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

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tusken77

Member
1. Uncharted 3
2. inFamous 2
3. Resistance 3
4. Batman: Arkham City
5. Yakuza 4
6. Motorstorm: Apocalypse
7. Renegade Ops

2010: Vanquish
 

Dascu

Member
1. Xenoblade Chronicles
2. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
3. The Witcher 2
4. Batman: Arkham City
5. Jamestown
6. Ghost Trick
7. Radiant Historia
8. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
9. Magicka
10. Alice: Madness Returns

2010: Darksiders
 
Wonder where Xenoblade will end up. It definitely would've had a chance at one of the top spots if it was released in the US this year, but it still looks like it's getting its fair share.
 
1. L.A. Noire ; So intriguing and insanely polished masterpiece.
2. Deus Ex: Human Revolution ; Great prequel for a legendary game.
3. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim ; Well, I think everything's been already said.
4. Dead Space 2 ; Hectic and horrifying, so good.
5. Assassin's Creed: Revelations ; Best ending in a game for long long time.
6. InFamous 2 ; It has been never this fun to be a "superhero".
7. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception ; Naughty Dog doesn't disappoint. Great job again.
8. Superbrothers: Sword & Sworcery EP ; Great looking and sounding adventure.
9. Bulletstorm ; This years best shooter.
10. Plants vs. Zombies ; Great way to kill time with an iPhone.
x. Crysis 2 ; So overhyped, a real letdown but entertaining nonetheless.
x. RAGE ; Solid 60fps, great gunplay...shittiest ending ever.
 

Roronoa95

Member
1. The Elder Scrolls V : Skyrim
2. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
3. The Witcher 2 Assassins of Kings
4. Battlefield 3
5. Batman Arkham City
6. Uncharted 3
7. Saints Row The Third
8. Portal 2
9. Infamous 2
10. FIFA 12

2010: God of War 3
 

lastendconductor

Put your snobby liquids into my mouth!
1. Dark Souls
2. Touhou 13: Ten Desires (import from Japan, I'm from Spain)
3. Ghost Trick
4. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky
5. Saint's Row: The Third

Sorry, I don't usually keep up with games as they realease except for some awesome exceptions, so I've been playing a lot of stuff that's older than 1 year. Couldn't find anything else I've played enough and qualified to be up there this year.
 
1. Saints Row The Third
2. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
3. Alice: Madness Returns
4. Battlefield 3
5. Dead Space 2
6. Renegade Ops
7. RAGE
8. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
9. L.A. Noire
10. Bulletstorm
 
1. Deus Ex:Human Revolution
2. The Witcher 2
3. The Legend of Zelda:Skyward Sword
4. Star Wars: The Old Republic.
5. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
6. Dead Space 2
7. Bastion
8. Gears of War 3
9. Mortal Kombat
10. Saints Row The Third
 
1) Tactics Ogre: Let Us Cling Together

2) Dark Souls

3) Xenoblade

4) Bastion

5) Trails in the Sky: First Chapter

6) Radiant Historia

7) Ghost Trick

8) Witcher 2

9) Catherine

10) 999


I specifically did not put games I intend to play, know I would probably justify a place here from what I've heard of them, (SR3rd, Skyrim, UMvC3, etc) in order to not guesstimate and throw out my own personal experience and ruminations.

Some surprises where some shook out to (DS and Cat are lower than expected). Bastion, 999, and Ghost Trick came out of nowhere to nab well-earned spots on this list.
 
