Welp, looks like it's that time of year again. I play a lot of games, we all know that. These are the ten games that impacted me in a positive manner the most over the course of this very, very strange year.
We probably won't agree on everything, and that's cool. We all like different things. Anyway, read on, nerds!
It's no secret that the original inFamous was the spark (pun not intended) that got me to buy my PS3 in the first place. inFamous 2 took the ball that the first game put down and ran with it, improving on basically everything that made inFamous great. Amazing musical score, excellent city exploration, and more superpowers than any man has a right to have.
What's this? A Yakuza game without Kazuma Kiryu as the main character? Well, he's IN the game, and very playable, but the storyline focus on three new heroes brought a number of new dimensions to the Yakuza world. Tons of side content, satisfying combat, and more ways to break a man's skull than a viking version of the Skymall catalog.
Let's be honest here; I still prefer Uncharted 2 over Uncharted 3. That's not to say UC3 is a bad game - its best moments eclipse anything else in the series. However, Uncharted 2 is a far more consistent experience. That said, Uncharted 3 is still a landmark in visual and game design, and I look forward to Naughty Dog's next project without hesitation.
Is it fair to have a PSP remake of an SNES game on a 2011 game of the year list? It better be. Tactics Ogre is the greatest tactical strategy RPG ever made even now, and with the host of new improvements made to the PSP remake, it's only become that much better.
The spiritual sequel to Demon's Souls (my winner for 2009 Game of the Year) improves on its predecessor in many, many ways, while also taking some curious, confusing steps backward. Even despite its missteps, though, it's good enough to deserve a play from anyone who likes responsive combat and impeccable art design.
Yes, New Vegas came out in 2010. However, with the advent of the masterfully-written Old World Blues DLC pack, Fallout: New Vegas has grown into without question my favorite non-Japanese RPG of the past ten years. Play it, love it, and realize that there are people who do Bethesda better than Bethesda.
With the exception of the poorly-handled Catwoman sequences, Arkham City is one of the tightest experiences in gaming this year. Improving on everything that made Arkham Asylum great, City is the kind of game that even people who AREN'T Batman fans can enjoy.
I'm not a big fan of the original Portal. Even keeping that in mind, Portal 2 improved on a fair amount of the original game, and cut back on the oppressive, frustratingly bothersome omnipresence of GlaDOS. Also, Stephen Merchant. Awesome.
Make no mistake about it; LA Noire is a flawed game. Viewed in a vacuum, each of its core elements may alone feel hackneyed, underdeveloped or even unfinished. However, the atmosphere, the characterization and the tone keep them from harming the experience too much. In the end, it's still quite an enjoyable game.
Every year, I put at least one oddball title in my top ten list. This year, the resurrection of You Don't Know Jack takes that spot with gusto. I've spent more time playing this game's multiplayer mode than every first or third person shooter of 2011 PUT TOGETHER.
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