My Top 5 Games For 2011 (and more!)

The year 2011 has come and gone, and was a great year for video games. We saw a lot of great releases throughout the year and, as usual, especially around the holiday season. Unfortunately my free time was tragically cut short around halfway through the year, so I don't have nearly as much time to play video games as I once did. Because of this I've had to limit my selection based on free time (and money) to certain games (pick and choose my battles, if you will). So instead of a top 10, this year I present you with my Top 5 Games of 2011. Out of all the games I played this year, these five are my favorites. Keep in mind that I only include a game in lists like these if I feel I've played it enough to adequately review and judge it (which usually means "beating" it). The below are ranked in order, with #1 being my "Game of the Year". After the top 5 list I'll also give a few honorable mentions, some games that may have made the list if I had had time to play them, and a few of the letdowns from this year (there were unfortunately several).

We'll start with my Top 5 Games of the Year:

*drumroll*

5. Dead Space 2 - Xbox 360, PS3, PC - January 25

I'm not usually a fan of the horror genre, but I've come to realize that that may be the reason I'm so drawn to the Dead Space franchise. Besides the fact that they're great games with good stories, great atmosphere and setting, and very fun gameplay, a game like Dead Space 2 wouldn't normally be something I'd enjoy. It's outside of my comfort zone, and while I naturally like my comfort zone, it's nice to try something different once in a while. It's almost like a personal mark of pride for myself that I can say I've beaten every Dead Space game that's come out so far (yes, even the on-rails one for Wii). And while they're great games and I thoroughly enjoy pretty much everything about them, I do have to admit that I breathed a huge sigh of relief when I beat Dead Space 2. Playing games where you don't always have to worry about aliens popping out of dark at you is much easier and much less stressful. Dead Space 2 is not one of those games.



4. Batman: Arkham City - Xbox 360, PS3, PC - October 18

"Gimme yo' heads!"

Following up on the hit game Batman: Arkham Asylum, Arkham City puts you in a larger, open world, adds more classic characters, and improves on the (very) few flaws from Arkham Asylum. My one complaint about Arkham Asylum was the combat, and I felt that it flowed more smoothly and was easier to master in Arkham City. The setting, story, side missions, characters, voice acting, and gameplay are all great... and I mean, come on, it's Batman. What more could you ask for?



3. Portal 2 - Xbox 360, PS3, PC - April 19

"SPAAAAAAAAAACE!!!"

Portal 2 has the distinction of being the funniest game I've ever played. As someone who loves humor and comedy, that's a big deal for me. And when you add that and the great characters in the game (most of them new) to the awesome gameplay mechanics and puzzle design you get something really special. The new co-op mode is a lot of fun and works really well too. I played through this game almost three times this year, and while it admittedly isn't as long as most of the other games on this list (especially after you beat it the first time), that really says something about the kind of experience you get when you play this game.



2. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Xbox 360, PS3, PC - November 11

One of the most epic games I've ever played. The world is beautiful and perfectly constructed. The stories and quests are very good, and the combat, while still a little rough in spots, is definitely a step up from Oblivion. And while that stuff is all great, the main reason I play the Elder Scrolls games (and Fallout for that matter) is for the expertly crafted huge open world. Most RPGs are all about going from quest to quest, advancing both the story and the side missions, and leveling up in the process. And while that is a big part of Skyrim, the beauty of this game is the ability to just explore the world and see what secrets you can find hidden away in the mountains of Skyrim (the name of the game is also the area in which it takes place). The game has a quick travel option to go from place to place, but I often find myself not wanting to use it. I'd much rather spend the extra time walking to my next destination and seeing what kind of awesome stuff happens along the way (like defending myself from a dragon attack), or what I can discover (like another hidden dungeon). This game is truly a masterpiece in an already fabled franchise.



*another, more dramatic drumroll*


1. Star Wars: The Old Republic - PC - December 20

Deciding between this and Skyrim for my #1 game was a tough decision that took me several weeks to come to. Both games earned the right to hold that title, and in fact when I first drafted this list I had Skyrim number one and Old Republic number two. But as I continued to play Old Republic I gradually changed my mind. Because it's an MMO, Old Republic has a built-in advantage of being able to play with your friends, which is always a good thing. All MMOs have that going for them, but what really sets Old Republic apart is that I find myself wanting to play it even when none of my friends are online (even over Skyrim, which is made to be only a single player game). I messed around with WoW back in the day, and more recently played Rift and a few other free-to-play MMOs, and while they're all fun in their own way I never experienced this with any of them.