1. Rayman Origins: It has perfect platforming and mechanically rivals Super Meat Boy in many ways, which was of course the best platformer of the generation, so that's saying a lot. The art style is extraordinary, and Christophe Heral's music is, dare I say, better than his Beyond Good and Evil score. It is surprisingly long, as well, and every level is a joy to play.
2. Catherine: I had no idea I would like it this much. An incredible visual flair and intoxicating story and characters make the sometimes-frustrating puzzles more tolerable. At a certain point, though, the puzzles become the central joy of the game, and once that happens, everything is just ridiculously addicting.
3. Bastion: This game is special. It did nothing but give me a great feeling...a simple yet effective story with appropriate, sensible plot twists, and a battle system carrying it a long that is easy to get used to and challenging to master. The level design is very well done, and the narrator is amazing. Finally, the soundtrack seal the deal.
4. Batman: Arkham City: A nearly perfect game in so many ways, yet strikingly similar to the original. I don't have many complaints about it, but it just didn't grab me like the others did. I loved my time with it and can't wait for more, but it just felt a little been-there-done-that. Still, Nick Arundel's music score is infinitely superior compared to the original, the boss fights are a blast, and the game is generally more fun than the original.
5. Gears of War 3: Best campaign of the series. Loved every second of it. It is a graphical beast, and it's so much fun in co-op mode. The story was barely okay, and the music is still not that great in my eyes. Multiplayer is divisive to me: on the one hand, I love co-op modes (Horde, Beast, Arcade); on the other hand, I just didn't have much fun in the competitive player-against-player modes.
6. Dragon Age II: Most disappointing. But I'm not going to sit here and argue that it's not a great game--because it is. We could go over all the of the things it screwed up, but instead, I will touch on what it did well: characters were excellent and some of the most memorable in any RPG for me. Combat is more engaging (yet I hope will be more challenging and intricate in future installments). Also, the main reason I am giving it a nod for my top 10 is the two/three DLC packs, especially Mark of the Assassin, which is basically better than the entire DA2 game.
7. Alice: Madness Returns: In the beginning I thought this was going to be the game of the year. Interesting, dark story, great music, unreal art direction...and the platforming was so refreshing and fun. At a certain point, though, the game starts to feel very redundant. I still very much recommend this game and need to put it on the list, but I have to note that it was this close to skyrocketing this list.
8. Half-Minute Hero: Super Mega Neo Climax: This one caught me by surprise. No, I never played the original. It's such an incredibly unique premise, and it's executed so well. I loved both art styles accompanied in the game. Nothing about it really promotes it as a game of the year, but originality goes a long way in my book. Oh, and it was very, very fun. Good music, too.
9. Halo Anniversary: Disappointing. It is exactly what I wanted, but at the same time, it doesn't flatter the original game too much. It's so hard to pinpoint what went wrong here. It is obviously very true to the original--but maybe it's too true. I feel silly for saying this, but I think I'd actually prefer more of a remake in some ways--like getting rid of some of the redundancy of the later levels. Or maybe not. Gah. Either way, the original still is one of the best games of all time, and this remake certainly does do some things right.
10. Crimson Alliance: Simplistic, fun, shouldn't be on this list, yet I feel like I must. Somewhat addicting, especially with a friend, and so pretty well-designed levels. It really needs to be experienced in co-op, though, or the game isn't half as good.
 

Oxx

Member
1. Xenoblade Chronicles ; A progressive and impressive achievement in creating a vibrant world and rewarding you for investing in it.
2. Portal 2 ; As smart as it is funny.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword ; Strong dungeon design and impressive creativity overshadow some Motion+ kinks.
4. Professor Layton and the Spectre's Call ; Probably my favourite of the Layton series. Reigning in the crazy (for the most part) and returning to the quaint rural charm that characterised the first game helps to break-up the solid puzzles.
5. Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation ; I haven't been hugely enthusiastic about the game lately, but being slightly less enjoyable than Dragon Quest V isn't particularly damning.
6. Groove Coaster ;
7. Tiny Wings ;
8. Kirby: Mass Attack ;
9. Ghost Trick ;
10. Jetpack Joyride ;
 
Here is my GOTY list

1. Infamous 2
2. Batman: Arkham City
3. Yakuza 4
4. Dark Souls
5. Resistance 3
6. Portal 2
7. Deux EX: Human Revolution
8. LittleBigPlanet 2
9. Pixeljunk Sidescroller
10. Infamous: Festival of Blood

2010 Game: Gran Turismo 5
 
1. Skyrim
2. Portal 2
3. SpaceChem
4. Renegade Ops
5. Frozen Synapse
6. Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Games I haven't yet played that would likely appear on the list:
* Skyward Sword
* Arkham City
* Bastion
* Rayman Origins
* Dark Souls
* Xenoblade
 
1. Batman: Arkham City
2. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
3. Battlefield 3
4. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
5. Portal 2
6. Bastion
7. Total War: Shogun 2
8. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
9. FIFA 12
10. Bulletstorm
 
I like this thread not only to see what games people enjoyed this year and why but also because it is immediately obvious what platforms each poster owns.
 
1. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
2. Xenoblade Chronicles
3. Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation
4. Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars
5. Mario Kart 7

2010. Monster Hunter 3
 

wonkafest

Member
1. Portal 2
2. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
3. Yakuza 4
4. Alice: Madness Returns
5. Darksouls
6. Gears of War 3
7. Batman: Arkham City
8. Dead Space 2
9. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary
10. Shadows of the Damned
 

Shiv47

Member
Bought a lot more than I played, sadly.

1) Batman: Arkham City (PS3) - The story veered between interesting and complete drivel, but it's the only game I loved enough to actually do (or will do when finished) everything in, and I never do that.

2) Portal 2 (PS3) - I guess it was easier than the first, but I still loved the experience.

3) Yakuza 4 (PS3) - I love this series, and this was a step in the right direction after 3.

