This year I actually feel comfortable enough to vote rather than abstain like usual. I've made an effort to invest a significant amount of time into as many games as I possibly could. I can, in good conscience, rest easy providing my 2011 list knowing that my choices were picked from a pool of games including many I otherwise would've ignored. (I included the version I played in parentheses because it matters in some cases. I live in the USA and have labeled all imported games.)
1.
ULTIMATE MARVEL VS. CAPCOM 3 (PS3) ; I was simultaneously excited and worried about MvC3 when it was announced. Even if some of my fears came to fruition, the game still managed to be incredibly fun. UMvC3 polished away most of MvC3's more glaring flaws while also throwing in its share of tweaks and additional characters largely inspired by other modern fighters, becoming a much better game overall. It's still not perfect; some stuff remains stupid and fundamentally flawed. But this is a game that will grow, a game that will continue to be played for years to come. Sure, it'll be broken to hell and back (if it isn't already). That doesn't matter--it's Crack on a Disc™. It's one of those games so entertaining that you can have just as much fun watching others play as you would spending time with it yourself. It's immediate, approachable, and deceptively deep. I can't think of anything else to say. I believe it's one of the few Capcom fighting games genuinely worth its fanbase.
2.
TACTICS OGRE: Let Us Cling Together (PSP) ; This was so close to being my 2011 GotY, and it's my fault that it's not. I played the game wrong--completely blind, without retreating, CHARIOT usage, or any character falling to 0 HP--in an effort to add challenge and strategy that only resulted in me becoming overly aware of mechanics and quirks. If I could go back, I'd play TO:LUCT normally, breezily, taking in the story, the music, and each facet of the game at my own pace, seeing how it rewarded creativity and tinkering without trying to break it right off the bat. I'm surprised, though, because it still held up wonderfully being played that way; it just wasn't the most graceful first impression. And, truly, not enough can be said about this game's narrative. It's politically charged with interesting characters and filled to the brim with ethical and moral quandaries that force you to stop and think as often as they set you on branching story paths. It also has a surplus of auxiliary content (why hello, endgame/postgame!) and achievement tracking that just begs players to dive in and ravage everything from all angles. Any of the game's shortcomings are minor--the most objective flaw I can think of is its archaic shop interface. Even though FFT probably remains my favorite SRPG, TO:LUCT is amazing and even better in quite a few ways. It's not a TRPG that lacks leveling, grinding, loot--it's an SRPG where all of those are embraced. As a result, it's not perfectly balanced, but it's flexible enough to play in ways that stretch the limits of its strong foundation. This is one of the finest, most complete efforts of its kind.
3.
Arcana Heart 3 (PSN-PS3) ; Thoughtful system mechanics help make this fighting game strikingly dynamic, incredibly flexible, surprisingly balanced, and insanely fun. Say what you will about its various "animu" or "doujin" qualities: Arcana Heart 3 puts many fighting games to shame. Its Arcana system is akin to CvS2's Groove select but a bit more advanced. It's amazing--every arcana is a completely different supplement to each character's basic movesets, making mirror matches and matchups against the same character over and over again way more thrilling than they'd be in most other fighting games. AH3 refines AH2 (which had already hugely improved upon AH1) into something absolutely mindblowing. No hyperbole. Please do not ignore AH3.
Please. If you like fighting games at all, you owe it to yourself to play this. What it lacks in production value is made up for with engaging mechanics that let player creativity and personality shine. AH3 will probably remain my favorite 1v1 fighter for a while.
4.
Dark Souls (PS3) ; Dark Souls offers a sumptuously dark adventure unlike any other. It's a survival horror Monster Hunter Metroidvania. Surprisingly, the game is actually quite different from Demon's Souls. It isn't flawless. Technical problems are infrequent but noticeable when they occur (framerate dips/freezes, input buffering quirks, finicky camera/lock-on). The lack of explanation for many things sometimes backfires, with obtuse secrets practically requiring some kind of guide. A handful of areas, enemies, and mechanics are also rather questionably designed. These low spots barely tarnish the rest of the game, though, because Dark Souls is absolutely extraordinary when it's at its best. The patch also seems to have addressed many gripes I had with the game my first time through. There may be flaws and exploits, and the level design may not be as strong as it is in Demon's Souls, but Dark Souls is wonderful. It's impossible to choose between the two. My personal 2009 GotY was Demon's Souls, and Dark Souls is just as good, if not better.
5.
Super Mario 3D Land (3DS) ; A 3D Mario platformer by the Galaxy team that draws heavy inspiration from its 2D brethren. Fewer superfluous gimmicks, less filler. It's been a while, Mario. Seriously, am I dreaming? Like the best Mario games, 3D Land has nailed the "feel" of proper character movement necessary for an excellent platformer. Just the right amount weightiness and momentum combine to create an experience where joy is derived from the simple act of doing. Furthermore, 3D Land's perfectly paced levels are not hampered by arbitrary or confusing goals--finally, a straightforward, focused 3D Mario game without most of the unnecessary fluff that's plagued the series since Mario 64. I'm not arguing against the elegance of Mario 64's mechanics by any means (especially after Siglemic's recent flexing of them), but something about 3D Land hit me on all fronts. I forced myself to finish 64 on the DS. I deliberately avoided Sunshine. I didn't bother with Galaxy 2 after trudging through Galaxy 1. New Super Mario Bros. on the DS and the Wii both failed to impress me. They all just felt wrong. And, what's this? 3D Land feels right? I'm still dumbfounded. It doesn't matter that it's (mostly) easy--it's fun. I just want to play it. I can't praise it enough, even if there are still some things that I don't like about it. It's right under Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario World for me. No joke.
