Jobydrone's Top Ten Favorite Games of 2011

[Jobydrone]

Well, I've put it off long enough, I know many of you (okay, maybe one of you) have been anxiously awaiting what has become my annual tradition.  Well, after two weeks or so of frantic, late night catch up gaming and furtive spending to avoid the wrath of Mrs. Jobydrone, here it finally is...the Top Ten Games of 2011 as decided by Jobydrone on the Trek SF forums.

It's been a fantastic year for gaming.  We're very close to the end of the life cycle of the current generation consoles, and some games from this past year are starting to show some symptoms of the aging hardware they're performing on.  That said, game developers and designers have been at the top of their form this year.  They've long since learned the ins and outs of the current generation hardware, and certain titles are squeezing out every last drop of horsepower they can get from the current consoles.

A few caveats about this list.  It might be tempting for some to base their opinions on media hype or something they've read in a magazine or in an online review, but as always, I can only honestly discuss games that I've actually played and played enough of to form some kind of coherent opinion about them.  As a hardcore gamer but regular consumer, I purchase games based on my own tastes and so, many of the games that others might place on their own personal lists will not appear here simply because I didn't play them and have no interest in doing so.  You won't see Gears of War 3, Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3, or Halo Anniversary Edition appear on my list, so sorry to you modern military-shooter lovers out there.  The only requirements for a game to be considered for this list is that it must have been released in 2011 and I must have played it.  I will try to list all the consoles or systems the games I discuss are available on, and will indicate which one I actually played it on. 

(Cue Mario voice)  So "HERE WE GO!"

10.  Kirby's Return to Dreamland (Nintendo Wii)


Kirby's adventures were always kind of lost on me.  Earlier games featuring this character always seemed like they were geared towards much younger players and so I was never really interested in giving them a try.  Now that I have three kids of my own, two of whom are always clamoring for some time with the Wii, I gave the Kirby franchise a shot with the newest title, Return to Dreamland.  What I found was a fantastic game that I love to play almost (but not quite) as much as the two kids.  We've spent countless hours together on the couch playing this game, laughing, yelling at each other, having an absolute blast.  This is a super fun co-op experience for the whole family.  It helps that the level design is near genius, and the different powers the characters can obtain when sucking up and swallowing various enemies with Kirby's trademark ability are fantastically creative and fun to play with.  This game makes the list because it's one of the few new titles that features simple, drop in/drop out co-op play for up to four players locally.

9.  Saint's Row:  the Third (Playstation 3) also available on Xbox 360 and PC


The third installment of Saint's Row takes the series about as far into self-parody as you can go and still be a fantastic, enjoyable, super fun experience.  The first Saint's Row started out as basically a clone of the immensely popular Grand Theft Auto series of games.  What people tended to enjoy about Saint's Row was that while GTA tended to take itself very seriously with heady plots and serious underlying themes and issues and the core, Saint's Row series realizes that a majority of players take the open world that those games provide and just go batsh*t crazy in them, murdering cops, civilians, hookers, running over pedestrians with tanks, blowing up whole city blocks, shooting down helicopters with rocket launchers, and so on.  Saint's Row:  the Third takes this mayhem and madness to a whole new level.  The game is streamlined to the point that you can easily follow along the main storyline and be done in about ten to twelve hours, but as always in these open world games there's plenty to do and see if you stop and explore a little along the way.  Not for the faint of heart, but so funny and so much fun, Saint's Row:  the Third features terrific surprise guest voice performances by none other than Burt Reynolds and Hulk Hogan.  I enjoyed every second I had with this game.

