And now the regret from a game I finished about 3 weeks ago sets in. That game is Saints Row III. Decided to pop it back in last night since I got the Season pass. The polish is there to make something great, but it lacked the scope and content. There really isn't anything to do like there was in GTA:SA or SRII.
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GAF Games of the Year 2011 - Voting Thread - Voting's Over, Folks!
- Thread starter timetokill
- Start date
- Status
So many games I haven't played yet from this year, including games I own, like Skyward Sword, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, The Witcher 2, Radiant Historia, etc.
1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
2. Xenoblade Chronicles
3. Portal 2
4. Batman: Arkham City
5. Dark Souls
6. Uncharted 3
7. Super Mario 3D Land
8. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
9. Bastion
10. Catherine
x. Child of Eden
2010. Red Dead Redemption
1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
2. Xenoblade Chronicles
3. Portal 2
4. Batman: Arkham City
5. Dark Souls
6. Uncharted 3
7. Super Mario 3D Land
8. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
9. Bastion
10. Catherine
x. Child of Eden
2010. Red Dead Redemption
1. Dark Souls
badass trailer for a badass game, Dark Souls Theatrical Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-62f...xt=C3d7c122UDOEgsToPDskJVKth-c60owjgy50oNJqFx
2. Alice: Madness Returns
3. Infamous 2
4. Uncharted 3
5. Yakuza 4
6. Batman: AC
7. Shadows of the Damned
badass trailer for a badass game, Dark Souls Theatrical Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-62f...xt=C3d7c122UDOEgsToPDskJVKth-c60owjgy50oNJqFx
2. Alice: Madness Returns
3. Infamous 2
4. Uncharted 3
5. Yakuza 4
6. Batman: AC
7. Shadows of the Damned
BruiserBear
Banned
1 - Portal 2
2 - Uncharted 3
3 - Gears of War 3
4 - Resistance 3
5 - Batman Arkham City
6 - Joe Danger SE
7 - Modern Warfare 3
8 - Super Mario Land 3D
9 - Rayman Origins
10-Pilotwings Resort
Unfortunately I didn't get to play enough Saints Row 3, and I haven't started Infamous 2.
2 - Uncharted 3
3 - Gears of War 3
4 - Resistance 3
5 - Batman Arkham City
6 - Joe Danger SE
7 - Modern Warfare 3
8 - Super Mario Land 3D
9 - Rayman Origins
10-Pilotwings Resort
Unfortunately I didn't get to play enough Saints Row 3, and I haven't started Infamous 2.
Parallax Scroll
Banned
i vote now
1. Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection ; wtf this came out this year? whatevs i give it #1
2. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ; because rad game
3. Dark Souls ; because rad game
4. Minecraft ; come the fuck on it's minecraft
5. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 ; because rad game
6. Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds ; because rad game
7. The King of Fighters XIII ; because rad game
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 ; cause it's ok
9. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; this game was ok i guess
10. Gears of War 3 ; kind of sucked
1. Pinball Hall of Fame: The Williams Collection ; wtf this came out this year? whatevs i give it #1
2. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ; because rad game
3. Dark Souls ; because rad game
4. Minecraft ; come the fuck on it's minecraft
5. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 ; because rad game
6. Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds ; because rad game
7. The King of Fighters XIII ; because rad game
8. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 ; cause it's ok
9. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; this game was ok i guess
10. Gears of War 3 ; kind of sucked
King of the Potato People
Member
Close now, I look forward to the outrage from some people because their favourite game of '11 wasn't the same as everyone else.
1. The Witcher 2
2. Deus Ex HR
3. Portal 2
4. Gears of War 3
5. Forza 4
6. Battlefield 3
7. Crysis 2
8. Skyrim
9. Uncharted 3
10. Batman AC
I haven't played enough of Arkham City (same goes for Saints Row 3) to really give it a fair shake but I did complete Arkham Asylum this year and it would definitely have made my top 10.
LTTP 2010 game is Civilization 5 with Just Cause 2 finishing a close 2nd.
2. Deus Ex HR
3. Portal 2
4. Gears of War 3
5. Forza 4
6. Battlefield 3
7. Crysis 2
8. Skyrim
9. Uncharted 3
10. Batman AC
I haven't played enough of Arkham City (same goes for Saints Row 3) to really give it a fair shake but I did complete Arkham Asylum this year and it would definitely have made my top 10.
LTTP 2010 game is Civilization 5 with Just Cause 2 finishing a close 2nd.
1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ; I played skyrim for 81hrs and never finished the main story and I can't wait to get more free time to get back in. It's the most fun I've had with a game all year.
2. Saints Row The Third ; You should play Saints Row The Third. the amount of dumb in this game that actually managed to be entertaining blew my mind. The only problem I have with the game is that it ended before I got tired of it.
3. Batman: Arkham City ; I loved Arkham Asylum and that's what this game is just more of that, but with more exploration and more stuff to do. Just maybe a little too much.
4. Bastion
5. Gears of War 3 ; More gears. Multiplayer still a good time with friends and a story mode that I really got excited to see end.
6. InFamous 2
7. Yakuza 4
8. Shadows of the Damned
9. Dead Island ; Really surprised at how much I enjoyed this game. Wish I could have tried out the CO-OP more.
10. Mortal Kombat
2. Saints Row The Third ; You should play Saints Row The Third. the amount of dumb in this game that actually managed to be entertaining blew my mind. The only problem I have with the game is that it ended before I got tired of it.
3. Batman: Arkham City ; I loved Arkham Asylum and that's what this game is just more of that, but with more exploration and more stuff to do. Just maybe a little too much.
4. Bastion
5. Gears of War 3 ; More gears. Multiplayer still a good time with friends and a story mode that I really got excited to see end.
6. InFamous 2
7. Yakuza 4
8. Shadows of the Damned
9. Dead Island ; Really surprised at how much I enjoyed this game. Wish I could have tried out the CO-OP more.
10. Mortal Kombat
1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
I'm no hater so I enjoyed Oblivion and thought Skyrim would be more of the same so some may say I went in with low expectations. It's safe to say that Skyrim has exceeded my expectation and handedly deposed Oblivion as my game of this generation. It's not a game free of flaws but games like this just don't exist any more and I'm already grateful that someone is still trying and I'm blown away that the attempt is still superior to anything else I've played in the past few years.
I'm no hater so I enjoyed Oblivion and thought Skyrim would be more of the same so some may say I went in with low expectations. It's safe to say that Skyrim has exceeded my expectation and handedly deposed Oblivion as my game of this generation. It's not a game free of flaws but games like this just don't exist any more and I'm already grateful that someone is still trying and I'm blown away that the attempt is still superior to anything else I've played in the past few years.
ArachosiA 78
Member
I haven't had a chance to play the following yet:
Skyrim, Alice Madness Returns, Batman AC, Zelda, MW3, Battlefield 3, Resistance 3, Shadows of the Damned, Bastion, Dark Souls
Any one of those has the potential to be in my top 10. Anyway, from what I have played, here is my list:
1. Deus Ex: HR
2. Bulletstorm
3. Rayman
4. Portal 2
5. Dead Space 2
6. Gears 3
7. Uncharted 3
8. Renegade Ops
9. Mortal Kombat
10. Mrs. Splosion Man
Skyrim, Alice Madness Returns, Batman AC, Zelda, MW3, Battlefield 3, Resistance 3, Shadows of the Damned, Bastion, Dark Souls
Any one of those has the potential to be in my top 10. Anyway, from what I have played, here is my list:
1. Deus Ex: HR
2. Bulletstorm
3. Rayman
4. Portal 2
5. Dead Space 2
6. Gears 3
7. Uncharted 3
8. Renegade Ops
9. Mortal Kombat
10. Mrs. Splosion Man
Careful not to leave it this way (even as a joke) since it'll disqualify your entire ballot.
1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ; 120+ hours on this game, nowhere near finishing the quests or finding locations. It's not perfect, but Skyrim was still a better overall experience than any game in 2011.
2. Gears of War 3 ; Loved part 1, hated part 2(too many timed events/separation of partners in co-op), so I wasn't quite looking forward to part 3. It (the game) was so good. From the beginning it was funny, graphics were gorgeous, and it was most importantly fun to play. Total surprise, loved the game.
3. RAGE ; Even with some obvious low res sections, I think this was the best looking game of 2011. Some of the sets were just gorgeous, including the towns. It would be much higher if the game didn't end so abrubtly.
4. Shadows of the Damned ; Johnson is the best sidekick I've had the pleasure of hearing. The jokes really carried the game, and it had an overall attitude and style that I really liked.
5. Portal 2 ; I didn't care for Portal 1 and thought the writing for it was poor. Portal two is great though. The jokes and voice acting was great and loved all the twists in the story. Great ending.
6. Dead Island ; It was such an awful game but I had such a blast playing co-op!
7. Star Wars: The Old Republic ; It's a good mmo, but not a great one.
8. Battlefield 3 ; Can't kill anything to save my life, but those graphics are amazing. Playing the medic wasn't too bad, it was funny seeing my name in the top 3 after a level with zero kills.
