It must be a sign of the times, but by and large, the best games this year were not console-exclusives. It’s certainly been trending that way since the start of this generation. Expect it to continue going forward. After all, securing exclusive DLC is far more affordable and achieves similar results. The upside is that no matter if you are a die-hard Xbox 360 or PS3 fanboy, your 2011 was still effin’ amazing:
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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Xbox 360, PC, PS3)
Much like the dragons contained within, Skyrim is a beast that cannot be overlooked. Bethesda has crafted their best adventure yet, building on the strong (but occasionally janky) foundations laid down by Oblivion and Fallout 3. Their lessons learned have made this the pinnacle of open-world adventures, improving on earlier attempts in virtually every category. The fact that one DVD holds over 100 hours of content, hours of dialog, and fantastic visuals is mind-bottling. Yes, my mind is in a bottle over that fact. Even though the game is notoriously buggy, it’s so damn good that it will win GOTY dozens of times over and with good reason.
Mortal Kombat (Xbox 360, PS3)
Ever since the Mortal Kombat series stumbled into 3D with MK4, it’s been the laughing-stock of the fighter genre. Midway was clearly more interested in shitting out a new disc each year, rather than crafting a tournament-worthy fighter. It took the bankruptcy of Midway to change that, as the team behind the games finally had some breathing room to craft a new experience from scratch. The end result, simply called Mortal Kombat, is shockingly good. NetherRealm Studios has made a fighter that can stand toe-to-toe with the efforts from Namco and Capcom and, in some areas, surpass them. The single-player content is actually good; it includes the best story mode I’ve seen in a fighter, along with a Challenge Tower containing 300 scenarios to complete. The MK franchise has languished for almost a decade, but it’s no exaggeration to say this is the best it has ever been.
Batman: Arkham City (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Rocksteady shocked the gaming community with Batman: Arkham Asylum, a comic-book game so good, it almost defied logic. How do you top such a revelation? You certainly can’t be surprised all over again, but Rocksteady did as awesome a job as I could have expected with Batman: Arkham City. While the plot is fairly ludicrous, it fits within what I’ll call “comic book logic.” Shifting to an open-world environment changes the linear nature of Asylum, for better or worse, but I found it to be refreshing. It frees up Batman to act like you’d imagine, gliding through Gotham, beating up fools, and grappling away to foil another plot. The Freeflow Combat system is sublime; it’s a constant source of joy to go head to head with 30 enemies at a time. It’s radically different than Devil May Cry or Ninja Gaiden, but it’s every bit as rewarding. The inclusion of Catwoman is neat, but not necessary – more of icing on an already delicious cake. Rocksteady has proven Asylum was no fluke; they seriously “get” how to make Batman awesome.
Portal 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Mac)
The concept of portals is no longer new, but Valve still managed to make Portal 2 an amazing experience. While the story in the first game was more between-the-lines, it’s become a main feature in this title. It’s still delivered in typical Valve fashion, with details given here and there, but requiring you to fill in the blanks. The end encounter is fantastic, and Valve resists the temptation to try and recreate “The Cake is a Lie” meme. Thank god. New characters like Wheatley, Peabody, and Atlas are all memorable in their own rights. The latter two, as stars of the co-op campaign, are especially endearing. Speaking of co-op, it’s the best addition to the series so far. If you thought it was tough navigating areas with 2 portals, 2 pairs of portals might break your brain. It captures the feeling of the original Portal more so than the single player, giving you a little taste of both worlds in one package.
Saints Row: The Third (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
This one came out of left field. The Saint’s Row series has always been fairly decent but usually just a wackier version of GTA. With Saint’s Row: The Third, Volition clearly said “Fuck it, let’s make the craziest goddamn game we can make.” And so it was. One of the first missions in SR3 starts off with you parachuting from a plane, kicking through the front window of another plane, taking out the pilots, grabbing a parachute, and jumping out from that plane, and grabbing your comrade that has been in free-fall the whole time. It only gets zanier from there. SR3 captures “fun” better than almost any game this year. Everything has been tuned to get you to the good stuff, and it’s always a ridiculous ride. This has under-rated written all over it.
