Contents Prologue (Introduction)
1-2
Game #1-2
3-4
Game #3-4
5-6
Game #5-6
7-8
Game #7-8
9-10
Game #9
11
Game #10
12
Bibliography
13
Games of 2O11 T
he start of a year is God’s way of hitting F5. An opportunity to start something new and redefine yourself by shedding old habits. The addition of yet another number on the calendar year is the perfect reason to take up those piano lessons you’ve been meaning to get around to for the past 15 years. Also, it’s a perfect reason to yet again conclude that pianos are for suckers and instead play awesome video games. While waiting for new games in 2012, instead let’s see what we’ve got back in 2011.
All Captions By Jeff Bakalar of cnet.com
B
elow you'll find a list of top 10 biggest games of 2011. The list leaves off some other potentially great games because of several reasons, so if you don’t see your picked game for game of the year on this list, be sure to check out this list of very worthy honorable mention : - Dark Souls (Xbox 360, PS3) - LittleBigPlanet 2 (PS3) - Bastion (XBLA) - Outland (XBLA) - Mortal Kombat (Xbox 360, PS3) - Catherine (Xbox 360, PS3) - Minecraft (PC) - NHL 12 (Xbox 360, PS3) - Battlefield 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC) - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Number 1O
While it may not have innovated much on top of what the original provided, Dead Space 2 successfully re-created the sheer horror of being left for dead in deep space. Terrifying, dreary, and dark, the game’s atmosphere is once again the star of the show.
DEVELOPER
Number 9
While some critics wrote L.A. Noire off as an overall disappointment, I refuse to overlook the game’s jaw-dropping motion capture technology called MotionScan. It added an entirely new dimension to the game’s characters, dwarfing most other game performances in the process.
DEVELOPER
* Note : The right logo beside developer’s logo is the game’s publisher
Number 8
Say hello to the best game of the year that you most likely didn’t play. Shadows of the Damned was fresh, funny, and combined the talents of some of the heaviest hitters in gaming--but for some reason failed to garner any commercial success. I still remain shocked over its lack of success, but Shadows of the Damned is without a doubt the sleeper hit of 2011.
DEVELOPER
Number 7
I think Human Revolution is this year’s biggest pleasant surprise. Of course the Deus Ex brand has a mostly positive reputation, but Human Revolution really came together in almost every way possible. Mixing equal parts Metal Gear Solid and Mass Effect and set in a “Blade Runner”-esque world, Human Revolution is a blast to play no matter which way you decide to approach it.
DEVELOPER
Number 6
Gears of War 3 completely revitalized the franchise for the better, offering a complete package for gamers. A compelling campaign, addictive multiplayer modes, and Horde 2.0 made for the best Gears yet. Perhaps the biggest surprise in Gears 3 was the emotional storyline that humanized the characters more so than in games past.
DEVELOPER
Number 5
Oh, Nathan; the situations you find yourself in. Nathan Drake’s third adventure was also the most insane, with our hero narrowly escaping dicey situations within an inch of his life on a regular basis. Of course the game is totally worth a playthrough, but at some point the beauty fatigue starts to set in, making me wonder “how will they top this next time around?”
DEVELOPER
Number 4
If you look at the Wii’s entire life cycle like a sandwich, two fantastic Zelda games are the bread. It seems only appropriate to have Skyward Sword unofficially close out the Wii’s run, only because it’s probably the best game to ever grace the platform. Gorgeous graphics, expert level design, and the closest thing we’ll ever get to one-to-one sword control all came together in this instant classic.
DEVELOPER & PUBLISHER
Number 3
It’ll be tough to find a better value this year in a game, especially considering that Skyrim’s developers have said the game can technically go on “forever.” Skyrim offers an enormous map to explore, with countless quests to pursue and dragons to slay. Just don’t expect to breeze through this one; Skyrim should keep you busy for months.
DEVELOPER
Number 2
As funny as it is cerebral, Portal 2 gave gamers exactly what they wanted out of the follow-up to what developer Valve originally included as a bonus add-on to 2007’s The Orange Box. The cult-classic turned mainstream success story presented us with new mind-bending levels, great celebrity voice performances, and a fascinating storyline. All this combined with impressive an co-op mode and a healthy amount of DLC makes Portal 2 easily one of the year’s best.
DEVELOPER & PUBLISHER
Number 1
Possibly one of the most hyped games in recent history, Batman: Arkham City had pretty big shoes to fill. Not even scoffing at the pressure, Rocksteady Studios made it look easy by delivering a bigger and badder Batman game with five times the amount of explorable space. Arkham City makes gamers feel like they are in fact the Dark Knight themselves, completely nailing the atmosphere, gadgets, top-of-the-line production values, and acting performances. On top of that, the game is an absolute shrine for Batman loyalists, creatively incorporating most of the Batman universe into the various modes of play. Finally, the replay value here is among the best you’ll find in gaming, providing tons of content for players to unlock and discover--and more DLC is still coming down the pike. It’s engaging, thrilling, totally satisfying, and without a doubt my pick for 2011’s video game of the year.
DEVELOPER
Bibliography Bakalar, J December 15, 2011 8:58 AM PST, The 10 best games of 2011, IGN, accessed 09 May 2012, <http://reviews.cnet.com/2300-9995_710010423.html?tag=mncol>. Batman: Arkham City 9 May 2012 at 06:22., ‘Batman: ArkhamCity’, wiki article, 9 May 2012 at 16.11, accessed 09 May 2012, <http://en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Batman_Arkham_City>. JV2017gameplay, J 2012, TOP 10 GAMES OF 2011!!!, online video, 1 January 2012, accessed 09 May 2012, <http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=yLsrrE3ryfo>. Clements, R December 22, 2010, Top 10 Xbox 360 Games of 2011, IGN, accessed 09 May 2012, <http://xbox360.ign.com/ articles/114/1140284p1.html>. Onyett, C December 22, 2010, Top 10 PC Games of 2011, IGN, accessed 09 May 2012, <http://pc.ign.com/articles/114/1141301p1.html>. Top 10 PS3 Games of 2011 December 22, 2010, IGN, accessed 09 May 2012, <http://ps3.ign.com/articles/114/1140658p1.html>.