4) Motorstorm Apocalypse (PS3) - The cutscenes were utter shit, but I enjoyed the racing.

5) Spacechem - Makes my head hurt, but fun

6) El Shaddai (PS3) - By far the coolest looking game of the year.

7) Catherine (PS3) - Didn't always work, but I liked most of it and applaud the effort.

8) Skylanders (PS3) - My kids have played the shit out of this, and it's been a blast playing with them. The figures are just cash register/completionist bait, but cool all the same.

9) Bastion (360) - Nice atmosphere, fun game.

10) All Kamen Rider: Rider Generation (NDS) - Redundant after a bit, but playing as and unlocking all your favorites Riders? Fucking awesome.
 

cloudyy

Member
1. Xenoblade Chronicles
2. Zelda Skyward Sword
3. Super Mario 3D Land
4. Portal 2
5. Pushmo

LTTP 2010: Nier

So many games I haven't finished nor started that could easily fit in the top5, it makes me sad (Dark Souls, Ghost Trick, Kirby Mass attack, Shadows of the Damned, Gemini Rue).
 

Lime

Member
1. Shogun 2; I haven't had this much fun since the heyday of PC gaming in the late 90's
2. Witcher 2: One of the most beautiful games I've ever played. Amazing visuals in both a technical and a artistic sense. Plus, the ethical dilemmas/consequences of one's actions are very well done.
3. Batman: Arkham City; Despite some of its flaws, it is still a really great experience as both Batman and Catwoman.
4. Skyrim: Yes, yes, I know about all of the flaws, but I've only played the game with mods, so the experience is even better. The open world experience and the astonishing settings (I'm from Scandinavia, so it's right up my alley).
5. Alice: Madness Returns: Another fine looker with a lot of nostalgic platforming.
6. Gemini Rue; I've always been a sucker for Blade Runner, so the atmosphere and the music made this game immensely addictive. Finished it in one sitting.
7. Portal 2; A natural evolution of Portal 1 - I still prefer the first one, but the sequel was still a very entertaining ride.
8. Assassin's Creed: Revelations; Despite being a step down from the previous entries, the narrative of an old man's reflection on his life in contrast to past memories was incredible to me - the ending sequence is one of the best cutscenes I've seen this gen. That alone makes it worth it to mention.
9. The Stanley Parable; Probably one of the better attempts at being much more than a game with a lot of meta-commentary on game design.
10. Frozen Synapse; I didn't like the blue aesthetics, but the strategic gameplay was incredibly good.

x. Puzzle Agent 2; I know this isn't a popular game, but the setting is incredibly appealing to me - the voice acting, the humour and the dark Lynchian nature captivate me so much.
x. Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky: Haven't finished it yet, but its characters are probably one of the best presented this year. A lot of developers could learn from this game.

Still need to play:
Uncharted 3
 
1. Super Mario 3D Land ; (3DS) Unexpected #1 from me.
2. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword ; (Wii) As a Zelda fan, I really thought this would be my GOTY...
3. Mario Kart 7 ; (3DS)
4. Pokemon: Black Version ; (DS) I don't know if Black and White are counted separately or not.
5. Yakuza 4 ; (PS3) Currently playing, and it's so amazing!
6. The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D ; (3DS)
7. Driver: San Fransisco ; (PS3)
8. Portal 2 ; (PS3) Awesome game, just with little longevity.
9. Alice: Madness Returns ; (PS3) Feels like it should be a little higher.
10. Child of Eden ; (PS3)
x. Minna no Rhythm Tengoku ; (Wii, Japan only) Won't put it here since it was an import (I know they're allowed) but this would easily pass most games on the list.
x. Pushmo ; (3DSWare) Should also be up there on the list, but hesitant to add because I played so little of it.
 

Einhander

Member
Unfortunately, I've only played three games from this year.

1. Radiant Historia ; It's a spectacular RPG. I found the gritty and dark narrative to be interesting, and the characters were likable. The kings, queens, assassins, and knights, as well as the politics that came hand-in-hand with those were awesome. The battle system wasn't too in-depth, but I had a fun time with it. The time travelling system was highly enjoyable and I liked attempting to get every node, which I did. I completed the game %100. Bravo, Atlus.

2. The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky ; Having played The Legend of Heroes III through V in order previously, then playing through this game, the difference was uncanny. Trails in the Sky is a very well made RPG, with a fun story and interesting characters. Throughout the game, it was cool doing side job tasks while you were advancing the story. The soundtrack was pleasant. The battle system was curious because, to me, it felt like a hybrid turn-based/strategy RPG battle system. I'm looking forward to Trails in the Sky 2 (and for that matter, Trails 3) and crossing my fingers that Xseed is able to complete its localization and release the game overseas.

3. Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation ; I found this Dragon Quest game to be a unique installment. I like the main characters and the premise of being able to jump between your own dimension and a phantom dimension is cool. Not entirely, but I'm reminded of Chrono Trigger and Radiant Historia regarding the dimension-hopping.
 
1. Batman: Arkham City - Long game, with amazing and polished mechanics and absolute reverence for the source material. Very polished.

2. Skyrim - Hyper-immersive and content-packed, though some bugs and other problems hold it back from being #1.

3. Super Mario 3D Land - Simply put: mechanical perfection. Quite possibly the best handheld game of all time.

4. Dead Space 2 - Well-paced, amazing shooting, best audio of the year and one gripping sequence after another.

5. Deus Ex: Human Revolution - Immersive and intriguing world. Choices lead to dynamic gameplay. Good amount of content.

6. Rayman Origins - Charming graphics and audio, complete with inventive level design. It just didn't hook me like 3D Land or last year's DKCR. Perhaps because individual levels can occasionaly drag-on.

7. Portal 2 - Amazing story and puzzles, but the game as a whole didn't stick with me.

8. Gears of War 3 - Well-rounded feature set and the best competitive multiplayer the series has seen. Campaign was surprisingly long.

9. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception - Insane setpieces and mostly good combat with the occasional lame encounter. A bit inconsistent but the highs are still very high. Technical showpiece.

10. Bulletstorm - Dick-tits and skillshots.
 

NIGHT-

Member
I like this thread not only to see what games people enjoyed this year and why but also because it is immediately obvious what platforms each poster owns.

You can tell a lot of users on here only game on there Sony consoles. Sad to miss out on so many great game this year!
 

pakkit

Banned
1. Rayman Origins

Tragically overlooked. In an interview, creator Michel Ancel claimed to never enjoy Mario games, yet here he perfectly elaborates on NSMBWii's collaborative multiplayer fun. The visuals, running at 60 FPS and full 1080p resolution on consoles, are a sight to behold, teasing you with gorgeously hand-drawn visuals that betray the game's breakneck pace. The gameplay evolves constantly, flip-flopping from Mario's comfortable platforming to Super Meat Boy's leaps of faith. If you enjoy platformers in any capacity, you owe it to yourself to get this game. GOTY.

2. Superbrothers: Sword and Sorcery EP

Superbrothers stands as a beautifully woven marriage of visual excellence and music. Finally, the musical swells in a game have specific meaning, serving as sonic exclamation points on an already tactile experience. Superbrother's cherry-picks from videogames past, resonating with those that grew up in the days of pointing, clicking, and Triforce hunting. The "Extended Play" in the title is no joke, the game invites you to play again and again, dissecting it's design and unrooting it's secrets, before being greeted by a vinyl interlude.

3. Portal 2

The sinister edge of Portal 1 is traded in for tremendous humor. You will laugh along with this game until the credits roll (and, likely, as they roll). The gameplay's inventiveness is dulled only by a relative lack of difficulty; an adverse side-effect of Valve's rigorous play-testing. Still, the ride sure is fun, and Valve's ability to extend Portal's thesis into a full blown narrative is worthy of applause.

4. L.A. Noire

In Fox Network's Lie to Me, Tim Roth's character is able to read lies through microexpressions and body language. L.A. Noire channels this high-tension guesswork and frames it around the moody streets of post-WWII Los Angeles. The attention to detail is staggering: the script, attire, and storefronts are all reflective of the era. Furthermore, the majority of cases protagonist Cole Phelps encounters are based off of historical cases in LA during that decade. It's a brave reimagining of an era's fragile balance of new money and crime, and being able to fully explore this nuanced world is a treat.

5. Deus Ex: Human Revolution

With each passing decade, bioethics and questions dreamt up by Philip K. Dick become increasing relevant. Human Revolution allows players a window through which we can explore this complex issues. The central narrative is fairly straight-forward, marching towards a weak ending that fails to convey the complexities of the issues it highlights. However, the means by which the player can further the narrative are vast. Are you confrontative? Do you double-cross those who have offered help? Do you talk your way out of a potentially violent situation? At it's best, Deus Ex puts you in tough situations and gives you a bevy of options to get yourself out, all the while exploring many of the controversial problems that will confront humanity in the years to come.

6. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
7. Batman: Arkham City
8. RAGE
9. From Dust
10. Bastion
 

FatCat

Member
I guess I won't be able to cram in any more games before the deadline, so here's my list for 2011. There is so much quality this year, I'm surprised by the amount of time I've put into playing my consoles.