8.  Rayman Origins (Wii) also available on Xbox 360, Playstation 3


Rayman goes back to its roots in this platforming adventure.  No raving rabbids to be seen in this title.  This one is old school, super challenging side scrolling and platforming and it is not an easy game at all.  The best feature of Rayman Origins is its visual style. Envisioned by the creator of the Rayman franchise Michel Ancel,  every level is gorgeous in its explosive colors and attention to detail.  Now I've seen the 360 and PS3 visuals, and they look a lot better on those systems than they did on my Wii, but it is still an absolutely gorgeous game on all three platforms.  There's tons of hidden objects and objectives everywhere through the game, and it excels at making you want to go through each and every level until you find absolutely everything.  Rayman Origins also features drop in/drop out four player local co-op, and has been another favorite of my kids this year, but it quickly becomes too difficult for younger players to really enjoy.  I love it a lot, though. 

7.  L.A. Noire (PS3) also available on Xbox 360 and PC


Developer Rockstar Games, best known for the Grand Theft Auto series as well as last year's huge hit Red Dead Redemption, released the most incredible technical marvel in gaming this year with L.A. Noire.  The game follows new-to-the-force policeman Cole Phelps in 1947 LA, as he solves crimes, investigates crime scenes, interrogates witnesses and ultimately works his way through the various departments of the LA police force (patrol, arson, vice, homicide, etc).  Where this game excels beyond anything we've seen in games before is the new technology they've developed to motion capture facial details. Flickering eyes, slight twitches of the mouth, the tech is used to great effect during the interrogation scenes, which cannot be adequately described and must be experienced to truly appreciate them.  Witnesses learn to lie a lot better very quickly as the game progresses, and it becomes much harder to ferret out the truth as your investigations continue.  The actors they've used to capture the performances are top notch, starting with but not limited to the brilliant performance by Aaron Stanton as Phelps, best known for his role as Ken Cosgrove in the TV show Mad Men.  The basic gameplay mechanics are reminiscent of old school adventure games, like Myst or the Monkey Island games, where you search the various screens for clues and objects that help you solve the puzzles you are tasked with, and then interview the relevant people to get to the bottom of the crimes.  If you've found the right evidence, you'll be presented with different conversation options during your interviews.  The stories are well written and developed, and sucks you right in and makes it really hard to stop.  This is the kind of game that can keep you up late at night..."just one more chapter!"

6.  Deus Ex:  Human Revolution (PS3) also available on PC and Xbox 360


Deus Ex is the third installment in one of my favorite PC game series of all time.  It's a cyberpunk themed action/role playing game set in the near future, where you play as Adam Jensen, chief of security for a biotech company reeling from an act of industrial sabotage.  The game takes you all over the globe as you investigate and punish those responsible for the attack.  The greatest feature of this game is the amount of choice you have in building your character which ultimately changes the way you experience each level of the game.  A stealthy computer hacker is going to have different advantages and disadvantages over a hand to hand/weapons combat character.  The designers have (mostly) taken every possible play style into consideration when designing ways for the player to beat each level of the game.  Sprinkled through each level are computers you can hack, email to read, magazines and newspapers that contain tons of interesting history and background that does a great job filling out the really interesting world you inhabit during the game.   Deus Ex has a fantastic story with great replay value, as every play through comes with new and creative ways you find to complete objectives. 

5.  Mortal Kombat (2011) (PS3) also available on Xbox 360


Mortal Kombat (2011) is the ninth installment of the famous fighting series, the original being the game with the dubious distinction of becoming the poster child for every conservative pundit that decided that video games were ruining the youth of the world.  It's known for its over the top violence and gore, with each fight culminating in an attempt to complete a "Fatality" which if successful finishes your opponent in a comically gruesome and disgusting manner.  What sets this game apart from all the dismal failures the series has experienced over the last five or so attempts, is the compelling and fascinating single player story mode that accompanies the package.  Ever wonder how Jax lost his arms?  Why Scorpion is cursed, and how Sub Zero became his mortal enemy?  The story mode in this game explains it all.  It focuses on the best storylines the series has to offer, those found in MK 1 through 3, retelling and reimagining them in a really interesting creative manner.  Of course there's everything else the series is known for:  brutal, bloody 2D fighting in 3D backgrounds and arenas, a brand new streamlines combat system that's easy to play but extremely difficult to master, as well as hundreds of items of unlockable content, costumes, stories, endings, hidden characters, movies, concept art, that will keep you busy for hours upon hours trying to see everything there is to see.  A robust and extremely abusive online community exists for those that dare to accept the challenge and want to fight online.  This is another game that was just meant to play in couch co-op mode.