9. Catherine ; It is weird, but I liked the puzzles more than anything else. Really disappointed in the story: too boring, slow, and bland (save the truly evil ending).
10. Minecraft ; Had a lot of fun with this game at the beginning of the year, but I think the game took too long to be released with what so little content it had added for an entire year.
x. League of Legends ; If it would have been released in 2011 it would have taken the second spot. Too much fun.
2. Gears of War 3 ; Loved part 1, hated part 2(too many timed events/separation of partners in co-op), so I wasn't quite looking forward to part 3. It (the game) was so good. From the beginning it was funny, graphics were gorgeous, and it was most importantly fun to play. Total surprise, loved the game.
3. RAGE ; Even with some obvious low res sections, I think this was the best looking game of 2011. Some of the sets were just gorgeous, including the towns. It would be much higher if the game didn't end so abrubtly.
4. Shadows of the Damned ; Johnson is the best sidekick I've had the pleasure of hearing. The jokes really carried the game, and it had an overall attitude and style that I really liked.
5. Portal 2 ; I didn't care for Portal 1 and thought the writing for it was poor. Portal two is great though. The jokes and voice acting was great and loved all the twists in the story. Great ending.
6. Dead Island ; It was such an awful game but I had such a blast playing co-op!
7. Star Wars: The Old Republic ; It's a good mmo, but not a great one.
8. Battlefield 3 ; Can't kill anything to save my life, but those graphics are amazing. Playing the medic wasn't too bad, it was funny seeing my name in the top 3 after a level with zero kills.
9. Catherine ; It is weird, but I liked the puzzles more than anything else. Really disappointed in the story: too boring, slow, and bland (save the truly evil ending).
10. Minecraft ; Had a lot of fun with this game at the beginning of the year, but I think the game took too long to be released with what so little content it had added for an entire year.
x. League of Legends ; If it would have been released in 2011 it would have taken the second spot. Too much fun.
Zero-Crescent
Member
1. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; I loved playing this game, as it managed to successfully bring an immersive quasi-cyberpunk setting into the modern gaming era. There were different ways that you could tackle every situation, tons of stuff to read in the hubs and missions, and plenty of impactful choices to make. Yes, the boss battles were a bore and the ending was disappointing, but the journey was fantastic, particularly for someone who wants to explore every area, talk to everyone, use every object, and hack into every computer, to learn more about the game's world and catch a few sneaky references to the original along the way. What put it over the top was "The Missing Link" DLC, a must-have for fans of the base game. The Missing Link had more easter eggs for fans of the original, a great boss battle at the end, and it managed to add to the Human Revolution mythos by leaving a few sequel hooks.
2. Portal 2 ; While it lacked the conciseness of the original, Portal 2 managed to succeed in just about every way as a sequel. When you consider that it is much bigger in scope, without feeling laden with filler, the new mechanics add much to the gameplay, and the twists that the story takes, the game is definitely one of 2011's most memorable experiences.
3. Batman: Arkham City ; It probably says a lot that this game is still up here, despite it deleting my save about 4 hours in. After recovering from that, I started over, and it was a good thing I did, as the game's setting and mechanics are still awesome. For better and for worse, they expanded Arkham Asylum to a fully open-world environment. On one hand, getting around the U-Shaped city could sometimes be a pain, and all of the villains featured kind of muddled the plot. On the other, the excellent combat system is back and better than ever, feeling fluid and flexible with all of the gadgets and moves at your disposal. Other things: the boss battles are far better in this game than they were in Asylum, with one stealth-based battle in particular serving as the highpoint. I loved this game enough to finish the story, the sidequests, and even seek out all of the Riddler trophies.
4. Bastion ; Well-told storyline, memorable narration, beautiful artstyle and soundtrack, and I enjoyed the gameplay variations that the different weapon combinations provided.
5. Ghost Trick ; I'm a fan of the Ace Attorney series, and this was a refreshing turn for Shu Takumi's team. Ghost Trick managed to be a unique puzzle/adventure game with an intriguing storyline and setting. Finding out the truth is a memorable moment, and the way that they wrapped up the game's story without resorting to a cliffhanger, while leaving some room for a sequel, was downright masterful.
6. Radiant Historia ; To me, this game really is Chrono Cross done right. Unlike Chrono Cross, the developers managed to tell a complex and multifaceted plot without veering into the territory of the convoluted. The characters were memorable and well-written, and the way that the story truly wraps up is worth the extra effort. It's also helped by a fun battle system that allows you to mess with turn orders and enemy positions, corralling enemies and taking them out in one massive shot.
7. Gemini Rue ; Adventure is my favorite genre, and this sci-fi point-and-click did not disappoint. The story, world, and characters were memorable, and the easter eggs are pretty funny in how they show the game's inspiration. It's even worth playing again to hear the devs' commentary.
8. Terraria ; I bought it for $2.49 during the summer sale pricing error, and ended up putting 60 hours into it. I definitely got my money's worth mining the worlds and crafting items to explore new areas and build up my villages. And to this day, the devs are still adding more stuff to it.
9. Solatorobo ; The gameplay may be simple, and many parts of the dialogue are clearly meant for the younger set, but I enjoyed playing this game. It endeared me with its whimsical setting, colorful artstyle, and snappy sense of humor. The excellent packaging helped too, a shining beacon of feelies in this world of digital manuals and paper sleeves.
10. Yakuza 4 ; As a fan of 1 and 2, it was probably a good thing that I passed over 3 and went straight to this one, since the game almost entirely takes place in the series hometown of Kamurocho. A bit disappointing after 2 took us to Osaka and 3 went to Okinawa, but this initial disappointment is alleviated by the vastly different fighting-styles and adventure elements of the four playable characters. I enjoyed how this game managed to tell an intriguing over-arching story using the 4 characters, and connect it to the events of previous games, shedding more light on the shady past of the Tojo Clan.
x. Sequence ; Missed the top ten by a hair, but it was an enjoyable experience nonetheless. It's surprising how well the rhythm and RPG aspects go together, and the entire soundtrack was a treat to listen to, even if there were quite a few repeats. It helps that there's an interesting storyline driving things along, making me interested in what awaited me on the next floor. I liked this enough to 100% it, and I definitely recommend it.
x. Rock of Ages ; I didn't get too much of a chance to play this, but from what I did play, I found it an unique experience with a ton of spirit behind it, with the Monty Python-style cutscenes and the gameplay combination of Rampart and Super Monkey Ball.
x. Assassin's Creed: Revelations ; What a shame, as Brotherhood was my GOTY last year. Revelations stumbled quite a bit in its attempts to move forward. The tower defense and Desmond puzzles are terrible additions that should be abandoned, and the severe reduction in faction missions is another disappointing aspect. Plus, after II and Brotherhood's interesting Desmond segments, Animus Island is a barren place with nothing to do in between sequences, squandering a much-anticipated character. Ezio's story is a mess, unfortunately, as it tosses out the previous games' memorable side characters in exchange for new side characters that are barely fleshed out and the villains are weak compared to the powerful presence that Cesare and the Borgias commanded. It's a sad state of affairs when the big twist literally involves the main villain, for no reason, riding through on a boat to twirl his mustache and brag about his evil plans to Ezio. Altair's brief segments pick up some of the slack in the story department, as it gives Altair a clear character arc, notable side characters, and a memorable villain.
2010. Mafia 2 ; This surprised me as well. Although the plodding driving segments made me appreciate LA Noire's trip skip feature, I still found myself engrossed in this game's world. It's interesting to see Vito's story play out, and it gives us memorable side characters like Joe, Henry, and Leo. One of the more memorable moments in the game was immediately noticing the difference between the 1940s and 1950s, as things that were new in the 40s start to show their age when Vito sets foot into the 50s. They managed to deliver an intriguing story without cribbing from the original's, and I loved the twists that the story took at the end.
2. Portal 2 ; While it lacked the conciseness of the original, Portal 2 managed to succeed in just about every way as a sequel. When you consider that it is much bigger in scope, without feeling laden with filler, the new mechanics add much to the gameplay, and the twists that the story takes, the game is definitely one of 2011's most memorable experiences.
3. Batman: Arkham City ; It probably says a lot that this game is still up here, despite it deleting my save about 4 hours in. After recovering from that, I started over, and it was a good thing I did, as the game's setting and mechanics are still awesome. For better and for worse, they expanded Arkham Asylum to a fully open-world environment. On one hand, getting around the U-Shaped city could sometimes be a pain, and all of the villains featured kind of muddled the plot. On the other, the excellent combat system is back and better than ever, feeling fluid and flexible with all of the gadgets and moves at your disposal. Other things: the boss battles are far better in this game than they were in Asylum, with one stealth-based battle in particular serving as the highpoint. I loved this game enough to finish the story, the sidequests, and even seek out all of the Riddler trophies.
