjoyment of this game. I’m about to complete it as we speak, and I have enjoyed the experience immensely. No other modern shooter I have EVER played has managed to give me that old school shooter feeling while applying almost all the rules (for better or worse) of the modern shooter. It’s also the best looking shooter so far this gen, especially given it keeps 60 frames despite the detail of the world.

5. Daytona USA

It’s fucking Daytona USA! In full 1080p, Widescreen, 60 frames per second, with online support, karaoke mode and feedback steering wheel support....FOR 10 FUCKING DOLLARS!! I ahve the full blown arcade experience at home. I’m not sure how this can’t qualify as GOTY material.

6. Bastion

Stunning to look at. Stunning to play and one of the best RPGs I've played. Love the narrator, and love how tight and compact the whole game is. Just a great game.

7. Mortal Kombat

As an Australian gamer, my only way to get this was a US import, and I don’t regret it for a second. By far the best trye Mortal Kombat game since UMK3. They finally managed to capture the feeling of the MK games of old, but completely brought the game into the 21st Century. Something past iterations failed to do (even though some came still in the 20th). The tag mode, the unlocks and how they’re achieved, it’s just all great and super fun.

8. Crysis 2

This gets in basically on SP alone. I haven’t enjoyed a SP campaign for an FPS that much in a long time. The customising of the suit, the multiple ways to approach any given situation, and the ability to play the game at my OWN PACE. Reminded a lot of my first feelings playing Halo CE way back when. The multiplayer is ok. Grows on you if you force your way into it.

9. Sonic Generations

I feel I need to get this game in here because Sega are finally on the right track with Sonic and they should be recognised for it. Generations is literally the best Sonic game since the Genesis era. Yes, even better than Sonic Adventure on Dreamcast, which hasn’t really aged well at all. While they didn’t completely nail the physics, it’s the closest they’ve come for a long time.

10. Jetpack Joyride

Just because it’s a mobile game that costs next to nothing, doesn’t mean it isn’t a great game you won’t sink hours and hours into. This is THE game I play when I’m not on one of my consoles. So much fun, and a great mission/achievement set up. So simple, yet so good.


This was extraordinarily hard though because a) There are so many great games that I know I haven’t played, and there were games I HAVE played and just couldn’t squeeze them in.

Jetpack Joyride is one of the best iOS games around. Forza 4 is the first sim racer I’ve ever legitimately enjoyed. Killzone 3 was actually a great shooter that Guerilla has managed to create. Marvel vs Capcom 3 is awesome.

I still haven’t played Rayman Origins (outside the demo), Dance Central 2 (outside the demo), Driver San Fran, and other games I KNOW I’ll enjoy.

I made this list before I had played Sonic and Uncharted 3, and after playing both, only added one to the list. Uncharted 3 has been kinda underwhelming for me. Series needs to be rested for the gen, and hopefully Naughty Dog start fresh on PS4.
 
C

cjtiger300

Member
1. Uncharted 3
2. Portal 2
3. Deus Ex Human Revolution
4. Saints Row The Third
5. Dead Space 2
6. Battlefield 3
7. MLB The Show
8. Stacking
9. Batman Arkham City
10. Killzone 3
 
A

astroturfing

Member
1. Dark Souls ; more of the same, but OH so good. perfect formula of gaming goodness.
2. Mass Effect 2 (PS3) ; so why aren't there more "explore the galaxy" type sci-fi games like this? madness.
3. Portal 2 ; some of the best multiplayer fun ever, and i could do it with me on my PS3 and my friend on his Mac? too awesome.
4. Ico/Shadow of the Colossus collection ; just as amazing as i remembered them to be. SOTC especially is just breathtaking.
5. L.A. Noire ; really enjoyed the main plot actually, and of course the facial animation tech is fairly mindblowing compared to other games. gameplay could've been more fun, so i was a bit disappointed after 5 years of waiting... (don't do teaser trailers so damn early ffs)

man, i really didn't play enough games this year :/ can't even make a top 10 list, so sad. still have many games from last year to play, like Skyrim, Battlefield 3, Dead Space 2, AC: Revelations, barely scratched the surface with LB2. currently continuing Deus Ex: HR which i started months ago but still haven't even made it to the first boss... goddamn i'm starting to dislike long games. i probably shouldn't even try to bother with Skyrim, but i want to so bad :(
 