4.  Portal 2 (Mac) also available on PC, PS3, and Xbox 360


Valve Software, the company behind some of the greatest games ever made (Half Life series, Team Fortress, CounterStrike as well as the brains behind the PC/Mac game distribution platform Steam, has the number four spot with Portal 2.  Now admittedly, I just got this game and haven't played very much of it.  But what I've experienced has left me dying to get home from work so I can finish playing.  The puzzles pick up right where the first game left off, with some brain bending and extremely creative solutions for the situations the designers place you in.  Most fun is the character of Wheatley, voiced by the absolutely hilarious and charming Steven Merchant, who is so much fun to listen to I always find myself hanging around an extra-long time when he is on screen just so I am sure I've heard every line of dialogue that's available for him.  The best thing about this game is that it never seems to get so difficult that you get frustrated and want to stop playing, but it is challenging enough that you actually feel pretty smart when you figure out the solution to the challenges you are faced with.  A great game, especially for those that are put off by the violence and gore that is prevalent in so many of today's modern games.

3.  The Legend of Zelda:  Skyward Sword (Nintendo Wii)


Leave it to Nintendo to do right by their franchise series.  They know where their bread is buttered.  You'll never see a low quality Mario game; you know when you play Metroid, you're getting a quality product.  The same goes, even more so, for the Zelda series.  While the series may have its detractors here and there, the Zelda games have a tried and true gameplay mechanic that has proven over and over again to have an addictive, infinitely replayable quality that is simultaneously indefinable yet undeniable.  Skyward Sword is no exception.  Most appealing about this latest game in the franchise is the way they have utilized the Wii Motion Plus control system to mimic one-to-one movement with Link's sword to whatever you do with you Wii controller.  Many of the enemies you encounter require specific sword techniques to successfully defeat them, something that could never have been done with a standard game controller.  Combined with the deeply satisfying new combat system are all the great features every gamer has come to love about the Zelda series:  exploration, loot, upgrades, collectables, and an epic story with a decidedly Japanese flavor.  Skyward Sword feels both fresh and new as well as hitting all the beats you've come to expect from a game in this series.

2.  Batman Arkham City (Xbox 360) also available on PC and PS3


The new Batman game takes one of the best games of 2009 and improves on it.  The only thing that Rocksteady games could have done to improve the original Arkham Asylum game is to eliminate the tedious backtracking.  There was seemingly endless repetition of going back to places you've been sometimes two or three times already, armed with new weapons and upgrades to get to a spot you somehow couldn't access before.  Well that is what they did, what we're given now is a truly open world.  Go anywhere, and just BE BATMAN.  There's never been a video game that allows you to truly feel like the character you are playing as quite like the Batman series.  It's got the greatest melee combat system ever offered in a game, ever, with free flowing combat techniques that work for button mashing but are actually very deep and difficult to master.   Stealth mechanics are awesome, using fear and terror to incapacitate your enemies as you use the environment to sneak around and take them out one by one. The story is even better than the first game, and the voice acting top notch, with Mark Hamil and Kevin Conroy reprising their roles from the Animated Series and the first game as the Joker and Batman in extremely strong performances.  New villains include Hugo Strange, Rhas and Talia Al Ghul, the Penguin, Catwoman (a playable character), and many, many more.  I debated placing this game so high on my list, because it doesn't do very much to iterate on what they accomplished with the first game, they just took all those elements and made them better.  To me, though, the original game was so good, that if it was released this year against all these other competitors, I'd still rank it number two.  So by default, Arkham city deserves its spot near the top of this list.

