From the start 2011 had it's work cut out for itself after the excellent games of last year. While the year was filled with similar sequels and had few truly fantastic games there were still many good ones making this list harder to make then I anticipated.
like no other game Dark Souls creates a atmosphere of dread and unease where you actually fear death yet feel compelled to push forward. Everything about the games design feels deliberate and in service of that central element. The combat is fantastic and the multiplayer integration is ingenious. The since of community that spawned from the game while everyone was figuring out it's secrets and systems is something I'll never forget.
Exploring the vast and beautiful land of Skyrim with no real goal in mind and doing whatever miscellaneous task I stumble upon is what makes Skyrim so enjoyable to me. You truly feel like you are the one in charge of the progression, which is a unique treat amidst the scripted design many modern games favor.
To the Moon is a special game. It's a small game that looks like a 16-bit RPG but it tells a story more emotional and gripping then games with multi-million dollar budgets. I cared about the characters on a level few games have ever reached and wanted to understand the mystery's the story presented. When the game does reveal the answers to the questions I was shocked and amazed.
Batman: Arkham Asylum is a amazing game that I never expected anything from considering it was a superhero game from a no name developer. Arkham City may not be as good as Arkham Asylum but it's a great game in it's own right. It still nails the empowering feeling of being Batman. Smart changes were made to the combat which is as satisfying as ever. The bigger world allowed some neat side quests with many of Batman's lesser villains that even I, someone with little knowledge of the comics enjoyed.
I lost interest in Pokemon games after Silver. Pokemon White added all new Pokemon, meaning no bloody Zubat in every cave, and a plethora of minor but smart changes that made the formula feel completely fresh to me. Turns out collecting and battling Pokemon is still a ton of fun.
This is a fighting game for fighting game fans. It may not have a elaborate story mode or excessive violence but what it does have is a excellently designed fighting engine that is a joy to play and learn. It's games like this that make me wish I had people to play fighting games with locally and showcases what makes the genre so fun.
I found a delightful charm in the unique vision and tone of hell it creates. The writing and characters are very funny. It has terrific art and enemy design. While the shooting not be as good as Resident Evil 4 or Vanquish it's still a ton of fun and the varied level design makes sure you never get bored of it.
The abstract visuals and light electronic music are beautiful when taken separately but it's the way Child of Eden combines these elements that makes it resonate with me. At it's best, say the beauty archive, the game was a near euphoric experience.
When I first started this list Vampire Smiles did not immediately come to mind. But then I remembered how good the gameplay really is. It takes fast paced, combo heavy combat characterized by games such as Devil May Cry and makes it work wonderfully in a 2-D space with perfect controls and balanced difficulty. There is a certain graceful flow to the battle system as you go from enemy to enemy brutalizing them with giant syringes and scissors that just feels right.
Gears does not reinvent the series but why bother when the gameplay is this good and polished. Add to that the more somber, reflective story and quality multiplayer modes both cooperative and competitive and you have yourself a great package.
