The penultimate video in our Games of the Year 2011 feature. Next up in front of the camera is fellow beady man Dave to run you through his Top 10 games of 2011!
It’s really quite hypnotic how Dave can speak in one incredibly long unbroken sentence moving from topic to topic, so that no one has a chance to interrupt him, it’s really quite hypnotic….. Oh by the way. Where was L.A. Noire set again?
Daves Top 10 goes a little like this!
10. Rage
Starting of the list is ID Software’s latest title and while it didn’t reach the levels it seemed to promise it would be (like so many other titles), I had great fun with playing through it.
The sheer number of weaponry and different types of ammo you could use for various effects gave a very versatile range of ways you could take out the many mutants and enemies. My personal favourite had to be the mind bolt. This incredibly entertaining ammo type let you take control of an enemy before walking him/her up to other enemies and causing them to explode (splash damage………….sorry, couldn’t resist).
All the different environments were great for exploring as well ranging from a post-apocalyptic and dilapidated city overrun with mutants, futuristic facilities and large dessert areas where different groups attacked you with vehicles loaded up with various weapons to stop you getting around.
An awful lot of people had problems with the story and how it ended and I was the same, but the more I thought about it the more intrigued I am to see where the title goes next. When they bring DLC out for it I believe it’s going to pull a lot of people back to its corner.
9. Gears of War 3
After following the series from the first game since pretty much the inception of the XBOX 360, only an apocalyptic catastrophe would have stopped Gears of War 3 from appearing somewhere in my list. The game is most definitely more of a good thing; consisting of all the exactly waist high wall cover, gun shooting, locust (and Lambent less we forget) butchering you could ever want wonderfully refined and improved upon. The conclusion to it was pretty awesome too.
In a strange way the third game doesn’t seem to take itself as seriously as the previous games. One of the best parts of the game shall forever be immortalised to me as the Cole Trains explosive touch down of awesome.
One of the best things this game is the inclusion of Beast mode that lets you play all locust and cause ridiculous amounts of havoc on puny COGS making it a definite highlight of the game. As this hints, Horde mode and the multplayer aspects of the game are the biggest highlights of the game and will constantly pull you and your friends back again and again.
Also can’t help but mention……….. Dom has a mourning beard.
8. Mortal Kombat
Beat’em Ups aren’t normally the sort of game I would include in my catalogue of GOTY choices. While fun I always feel that other genres offer a far more extensive experience to players. NetherRealm Studio’s (formerly Midway) Mortal Kombat however is the exception to this rule.
The single player isn’t your simple round for round battle broken up with 1 or 2 text boxes but a fully fleshed out story that shows the journeys of the characters throughout the first 3 games and the storyline does a surprisingly good job at keeping your interest. Bringing in the power bars into the game for different effects also brings a whole new level to the game play and even when your winning, can allow for a total switch around.
My two favourite parts of this game in particular though are the attacks your characters can pull off and the “Test Your Luck” mode. Every bare hit, fireball and evisceration makes you feel that you are causing serious damage to your opponent characters and it is immensely satisfying. The best example of this is shown in the new and very unique X-Ray attacks that shows you every bone splintering and organ exploding attack. Some of them will really make you cringe. The sheer randomness and unpredictability of what could happen to your characters and the environment during “Test your Luck” kept me occupied for hours and laughing through most of it (especially when you could fire off your arms, legs and head as projectiles).
7. Rayman: Origins
I have to be honest when I say that I didn’t expect this to be here. The last Rayman game I played was the first one on the Playstation and while I enjoyed it, the game didn’t leave such an impact that I went near any of the numerous sequels.
This game is, however I look at it, fantastic. Rayman: Origins is a fresh, crazy and immensely enjoyable multiplayer experience. All the levels are weird and whacky in their own individual ways and the soundtrack would be unlistenable until (wait for it) you have played the game and understand how it fits so beautifully into where you are and what you are doing. The game is pieced incredibly well together,
I was a bit sad when I thought I had almost completed the game, only to be overcome by a insane delight to find that the joke was on me (or Rayman and his companions) and there was still plenty to do. This game IS the hidden gem of this year’s releases.
6. LA Noire
One thing that can not be denied is that Rockstar Games definitely outdid itself when it was developing LA Noire. Hundreds of hours were spent on the facial capturing technology and making it look right. One thing I love about this game is that I immediately recognised the majority of actors simply by looking at their faces and on top of that when you are interrogating them the facial animations are amazing (if not a tad obvious towards their true intent).