1.   The Elder Scrolls V:  Skyrim (Xbox 360) also available on PC and PS3


Coming as no surprise to any of you that have read my gushing posts about this game here on the forums, Skyrim is my number one choice for game of the year 2011.  Bethesda Software has created their masterpiece, and that's saying a lot considering they're the company behind such amazing games as Morrowind, Oblivion, and Fallout 3.  This is the kind of game I dearly love.  Skyrim offers endless exploration with seemingly unlimited variations in character development.  Your abilities aren't limited by a specific class like most role playing games.  If you want to be a magic user that specializes in bows and arrows, you can do it.  If you want to be a stealth based assassin with healing powers, you can. Every one of your abilities is open to all characters and levels up the more you use them, so there are no limits.  Totally awesome.  New to the series are the perks that you can choose every time you gain a level.  Some are as simple as additional damage with specific weapons, and others that do fantastic things like slow down time by 50% every time you pull back on your bow string to make it easier to aim your shots.  The game encourages you to use many different skills because you gain experience and perk points by leveling up any of the many skills at your disposal. What amazes me about this game is how much story there is to experience.  Around every corner is a new area to explore, a city or town with quest givers and people to help or harm, a cave to loot with its own unique story and boss at the end.  I've played this game for about 40-50 hours or more now, and I still haven't chosen to finish the main story line, there are still four or five main cities with scores of quests I've yet to experience, the Dark Brotherhood assassins guild quests to start and the Thieves guild and Companions (fighters) quests to finish.  I've got at least another 40 hours left with this game if I choose to complete everything, and I plan to do so.  Skyrim is not only my favorite game of 2011, it might very well be my favorite video game of all time.

So there you go...my top ten games of the year.  For those of you that read this far, please comment.  What did you think of my choices?  Did you play any of these games?  Would you have ranked them as highly or at all among your favorite games of the year?  What were some of your favorite games this year? 

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Wow, I completely forgot to make a 10 ten games list for my blog, thanks for reminding me Joby. 

Your list is good.  I've heard mix reviews about Skyward Sword, I really wish I could play it but lack of Wii makes it difficult.  I also haven't played Skyrim...mostly on account of bugs and being too expensive for me right now.  Same for Batman really, although also because I haven't gotten to the Arkham Asylum game right now. 

Portal 2 is definitely awesome, but lacks replayability, that's my biggest slam on the game.  Other than that, it works just fine.  Also, its very funny and the characters are good. 

The rest are certainly interesting, I'll probably post my top 10 list later on once I've figured it out.  A nice variety of games there, though I can tell you off the top of my head I'll have way more indie-titles in my list than you, there have been some awesome games from that area this year.  :)

-King

[Jobydrone]

I love portal 2, can't wait to finish it. I agree, I don't play enough indie games, mostly because I just don't do alot of PC gaming. I did enjoy Bastion, but not enough to crack the top ten.  Also I noticed there's no handheld or mobile games in my list this year. I did enjoy Sword and Sworcery on the iPad, but not enough to rank it.  I did consider the bugs in Skyrim, in fact I've stopped playing it until the next patch hits. Bit it is so good in spite of the bugs that I still consider it number 1.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

I love portal 2, can't wait to finish it. I agree, I don't play enough indie games, mostly because I just don't do alot of PC gaming. I did enjoy Bastion, but not enough to crack the top ten.  Also I noticed there's no handheld or mobile games in my list this year. I did enjoy Sword and Sworcery on the iPad, but not enough to rank it.  I did consider the bugs in Skyrim, in fact I've stopped playing it until the next patch hits. Bit it is so good in spite of the bugs that I still consider it number 1.

I'm going to go over the mobile games and one or two may hit the list, but I need to think on it.

As for Skyrim, apparently plenty of people enjoyed it in spite of the bugs so w/e.  I'm too busy to even hope to devote the time necessary for a world like Skyrim.  ;)

King

[Rico]

Thanks for doing this.  I like your list a lot.  If you would like to put together a little bit of audio for my next podcast (weekend of Jan. 14-15) listing your games, that would be great!

[Jobydrone]

Thanks Rico, I'll try.

Tim, I'll be very interested to see your list.