1. Deus Ex, Human Revolution; quite simply the surprise of the year for me. The whole atmosphere got me right from the start, from the soundtrack riddled with serene/nerve-breaking music, to the dark golden vision of futuristic America and Asia that complements the well-written story. I haven't played any previous games from the series, so I'm fresh to Deus Ex but I honestly find no flaws in the game design, the game is just perfect. I've played this game from start to finish 4 times this year, and have yet to get all the achievements. I think that's proof the game deserves my number one spot. It might even be my game of the generation.

2. Legend of Zelda, Skyward Sword; wasn't expecting much out of this game like many others on GAF, and again I was surprised by how the series pulls me back in despite the apparent flaws that come with age. The soundtrack is wonderful and the graphics, while grainy and with some major dithering, become a treat to the eye. This installment also has my favorite story in the series: well written and some great characters too. I'm currently through my second playthrough, doing all side missions, and the world of Skyloft is wonderful. Enchanting is how I would describe this game.

3. Xenoblade Chronicles; a great RPG that finally got the attention it deserved outside of Japan. It reminds me plenty of Final Fantasy XII (one of, if not favourite, RPG of past years) except it is ten times bigger in scope. Combat is not the hottest part of the game but it works and allows for things to move fast. Like many of my nominations, the soundtrack is outstanding and makes you feel like an adventurer. I have yet to finish it completely and can't wait to do so. Can't wait for America to get hold of this, people will be in for a treat.

4. Batman, Arkham City; the first Arkham game was definitely a milestone for the series, and this installment is great too. Though to be honest, my hype reached a point of non-return and ultimately I do feel a bit disappointed with the game; maybe because the open-world structure isn't as tight as the first game's direction and because so much was crammed into this game. I'm also disappointed with some of the story decisions, though the ending is easily some of the best videogame material in a long time. Great voice-acting and lots of nerdy fan service in the form of villain cameos.

5. Pokémon White; wow, I'm surprised I'm still playing pokémon after all these years. I have to say, White/Black are the best games in the series, I've played well over 200 hours in the past year. The story is good compared to previous games. And the soundtrack? It gets your adrenaline pumping. I also like the design of the new generation pokémon, they definitely have more personality than generation 4 creatures. I just wish I had the courage to complete my pokédex for once, I haven't done it since Pokémon Red.

6. Saints Row, The Third; first steps into the series and absolutely fell in love with the craziness that goes down in Steelport. Highlights for me were the great voice-acting, well written story, the driving mechanics and the crude nature of some scenes. It might have been higher in my list of there were more variety and less filler content, but that's just the nature of sandbox games. Some of the story missions feel tacked on, but overall it is a great experience.

7. Super Mario Land 3D; another surprise game that I wasn't expecting to enjoy. I wasn't very hyped for this and ended up completing it 100%, which I rarely do for Mario games. It is the type of game I play in small sessions, usually I would complete 2-3 levels per play session. It gets quite difficult near to the end which is great.

8. Mario Kart 7: a great game that plays really well online and that seems to be overall quite balanced, except the odd time when you get hit by a blue shell on the finish line. I've had quite a few fun races online with fellow gaffers. Unlocking everything is a chore though...and I'm not really willing to finish every cup with 3 stars. The gliding and underwater parts are fun and natural ideas that blend into the overall gameplay.
 

Frost_Ace

Member
1) Super mario 3D land

2) Ghost trick

3) Portal 2

4) Pokemon Black/White

6) Mario kart 7

7) Professor Layton and the spectre's call

Welp, this list really shows I'm only a pc/handheld guy :p
 

fernoca

Member
1. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
2. Mortal Kombat
3. Portal 2
4. L.A. Noire
5. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
6. Pokémon: White Version / Black Version
7. Kirby: Return to Dreamland
8. Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure
9. FAST: Racing League
10. MotoHeroz
 

LowerLevel

Member
1. Skyrim -Looks great, sounds excellent, plays amazing. Took #2 to even make me think of playing something else

2. Saint's Row the Third - Just flat out fun. Truly haven't had that much mindless fun in a long time. So enjoyable

3. Forza 4 - My most anticipated for the year, and other than no P2P races, it didn't disappoint me.

4. Dark Souls - From King's Field to this, I couldn't wait. Thanks for the 360 version as my launch 60 Ps3 is kaput...

5. The Old Republic - It's only been a few days for me, but so far already becoming my favorite MMO. It's actually enjoyable AND playable. Coming from a Trekkie over SW, this says alot.

6. Battlefield 3 - Dat Online!

7. Bastion - Dat Narrator and music!

8. Renegade Ops - Old school shooting goodness in the vein of Ikari Warriors, Jackal and Commando. So good...

9. Dead Island - Mixing Fallout 3 and Borderlands somewhat makes quite a fun game surprisingly.

10. Wizardry(PSN) - It came when I really wanted/needed some old school RPG gameplay. Still haven't finished it as unfortunately to it's delays other games took priority.