4. Bastion ; Well-told storyline, memorable narration, beautiful artstyle and soundtrack, and I enjoyed the gameplay variations that the different weapon combinations provided.
5. Ghost Trick ; I'm a fan of the Ace Attorney series, and this was a refreshing turn for Shu Takumi's team. Ghost Trick managed to be a unique puzzle/adventure game with an intriguing storyline and setting. Finding out the truth is a memorable moment, and the way that they wrapped up the game's story without resorting to a cliffhanger, while leaving some room for a sequel, was downright masterful.
6. Radiant Historia ; To me, this game really is Chrono Cross done right. Unlike Chrono Cross, the developers managed to tell a complex and multifaceted plot without veering into the territory of the convoluted. The characters were memorable and well-written, and the way that the story truly wraps up is worth the extra effort. It's also helped by a fun battle system that allows you to mess with turn orders and enemy positions, corralling enemies and taking them out in one massive shot.
7. Gemini Rue ; Adventure is my favorite genre, and this sci-fi point-and-click did not disappoint. The story, world, and characters were memorable, and the easter eggs are pretty funny in how they show the game's inspiration. It's even worth playing again to hear the devs' commentary.
8. Terraria ; I bought it for $2.49 during the summer sale pricing error, and ended up putting 60 hours into it. I definitely got my money's worth mining the worlds and crafting items to explore new areas and build up my villages. And to this day, the devs are still adding more stuff to it.
9. Solatorobo ; The gameplay may be simple, and many parts of the dialogue are clearly meant for the younger set, but I enjoyed playing this game. It endeared me with its whimsical setting, colorful artstyle, and snappy sense of humor. The excellent packaging helped too, a shining beacon of feelies in this world of digital manuals and paper sleeves.
10. Yakuza 4 ; As a fan of 1 and 2, it was probably a good thing that I passed over 3 and went straight to this one, since the game almost entirely takes place in the series hometown of Kamurocho. A bit disappointing after 2 took us to Osaka and 3 went to Okinawa, but this initial disappointment is alleviated by the vastly different fighting-styles and adventure elements of the four playable characters. I enjoyed how this game managed to tell an intriguing over-arching story using the 4 characters, and connect it to the events of previous games, shedding more light on the shady past of the Tojo Clan.
x. Sequence ; Missed the top ten by a hair, but it was an enjoyable experience nonetheless. It's surprising how well the rhythm and RPG aspects go together, and the entire soundtrack was a treat to listen to, even if there were quite a few repeats. It helps that there's an interesting storyline driving things along, making me interested in what awaited me on the next floor. I liked this enough to 100% it, and I definitely recommend it.
x. Rock of Ages ; I didn't get too much of a chance to play this, but from what I did play, I found it an unique experience with a ton of spirit behind it, with the Monty Python-style cutscenes and the gameplay combination of Rampart and Super Monkey Ball.
x. Assassin's Creed: Revelations ; What a shame, as Brotherhood was my GOTY last year. Revelations stumbled quite a bit in its attempts to move forward. The tower defense and Desmond puzzles are terrible additions that should be abandoned, and the severe reduction in faction missions is another disappointing aspect. Plus, after II and Brotherhood's interesting Desmond segments, Animus Island is a barren place with nothing to do in between sequences, squandering a much-anticipated character. Ezio's story is a mess, unfortunately, as it tosses out the previous games' memorable side characters in exchange for new side characters that are barely fleshed out and the villains are weak compared to the powerful presence that Cesare and the Borgias commanded. It's a sad state of affairs when the big twist literally involves the main villain, for no reason, riding through on a boat to twirl his mustache and brag about his evil plans to Ezio. Altair's brief segments pick up some of the slack in the story department, as it gives Altair a clear character arc, notable side characters, and a memorable villain.
2010. Mafia 2 ; This surprised me as well. Although the plodding driving segments made me appreciate LA Noire's trip skip feature, I still found myself engrossed in this game's world. It's interesting to see Vito's story play out, and it gives us memorable side characters like Joe, Henry, and Leo. One of the more memorable moments in the game was immediately noticing the difference between the 1940s and 1950s, as things that were new in the 40s start to show their age when Vito sets foot into the 50s. They managed to deliver an intriguing story without cribbing from the original's, and I loved the twists that the story took at the end.
ArcticDonkey
Member
1. Dark Souls
2. Binding of Isaac
3. Portal 2
4. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
5. Bastion
6. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
2. Binding of Isaac
3. Portal 2
4. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
5. Bastion
6. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
D
Deleted member 30609
Unconfirmed Member
1. Dark Souls ;
After spending something like forty hours exhaustively exploring the world, I finally made my way down through the lower castle village into the sewers, again, into the small shanty town built in the space between the town's foundations and the swamp below. I'd been here a handful of times already, but it didn't matter, I was exploring. That time, I decided to explore a different section of the map. I headed up a large tree branch, stumbled through a fake wall and found myself within a giant tree. I managed to climb down it, at this point far over-equipped and able to deal with the enemies fairly easily. After spending much of the game on alert because of the ridiculously rewarding risk versus reward bonfire/death system (that I'm not going to go into detail about here, but is absolutely worth looking up either in the official thread or in a review, because it's the glue that makes the rest of the experience hold together), slowly moving down the semi-hollowed inside of this tree, an area I hadn't yet explored, was rewarding in itself. Finally, I saw an exit.
Had background music been playing before? I don't remember. But upon leaving that giant tree at its base onto a relatively small island in the middle of a giant, 360-degree-horizon lake, there was certainly a weird, haunting piece playing that I still remember. The tree behind me, so unique before, stands as just one of countless on the horizon. Below, in the lake (the game calls it a lake, but it might have been an ocean), a giant water serpent swims below. It might have always been there. It doesn't matter. It's tiny, in the distance, a dot on the monitor. As I get closer, the serpent's size becomes more apparent. When I come face-to-face with it, I realise that I can't actually see its body behind its many giant heads. The heads literally fill the frame. I eventually kill it, with difficulty. And then, it's gone, forever. Unlike many of the enemies in this game, no matter how many times I rest, it doesn't come back. It's hard to communicate here, but at it was at that point that I realised that either through my own over-active imagination or ingenious design (or both), Dark Souls was by far the best game I'd played in 2011. I later realised that many people would never find that optional area. Of those who did find it, many didn't get it. They saw it as pointless. That's when I realised Dark Souls was one of the best games I'd ever played.
I don't know if the above experience can really be communicated through text. I haven't touched on what it is to actually PLAY Dark Souls, partly because I already feel like that's such a well explored area (the melee combat systems and online experience is ingenious, look up some articles on either this game or Demon's Souls, or better yet, play them for yourself for a few hours). The above experience though, of navigating not only the ridiculously clever moment-to-moment game-cycle, but also of slowly uncovering a well realised, interconnected game world (later, in another environment that involves heading through some catacombs, I eventually find a sheer cliff-face 'off to the side' that provides a few of the Lake below -- brilliant) is what makes this game so much more fascinating and engaging than Demon's Souls -- than Skyrim, than any other game with exploration elements.
Dark Souls is THE game I'll point to when people who play games ask me anything regarding the most rewarding game I've ever played. There are so many lessons to learn from Dark Souls. I've barely even touched on them, but the above kind of sums up something that I don't see people talking about much when it comes to this game. Buy this game and play it. I say that with no "maybes". Even if you hate it, as someone who loves games, it will help you articulate what you like about games so much clearer. Buy this game.
After spending something like forty hours exhaustively exploring the world, I finally made my way down through the lower castle village into the sewers, again, into the small shanty town built in the space between the town's foundations and the swamp below. I'd been here a handful of times already, but it didn't matter, I was exploring. That time, I decided to explore a different section of the map. I headed up a large tree branch, stumbled through a fake wall and found myself within a giant tree. I managed to climb down it, at this point far over-equipped and able to deal with the enemies fairly easily. After spending much of the game on alert because of the ridiculously rewarding risk versus reward bonfire/death system (that I'm not going to go into detail about here, but is absolutely worth looking up either in the official thread or in a review, because it's the glue that makes the rest of the experience hold together), slowly moving down the semi-hollowed inside of this tree, an area I hadn't yet explored, was rewarding in itself. Finally, I saw an exit.
Had background music been playing before? I don't remember. But upon leaving that giant tree at its base onto a relatively small island in the middle of a giant, 360-degree-horizon lake, there was certainly a weird, haunting piece playing that I still remember. The tree behind me, so unique before, stands as just one of countless on the horizon. Below, in the lake (the game calls it a lake, but it might have been an ocean), a giant water serpent swims below. It might have always been there. It doesn't matter. It's tiny, in the distance, a dot on the monitor. As I get closer, the serpent's size becomes more apparent. When I come face-to-face with it, I realise that I can't actually see its body behind its many giant heads. The heads literally fill the frame. I eventually kill it, with difficulty. And then, it's gone, forever. Unlike many of the enemies in this game, no matter how many times I rest, it doesn't come back. It's hard to communicate here, but at it was at that point that I realised that either through my own over-active imagination or ingenious design (or both), Dark Souls was by far the best game I'd played in 2011. I later realised that many people would never find that optional area. Of those who did find it, many didn't get it. They saw it as pointless. That's when I realised Dark Souls was one of the best games I'd ever played.