6.
Bulletstorm (360) ; I normally prefer third-person shooters, but this was some of the most fun I've had with an FPS since Half-Life 2. From the set pieces, to the creative language, to the "play with your food" skillshots, Bulletstorm is "color" in a box. It's an artist's shooter. It's digital dominoes, billiards, blocks and marbles. It's an empty beach with perfectly-made sandcastles it begs you to step on. I haven't played Painkiller, Serious Sam (3), Hard Reset, DNF, or whatever else, so make of this what you will. I suppose the game probably would've been better with less modern influences. A Bulletstorm 2 with bigger areas, health packs instead of fleeing to cover, sliding that doesn't repeatedly get stuck on the environment, skillshots that don't glitch as often, more enemy types, no forced sniping sections...yeah. I'd buy that.
7.
Sonic Generations (PS3) ; Sonic Colors on the Wii blew me away. I ended up liking it far more than many other popular platforming games that I questioned my sanity and ended up going down a Sonic game education rabbit hole. Generations isn't as consistently good as Colors. It's better in some ways, but has some pretty low lows. To anyone who wants to know what the appeal of Colors and Generations is: imagine Burnout minus the car combat, mixed with Mirror's Edge time trials and a dash of the dexterity required for a Korean rhythm game, all riding on top of a psychedelic roller coaster. You'll get the most out of these games if you enjoy experimentation and memorization and the satisfaction that comes from perfectly executing skillful maneuvers in a frenzy of speed. These games demand you play them like classic Sonic game speedrunners. If you don't, you won't understand what makes them great.
8.
Saints Row: The Third (PS3) ; I had such a good time with SR3 that I actually got depressed when the credits rolled. I was under the impression that I just didn't like the genre from what I've played in the past. Unfortunately, that's still true, but only to an extent since SR3 manages to make most of the things I hate a lot more exciting than they usually are. Truthfully, I found it hard to have fun in the city after the campaign was over. I think it's just me because SR3 seems to do everything in its power to offer a compelling sandbox. Does this mean that all those batshit bonkers story missions really are
that good? Probably. On a side note, the sound design/voicework/music selection/audio in general really stood out to me.
9.
Bastion (XBLA) ; Jesus, it's been forever since I played a great isometric action RPG. People will talk their heads off about this game, so I don't need to. I walked away content, unexpectedly surprised, and wanted to jump right back in after I finished. It does so much right with such seemingly effortless execution that many smart design choices will simply go completely unnoticed. All of this comes from someone who had originally condemned the game from its lackluster demo. I'm still sad the score attack mode isn't as good as I thought it'd be.
10.
Portal 2 (PS3) ; Nitpicks aside, this is a smart and satisfying sequel that's both a bit better and a bit worse than the original in various ways. On one hand, it introduces many new mechanics, and the campaign is deeper and longer. On the other, these changes make the sequel feel rather formulaic and more drawn out than it otherwise should've been. This is still head and shoulders above many other releases this year, but I have to be honest and say that I left Portal 2 with the word "unnecessary" lingering in the back of my mind one too many times.
x.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (360) ; The sense of world and place in Skyrim is so overwhelming that I just have to list it here. Sure, it's lacking compared to Morrowind (and even Oblivion), but I think a lot of the new stuff is a worthy tradeoff...even if that's not saying much. Combat is marginally improved yet still crappy, and the quality of the rest of the game is questionable. Some content is also rather repetitive or lackluster. Oh well! Skyrim's successes lie in the intangible whole, not in the sum of (often shoddy) parts. I'm already eagerly anticipating the next game. Just please create an engine that allows levitation again, a completely seamless world, proper Psi-Ops telekinesis, spell creation, unique spell effects (shouts were a great step in the right direction), more interesting loot preferably inspired by Diablo, and everything else that still makes people swear by earlier Elder Scrolls games so they will finally be appeased. And please don't treat your fans like shit by releasing a subpar, scam version of the game that eventually renders itself unplayable. Thanks.
x.
Gears of War 3 (360) ; Gears is a dependably consistent franchise. It's clunky (GoW3, less so) but has solid mechanics and always provides shooting that "feels" satisfying. Out of the three games so far, I'm pretty sure I'd rank them 3>1=2. GoW3 is the most polished, confident incarnation of the series. I'm still not crazy about a few additions/changes, but, as far as 2011 goes, this is my TPS pick, even if it's probably sixth or seventh on my all-time favorite third-person shooters list (I just made this up; I don't have a list). I think I'm more surprised that people are ignoring this game than anything else.
x.