Dead Space 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
A lot of people will forget that Dead Space 2 landed this year. That’s a shame of course, since it’s one of the best third-person shooters around. Building on the strong foundation of the first game, Visceral has expanded just about everything. Isaac moves and attacks a lot more fluidly and has many more weapon and armor choices. The set pieces are more dynamic and varied. It’s not just for show either, as the action has been bumped up a notch. It takes away some of the creeping suspense from the original, but the shooting is so solid and combat so engaging that it’s an even trade. Some moments, especially the opening, are so ridiculous and over the top that you won’t be able to scrub the memory from your brain. DS2 also includes a Left 4 Dead-esque multiplayer mode, which doesn’t have the longevity of a Call of Duty or Gears of War game, but it’s a fun diversion.
Bulletstorm (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Duke Nukem may have been the king of dick jokes, but Bulletstorm has thoroughly yanked that coveted crown. Under the ridiculous (and self-aware) humor lies a surprisingly decent story, combined with a score-based shooting mechanic that makes it more than “just another FPS”. Combat is truly more puzzle than reflex, as you approach each situation with ideas on how to combo fools for maximum points. Using your “instinct leash” is a delight, as you pull enemies from cover, kick them in the ass, shoot a grenade up said ass, and send them flying into a wall of spikes. Creative killing is the name of the game, and coupled with gorgeous visuals and genuinely funny dialogue, Bulletstorm is a criminally underrated game.
Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 (Xbox 360, PS3)
After Capcom lost the Marvel Comics rights in the early 00’s, many feared we’d never seen another Marvel vs. Capcom again. After a decade of waiting, Capcom put those doubts to rest and released the amazing Marvel vs Capcom 3. Each character has received a high-def, comic-book sheen which finally retired those aging sprites. Obviously more than just a face-lift, MvC3 includes lots of new faces including Deadpool, Zero, Thor, and Dante. Even though it’s no longer sprite-based, the game still retains its signature, frenetic pace. Nailing a 100+ hit combo isn’t out of the question. It’s wildly unbalanced, but that’s par for the course in the VS series. The new X-Factor mechanic can turn the tide of battle, making come-from-behind victories all the more assured. The Ultimate re-release includes 12 new characters, more backgrounds, and new modes all at a reduced price, making it the obvious choice if you never picked up the original version.
Rayman: Origins (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii)
Take the 4-player platforming antics of New Super Mario Bros Wii, draw it in gorgeous HD sprites, and make it super-French, and you have Rayman: Origins. Eschewing the Rabbid mini-game collections of past, this takes Rayman back to the glory days of glorified obstacle courses with collectables aplenty. The stages range from gorgeous to absurd and bringing 3 of your friends along for the ride is a huge bonus, if not potentially dangerous. Much like NSMB Wii, they can either help or hinder you. Hopefully your friends don’t enjoy being dicks all day. The game didn’t blow up the sales charts as it released alongside heavy hitters like Modern Warfare 3. Don’t let this one fly under your radar.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Fucking elbow-swords – that should be enough of a selling point right? Human Revolution steps into the past of the Deus Ex world, putting you in the shoes of the newly-augmented Adam Jensen. Staying true to the series’ roots, players can choose several paths to their end goal, generally involving stealth, combat, or conversational skills. Customization is king as you earn points to specialize your character into your preferred flavor of badass. There aren’t many action games that offer multiple paths to a solution. There are even fewer that look as visually striking, with superb art direction fueled by a gorgeous cyberpunk-Renaissance vision. If you’re looking for a solid blend of RPG and shooter, Human Revolution is right up your alley. Also, elbow-swords.