I don't know if the above experience can really be communicated through text. I haven't touched on what it is to actually PLAY Dark Souls, partly because I already feel like that's such a well explored area (the melee combat systems and online experience is ingenious, look up some articles on either this game or Demon's Souls, or better yet, play them for yourself for a few hours). The above experience though, of navigating not only the ridiculously clever moment-to-moment game-cycle, but also of slowly uncovering a well realised, interconnected game world (later, in another environment that involves heading through some catacombs, I eventually find a sheer cliff-face 'off to the side' that provides a few of the Lake below -- brilliant) is what makes this game so much more fascinating and engaging than Demon's Souls -- than Skyrim, than any other game with exploration elements.
Dark Souls is THE game I'll point to when people who play games ask me anything regarding the most rewarding game I've ever played. There are so many lessons to learn from Dark Souls. I've barely even touched on them, but the above kind of sums up something that I don't see people talking about much when it comes to this game. Buy this game and play it. I say that with no "maybes". Even if you hate it, as someone who loves games, it will help you articulate what you like about games so much clearer. Buy this game.
weekend_warrior
Banned
1. Dark Souls
2. GT5:Spec II
3. Infamous 2
4. Shadows of the Damned
2. GT5:Spec II
3. Infamous 2
4. Shadows of the Damned
Stantron
Member
1. Gears of War 3 - Great package, fun SP and MP, DLC pass to keep me happy.
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - Campaign was fun though easiest Veteran yet, MP is still addicting even though it's got atrocious lag.
3. Super Street Fighter IV AE v2012 - Happy with the changes they made to Honda.
4. LittleBigPlanet 2 - I adored the first and this one did everything better. I revisit community levels every now and then.
5. Resistance 3 - Amazing SP graphics, Wow. MP had a rocky start, but then fixed lag and it became fun.
6. Dead Space 2 - Solid campaign is all that matters. More of the same but that's OK. Didn't even try MP
7. Crysis 2 - Enjoyable campaign, couldn't get that much into MP, but honestly I didn't give it much of a shot.
8. InFamous 2 - At the end, I enjoyed the first game more, but still glad I played through. Still need to play through an evil role.
2010. Mass Effect 2 - Now I know what all the fuss was about. Completed all the DLC too. Can't wait for 3.
x. Tiny Tower - Worst addicting time sink game ever.
x. Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 - I've never played the game, yet I've been entertained by many hours of watching other high level players play.
x. Battlefield 3 - SP was terrible. I like the time I spent on MP, but I usually don't play with friends, so I don't capitalize on the team aspect.
x. UFC Personal Trainer - Holy shit, these work outs are no joke.
x. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception - Good B-rate movie that you get to push buttons here and there.
There are a TON of games on my backlog that I want to play but didn't make the time for, specifically Assassin's Creed Revalations, Batman AC, Deus Ex and The Witcher 2. Will play those this year.
2. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - Campaign was fun though easiest Veteran yet, MP is still addicting even though it's got atrocious lag.
3. Super Street Fighter IV AE v2012 - Happy with the changes they made to Honda.
4. LittleBigPlanet 2 - I adored the first and this one did everything better. I revisit community levels every now and then.
5. Resistance 3 - Amazing SP graphics, Wow. MP had a rocky start, but then fixed lag and it became fun.
6. Dead Space 2 - Solid campaign is all that matters. More of the same but that's OK. Didn't even try MP
7. Crysis 2 - Enjoyable campaign, couldn't get that much into MP, but honestly I didn't give it much of a shot.
8. InFamous 2 - At the end, I enjoyed the first game more, but still glad I played through. Still need to play through an evil role.
2010. Mass Effect 2 - Now I know what all the fuss was about. Completed all the DLC too. Can't wait for 3.
x. Tiny Tower - Worst addicting time sink game ever.
x. Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 - I've never played the game, yet I've been entertained by many hours of watching other high level players play.
x. Battlefield 3 - SP was terrible. I like the time I spent on MP, but I usually don't play with friends, so I don't capitalize on the team aspect.
x. UFC Personal Trainer - Holy shit, these work outs are no joke.
x. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception - Good B-rate movie that you get to push buttons here and there.
There are a TON of games on my backlog that I want to play but didn't make the time for, specifically Assassin's Creed Revalations, Batman AC, Deus Ex and The Witcher 2. Will play those this year.
filler
Is it me or can some games be nominated for 3 years or so?
Like Xenoblade is 2010 for Jpn, 2011 for PAL and 2012 for US....
It's against the rules, but I'm pretty sure you could get away with it.
1. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; GOTY. Fantastic update of a classic. Gives me hope for Thief 4.
2. Magicka ; Stop adding life into your beam spells dammit! I'm tired of blowing up!
3. Frozen Synapse ; Didn't play much multiplayer, but had a blast with the SP campaign.
4. Portal 2 ; Liked the puzzles in the first one better, but the humour and story in this one were tops.
5. Child of Eden ; Great experience. Awesome game to just relax with for 30 minutes in the evenings.
6. Sequence ; Thanks for the code Feep! Loved the music, had to buy it. Once you get into the groove, switching between fields just flows so nicely.
2010. Alpha Protocol ; Wasn't around last year to vote for this one. A little rough, but the conversation system and the reactivity of the game world to your choices are somethings that more developers should take a look at.
I really need to get around to finishing a lot of those 2011 games.
2. Magicka ; Stop adding life into your beam spells dammit! I'm tired of blowing up!
3. Frozen Synapse ; Didn't play much multiplayer, but had a blast with the SP campaign.
4. Portal 2 ; Liked the puzzles in the first one better, but the humour and story in this one were tops.
5. Child of Eden ; Great experience. Awesome game to just relax with for 30 minutes in the evenings.
6. Sequence ; Thanks for the code Feep! Loved the music, had to buy it. Once you get into the groove, switching between fields just flows so nicely.
2010. Alpha Protocol ; Wasn't around last year to vote for this one. A little rough, but the conversation system and the reactivity of the game world to your choices are somethings that more developers should take a look at.
I really need to get around to finishing a lot of those 2011 games.
Well yeah but it's totally valid to consider that a US gamer finding Xenoblade in 2012 would find it its GOTY despite the game being a 2010 release for another region :/
It's not like he could even know or even play the game before that.
Cripplegate
Member
1. Rage ; Well, I'm a believer. The game's old-school shooter sensibilities are a breath of fresh air in a miasma of cinematic rollercoaster rides, but that isn't to say Rage is antiquated. Its varied and dynamic approach to gameplay is forward thinking, and despite any apparent shortcomings or limitations, there are moments when the technology truly sings and I feel like I might be glimpsing the future. In more ways than one, Rage is peerless. Hell, I even enjoyed the car combat deathmatch. But the real game may have been in the co-operative missions. Some of the most exciting and rewarding gameplay moments of 2011 were contained within, and yet nobody seemed to take notice.
2. Strania - The Stella Machina ; The single most badass game of 2011, oozing style and attitude out of every orifice. It's explosive, it's addictive, the presentation is thrilling and top notch, and the co-operative multiplayer is great fun. If I could change one thing about 2011, everybody would have been playing Strania, instead of gushing over the colonial fantasies of Jamestown.
3. Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition ; Never been much of a Street Fighter fan, to be honest, but Third Strike is the one that made me change my tune. The animation is gorgeous, the characters have more personality than those in Street Fighter II, and the gameplay in this third outing feels more robust and even satisfying for this Street Fighter noob. Some of my most memorable 2011 moments were spent playing this game online with friends.
4. Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 ; The second best fighting game I played in 2011, although I admittedly spent more time playing this one (MTG plays to my comfort zone, so I have to give the critical edge to Third Strike for pushing me out of it). An improvement over the 2009 edition, although 2012 does have some faults that make it a bit of a frustrating entry (multiplayer over Steam was hit or miss initially, which made getting into games with friends difficult). Nevertheless, an immensely addicting game both offline and online, with a strong and creative set of prebuilt decks, and some added and welcome customization. On the topic of customization, however, I will argue that the focus on prebuilt decks is this game's strength. Magic Online already exists, and 2012 has its place as an introduction to MTG for noobs. Plus, as I suggested, the Planeswalkers games function nicely as fighting games with a defined roster of characters.
5. Sequence ; A simple concept, but surprisingly effective, no doubt in large part due to a blistering, brilliant soundtrack courtesy of djplaeskool and Ronald Jenkees (I had no prior knowledge of these artists going into the game, which certainly attributed to my appreciation of the game, since it brought them to my attention). Hammering away at my keyboard to "Rapid Fire" and "Disorganized Fun" got my adrenaline pumping like few other games in 2011. But the real reason I'm putting this on my list is for the item descriptions. No matter how shameless the pun, Sequence never failed to make me a crack a smile.