Haven't played Arkham, Deus Ex or Bulletstorm yet. I couldn't find enjoyment in the first Uncharted, first Portal and first Gears so all three's sequels weren't even on my radar. L.A. Noire wasn't that bad but not close enough for my top 10. And Mortal Kombat is great but I went back to Wizardry and not to MK.
 

-Stranger-

Junior Member
1. Battlefield 3
2. Batman: Arkham City
3. Portal 2
4. Dead Space 2
5. Super Mario 3D Land
6. Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
7. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
8. Tactics Orge: Let us Cling Together
9. Crysis 2
10. Pokemon Black

This list would be different however, as i haven't started Skyrim or Skyward Sword yet.
 

Carbonox

Member
1. Mass Effect 2
2. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
3. Batman Arkham City
4. Assassin's Creed Revelations
5. inFamous 2
6. FIFA 12
7. Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
8. Pokemon Black
9. LA Noire
10. Dark Souls
 

Elginer

Member
1. Batman: Arkham City
2. Gears of War 3
3. Dead Space 2
4. Dark Souls
5. Warhammer: Space Marine
6. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
7. Shadows of the Damned - Such a fun ass game.
8. Sonic Generations
9. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
10: MGS HD Collection
 
1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
2. Trouble Witches Neo!
3. Super Mario 3D Land
4. Touhou 13: Ten Desires
5. Dance Central 2
6. Mario Kart 7
7. DoDonPachi: Resurrection
8. Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
9. Gears of War 3
10. Portal 2
x. Child of Eden
x. Bulletstorm


Notable 2011 releases I have yet to play:
Bastion, The Last Story, Xenoblade Chronicles, Batman Arkham City, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Puyo Puyo!! 20th Anniversary, Jamestown, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings, Dark Souls.
 
1. Batman: Arkham City(PC) ; The combat in this game is second to none, the open world is big enough to service the numerous side missions and riddles/trophies, while not being too overwhelming. The story, while nothing amazing, allows all the great characters from design to voice acting, to shine. Everything in this game is fun and awesome and is easily game of the year for me.

2. Portal 2(PC) ; It seems everything in this game is polished to the nth degree. From the writing, the puzzle design, the level design. It is every bit a valve game as one should expect. Although short, it is easily my favourite game of the year, but only lost to Batman because I was severely disappointed in the lack of difficulty in the single player.

3. The Witcher 2(PC) ; This is the best looking game of the year. With that alone, it almost has the merit being on this list as a tech demo. Fortunately, it also has a great story, be it the writing, or the choices filled with grey area which really makes it hard for me to go to a [modern] Bioware game. Also, I personally liked the combat, didn’t find it that hard at all (hard difficulty first playthrough) and totally didn’t understand the complaints.

4. Assassin’s Creed: Revelations(PC) ; The AC series is my favourite franchise this generation. While those complain on forums about the annualization of these games, I’m lining up to buy them. In my opinion, the sum of its parts has always been much greater than the individual parts for this franchise. Bombs, Tower Defense, First-Person Puzzle Platforming; are any of these necessary and good additions? That’s up to opinion, but they certainly weren’t offensive enough to sully the experience. Especially when they are mostly optional. This was the least improved of all the AC sequels, but everything unique about it I still love so much, and welcome AC3 with open arms. (Also the way Ezio kills guys in this game is fantastic)

5. Deus Ex: Human Revolution(PC) ; This was a last minute write-in. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but a lot of this game, upon recounting it, seems really bad; just small individual things. The bosses, how you choose your ending, the shooting, the yellow, the voice acting. But I couldn’t stop playing it; it’s inexplicable really. I guess the core design philosophy is good enough to really hold it together and having played Deus Ex 1 for the first time months before the leak, whilst playing it, I couldn’t stop thinking of how awesome this would be in a 2011 world, and all the good (and bad) that comes with it. It delivered on that pretty well I think.

6. Orcs Must Die(PC) ; This game is seemingly dwarved by all the games around it on the list but I can’t ignore it with all the time I spent playing it this year, and all the fun I had while doing it. This is a must have. If only it had co-op...

7. Bastion(PC) ; This is a smart game. Playing through this, the attention to detail in every facet of game design is superb. Ignoring the story, narration and music, this game is still on this list. I just love the way it plays and feels. Enabling any and all of the gods? (the difficulty scaler.) also made it a fairly big challenge and I was really recommend it to anyone who hasn’t played it before and enjoys difficult games. Also, the story, narration and music are great. I didn’t ignore it. Without having even bought the soundtrack, I still catch myself humming the tunes.