Bastion (XBLA, Steam, Chrome Apps)
Bastion’s genius has been well-lauded all over the internet, and rightly so. The narrative is genuinely interesting and smartly paced, the action feels fast and responsive, the 2D visuals are a chromatic delight; it nails all the core elements of a good action-RPG but smartly disposes tired genre tropes. You can read more of my gushing praise in our review. Just know that this was one of the best XBLA games I’ve played this year. And now that it’s available on Steam and Chrome, there’s even less of an excuse not to try it out.
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Other notable releases:
Battlefield 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
The single-player is lackluster, but Battlefield 3 returns the series back to its roots of multiplayer vehicular mayhem, wrapped in a gorgeous veneer.
Modern Warfare 3 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
It’s easy to poke fun at how much hasn’t changed since the previous game, but Modern Warfare 3 is an unabashed improvement in every way. Support kill-streaks are a huge boon to a normally oppressive multiplayer experience.
Dark Souls (Xbox 360, PS3)
Against all odds, a super-tough, Japanese action-RPG managed to be awesome. Following up from Demon Souls, this spiritual sequel evens out the frustration with the bonfire-checkpoint system, but still retains its punishing do-or-die combat.
Crysis 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Making the leap to consoles, Crysis 2 moves out of the jungle and into a modern city. Combat is kept lively with lots of tactical options. Visuals are among the best seen for an FPS on consoles, with CryEngine 3 tuned specifically with them in mind.
Dead Island (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Zombies, a remote island resort, and 3 of your friends; stir in RPG elements and you got yourself a dose of badass. There’s some occasional open-world jank, but it’s a still a world worth checking.
L.A. Noire (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
It may have bankrupted Team Bondi, but L.A. Noire convincingly brought some classic adventure game tropes into the seedy world of 1950’s detective work. The motion capture technology coupled with the stellar voice acting is worth the price of entry alone.
Driver: San Francisco (Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii)
Though the series has gone off the rails since Driv3r, this game goes back to the drawing board. The story conceit gives a fascinating excuse as to why you can leap from car to car, and turns a “by the numbers” driving game into something unique and charming.
Outland (Xbox 360, PS3)
Though the title is completely forgettable, Outland is a refreshing twist on platformers. Using a polarity mechanic a la Ikaruga, you deftly navigate beautifully rendered worlds, slashing down red or blue foes while changing your own polarity.
Street Fighter 3: Third Strike Online Edition (Xbox 360, PS3)
It’s not the most popular Street Fighter out there, but it’s arguable the most technical and rewarding. Capcom has brought the definitive version of Street Fighter 3 onto XBLA and PSN with fantastic results. Solid online (using GGPO) with robust training and challenge modes make this an easy recommendation.
Warhammer: 40k Space Marine (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
While this may win awards for the most generic title around, it will be sorely overlooked by most. It’s not a Gears of War killer, but Space Marine is a surprisingly fun third-person shooter that trades cover mechanics for balls-out-action.
Child of Eden (Xbox 360, PS3)
One of the few games that actually warrants using your Kinect, Child of Eden is the spiritual successor to Rez. It plays well with a regular controller, but Kinect adds to the experience. Unfortunately, it’s a bit shorter of an experience than you’d expect.
Sonic Generations (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Sonic games have been in a slump for a while, but Generations is a definitive step forward. It’s not as solid as the Genesis originals, but for the first time in many years, I can comfortably say it’s a great game.
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Although it doesn’t wrap up Ezio’s and Altair’s stories as neatly as you’d like, Revelations is still retains the combat and traversal elements the series is known for. It’s not the leap from AC1 to AC2, but it’s still one of the best at what it does.
Catherine (Xbox 360, PS3)
A puzzle game at heart, Catherine is an interesting trip, loosely tied to the Persona series. Dealing with adult themes like relationships, sex, cheating, finding your place in the world, etc., it wraps this within a supernatural story featuring gorgeous anime visuals. It’s an odd beast, but strangely alluring.
Trine 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Just barely squeaking in this year, Trine 2 iterates on the 3-player puzzle mechanics set by the first game. Using the unique abilities of the wizard, knight, or thief, players can either go solo or co-op to navigate through the incredibly lush worlds.
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