6. NIN2-JUMP ; An adorable platformer, made all the more heart-warming due to the sentiment behind the game. With all of the sales in the first two months being donated to relief efforts in Japan, alongside other similar promotions, Cave was spreading goodwill in 2011 and that makes them one of the developers of the year. Also, the game's (poorly translated?) script was ridiculously funny.
7. Nitronic Rush ; An impressive C++ exercise from DigiPen students, this time/score attack stunt racer is also one of the most aesthetically accomplished games I saw in 2011, with its pulse-pounding electronic beats and TRON-infused art sensibilities (right down to the final cutscene in story mode). A fun and addictive indie game, and an audio/visual feast.
8. The Stanley Parable ; A clever and witty game about games. A lot of the ideas about player interaction and game narratives may seem like truisms, but the presentation is surprising and delightful. There's no better way to demonstrate an argument about games than to make a game. The most interesting thing to come out of it, however, may be a factoid in the author commentary text file, regarding the statistics of initial playthroughs, and the decisions players are making. Players either ignore every direction, or wait until the very end to defy the narrator. There's a natural tendency, even amidst the desire to see the game as designers intended, for players to assert ownership. But of course that, too, is a truism.
9. Red Faction: Armageddon ; I skipped it during release, bitter over the loss of competitive multiplayer. And I was sure I would hate the campaign. But, once I jumped in, I gave in. I cannot resist Geo-Mod and the Magnet Gun is a blast. I even enjoyed the cave-dwelling, with all its shapes, colors, and music. The atmosphere was thick and engrossing. Sure enough, it ends up getting more and more stupid as it goes (the story becomes nonsensical and there are way too many vehicle and on-rail segments), but it's enjoyable enough as a diversion. And props for a sympathetic protagonist. Mason spends the whole game trying to do right by people, which at least makes the journey compelling to a point (nevermind the lousy "drama" near the end, though I appreciate the sentiment behind the final scene).
10. Fruit Ninja Kinect ; An amusing and novel, if somewhat insubsantial, game. Good presentation. Good use of Kinect. But, mostly, I can't think of what else to put at number ten.
2. Strania - The Stella Machina ; The single most badass game of 2011, oozing style and attitude out of every orifice. It's explosive, it's addictive, the presentation is thrilling and top notch, and the co-operative multiplayer is great fun. If I could change one thing about 2011, everybody would have been playing Strania, instead of gushing over the colonial fantasies of Jamestown.
3. Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition ; Never been much of a Street Fighter fan, to be honest, but Third Strike is the one that made me change my tune. The animation is gorgeous, the characters have more personality than those in Street Fighter II, and the gameplay in this third outing feels more robust and even satisfying for this Street Fighter noob. Some of my most memorable 2011 moments were spent playing this game online with friends.
4. Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2012 ; The second best fighting game I played in 2011, although I admittedly spent more time playing this one (MTG plays to my comfort zone, so I have to give the critical edge to Third Strike for pushing me out of it). An improvement over the 2009 edition, although 2012 does have some faults that make it a bit of a frustrating entry (multiplayer over Steam was hit or miss initially, which made getting into games with friends difficult). Nevertheless, an immensely addicting game both offline and online, with a strong and creative set of prebuilt decks, and some added and welcome customization. On the topic of customization, however, I will argue that the focus on prebuilt decks is this game's strength. Magic Online already exists, and 2012 has its place as an introduction to MTG for noobs. Plus, as I suggested, the Planeswalkers games function nicely as fighting games with a defined roster of characters.
5. Sequence ; A simple concept, but surprisingly effective, no doubt in large part due to a blistering, brilliant soundtrack courtesy of djplaeskool and Ronald Jenkees (I had no prior knowledge of these artists going into the game, which certainly attributed to my appreciation of the game, since it brought them to my attention). Hammering away at my keyboard to "Rapid Fire" and "Disorganized Fun" got my adrenaline pumping like few other games in 2011. But the real reason I'm putting this on my list is for the item descriptions. No matter how shameless the pun, Sequence never failed to make me a crack a smile.
6. NIN2-JUMP ; An adorable platformer, made all the more heart-warming due to the sentiment behind the game. With all of the sales in the first two months being donated to relief efforts in Japan, alongside other similar promotions, Cave was spreading goodwill in 2011 and that makes them one of the developers of the year. Also, the game's (poorly translated?) script was ridiculously funny.
7. Nitronic Rush ; An impressive C++ exercise from DigiPen students, this time/score attack stunt racer is also one of the most aesthetically accomplished games I saw in 2011, with its pulse-pounding electronic beats and TRON-infused art sensibilities (right down to the final cutscene in story mode). A fun and addictive indie game, and an audio/visual feast.
8. The Stanley Parable ; A clever and witty game about games. A lot of the ideas about player interaction and game narratives may seem like truisms, but the presentation is surprising and delightful. There's no better way to demonstrate an argument about games than to make a game. The most interesting thing to come out of it, however, may be a factoid in the author commentary text file, regarding the statistics of initial playthroughs, and the decisions players are making. Players either ignore every direction, or wait until the very end to defy the narrator. There's a natural tendency, even amidst the desire to see the game as designers intended, for players to assert ownership. But of course that, too, is a truism.
9. Red Faction: Armageddon ; I skipped it during release, bitter over the loss of competitive multiplayer. And I was sure I would hate the campaign. But, once I jumped in, I gave in. I cannot resist Geo-Mod and the Magnet Gun is a blast. I even enjoyed the cave-dwelling, with all its shapes, colors, and music. The atmosphere was thick and engrossing. Sure enough, it ends up getting more and more stupid as it goes (the story becomes nonsensical and there are way too many vehicle and on-rail segments), but it's enjoyable enough as a diversion. And props for a sympathetic protagonist. Mason spends the whole game trying to do right by people, which at least makes the journey compelling to a point (nevermind the lousy "drama" near the end, though I appreciate the sentiment behind the final scene).
10. Fruit Ninja Kinect ; An amusing and novel, if somewhat insubsantial, game. Good presentation. Good use of Kinect. But, mostly, I can't think of what else to put at number ten.
You misunderstand.
It can be voted for any of those three years, but only if you first played it in that year. One person can't vote for it three years running.
Ah, ok (actually 2 years no? since there's the last year vote?)
Zombie James
Banned
1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
2. Portal 2
3. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
4. L.A. Noire
5. Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition
6. PixelJunk Shooter 2
7. Gemini Rue
x. The Stanley Parable
2010. Red Dead Redemption
2. Portal 2
3. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
4. L.A. Noire
5. Street Fighter III: Third Strike Online Edition
6. PixelJunk Shooter 2
7. Gemini Rue
x. The Stanley Parable
2010. Red Dead Redemption
like a dragon
Banned
1- Dark Souls
2- Uncharted 3
3 - Xenoblade
4 - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
5 - Deus Ex: Human Revolution
2- Uncharted 3
3 - Xenoblade
4 - The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
5 - Deus Ex: Human Revolution
Most people here as far as I can tell either live in North America or PAL territories, or play games from there. Only a minority import or actively live in Japan, so at worst you have a few people throwing in a vote for Xenoblade in, say, 2010, with the vast majority doing it in 2011 or 2012. Similar for a lot of other JRPGs, though usually those are going to be down to only two years rather than three, and if it's three it's a late PAL release rather than the inverse we're seeing here.
1. Dungeons of Dredmor - it's the game I've put the most hours into this year. The writing is unbelievably, consistently funny.
2. Skyrim - a big fan of the Elder Scrolls. I don't think they'll ever capture the atmosphere of a world like they did in Morrowind (maybe that's the nostalgia talking), but at least it's better than Oblivion.
3. The Binding of Isaac - A very tight game with unusual subject matter.
2. Skyrim - a big fan of the Elder Scrolls. I don't think they'll ever capture the atmosphere of a world like they did in Morrowind (maybe that's the nostalgia talking), but at least it's better than Oblivion.
3. The Binding of Isaac - A very tight game with unusual subject matter.
1. Batman: Arkham City
This was the game that I got the most involved with last year. It just had incredibly polished and addictive gameplay, fantastic presentation, and a lot of great fanservice. The story definitely has some big annoying flaws, like giant plot holes and unnecessary villains slapped on, but while I was playing there was less me noticing those flaws and more "WHOO BATMAN". Plus I really dug the ending.
2. Ghost Trick
I love Capcom's Ace Attorney team, and this game contained all the reasons why. A unique concept with funny-ass, charming dialogue and a surprisingly cool soundtrack. It also had a pretty great story that was still a bit Japan-weird as the team tends to do, but toned down enough that it actually made sense. Missle is my Character of the Year, btw.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
I actually initially only bought this for the Gold Wiimote Plus and soundtrack, since I didn't really think the game itself would be worth it. But when I finally did play it, it wasn't perfect but it definitely exceeded expectations. Most of the motion controls felt great (when they worked), the story was one I actually cared about, the dynamic orchestrated soundtrack was fantastic, and it had one of my favorite Zelda NPC casts in at least a decade. It's tied with Link to the Past for my 2nd favorite Zelda game.
4. Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3
What's kind of funny is if this didn't come out in 2011, MvC3 Vanilla might have been my game of the year. And UMvC3 is technically a better game in several ways, but it managing to actually also make changes for the worse (like the new lifebars) and its lazy refusal to fix a few obvious things that needed changing, kind of soured my enjoyment of the new game. I got burned out on it faster than I did Vanilla as a result. It's still hella fun, and has a lot of fanservice that's awesome and/or hilarious (loved Phoenix Wright). I just don't really feel comfortable encouraging this kind of behavior from Capcom. It might sound silly, but I would have loved either release way more if the other one didn't exist.
Look I know what I just said was mostly negative but it's a good game, okay? It's good stuff. Just also a little heartbreaking.
5. Pokemon White
I really appreciated how much Game Freak experimented with this entry in the series. Playing through the main story without seeing a single old Pokemon was really refreshing, and the efforts to streamline gameplay and make grinding easier were really appreciated. However, White's postgame was really disappointing and it took a few steps backward from HG/SS design wise, so it doesn't quite dethrone that game as my favorite in the series. But it's a pretty solid contender for 2nd place.
6. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
This would probably be higher on the list, but I'm not very far into it yet. It's still a really dang solid tactics game, one that's got so much awesome stuff going on that I might still be dipping into it this time next year.
7. Inazuma Eleven
Imported this from Europe, and all I can say is finally. Really fun, really unique, really hilarious and crazy soccer RPG that I'm glad I've gotten to play in English after all these years. Hopefully the superior sequels get localized, cause I'll keep importing as long as that keeps happening.
8. Mortal Kombat
Really solid, fun, and well made reboot. It was pretty fantastic for a trip down nostalgia lane, and the Story Mode felt like an awesome B movie. The gameplay itself just wasn't nearly as addictive for me as it used to be.
9. Sonic Generations
It's definitely not without its flaws, and a couple of the 3D levels were kind of a poorly designed and/or glitchy mess, but it deserves some props for being the first good Sonic game I've played on a console in at least a decade.
2010. 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors
To be honest, the ending was disappointing. But I don't really care. The journey was some of the most engrossing and well-written stuff I've experienced in a visual novel. It's the kind of unprecedented experience that I bought my DS for, and I'm really hoping the sequel gets localized.
I didn't buy a lot of new games in 2011, and the ones I did were mostly pretty good but not amazing. Maybe 2012 will be better!
(Import Note: I am from the United States.)
This was the game that I got the most involved with last year. It just had incredibly polished and addictive gameplay, fantastic presentation, and a lot of great fanservice. The story definitely has some big annoying flaws, like giant plot holes and unnecessary villains slapped on, but while I was playing there was less me noticing those flaws and more "WHOO BATMAN". Plus I really dug the ending.
2. Ghost Trick
I love Capcom's Ace Attorney team, and this game contained all the reasons why. A unique concept with funny-ass, charming dialogue and a surprisingly cool soundtrack. It also had a pretty great story that was still a bit Japan-weird as the team tends to do, but toned down enough that it actually made sense. Missle is my Character of the Year, btw.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
I actually initially only bought this for the Gold Wiimote Plus and soundtrack, since I didn't really think the game itself would be worth it. But when I finally did play it, it wasn't perfect but it definitely exceeded expectations. Most of the motion controls felt great (when they worked), the story was one I actually cared about, the dynamic orchestrated soundtrack was fantastic, and it had one of my favorite Zelda NPC casts in at least a decade. It's tied with Link to the Past for my 2nd favorite Zelda game.
4. Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3
What's kind of funny is if this didn't come out in 2011, MvC3 Vanilla might have been my game of the year. And UMvC3 is technically a better game in several ways, but it managing to actually also make changes for the worse (like the new lifebars) and its lazy refusal to fix a few obvious things that needed changing, kind of soured my enjoyment of the new game. I got burned out on it faster than I did Vanilla as a result. It's still hella fun, and has a lot of fanservice that's awesome and/or hilarious (loved Phoenix Wright). I just don't really feel comfortable encouraging this kind of behavior from Capcom. It might sound silly, but I would have loved either release way more if the other one didn't exist.
Look I know what I just said was mostly negative but it's a good game, okay? It's good stuff. Just also a little heartbreaking.
5. Pokemon White
I really appreciated how much Game Freak experimented with this entry in the series. Playing through the main story without seeing a single old Pokemon was really refreshing, and the efforts to streamline gameplay and make grinding easier were really appreciated. However, White's postgame was really disappointing and it took a few steps backward from HG/SS design wise, so it doesn't quite dethrone that game as my favorite in the series. But it's a pretty solid contender for 2nd place.
6. Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together
This would probably be higher on the list, but I'm not very far into it yet. It's still a really dang solid tactics game, one that's got so much awesome stuff going on that I might still be dipping into it this time next year.
7. Inazuma Eleven
Imported this from Europe, and all I can say is finally. Really fun, really unique, really hilarious and crazy soccer RPG that I'm glad I've gotten to play in English after all these years. Hopefully the superior sequels get localized, cause I'll keep importing as long as that keeps happening.
8. Mortal Kombat
Really solid, fun, and well made reboot. It was pretty fantastic for a trip down nostalgia lane, and the Story Mode felt like an awesome B movie. The gameplay itself just wasn't nearly as addictive for me as it used to be.
9. Sonic Generations
It's definitely not without its flaws, and a couple of the 3D levels were kind of a poorly designed and/or glitchy mess, but it deserves some props for being the first good Sonic game I've played on a console in at least a decade.
2010. 999: Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors
To be honest, the ending was disappointing. But I don't really care. The journey was some of the most engrossing and well-written stuff I've experienced in a visual novel. It's the kind of unprecedented experience that I bought my DS for, and I'm really hoping the sequel gets localized.
I didn't buy a lot of new games in 2011, and the ones I did were mostly pretty good but not amazing. Maybe 2012 will be better!
(Import Note: I am from the United States.)
Windom Earle
Member
1. Super Street Fighter IV Arcade Edition 2012
2. Dark Souls
3. Super Mario 3d Land
4. Catherine
5. Skyrim
6. Radiant Silvergun
7. Ico & Sotc HD collection
8. Dodonpachi Resurrection
9. Strania
10. Uncharted 3
2. Dark Souls
3. Super Mario 3d Land
4. Catherine
5. Skyrim
6. Radiant Silvergun
7. Ico & Sotc HD collection
8. Dodonpachi Resurrection
9. Strania
10. Uncharted 3
jodosutari
Neo Member
1. Dark Souls ; this was such an eye-opener for me and lifted me from the depths of dull traditions
2. Trackmania 2: Canyon
I feel like others aren't even worth mentioning compared to these.
2. Trackmania 2: Canyon
I feel like others aren't even worth mentioning compared to these.
Blue Ninja
Member
1. Skyrim. Why? Because, despite its tiny flaws, it's a game that keeps drawing me in and keeps astonishing me with little things that make the world seem that more alive. A bunch of hunters taking a bath in the hot springs? A giant avenging his fallen mammoth by smashing some wolves? A dragon stealing livestock? This game is going to keep me playing for a long, long time.
Now, here's where things get difficult. I haven't really played a lot of great games this year: especially games that have kept my interest for a long time. I haven't even touched Portal 2 or Assassin's Creed: Revelations yet. So the next part of the list is based on the limited amount of games I played this year.
2. Crysis 2. Why? Sure, Crytek sold out. Sure, the game runs at a sometimes horrendous framerate on the consoles. Sure, the original's setting was better. But being a super-powered badass in New York while fighting villains that jumped straight out of a Transformers flick is pure nerdgasm for me.
3. Gears of War 3. Why? Because, even though I hardly played it, it is better than Gears of War 2. My lack of Xbox Live Gold and my anticipation for Skyrim are what ultimately killed the game for me. Apart from a few missteps (I'm looking at you, giant beetle-bossfight), Epic delivered a great campaign experience and a relatively clean ending to the story.
I think I'm never going to beat it on Insane difficulty, though. The fuck is that shit.
Only three votes for me this year. I could vote on Crysis for the Xbox or Halo: Anniversary, but those are repackaged old games so don't really count. And Dragon Age II, well... I haven't played a lot of games this year, but it's not in my top ten. And I'm not even sure I played ten games this year.
My GOTY of 2010 was Mass Effect 2. Let's see if Mass Effect 3 gets the 2012 crown.
Now, here's where things get difficult. I haven't really played a lot of great games this year: especially games that have kept my interest for a long time. I haven't even touched Portal 2 or Assassin's Creed: Revelations yet. So the next part of the list is based on the limited amount of games I played this year.