Old Republic mixes all that's great about MMOs with a story that works a lot like Mass Effect does (another game by Bioware). There are still your usual MMO fetch quests (i.e. go here and kill 15 of these, or collect 6 of these and return to me), but where the game really stands out are its "class quests". These quests advance a story and introduce supporting characters that stay with you the rest of the game. And your choices in these quests matter: like Mass Effect you usually have a choice to be good or evil, and whatever you pick affects what happens in your story down the road. There are 8 different classes (4 for each faction) all with original and unique stories that span from level 1 all the way to level 50 (the max level right now). I haven't beaten any of them yet, but I'm a good chunk into 2 of them (out of 8) and they're both really good so far. And from what I hear from other players and online, all 8 are very well made (in the Bioware tradition). You basically get 8 Mass Effect-type stories in one game, and best of all it's set in the Star Wars universe (which I'm also a big fan of). All that mixed with the space combat (which is a fun diversion) and the ability to play with several friends makes this my choice as my favorite game of 2011.



Honorable Mentions:

Rift - Wasn't as captivating as Old Republic, but was fun and had a lot of good ideas I wish other MMOs (including Old Republic) would steal.

L.A. Noire - A very interesting game; it tried a lot of new things and they worked out. Some parts were repetitive, but the interrogations, the story, and most of the action was great.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution - This game had some problems, but overall I really liked it and found most of it to be a lot of fun. Here's hoping for a sequel where they keep all the good stuff and iron out all the problems.



Games that may have made my top 5 list if I had had time to play them:

This is my way of giving props to games that probably deserve a spot on the list but that I unfortunately haven't gotten a chance to play yet.

-Bastion
-Dark Souls
-Gears of War 3
-Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
-The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings



The Letdowns

And, last but definitely least, the letdowns. Every year there are a few games that I (and many others) look forward to but unfortunately fail to meet most expectations. These aren't necessarily bad games (although many times they are). They're just... well, letdowns.

Brink - Bought this game for like $10 on sale about two months after it came out. That should tell you something.

Duke Nukem Forever - This game has been $10 for months now, and I still haven't bought it. That should really tell you something.

Dragon Age II - Not a terrible game, but for the most part it was overwhelmingly average. The characters (Bioware's specialty) were still good, but that was probably the only real bright spot in the game. The story was only okay and the environments and combat were damn near terrible. Definitely did not live up to expectations or the standard set by the first game.

Rage - Another one that wasn't all bad; in fact it started out really well. The graphics and gameplay were great, but the story started out decent and only got worse and worse until the ending, which is one of the worst endings for any game ever. The game just ends. Like stops. All of a sudden, you just win. And for a game that was in development for like five years, it's insultingly short. The "open world" is a lie and the multiplayer is not worth playing. The racing is an okay diversion but is pretty shallow and gets old pretty quick. Rage had a lot of potential but ultimately failed to reach it, or really even come close.



And there you have it: my list(s) for 2011. As always I value and appreciate any feedback, so feel free to post any comments or opinions you might have.

The Greatest Games of the Decade: The Year 2008

So, it's been a while since I posted my 2007 entry. A long while. It's a new year now, but I intend to finish the Greatest Games of the Decade nonetheless. For anyone who reads this, my apologizes for the delay. In 2007 we had a lot of good games, and 2008, while perhaps not as packed with great games as 2007 (which is regarded as the best year for video games ever by many people in the gaming industry) there are still several really good games that came out in 2008. The winner for best game though is a game that I (along with many, many other people) put a lot of time into:





Fallout 3

Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: RPG/First Person Action
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
Release Date (NA): October 28, 2008
Rating: M


As of right now, Fallout 3 is the best open world game I've ever played, and one of my all-time favorites. The graphics and and the art direction are amazing, as is the sound and soundtrack. The world in which the game takes place (a post-nuclear-war Washington D.C.) is incredibly well crafted and filled with adventure for those brave enough to go exploring. At its base the game engine is the same as Oblivion's, but it has been improved upon immensily. There are tons of different kinds of weapons, from everything to guns, rocket launchers, grenades, melee weapons, and even devices that shoot nuclear bombs. For the most part, they all work well too. The VATS combat system is a welcome addition because even though the real-time combat is improved over Oblivion's, it's still not as good as a top-tier FPS. VATS lets the game take on a more RPG feel in combat while still keeping the cool weapons and tactical elements of the first-person gameplay.

Like I said before, the world is incredibly well-crafted. It is a large open world, and yet almost everywhere you go you find something interesting, whether it's a location, enemies, other people, items, or pieces that add into the story. The characters, while not the best or most memorable, keep the story moving and are certainly an improvement over Oblivion. The voice acting is very good, as Liam Neeson does a good job as your father and Three-Dog is a funny and somewhat helpful guide to the Wasteland. The game's main story is solid, if not amazing. But that's only part of the allure of Fallout 3; you can do the main story how and when you want, but there's just so much else to go see and explore in the world, including many, many side quests. And like I said before, even just running around exploring can keep you busy and throughly entertained for endless hours in this game.