D

Decado

Member
If I played all the games I wanted to (even the ones I own!), who knows what this list would look like? Anyway, here goes:

1) The Dishwasher: Vampire Smile - Doesn't improve on the first in every way, but it is the game I enjoyed the most overall this year (co-op and sp)
2) Renegade Ops - just dumb fun. Another great co-op game.
3) Tactics Ogre - this could go up or down...but really enjoyed what I played so far
4) Rage - still playing. Like it, but clearly doesn't live up to its potential.
5) Killzone 3 - fun shooter. Not as good as the 2nd, though.
6) FIFA 12 - I keep playing even though it frustrates me...
7) Outland - still playing, but pretty fun so far.


2010 - God of War 3

Games I haven't played that could very well be in the top 10:

The Witcher 2
Gears of War 3*
Uncharted 2
Shogun 2*
Frozen Synapse*
Terraria*
Jamestown*
Bastion*
Motorstorm Apocalypse*
Resistance 3*
Dead Space 2*
Rayman Origins
Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Warhammer 40,000: Retribution*
Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine

*Own but haven't started playing yet
 
A

astroturfing

Member
Dead Nation was 2010. (had to check it myself cos i wasn't sure heh).

great game though, i think it was on my 2010 list. or at least should've been.
 
F

Frosteey

Neo Member
1. Rune Factory Tides of Destiny ; I think the characters and music and dialogue are really enjoyable. The dialogue especially really highlights why I've sort of fallen out of love with the main Harvest Moon line recently. The economic scaling is kind of bad even by Natsume, which is the biggest problem I have with the way the set up farming, and it's kind of sad to see the huge regression in dungeon design following Rune Factory Frontier, but overall I still love it.

2. Tactics Ogre Let Us Cling Together ; A pretty fun game itself but I give it a lot of points just for being such an amazing example of a remake done mostly right. I didn't even like the original game, but everything in both gameplay and presentation is modernized and streamlined and enjoyable. It really makes me sad Final Fantasy Tactics couldn't get the same treatment : ( The cumbersome class experience and crafting systems are the only thing keeping it from #1.

3. King of Fighters XIII ; I am pretty much sick of Capcom. I've always liked KoF gameplay and character designs, and it is so pretty and Ash Crimson is the best. I am glad to have a fighting game again.

4. Dai-2-Ji Super Robot Taisen Z Hakai-hen ; (Import to US) Basically just a super robot wars game. It's fairly pretty and has Code Geass characters so I really like it.

5. Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's World Championship 2011 Over the Nexus ; Literally a Yugioh game.

6. Catherine ; I've actually only played a bit of this, but I love Atlus and just from my knowledge of the directions it goes, I'm pretty sure it would be a bit higher if I finished.

7. Dungeon Defenders ; I usually hate tower defense games, and I've really not liked random loot games that aren't roguelikes for a while now, but this is pretty entertaining in its fusion of the two, I guess. I would like the game so much more if all the characters weren't ugly.

8. Chantelise ; Pretty average but it's cute enough.

9. Skyrim ; Just not a huge fan of open ended RPGs really, and the bleakness of everything, but it held my interest for a little while. Would probably rank higher if the character customization and perks were more interesting, which is the one thing I usually enjoy most in western rpgs.

10. Legend of Heroes Trails in the Sky ; I have a really hard time playing RPGs this simplistic unless the characters and setting are super endearing, and neither has really done it for me yet. Joshua is awful, and it's hard for me to care much about the expansiveness of the world and its lore or whatever the series is supposed to have when it all seems so generic. The music's really good though, and the rest of the characters are at least somewhat enjoyable, so I'll probably make some effort to play at least a little more and hope it grows on me.
 