Rayman Origins (PS3) ; This is a wonderful 2D platformer that
juuust doesn't click all the way with me. It's gorgeous and has some great audio direction. The level design is consistently creative and varied. My main problem is a personal one stemming from how characters control. People have described this game as incredibly fluid, and I couldn't agree more. It's buttery-smooth. You'll gracefully glide through stages, careening off obstacles, walls, enemies. I just feel like I lack impact. In a platformer, I want the world to feel physical; I want to collide. I need
friction. Beyond that, my gripes are few. I would've liked to see a couple mechanics tweaked ever so slightly, and I'm not too fond of games with this many collectibles. If you're okay with the character handling, you probably won't mind running all over the place to gather stuff. The demo turned me away, but I'm glad I bought this. It has quickly become one of my favorite 2D platformers on HD consoles, and you're in for quite the treat if you give it a chance. This is leagues ahead of something like LittleBigPlanet, and, in my opinion, much better than New Super Mario Bros. on the Wii. Now if it only were as snappy as Super Meat Boy...
x.
DeathSmiles IIX 「デススマイルズII X」 (XbxGoD) ; I'm really happy this got released in the USA. I'm even happier that its mechanics often make it more fun than the original Deathsmiles (which I still adore to pieces). This isn't the prettiest looking or sounding game, but the people who tell you DSII>DS know what they're talking about even if I personally appreciate them both in different ways. I really would've loved to see more care put into this release--it's a far cry from the likes of Espgaluda II and the NA release of Deathsmiles, for example. The arrange mode still confuses me, and Tukaima Race is atrocious; DSII and DSIIX are obviously the main attractions. I'm not sure if
MUCHIMUCHIPORK! & PinkSweets 「むちむちポーク！＆ピンクスゥイーツ」 (360 JP Import) is allowed, otherwise that'd also be an honorable mention since I had more fun with it than
DoDonPachi Resurrection (360 EU Import) which got more attention.
x.
DISSIDIA 012[duodecim] FINAL FANTASY (PSN-PSP) ; The new tweaks and characters are welcome; the story still isn't. Dissidia is basically a "digital staring contest" arena fighting game, but it doesn't get enough credit. Characters aren't carbon copies of each other, so they're all fun to play. It's an incredibly dense release, having single-player content on par with (and arguably surpassing) this year's
Mortal Kombat (PS3). Acually, that's the exact reason why I don't care too much about Duodecim's balance--I'm always playing it alone. Can you even play against other people...? Anyway, Phantom Dust + Psychic Force + Otogi = hell yes.
x.
Pokémon White (NDS) ; It's the same old Pokémon but with a few smart refinements that slowly edge the series toward actualizing its potential. Battles are still strategic, Pokémon catching, rearing, and team creation are still addictive, and the story is still a missed opportunity. The formula is aging but its foundation remains strong. Though my fondest Pokémon memories are admittedly those of Blue and Gold, I feel like Black/White is the best gen yet.
x.
The King of Fighters XIII (PS3) ; I don't think I need to say much about this. It's KoF, reborn. Though I have more fun with other fighters (including ASW's BB which isn't on this list because CS2 was a patch thing for consoles), I grew up with KoF so it's nice to see it back on its feet.
x.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (PS3) ; DX:HR is a largely successful blend of many different components and boasts a focused campaign that's tightly designed with just the right amount of freedom. The game isn't flawless (some storytelling nitpicks, a few skill system issues, enemy AI isn't the best, boss gripes, etc.), but it does a solid job on so many things that its imperfections are easily forgiven. DX:HR even occasionally outshines the games it has clearly been inspired by... It may get a little boring playing a certain way for too long (especially when so many other games really let you cut loose), but I'm happy how it turned out and don't want this effort to be forgotten.
2010.
Bayonetta (360) ; I played Bayonetta right when it came out, but I didn't vote at all last year. It was my 2010 GotY so I'd like to give it a point with the LTTP vote. This is a brilliant, fabulous character action game. What makes Bayonetta so much better than its peers is its readily accessible, free-form approach to combat. Meaningful flexibility dispels the feeling of linearity that may sometimes creep into the genre. Its core and auxiliary mechanics often deftly balance risk and reward. Smart design also affords access to many of Bayonetta's tricks at any given moment. It's more focused on offering players creative freedom during fights than it is about adventuring and interacting with the environment, something a few other action games actually do pretty well. If Bayonetta tackled that, too, there'd be little to add after removing a few of its obviously crappy sequences.
Most disappointing: A tie between
Dragon Age II (PS3) and
Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS3).
Worst overall: Probably a twenty-way tie between a bunch of games I played from the XBLA indies section.
The 3rd Birthday (PSP) isn't very good, but it's a masterpiece compared to how bad some things truly are. It's probably the worst "high profile" game I played all year, though I'm sure there are plenty of other big name abominations I managed to avoid.
2011 games that I'll deal with in 2012: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (360) and
Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii).
Note: Batman: Arkham City (360) and Saints Row: The Third (PS3) are the only games I must play more of before the deadline. I've played a decent amount both but not quite enough to pass judgment yet. DONE.