Also, with the benefit of hindsight, on the whole the DLC that came out for this game afterwards is very good. When I talk about a "greatest game of the year", that includes any expansions that eventually came out for it, so I factor all five DLC packs into this. The two that stand out as superb are "Broken Steel" and "Point Lookout". "Broken Steel" allows you to keep playing after the end of the main story (which you couldn't do originally, the game actually ended), and also raises the level cap from 20 to 30. It also somewhat finishes up the main plot-line. "Point Lookout" takes you to a beach in Maryland, and is structured like a small open world itself with various quests. The other three, "Operation Anchorage", "The Pitt", and "Mothership Zeta" are largely combat-focused, but are still worth playing and will give some extra loot and experience to your guy.

That all being said, if you still haven't purchased this game but want to eventually, I would definitely recommend getting the GOTY (Game of the Year) edition. It has the game and all 5 DLC packs all on one disc. The main game itself is a lot cheaper now, but by the time you wind up purchasing all the DLC (which you're going to want to do), you'll have spent more money than if you had just bought the GOTY to begin with.


Honorable Mentions:

Tom Clancy's Rainbow SIx: Vegas 2 (360, PS3, PC)- A well made tactical FPS that has you hunting down terrorists in Las Vegas. The level-up system works a lot like CoD 4, but you gain experience for your guy throughout every mode, which I really liked. Terrorist hunt is also a lot of fun.

Call of Duty: World at War (360, PS3, PC)- Nazi Zombies!!! Would be a decent game without that mode, but the introduction of that really gave it an edge in my book. If you want to know more about my feelings on this game, you can check out my reveiw here.

Dead Space (360, PS3, PC)- A terrifying third-person shooter that also has solid and very fun gameplay mechanics.

Braid (360, PS3, PC)- A very fun and challenging puzzle game. It's not a full game, hence why it's only available through download and doesn't cost much. Definitely worth taking the time to play though.

World of Goo (Wii, PC)- Another puzzle/arcade game (like Braid) that is challenging but very fun.

Little Big Planet (PS3)- A very original game in a genre (platformer) where up until this point there wasn't much originality for a while. Sackboy has got to be the cutest video game character ever (and I dont use that term very often), and while the basic gameplay is a lot of fun, it's the online creation tools and level sharing that have given this game a life-span and following that's still going strong.

Mirror Edge (360, PS3, PC)- This game has its fair share of issue, but having played it for a while I'll give it the benefit of the doubt just based on originality. Jumping and being able to do parkour all over a city is a lot of fun, and the controls for that are pretty good (especially considering it's from a first-person point of view). The combat isn't great, but that's not the point of this game. Hopefully the sequel (if it ever gets made) will take all the new things this game tried and really perfect them.

Left 4 Dead (360, PC)- An amazing zombie shooter with great (maybe the best) co-op play. Lots of fun and great to play with friends. The fact that you can play as the zombies (and it works really well) is icing on the cake.

Mario Kart Wii (Wii)- An awesome mix of classic and new Mario Kart action. As much as I still love the original Super Nintendo Mario Kart and the N64 one, I have to say that this is the best. There are lots of different characters and karts/motorcycles to choose from, the levels are all designed great (with some of the best levels from past Mario Karts thrown in too), and the controls and action are tight as ever. Also, they added a few new elements like drafting and the drift-boost that make it a little more strategic. Throw in good online multiplayer (which is rare on the Wii), and you've got a really fun game.

(Special thanks to Mike Pouch for his help with some of the games on this list.)


Biggest Disappointment:

Fable II (360)- In a year with a lot of new IP and a few big releases, this is the only one I had high hopes for that really disappointed me. Like I said in last year's post with Halo 3, this isn't a terrible game. I guess it's mediocre. But I was expecting so much more, especially with all the stuff Peter Molyneux was saying before launch (you think I would've learned my lesson from the first Fable). I enjoyed the first game; I knew it wasn't perfect but at the time (especially on Xbox) it was one of the better RPGs around. The second one really didn't improve much for me. The combat was bland, the level-up system was okay but nothing special, the realty/economy system was a joke, character customization was pretty weak, and it turned out having a dog wasn't all it was cracked up to be pre-release. I completely lost interest in the story less than halfway in, and dont even get me started on the ending. Suffice to say, as far as I'm concerned this is one of the worst (if not the worst) ending to a video game I've ever seen (the only other one I can think of that would be up there is Halo 3). Not only does it not tell a good story, the characters are all largely forgettable. And the DLC that came out afterward was all a waste of time and money too. And let's not forget the awesome "co-op" mode and what a joke/lie that turned out to be.


