2011 also came with the release of 3DS, the exciting yet once again disappointing Nintendo product. Does it have games? Well, it took almost a year but now there are the classic Mario's and Zelda's out to play, so yes now it does have games. The problem? It's a DS with a 3D effect and slightly more processing power, the 3D effect is useless and in most games unimpressive so we keep it off anyway. I agree the one game that should be played with the 3D effect on is the remake of Ocarina of Time, in there the 3D effect looks amazing along with the new textures.
On the personal side I got to study video game design, moved away from home, upgraded my PC and bought a 50" full HD TV, so life is smiling once again. Getting to study game design was a process and a frustrating one at that, with so many people wanting in and knowing that no matter how hard you try, there just might be someone better than you anyway hogging your spot. I'm glad it worked out in my favor.
Anyway, without further babbling, here is the thing that I promised to do. I did a video for my youtube channel last year and I might do one this year too, but that can wait for now. This list is based on how much I enjoyed playing the mentioned games and has nothing to do with their design choices or technical achievements. HD remakes were not taken in to account.
My Top 10 of 2011:
10. Sonic Generations
After 10 years of crappy Sonic games, Sega finally came up with the game that just might be the best in the series. Sonic Generations has equal amounts of gameplay from classic Sonic and the modern Sonic. All the levels are remakes of the older levels, from Sonic 1 to Sonic Colours. The modern levels are speedy and the classic levels are platformy. Speeding through them with the excellent soundtrack playing in the background is extremely satisfying and rewarding. The game is littered with music and artwork extras. The game is true fan service for the fans of the Sonic franchise and tons of fun.
9. Bastion
One of the best indie titles ever released, Bastion took over XBLA in one fell swoop. This isometric beat 'em up action filled game with light RPG elements kept me sitting in front of my TV for hours. The unique graphical style and how the world builds up while you explore it along with the brand new style of story telling was what made me play through the whole thing twice in one sitting. It might be not very long, but it is pure excellence.
8. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Uncharted 3 keeps up the guaranteed quality that Naughty Dog is known for with it's Hollywood-like action. It is especially surprising how the "cutscenes" are made to be so interactive. The game shows you a short sequence where one would expect the hero to handle himself, but no, the game expects you yourself to climb back up in to that plane. The level design is top notch with lots of climbing and sneaking along the way. The puzzles are challenging enough to make you think for a second, but easy enough to keep the player from getting frustrated.
7. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
The stealth action genre is dying, so DE:HR was a very welcome addition to the genre. Promoted with the player having a choice between stealth or shooting wasn't really true, stealth is the only real way to go, because it gives so much more XP. I played through the game twice, once in my normal "go with the flow" way and the second time in real stealth mode with zero kills, zero alerts and no one killed, hoping I would get a challenge worthy of my big boss emblem in Metal Gear Solid 4. It didn't quite deliver that challenge, because the stealth cloak augmentation is just immensely overpowered. I had tons of fun with this one nevertheless.
6. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
No, it's not my number one of the year. Skyrim came in at a bad spot. I got 40 hours in and then I had to move to the next game, because Saint's Row and Assassin's Creed came out the next week. The world is massive with tons to explore and all the guilds - especially my favorite one, the Dark Brotherhood - returned to provide me with hundreds of hours of gameplay. The combat is slightly improved yet still quite unimpressive but that didn't really concern me because I played an assassins as always. I will surely get back to Skyrim when I have the time and motivation, because the game is massive. It's probably a modern miracle it fit on one disc.
5. Catherine
Yeah that was the least pervy picture I could find.
Catherine is a very refreshing puzzle game with adult themes and great storytelling. The puzzle mechanic is very very addicting and satisfying with enough different blocks to keep it interesting through the whole game. The story has 8 different endings depending on the players morale choices and all of them were fun to watch. I spent 40 hours with Catherine and that's A LOT for a puzzle game. I saw all the endings but didn't even touch the mode where the game random generates a 100 step level, so there is still much to explore in Catherine (no pun intended I swear).
4. Batman: Arkham City
Sequel to Arkham Asylum, I expected a lot from this game and it delivered. The city is huge but the navigation still works well, the combat is stylish with a few new attack animations, double and triple counters and a few new enemy attacks, such as the knife attacks. The story was great and and the voice acting phenomenal once again. More challenge maps, more playable characters, more everything! The bigger and better Batman.
3. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
It isn't often when we are treated to a new Zelda game, but when we do it's always a jaw dropping experience. Skyward Sword adds new twists to the usual story, even if Zelda still has to be rescued this time it's not just a matter of going to a castle and beating the shit out of Ganon. Because this time around Zelda isn't even a princess. The fact that Link and Zelda are both just normal people made their characters much deeper and interesting. Slight RPG elements were added for equipment upgrading but I was glad it still didn't take too much micro management. I hope they'd just use this engine and come up with more Zeldas quicker than in 5 year sequences.
2. Xenoblade Chronicles
There haven't been all that many great JRPG's in this generation, but here is one for sure. Xenoblade Chronicles is packed with content, with tons of side quests and city management & upgrading, gem crafting etc. The superb combat of XC works perfectly and especially in the point where you figure out your optimal party setup, it is extremely satisfying. The story is well written and towards the end more and more of jaw dropping plot twists are revealed. There's easily more than a hundred hours of gameplay packed in to that disc and it won't let you down at any point. Xenoblade Chronicles is the definitive JRPG of the current generation, if not one of the best of all time. I'm probably not far off if I say XC has the best soundtrack of all time.
1. The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
Oh Geralt of Rivia, your new look after the first game is so awesome! Witcher 2 offered me everything I want from an RPG. It has side quests, awesome combat, characters, brilliant story, choices, minigames, crafting and check this one out... It's graphically the most beautiful game to this day, thanks to the new engine. In somewhere around chapter 1 you need to make a choice and depending on that choice the game can be completely different. And after that the story branches according to decisions. And after that it branches again and it just keeps on going. The game even has 16 different endings. The most satisfying gaming experience of 2011.
Happy new year!
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