8. Uncharted 3(PS3) ; This almost qualified for one of my most disappointing games this year. Thinking it over however, I realized how well made this game is, and noticed how high my expectations for Naughty Dog are. There are many things they could have done better. Mainly, the villain. But hearing about Cutter’s and Chloe’s actors having other obligations (and therefore, not being in the game in the end) and The Last of Us taking a chunk of the Uncharted team, I have to give credit to a game, that is still a lot of fun, and totally worth playing.

9. Saints Row 3(PC) ; I didn’t like this game nearly as much as most people did. Up until deckers.die, I really didn’t see what was so great. It was stupid as all hell, and I at least, didn’t see that was a good thing: mainly because it was utterly forgettable. It was as if the writers for Family Guy wrote a bunch of random wacky stuff for a video game. (Tiger in a convertible xDDDD) Now, that is a portion of the comedy in this game, (in my opinion the majority) but the other parts? Mannnnnn, mannnnnnnnnnn, MANNNNNNNNNNNNNN. So good. There are enough set-pieces in this game that are damn clever, and restrained enough, that made me forgive and forget the bad parts. Also, none of the gameplay is bad enough to detract from the game.

10. L.A. Noire (PS3) ; Within the last month or so, for the first time, I watched L.A. Confidential and started watching Mad Men. It wasn’t until this point that I started thinking seriously about what I thought about L.A. Noire. Beating it in the first couple days, I echoed the same complaints that many did who weren’t marvelling the technology. I didn’t even hate the ending, but there were many parts of this game that were just, in the words of my ~6 month ago self, bad. I don’t even know if this deserves to be on this list, even if it is at the bottom. But having watched the two aforementioned shows, it made me think how much I liked the execution of the style and feel of this game. I honestly didn’t even like the facial tech in this game. Weird, huh?

x. Renegade Ops ; Pure fun dual joystick shooter with small scope.
x. Infamous 2 ; Play the evil ending.
x. Trine 2 ; Visually stunning game, nerf wizard.
x. Spacechem ; Best puzzle game this year.
x. Trackmania 2 ; Jeff’s server, dubstep; nuff said.
x. Sequence ; That'll do Feep, that'll do.

2010. Super Meat Boy(PC) ; This is the game I’ve played the most of this year. Now admittedly, most of this time is spent getting the fucking amazingly difficult PC achievements (completing all the levels in a “world” without dying) whilst listening to podcasts but man, everything about this game, in my opinion, is perfect.

Notable Games I did Not Play:
-Any Portable Game (Ghost Trick, Corpse Party, 3DS Games...)
-Any 360 Game (Gears 3, Forza,...)
-Any Wii Game (Zelda, Xenoblade,...)
-Any Other PS3 Exclusive
-Dark Souls
-Dead Space 2
-Rayman Origins
-The Old Republic
-Catherine
-Shadows of the Damned

Notable Games I did play that I simply just didn't like:
Skyrim
 

Jtrizzy

Member
1. Skyrim
2. Batman Arkham City
3. Uncharted 3
4. Battlefield 3
5. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
6. SWTOR
7. Renegade Ops
8. Trine 2
9. Bastion
10. NBA 2K12

All PC other than U3.
 
1. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
2. Pokemon Black
3. Mario Kart 7
4. Xenoblade
5. Pushmo
6. Cave Story+
7. Sequence
8. The Binding of Isaac
9. the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
10. Swap note; I'm counting it!

2010. 999: 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors
 

hitmon

Member
1. Batman Arkham City (PS3) - Solid game all around and no game breaking bugs encountered. This is my #1 game of 2011.
2. Dynasty Warriors: Gundam 3 (PS3) - Best Musuo game this year, and best Musuo Gundam game by far.
3. Radiant Historia (DS) - Loved the story and gameplay. Very solid title. My favorite DS title of 2011.
4. Yakuza 4 (PS3) - The variation of play styles between the main characters was better than expected. Was as enjoyable as Yakuza 3.
5. Zelda Ocarina of Time 3D (3DS) - Game looks amazing with the updated graphics and does 3D well.
6. Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure (360 and PS3) - This was better than I expected and loved the innovation of switching playable characters with figures. Even better the figures are interchangeable between consoles and platforms.
7. MLB 11 The Show (PS3)- Best sports game out there
8. Pushmo (3DS) - Good portable on the go. First digital purchase for me on the 3DS
9. Saints Row 3 (PS3) - It might not look the greatest, but boy is this game fun. Gameplay alone gets it at least one point from me.
10. Catherine (PS3)- enjoyable story with fun puzzles

