Top 10 games of 2011

My Top 10 Games of 2011
(Skyrim is not on here, Skyward Sword is not on here, and MW3 is not on here. Why? I have not played them. I have no interest in Skyrim. I've not had time to play Skyward Sword. And as for MW3? I'm done with CoD games. Its as simple as that)


10. Transformers: War for Cybertron

Released in 2010 on Consoles but ported to PC in 2011. This game is a Gears of War-style 3rd person action game involving our beloved robots of destruction. The combat is very fun, The story is typical of Transformers but enjoyable. The characters are well done and voiced really really well. Optimus is voiced by Peter Cullen, which automatically grants it some points for me. A great title, good for a few hours of blasty smashy explodey fun with your favorite robots.


9. SkyDrift

This is an underrated indie title for PC. In a nutshell, it is Mariokart with fast airplanes, missiles, machineguns, shockwaves, and all sorts of mindless nonsense. I was a little skeptical of this one but it turned out to be some of the most thrilling fun I've had in a long while.

8. Magicka

An indie hit on PC with a lot of punch and a whole lot to have fun with. The game carries a level of complexity to it that you have to see/play to understand and it takes massive risks with some of the gameplay elements, but it actually pulls it off. The game is nothing short of hilarious fun when played in 4 player co-op and you'll inevitably blow each other up in extremely humorous fashions.

7. Mario Kart 7

I will always love the Mariokart series. Mario Kart 7 delivers in every way a Mario kart title should. The tracks are amazing, the choice of retro tracks are great, and who doesn't love ramming turtleshells down the throats of everyone on the track? This year's Rainbow Road damn near brought a tear to my eye, to boot.

6. Batman: Arkham City

I feel like Arkham Asylum and Arkham City could be made into blockbuster movies. The plot is fairly deep, the characters are cliche, yet good. The atmosphere of the game adds to the feel. The game-play is excellent and decently refined over it's predecessor. New gadgets make for fun new tactics. The strategic element of needing to plan your attack on groups of thugs who are also armed with new gadgets and have the nerve to destroy your precious grappling gargoyles. Overall AC is a massively fun game with a good story and a lot of depth.

5.  Battlefield 3

I can't say enough how good this game looks maxed out with DirectX 11. The Frostbite 2 engine is an amazing technical achievement in gaming technology that scales really really well. As far as gameplay, I hated the singleplayer campaign, but then again for Battlefield who gives a damn about the singleplayer? The meat of the game is in the multiplayer and Honestly I feel it is one of the best showing of a multiplayer-focused Modern Military Shooter since Battlefield Bad Company 2. The huge-ness of the maps and the awesomeness of the largescale vehicle based combat really gave me a "war is Hell" feeling. Even playing the CoD-esque TDM gamemode is amazing fun as the gunplay of Battlefield 3 is second to none. I do have some gripes with it, namely some of the maps, but overall this is probably my favorite MMS to date.


4. Super Mario 3D Land

Yes I own a 3DS. No don't judge me. This latest foray into the world of the beloved plumber is nothing short of fantastic. The game, to me, felt like a blend of Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Mario Galaxy. Albeit a bit less mechanically complex than Galaxy and Galaxy 2, 3D Land ultimately delivers a very fun Mario game that delivers a blend of classic elements with modern elements. Maybe I'm a sucker for nostalgia, but 3D Land is a solid winner in my book.

3. Sonic Generations

This game is amazing. 2D Sonic akin to the early Genesis days. 3D sonic akin to the few good elements of recent Sonic games. Throwbacks to classic levels from loved and hated games. Silly, yet somewhat forgettable characters in a nonsensical and typical Sonic plot. This game delivers what Sonic fans have been wanting for a very long time. The control in both Classic and Modern mode is amazing. The Levels are amazing and challenging (Damn you, Planet Wisp!!!). The replayability in this game stemming from wanting to improve your times and go for that S rank make for a hugely fun experience. Sonic fans rejoice! (I'm looking at you, HellAshes)

2. F1 2011

Why a racing game, you ask? I don't know. But what I do know is that I had an absolute blast with this one. Picked it up during a random sale in the late Fall and never looked back. This game got me into F1 in general. I learned a lot about F1 because of it as well. I've never been one for racing sims but this one really did it right for me; and I didnt even get a fully rich experience because I played it with a gamepad instead of a racing wheel... something I need to rectify soon. Good show, Codemasters.

1. Portal 2

The game was a masterpiece, simply put. The gameplay perfected what Portal 1 experimented with. The characters and voice acting were nothing short of masterful. And the amazingly well done and disgustingly challenging co-op mode was a blast. Many may disagree, but Portal 2 is *my* number 1.