A

AlfaTrion

Member
I didn't play/finish too many games this year but the ones I did were pretty darn good.

1. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; This game was a feast for all of my senses. A little to easy on normal mode but that's really my only complaint. Beautiful!

2. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ; Ok I didn't beat this yet, but HOLY COW! Great job Bethesda. What makes it nice for me is that I'm not bound to one style of play/class. Gorgeous graphics and the game is pretty damn huge. I can't stop thinking about this game, sucks when I have to work :(

3. Batman: Arkham City ; This game was more of a great thing, just like the game below. The character models for the bosses and the voice acting gave it SO much more "umph" in getting sucked into that world. More please!

4. Portal 2 ; Not only was it more Portal, but it was funnier, longer, had more to work with/around _and_ co-op. Very polished and I had a smile on my face the entire time :)

2010. Mass Effect 2 ; Even watching the trailer today gets me excited! I was very happy to see that it made #1 last year!! Go Bioware!


Wow... all sequels... :(
Things I didn't get to play: Bastion, Catherine (but got it for xmas :D), Dead Island, Dead Space 2, L.A. Noire, RAGE,
 
D

Danny 117

Member
1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
2. Gears of War 3
3. Batman: Arkham City
4. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
5. Battlefield 3
6. Toy Soldiers: Cold War
7. Saints Row: The Third
8. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
9. Dead Space 2
10. LittleBigPlanet 2

2010: Vanquish
 
F

Frankfurt

Banned
Most games i've played were from 2010 and earlier, so, top 3 for me:

1. Mortal Kombat; fun, very polished, packed to the brim (more than any fighter to date)
2. Dance Central 2; one of the best series this gen, tops most "AAA", "hardcore" titles (in fact, it tops the major exclusives of all three consoles), big middle finger to people that dismiss motion controls
3. WWE All Stars; sooooo much fun, nice art style, smooth, responsive controls with seamless animations, just what wrestling games needed

Bought Gears 3 and King of Fighters XIII amongst others, but they don't deserve to be in any "top" list. Gears was a side step, didn't advance anything, story mode was by far the worst in the series... even Horde mode was gimmicked to hell. KOF XIII looks like someone forgot to turn the blur filter off. Disgusting what smaller companies have to do to get sales in the HD world - beautiful 2D sprites filtered to hell just to trick the average "graphicsgraphicsgraphics" gamer, and you can't even turn that shit off. Add a tacked-on, shameless story mode, and you just have something that shouldn't even been attempted. Companies that can only make 480p content should man up and accept that they "can't play with the big boys". Release the game without forced filters on XBLA and call it a day!

LTTP 2010:

Alan Wake; sooooo good. It was a "cinematic experience" without hald-holding and without taking control away from the player. Best new IP this gen.
 
T

TigerUppercut

Member
1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
2. Dark Souls
3. Bastion
4. Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012
5. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
6. Mortal Kombat
7. Radiant Historia
8. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky
9. Super Mario 3D Land
10. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
 
S

savor100

Member
1. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
2. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
3. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
4. Super Mario 3D Land
5. Catherine
6. Battlefield 3
7. L.A. Noire
8. Mario Kart 7
9. Dark Souls
10. Infamous 2
 
V

Valhelm

contribute something
1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim- An incredibly rich virtual world which contains, unlike its predecessor and many other open-world games, quantity and quality.

2. Minecraft- Without a doubt, Mojang's first title has the most replay value of any thing that I've ever played. Not much can be said about this incredible title that hasn't already been mentioned dozens of times before.

3. Portal 2- Engaging, witty, and fun, Valve put an enormous amount of detail and effort into the game (listen to the commentary, it's ridiculous how much they tested all of the puzzles), it deserves to be remembered as one of the greats of this generation.