Honorable mentions:
x. Mortal Kombat (360 and PS3)- Enjoyed this fighting game the most out of the released fighters in 2011.
x. Skyrim (360) - Would be on my top 10, but the bugs really put a damper on it for me. Maybe it'll get my LTTP vote next year after they fix the game.
x. Swapnote (3DS) - don't think I can vote for it, but this is probably one of my favorite aspects of the 3DS.
x. Streetpass (3DS) - Another that probably doesn't qualify, but I ended up loving once I got the 3DS. Who else has the urge to walk around hoping to pass by somebody who also has a 3DS on sleep mode with wireless on?
 

firehawk12

Subete no aware
1. Yakuza 4
2. Saints Row 3
3. Dark Souls
4. Catherine
5. Devil Survivor Overclocked
6. To The Moon
7. The Stanley Parable
8. Gears of War 3
9. Super Mario 3D Land
10. Battlefield 3 (Multiplayer)
 
1. Gears of War 3: Perfectly polished campaign that looks phenomenal & also supports 4 player co-op. HORDE 2.0 is easily the king of all Horde modes. The competitive multiplayer is executed perfectly & oh did I mention dedicated servers? -GAME F*****G OVER.

2. Battlefield 3: Very well could be in my top 5 next year too.

3. FORZA 4: FORZA 3 was better than GT5 overall & FORZA 4 crushes FORZA 3 in every area-You do the math.

4. Batman Arkham City: Rock Steady is officially en fuego.

5. Uncharted 3: Trully amazed at the lengths ND went to remedy an aiming bug.

6. HALO CE Anniversary: Also doubles as a "How to Properly Remake a Classic" manual

7. Portal 2: Brilliant from start to finish.

8. L.A. Noire: Pretty impressive graphics technology.

9. Little Big Planet 2: If only it weren't so damn boring.

10.Modern Warfare 3: The stellar campaign puts it on my list, while the same old multiplayer does its best to pull it off. In the end she's clinging to the tenth spot by a single thread.

***PLEASE NOTE I didn't have time to play the following popular selections.
1.Skyrim
2. Legend of ZELDA-SS
3. Minecraft
4. Child of Eden
5. Dead Space 2
6. The Witcher 2
 
1. Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword
2. Pokemon Black/White
3. Portal 2
4. Mario Kart 7
5. Super Mario 3D Land
6. Ghost Trick
7.Radiant Historia
8. LittleBigPlanet 2
9. Elders Scroll V: Skyrim
10. Child of Eden
 

ijm72

Member
1. Batman: Arkham City
2. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
3. Portal 2
4. Gears of War 3
5. Dead Space 2
6. Uncharted 3
7. FIFA 12
 

sdornan

Member
  1. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
  2. Portal 2
  3. Batman: Arkham City
  4. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
  5. Dead Space 2
  6. L.A. Noire
  7. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
  8. Saints Row The Third
  9. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
  10. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
 

Mar

Member
1. Mortal Kombat
2. Minotron: 2112
3. Dead Island
4. Driver: San Francisco
5. Shadows of the Damned
6. Alice: Madness Returns
7. Dark Souls
8. Saints Row: The Third
9. Army of Darkness Defense
10. Death Rally

2010. Splatterhouse
 

Freki

Member
1. Skyrim
2. Portal 2
3. Battlefield 3 (Multiplayer)
4. The Witcher 2
5. Dead Space 2
6. Mass Effect 2

The Rest of the time i spent playing older games BF:BC2 up to BF3s release for example...
 
My top 8 for 2011:

1.Portal 2; Never thought this game would make it to the top spot, but the co-op multiplayer portion of the game was just too much fun. I never had conversations this heated as when trying to figure out the puzzle solutions with my mates online. It was brilliant.
2. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception ; More Uncharted. What's wrong with that? Nothing at all. It was fucking brilliant!!!!
3. Batman: Arkham City ; way to make a great game even greater. My head felt like exploding when I realized how much more shit Rocksteady added to this game. Fucking A!!
4. Ico/Shadow of the Colossus Collection ;(does this count?) Never played the originals when they were released on the ps2 so it was my first time experiencing these gems. 2 hour speed run of Ico was on of the most frustrating things I did all year. Good fun!! :p
5. Resistance 3; Playing this with the PS Move made the game feel even more amazing. It feels so natural (thanx for the tips on the settings adjustment TTP!!!) playing FPS games without the Move now feels weird.
6. inFAMOUS 2 ;If you have an OCD like I do, then nothing beats pinging for blast shards. Nothing at all!!! :p
7. Dead Space 2; Gotta love Dead Space!!! :p
8. Mass Effect 2 (PS3); finally managed to have the ME experience too!! Felt awesome. Can't wait for 3!!!

I guess that's about it for me.
 
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