TONS of amazing games came out in 2011. It may have been my favorite year for gaming in a long time. With so many great titles, I couldn’t really pick a favorite so I made a list of all of the games that really blew my mind this year.
Portal 2
Just simple fun. Funny characters, some really beautiful moments, and original gameplay made Portal 2 worth every penny. The Co-Op is amazing and both the single player and Co-Op modes can stand alone. I expect no less from Valve.
Pokemon Black and White
Although not my favorite Pokemon game, it had its cool moments. Team Plasma and N were pretty interesting. The moment when you get to the Elite 4 and the castle comes out of the ground was truly surprising and exciting. The new Pokemon were kind of lame, but they were pretty powerful to make up for it. I also really liked the other characters in the game, like the gym leaders and Elite 4 members.I had a good time with Pokemon.
Mario 3D Land
It was nice to really get into a Mario game for the first since I was 12. Since 3D land was kind of a throw-back, it gave me a sense of nostalgia while presenting me with all new game play. The difficulty curve is pretty weird though. The first 25ish levels are pretty easy, but then the difficulty shoots up dramatically. A truly unique experience; I would recommend it for anyone with a 3DS.
Bastion
I only recently played through Bastion and it was so good that I immediately played through it again. Bastion was original, fun, and beautiful. It told a story unlike any other, completely immersing the player into the game world. I have never played an indie game as amazing as Bastion and I highly recommend it to anyone with $15. At least go play the demo.
Star Wars: The Old Republic
I’m still working on this game right now. SWTOR is weird for an MMO. It plays like a solo game, with its main story line, companions who follow you around, and cut scenes, but then you remember that millions of other people are around you. I think, with a few good patches, this game could be the fabled “WoW killer”
Skyrim
I have been the biggest Elder Scrolls fan for as long as I can remember. I was pretty disappointed with Oblivion, but Skyrim makes up for every problem I ever had with Oblivion. The game is BEAUTIFUL and alive. Never before has a game created such a world in itself to the magnitude that Bethesda has with Skyrim. Everything is breathing and moving, every mountain is real, every creature is original. The game has a lot of flaws, but they’re very easy to look past when you have a game as good as Skyrim.
And Finally
I’m not going to put in any shooter games from the last year, even though so many came out. They’re all kind of boring and repetitive to me. I’ve killed enough terrorists and Nazis to last me a lifetime. The only shooter in my life is TF2.
What did you like in the last year?