4. Pokemon Black and White- Pokemon is in no way my thing, but these two games, which I consider one title, both innovate the series while keeping it formulaic enough as to not alienate die-hard fans.

I wasn't able to buy many games this year, so I apologize for not being able to experience some of the other well-reviewed titles this year.
 
D

DevelopmentArrested

Banned
1. Skyrim
2. Uncharted 3
3. Dead Space 2
4. Portal 2
5. Batman Arkham City
6. Gears of War 3
7. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
8. Bastion
9. L.A. Noire
10. Ticket to Ride IPAD
 
A

AleeN634

Member
Here are some of my favorite games from 2011. I'm still playing Saint's Row 3, Skyrim and Zelda: Skyward Sword so their positions might change on the list.

As a full legal disclaimer I need to mention that I work at Electronic Arts (company legal rules).

1.Uncharted 3 - While not as good as Uncharted 2, Uncharted 3 still delivered a compelling package and an entertaining adventure.
2.L.A. Noire - I expected a detective adventure game and I got a good detective game. While the open world went to waste, investigating crime scenes and interrogating witnesses was a great experience.
3.Batman: Arkham City - Bigger, badder and better than Batman: Arkham Asylum, Arkham City is a great sequel. The combat is still top notch and the villain areas are varied and interesting.
4.Super Mario Land 3D - A great portable adventure featuring Nintendo's mascot. Every stage is varied and different.
5.The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - An epic adventure game featuring a vast world with many interesting questlines and gameplay systems. Featuring a great atmosphere and world, the amount of things you can do in this game seem almost limitless.
6.The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - As one of the Wii's last great games, Zelda shows that Nintendo still has the knowledge to maximize the console's potential. Featuring an interesting use of motion controls this is one of the most original Zelda adventures to date.
7.Battlefield 3 - While I only played the console version, Battlefield 3 delivers a great multiplayer experience that I found just as enjoyable as Bad Company 2. While I tired of the Call of Duty formula with Modern Warfare 2, Battlefield 3 refines many of the issues I had with Bad Company 2.
8.Sonic Generations - While a bit on the short side, I found the latest Sonic game a great mix of older and newer Sonic gameplay. While it could have used more classic stages, Sonic Generations is a a game that should not be missed by Sonic fans.
9. LittleBigPlanet 2 - A long forgotten early year release, improvements to the core game made it a much more enjoyable experience. It would've been higher on my list but the slow release of good DLC means that it fell out of favor.
10. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective - One of the first games I beat this year, Ghost Trick is a great puzzle adventure game with an interesting time and object manipulation mechanic. Quirky characters, a great localization and a fun story I enjoyed Ghost Trick thoroughly.

Honorable mentions:
Shadows of the Damned - A fun trip through hell from the twisted mind of Suda51 was a great summer game.
Child of Eden - Great colors and beats.
Saint's Row 3 - Just started the play through but the game is really fun and has an insane opening sequence.

Dishonorable mentions:
Dead Island - Great premise but I encountered so many technical issues that it ruined the experience for me.
Killzone 3 - While so many changes were made from Killzone 2, I found most of them to make the game less enjoyable. While it had a much steadier framerate, I found the story weak and the little multiplayer I played was lacking.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

NeoGAF GOTY 2023 |OT| Voting thread
2 3 4
198
17K
Palliasso replied
After 200,000 Votes, Game Informer Readers Name Zelda: Ocarina of Time as the Greatest Game of All Time
Social Community 2 3 4
160
7K
SHA replied
THE BEST RPG OF ALL TIME IS.....................................
2 3 4 5
243
12K
Davevil replied
Neogaf GOTY 2023 |OT| Results thread
2 3
127
10K
lucbr replied
Xbox FY24 Q2 gaming revenue up 49% year-over-year, driven by impact of Activision Blizzard acquisition
2 3 4 5 6
279
18K
Giallo Corsa replied
Top Bottom