On top of this the dark storyling and detective mode really pull players into the games world where you wanted (needed) to catch the characters who committed the crimes with as much conviction as the main character. LA itself also a dream to explore. There is a quick travel button to speedily get you from place to place but I was having such a great time just looking at everything I didn’t use it ounce.
If you missed out giving this game a go. It is definitely worth picking up as you will never have played a game of this sort before.
5. Catherine
Sure this game wasn’t released in the UK by 2011, but I have played and completed it and so am unashamedly counting it in my list.
Catherine is one of the more unique titles I have played this year. While it has a supernatural twist, one of the most appealing things about the entire game is that Vincent (the main character) is going through a very real, relatable time in his life. This is mostly by what I think is the best part of the game where players are asked how they would react in certain scenarios or what their thoughts or feelings in given situations are. It shows you everyone who is online results in the form of a pie chart and it can give some pretty interesting feedback on gamers thoughts and feelings (long as you take into account these have now been butchered by folks going after them trophies).
For stepping out of their comfort zone of mostly JRPG releases, Atlus have made a fun and solid attempt at a genre of games we haven’t seen much of recently. I’m looking forward to what they come up with next.
4. Uncharted 3
I am going to start by putting up my hands and admitting this is the first game in the Uncharted series that I have played and completed. Saying that, it really leaves an impression.
The most impressive thing about the game is how gorgeous every environment looks. Whether you are going through a busy city or moving through catacombs, everything you see in it feels as if it is tangible in a way very few games are capable of doing, This effect is made even more prominent as the motion of all the character and their surroundings (including the movement of individual granules of sand) has been scrutinised and taken into consideration.
The character interactions between Drake, Sully and the rest of the crew also played a huge part towards my enjoyment of this game. It is cleverly written in such a way that every character, just like the environments) has a tangible quality to them that makes it seem as if they could and do exist. Naughty Dog have indeed mastered how to make players easily relate and enjoy the company of the characters in the series, which only encouraged me to see what happened in the end.
3. Bastion
Downloadable Games are the second type of game that I normally wouldn’t involve in my GOTY selection but MY GOD……… this kept me hooked until it was all over. While the story seems fairly simplistic in the beginning, as you begin to delve deeper into the game you quickly realise that it is actually full of intricacies and goes as far as to question your own personal morals, involving you even more into the events of “the Cataclysm”.
Rucks’s (i.e. the Stranger) constant narration as you explore the different worlds constantly keeps everything fresh, interesting and usually humorous and helps you to easily relate to what is going on. As well as this, all the different kinds of challenges, enemies and plethora of weapon mix and matches makes the game incredibly entertaining from start to finish. Bastion has definitely set a high standard for not only Summer of Arcade titles, but for all downloadable games. Supergiant games have proven that they are definitely worth keeping an eye on in the future with this marvellous title.
2. Dead Space 2
I was a HUGE fan of the original Dead Space and I can safely say that Dead Space 2 proved to be every bit as great and more than its predecessor. The game actually emotionally drained me in part, to the point where I had to put down my controller and leave it until the next day (most noticeably after you return to somewhere very, very nostalgic).
The Sprawl itself is a spectacular setting that seems to always be able to remind you that you are in a massive complex but at the same time feel very foreboding and claustrophobic; whether there are enemies around or not. The Space sections are brilliant as well, having full mobility rather than having to jump from platform to platform gives you an amazing sense of freedom. The combat and eviscerating your opponents is still the key to making it through this game, but it is a lot more fast paced and frantic.
Dead Space 2 was a masterpiece that I have returned to several times and I can say without any doubt that it definitely deserves its position on this list (after replaying it it was only very narrowly defeated). From the VERY beginning to the end this game will have you literally at the edge of your seat.
1. Batman Arkham City
So here we are, 9 games later and my number 1 game of the year is most definitely Arkham City and 100% well deserved. If Arkham Asylum proved anything it was that it feels freaking awesome being Batman and this game is no different.
I was worried that by expanding the map size, Arkham City would be huge and traversing it awould take longer than necessary. However, taking to the city roof tops in order to glide and bat zip from one area to another takes no time at all and controls fantastically well. The combat has been refined to an incredible degree allowing Batman even more ways to take down an attackers, and the boss battles are that bit extra challenging with each of the encounter being memorable. The story itself is incredibly dark and feels like its straight from the comic, you feel like you are truly experiencing Batmans world.
Featuring a far larger map to explore and an even bigger list of super villains and minions to take down, Arkham city is a spectacular from beginning to end and definitely the game to pick up from 2011.