2. Crysis 2. Why? Sure, Crytek sold out. Sure, the game runs at a sometimes horrendous framerate on the consoles. Sure, the original's setting was better. But being a super-powered badass in New York while fighting villains that jumped straight out of a Transformers flick is pure nerdgasm for me.
3. Gears of War 3. Why? Because, even though I hardly played it, it is better than Gears of War 2. My lack of Xbox Live Gold and my anticipation for Skyrim are what ultimately killed the game for me. Apart from a few missteps (I'm looking at you, giant beetle-bossfight), Epic delivered a great campaign experience and a relatively clean ending to the story.
I think I'm never going to beat it on Insane difficulty, though. The fuck is that shit.
Only three votes for me this year. I could vote on Crysis for the Xbox or Halo: Anniversary, but those are repackaged old games so don't really count. And Dragon Age II, well... I haven't played a lot of games this year, but it's not in my top ten. And I'm not even sure I played ten games this year.
My GOTY of 2010 was Mass Effect 2. Let's see if Mass Effect 3 gets the 2012 crown.
it was pretty funny to see mgs3 pretty high in the rankings for 2004, 2005, and 2006. it was always in the stealth genre awards until 2007.
Cheesemeister
Member
Voting ends in about 15 hours and 40 minutes. This is your last chance to post or edit your picks!
1. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
2. Portal 2
3. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
4. Dark Souls
5. Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation
6. Xenoblade Chronicles ; (Imported in Canada from the UK)
7. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
8. Bastion
9. Alice: Madness Returns
10. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky
2010. Ys Seven
2011 was a really tough year for me to decide, it will go down as one of my favorite years in gaming. I wanted to write out my thoughts and include a lot of honorable mentions, but I still haven't found the time to do the former proper sadly and I thought my honorables list was getting a bit too long. Really sad I didn't get more time in with Skyrim as well, but I think I need to put some more time into the game before I let it just dethrone any of these. It was an especially outstanding year for RPGs I think, really sad I couldn't include Deux Ex HR, Radiant Historia, Tactics Ogre, and Pokemon Black (I haven't truly enjoyed a Pokemon game as much in years). I don't have a 3DS either, so I still haven't played games I think I'd really enjoy like Super Mario 3D Land and Pushmo. Regardless, I'm very happy with my list and how many of the games I actually managed to finish in 2011, so I'd at least like to get it in.
2. Portal 2
3. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
4. Dark Souls
5. Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation
6. Xenoblade Chronicles ; (Imported in Canada from the UK)
7. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
8. Bastion
9. Alice: Madness Returns
10. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky
2010. Ys Seven
2011 was a really tough year for me to decide, it will go down as one of my favorite years in gaming. I wanted to write out my thoughts and include a lot of honorable mentions, but I still haven't found the time to do the former proper sadly and I thought my honorables list was getting a bit too long. Really sad I didn't get more time in with Skyrim as well, but I think I need to put some more time into the game before I let it just dethrone any of these. It was an especially outstanding year for RPGs I think, really sad I couldn't include Deux Ex HR, Radiant Historia, Tactics Ogre, and Pokemon Black (I haven't truly enjoyed a Pokemon game as much in years). I don't have a 3DS either, so I still haven't played games I think I'd really enjoy like Super Mario 3D Land and Pushmo. Regardless, I'm very happy with my list and how many of the games I actually managed to finish in 2011, so I'd at least like to get it in.
Getting my vote in last minute. I didn't play a lot of new games this year.
1. Minecraft - I've put the most time into this game out of all of them. You are only limited by your own creativity. Playing with friends is a really fun experience.
2. Portal 2 - Great story, great characters, great ending. It's not the perfect game but it's definitely the second best game I played this year.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - I haven't finished it yet but it's been fun so far. It's a Zelda game, not much to say that hasn't been said.
4. Pokemon Black - Really my first Pokemon experience. The game seems kind of boring at first, but it has a lot of depth and it doesn't seem to get old.
5. Mario Kart 7 - Mario Kart in 3D locked at 60 FPS. It's probably the best version of Mario Kart so far.
6. Super Mario 3D Land - It's not the best Mario platformer, but it is the best handheld Mario platformer. I had a lot of fun with it.
7. Pilotwings Resort - This is the first game I bought on the 3DS and it was surprisingly pretty fun while it lasted. Great use of 3D.
1. Minecraft - I've put the most time into this game out of all of them. You are only limited by your own creativity. Playing with friends is a really fun experience.
2. Portal 2 - Great story, great characters, great ending. It's not the perfect game but it's definitely the second best game I played this year.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword - I haven't finished it yet but it's been fun so far. It's a Zelda game, not much to say that hasn't been said.
4. Pokemon Black - Really my first Pokemon experience. The game seems kind of boring at first, but it has a lot of depth and it doesn't seem to get old.
5. Mario Kart 7 - Mario Kart in 3D locked at 60 FPS. It's probably the best version of Mario Kart so far.
6. Super Mario 3D Land - It's not the best Mario platformer, but it is the best handheld Mario platformer. I had a lot of fun with it.
7. Pilotwings Resort - This is the first game I bought on the 3DS and it was surprisingly pretty fun while it lasted. Great use of 3D.
1. Dark Souls ; Game is very addicting and atmospheric. Masterfully done in all aspects.
2. Deus Ex HR ; For same reasons as my number 1.
3. Portal 2 ; Highly polished adventure, memorable moments and ending.
4. Uncharted 3 ; Not as polished as the 2nd game but also more impressive in other aspects.
5. Rage ; Highly enjoyable shooter mechanics at a silky smooth framerate.
6. Resistance 3 ; Highly enjoyable campaign with some 'Oh My' moments.
7. Crysis 2 ; Good city scope, Heat and Sci-fi mixed, good campaign.
2. Deus Ex HR ; For same reasons as my number 1.
3. Portal 2 ; Highly polished adventure, memorable moments and ending.
4. Uncharted 3 ; Not as polished as the 2nd game but also more impressive in other aspects.
5. Rage ; Highly enjoyable shooter mechanics at a silky smooth framerate.
6. Resistance 3 ; Highly enjoyable campaign with some 'Oh My' moments.
7. Crysis 2 ; Good city scope, Heat and Sci-fi mixed, good campaign.
iconoclast
Member
1. Akai Katana Shin ;
To be honest, I wasn't expecting much out of this game. The arcade release didn't get much buzz, and I didn't like the demo very much, so needless to say, when I finally bought it I was amazed at just how good it was. There are three different modes on disc, and each one of them is worth playing and learning in their own right. Arcade mode has a limitation on its scoring system: you can only have 256 pieces of gold circling your character at a time, so that in turn makes the game very fast paced - constantly switching between gathering energy in plane form, and scoring in ninja form. And due to the nature of the scoring system (most of your points come from cancelling enemy bullets), the player has a ton of room for creative strategy. Zetsu mode is similar to Arcade, except it's been rebalanced in lots of different ways. The biggest change is to the scoring system: the 256 gold cap has been removed, so you can really go all out with massive scoring opportunities. There's also an additional stage, some of the enemy layouts and bullet patterns have been altered, some properties have been changed, and the balance between the three characters is a lot better, amongst other little things here and there. It's just a great update to the arcade version from top to bottom. And finally, there's Shin mode, which is my favorite of the bunch. Shin is basically an entirely different game from Arcade/Zetsu: the bullet reflect, invinciblitly, and general concept of turning bullets into gold was scrapped. Instead, you build up a meter by destroying enemies with your rapid shot, and then cash it in by unleashing a wave of enormous katanas that destroy everything in their path, while causing enemies to shed tons of scoring items along the way. It's completely over the top, and it's completely awesome.
2. Dark Souls ;
As the sequel to Demon's Souls, this became one of my most anticipated of all time from the minute it was announced. While From did stumble in a few areas - most notably the inferior online structure - they still managed to improve the formula as a whole. I was completely against the idea of an open world from the onset, but I actually think it helped to enhance the experience a lot. Because exploration and the sense of discovery is a huge part of the series, having one enormous, seemless world filled with traps, treasure, secrets, and potential death around every unknown corner is more interesting to take in than the "level" structure of its predecessor. Couple that with From's peerless dark-fantasy art design, and this winds up being one of the most atmospheric/immersive games I've ever played. Of course, the actual gameplay is why the game is revered, and deservedly so. Simply put, there's a ton of variety between all of the weapons, character builds, enemies, bosses, stage design, and potential playstyles - enough to make the game nearly endlessly replayable.