So that's the list for 2008. For some reason I feel like I'm forgetting some games in my "Honorable Mentions" list, so I reserve the right to add to this list if I think of something else. That being said, please feel free to comment and let me know if you think I forgot a game, you might be right!

The Greatest Games of the Decade: The Year 2006

2006 was the first fully "next-gen" year, with the Wii and the PS3 both finally launching. The Xbox 360 hadn't been out for long either though. It seems to me that besides a few standouts (most of which I think made this list) game developers hadn't yet caught up with all the new hardware, which is why in 2006 there is still a lack of great next-gen games. The next-gen games finally start to pick up in 2007, but that will be covered in the next entry. As for 2006, while there were a few really good or great games, for me, one stands out above the rest:





The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Genre: RPG, First Person Action
Developer: Bethesda Softworks
Publisher: 2K Games, Bethesda
Release Date (NA): March 20, 2006 (Xbox 360, PC)
Rating: M


Oblivion is the fourth game in The Elder Scrolls series, though the plot is not directly related to any of the other games in the series (besides just the world in which the game is based). To the untrained eye this game might appear very similar to The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind, and while the game engine does look somewhat the same, Bethesda improved on Morrowind's gameplay (one of its weaker points) in almost every way. The level-up system is better, the combat is better (though still not great), the graphics are better, and even smaller things like spells and the stealth/lock-picking system work a lot better. The story, while perhaps not the most interesting you'll play in a video game, is more intriguing and easier to follow, while still allowing the player almost complete freedom in a huge open world sandbox to do what she wants when she wants to.

Overall, I remember Oblivion as a great fantasy game with a unique level-up system and great character customization. The more you do something in the game, the better you get at it. This can be exploited by experience hungry players, but in theory it's actually a really interesting idea. The game runs really smoothly and really lets you get immersed in a huge, beautiful world. And the game's graphics (especially for the time) were absolutely amazing, even on a standard definition TV. As much as my usually philosophy for RPG's is "graphics dont matter that much," the graphics in this game (especially the environments) were so good that I would often just stop and look around for a bit and take it in. And to show what I mean when I say the game takes place in an "open world sandbox": there are no area transitions (besides going in and out of cities); the whole world is one big area you can travel for hours without seeing a load screen.

For me, Oblivion is definitely one of the best games ever (let alone from 2006), but it's not perfect. I liked the story, but most of the characters are largely forgettable. The only two exceptions that come to mind are Picard (the Emperor), who they kill off in prologue, and the Grey Fox, who was actually pretty cool and had a good personal story. Martin was alright too, I guess. Besides them, it's hard to really think of any other characters, and many times the computer characters in an RPG are what make the game so great to me. Also, as stated before, the combat wasn't that great. It was good enough to get the job done and add some action to the game, but it wasn't anything to write home about. Still though, I'll always remember that this was the first "next-gen" game that made me say "Wow!" just from watching someone else play for a few minutes.


Honorable Mentions:

Wii Sports (Wii)- This game came packaged with all Wii systems, so most people have played it or at least seen it be played. While not a game with a huge amount of content, Wii Sports showed what a Wii game could do when in the right developer's hands. The motion controls work very well (besides maybe boxing), and the game is a lot of fun, especially when played with other people. A very innovative title that showed the first signs that Nintendo may have been on to something with the whole "motion control" and "casual gaming" thing.

Dead Rising (Xbox 360)- I am personally not a big fan of this game, but a lot of people love it, so I'll put it on the list. Killing zombies is always fun, and Dead Rising really takes the idea of "the more the merrier" to a new extreme. This game definitely has its problems, but it was innovative in many ways as well.

Okami (PS2, Wii)- Haven't played this game at all, but I've only ever heard good things. It's on my "someday" list.

Gears of War (Xbox 360)- A great shooter with great graphics, good online play, and a really innovative cover system. Also great for co-op play (how I played it). Started a good story too.

The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess (Wii)- The first really good game for Wii. Used motion controls well without trying to over-use them. Haven't played all of this game yet, but once again have only ever heard really good things.


And there you have it: 2006. I'll give you a minute to say your goodbyes... okay. 2006 was a little short on games, in my opinion because there were all these new consoles and game developers needed some time to learn how to make good games that take advantage of all the new hardware power. But stay tuned, because as we'll see from all the great games that came out in 2007 - it didn't take them long to learn.