3. Hard Corps: Uprising ;
I think they could've trimmed this game down a little bit, because it's really long as it is, but I'm not complaining because almost all of its content is fantastic - just like Metal Slug 3. I guess Arc decided that they had too many awesome ideas to put any of them on the chopping block. Anyway, perhaps the best thing about this game is that it gives the player a ton of tools, and the stage layouts and enemies are designed with this in mind - forcing the player to use everything at their disposal if they want to advance. This stops the game from being too repetitive on replays, because there are a bunch of different ways to approach each situation. There are two modes in the game: Arcade and Rising. Arcade is clearly how the game was balanced and meant to be played, but Rising is a nice bonus. In Rising, the point you earn in each stage are converted to currency, which can be used to buy new abilities, powerups, starting equipment, and lives. It also gives you the ability to play any stage you want, so it can be used as a training mode of sorts if you want to practice that one stage that keeps screwing you up. Also of note is the downloadable character, Sayuri; simply put, she is Strider. This adds even more variety to the game, because it gives you the option of playing it as a classic run-and-gun with the standard soldier-type characters, or you can switch over to the samurai and try melee'ing your way through everything. [And funnily (or sadly) enough, this game does more to respect Strider's principles than the latest game from Strider's creator, Moon Diver.] Sadly, the scoring system is easily exploited and thus pretty broken, but regardless, this is still one of my favorite run-and-guns of all time, and most likely the best one since Contra: Shattered Soldier from 2002.
4. Catherine ;
This generation's best puzzle game. There's a ton of variety between all of the block types that are constantly introduced, and the new block formations that you always have to deal with. And with the constant pressure of blocks falling out from under you, the sense of urgency great. You need to be fast in order to combo an entire stage while collecting all of the money, which is necessary if you want the highest rank on each stage. Atlus also did a fantastic job at handling the difficulty setttings: Normal can be challenging, but you've got a fail-safe (the undo button) that can erase your mistakes and help you through the stages. Hard takes your crutch away, and most importantly, it changes up the block layouts on every stage so they're harder and more complex. The story is decent, which is enough to make player keep going in order to see how all of it plays out, but it does jump the shark at the end. Which is a non-issue to me, because the gameplay is why I enjoyed the game so much. Beyond that, the art and graphics are great (they nailed the anime look for 3D models much better than most developers), and the soundtrack is top-notch, as usual for Meguro. The one major issue I have with the game is that sometimes, in some stages, you can get absolutely screwed by no fault of your own due to the random 'mystery' boxes. This only becomes a problem on rare occasions though, so I won't knock the game too hard for it. But it's still really annoying (fucking Obelisk).
5. Child of Eden ;
This is another game that took me by surprise. While I liked Rez, it's a game that I feel has no real substance to it; it's fun for a playthrough every now and then for the awesome audio/visual experience, but the game itself is pretty dull. Child of Eden rectifies this issue with its excellent rhythm-based scoring system. Timing your octolocks in turn with the beat and chaining an entire stage from start to finish is very satisfying, making the stages fun to replay in order to find new, higher scoring paths. Then after you've had your fill of Normal mode, you can move up to Hard mode, which has altered enemy patterns and health, making you find new ways to deal with everything while preserving your chain. And finally, there's a bonus stage that can be a challenge to clear, let alone score well on, so the game has plenty of content to keep you busy for quite a while.
6. Strania: The Stella Machina ;
This game was a nice change of pace from the usual bullet hell shooters that almost every developer is making these days. This is what I like about G.rev; they don't want to follow in Cave's footsteps, they set themselves apart by making great games with their own style. The main concept here is the weapon system: there are nine different weapons in total, and you can use two of them at a time, while holding a third in reserve. When you kill an enemy, your weapons gain "experience" (I guess); they don't actually increase in power, but instead they gain ranks (from 10th Kyu to 10th Dan), earning bonus points each time they rank up. Once a weapon reaches 1st Dan, it will give an additional million point bonus as an end-of-game clear bonus, which is a pretty massive amount. So in order to score well, you'll need to use every weapon equally in order to get a 9 million point bonus at the end. The nice thing about this is that weapons flow freely throughout each stage, so you're never stuck trying to figure out the "one true path" in order to get the max bonus - you have enough freedom to experiment and figure things out on your own. There's also the Overdrive system, which makes you invincible once activated, and gives you an increasing multiplier until it finally runs out. The most obvious area to use this on is the bosses; saving your O/D until they're just about dead, and timing the kill just as your meter is about to run out for a 2x bonus adds a nice element of risk/reward. In the grand scheme of things, the points you earn from this ability are pretty miniscule, but ideal use of O/D is what helps separate the absolute best players from the rest. The presentation is also very nice. Because the game is entirely 3D, there are lots of 'cinematic' camera angles throughout the stages, as well as some cool boss introduction scenes. It's a nice touch that I certainly appreciated.
7. Muchi Muchi Pork! & Pink Sweets ;
I wasn't sure where to place this one. On one hand, I enjoy both games a lot on a basic level - MMP has a fun scoring system, and the Raizing x Cave feel of the game is pretty unique, while Pink Sweets is a bit more traditional for Yagawa. But on the other hand, the amount of boss milking required for good scores in either game stops me from enjoying them as much as I would like, because that's something that I can't stand in excess. Both games are still really good though, and Pink Sweets in particular seems to have been greatly improved with version 1.01. There are a couple bonus modes that I like as well, namely Pink Sweets' arrange and Muchi Muchi Pork's matsuri version, so I'm sure this is a game I'll keep coming back to for quite a while.
8. Serious Sam 3: BFE ;
This game can be summed up in just a few sentences. In short, it's a relentless onslaught from start to finish. You're given a wide variety of weapons to deal with a wide variety of enemies, who pursue you in one swarm after another. It's fast, it's challenging, and it's a lot of fun. Plain and simple.
9. Bangai-O HD: Missile Fury ;
With over 100 stages in this game, it's packed with a lot content. And of course, with so much content, not all of it can be good. Indeed, quite a few of those stages are pretty boring or downright bad. But when this game as at its peak, it more than makes up for any shortcomings. In particular, I want to highlight two of the modes that are unlocked after completing the Fury campaign: Extreme mode and Puzzle mode. Extreme mode is aptly named; Treasure did not hold anything back here, and as such, these stages were the highlight of the game for me because they feature some of the most creative and challenging level design I've seen in ages. Puzzle mode is a bit different from the rest of the game, in that the stages are literally puzzles that you have to figure out in order to reach the finish line. There are only 6 of these stages, but they are very well designed and a lot of fun to complete. And just the core mechanics of the game are great - dashing into a huge swarm of enemies, freezing countless bullets, and countering them with 1000 super-sized missiles of your own results in pure chaos and a ton of fun.
10. Ghost Trick ;
First and foremost, the presentation of this game is absolutely excellent. The animation is fantastic, the graphics have a lot of attention to detail, the soundtrack is great, and the story and characters are some of my favorites this gen. The gameplay systems are creative and incredibly unique, which makes solving each of the puzzles a lot of fun. Honestly, I don't have too much to say about this game other than I enjoyed the hell out of it.
x. King of Fighters XIII ; This game would absolutely be in my top 10 if I had played it more, because right now I feel like I've only scratched the surface. But so far I love everything about it: the wide variety of characters, the tight fighting engine, the gorgeous graphics, the customization, and best of all, the total lack of a comeback mechanic. Just pure honest fighting, as the OT says.
x. Yakuza 4 ; A nice return to form for the series after the mediocre Yakuza 3. The four playable characters add a breath of fresh air to the combat with their new playstyles, and the story is as entertaining and ridiculous as ever (maybe a little too ridiculous at times). I still need to revisit this on higher difficulties and complete all of the side missions, but I enjoyed my initial playthrough a lot and I'm looking forward to my eventual replay.
x. Portal 2 ; This game starts out pretty slow, but once it picks up it stays great until the finish. Some of the new mechanics, like the gels and gravity beams, really added some much needed variety to the game, and it let Valve get more inventive with the puzzles. The co-op campaign was also a lot of fun, and the story and characters were enjoyable throughout. I liked this game a lot, and really, the only reason Ghost Trick is in my top 10 instead of this is because I liked the story and presentation in GT more - Portal 2 has more meat to it as a game.
2010. Espgaluda II Black Label ;
I finally dug into this game last month, and it is absolutely fantastic. It's an improvement over its predecessor in every way, and one of Cave's best games yet. The original Espgaluda was an excellent introductory shooter to bullet hell: the difficulty is relatively light and its scoring system is easy to understand. Espgaluda II is the complete opposite. This is one of Cave's hardest single-loop games, complete with a scoring system that has several layers of complexity to it which I won't even attempt to summarize. But I'm certain that those who are dedicated enough to learn the game and play it to completion will absolutely love it, just as I did. Exclusive to the 360 port is the Black Label arrange mode, which adds a new playable character (Seseri) and changes up the game's systems by adding invincibility, bullet-splitting, a chaining meter, and other odds and ends. It's quite different from the vanilla game, but I think it's one of Cave's best console-exclusive modes, so it's well worth learning on its own. I've only beaten each mode a single time, so I'm sure this game will become a mainstay for me because I still have a lot to learn.
Hope the formatting is okay, and sorry about the lack of paragraphs. I'm too lazy to go back and edit this any further.
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