The Best of 2011: Game Review Extravaganza!

...and lo and behold, the year is now 2012. Something I realised a little too late, while correcting the date on a cheque. It’s a new year which also means time for that which has gone by to be remembered – a time for me to regale you with stories of that which is now past.

So, lads and ladies, let’s talk about the games of 2011, the year of high-anticipation that never really took off until the second half. The games of 2011, a gathering of sequels, re-boots and some understated gems. These games of 2011, that promised and eternal bliss of fun and joy making millions of fans “squee!” in profuse delight.

Let’s take a look at some of these games - the best of 2011.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution

And it finally released in 2011... a game with more than a decade of legacy driving the expectations of fans against fears of the bastardisation of emergent gaming. Eidos Montreal have a humongous tower to scale - resurrecting two, arguably, short lived franchises considered the best ever - Deus Ex and Thief.

I mentioned in a review of the game that comparing Human Revolution with the original Deus Ex is like listening to Alice in Chains post Layne Staley. It’s not perfect but it's the closest thing we’ll get to the original and let’s appreciate it because it’s the best we can get.

...and I take another sip of chicory. 

  

Bulletstorm

Yeah, wipe-off that shell-shocked looked because Bulletstorm did released in 2011 and yes, it has been a really long year.

Bulletstorm found its way in the list not because it introduced new profanities to splurge while playing Duke Nukem Forever, but for the simple reason that it’s quite possibly the most enjoyable shooter released last year. Oh, and I haven’t played Serious Sam 3 yet.

In an era when every first person shooter is trying too hard to be smart by whipping allegories and commentaries about wars and ending up being basically uninteresting and stogy, Bulletstorm gives a good enough reason to not give a f**k.

You are provided with an interesting, but somewhat familiar, collection of weapons: Use them to kill enemies in interesting ways. Earn points and, well, that’s about it.

SpaceChem

SpaceChem is the best game that most of you have never played. It’s not easy to describe or understand either. It has a pretty horrid tutorial and I’ve played Flash games which look better than it but SpaceChem is simply marvellous.

It deals with molecular bonds and assembly lines which most people don’t even get, so I won’t spend time writing about it. Let’s just say that if you like puzzles and welcome a challenge, this is something you should be playing.

Oh, there is an insipid story to it, just don’t bother.

It’s available for Windows, Mac, Linux and Apple portable devices so most likely you can run it. Do yourself a favour and buy it.

 

The Witcher 2

Choices and consequences are two elements very seriously explored by video game designers. To some extent, every game offers a choice and more often than not, these choices - no matter how meaningless they are - act as USPs for their games.

Which brings us to The Witcher 2, a game where you play the role of Geralt of Rivia - a glorified monster hunter. As a player you make decisions which, some more radically than others, alter the flow of the storyline. As impressive as it sounds it’s actually a very tight feature that works well with the entire storyline but the meat of the game lies in the amazingly well crafted world with political agendas, racism and everything else you’d expect. And if you loved the sex-cards form the first game, you’ll love this one.

For those who prefer their games on the consoles, an Xbox 360 port is scheduled to release early this year.

Uncharted 3

Uncharted 3 or Deus Ex Machina: The Game, as I like to call it, is deep, very deep. Not philosophically but buried in the burden of expectations it carries.

There was one question, when it was announced, mind-boggling everyone: How do you actually improve on something as slick as Uncharted 2?

The short answer is ‘Don't!’.

The long answer is ‘build more of the same’. Something that Naughty Dog manage to accomplish.

So what exactly is it doing in this list? Well it did rob Arkham City of its spot because down inside, the corny tale of ‘Nathan Drake and Friends’ vs. ‘The World’ is powered by incredibly powerful technology and boasts of polish and slickness that most studios can only dream of achieving. From simulating movement of sand to creating an ocean wave simulator, this is a beastly game that powers over the flawed narrative and some dull mechanics.  

Bastion

The second indie in the list, after SpaceChem, Bastion is just one bloody adorable game. The third person isometric view and some lightweight RPG mechanics make it close to an action RPG, but it’s the narration of the game that closely blends the story and gives a - for lack of a better word - meaning to the actions of the player. Essentially this narration puts your character’s actions in words, by addressing him in the third person. And me describing it is not helping anyone. So buy it either for your PC or Xbox 360 and sink in that whisky stained, sexy narration.

2011 was a great year for the independent developers with billion bundle deals pimping the hell out of them and here’s to hoping a great 2012 independent games year because, well, they are the only ones who care.

 

Portal 2

Let’s admit the truth that Valve have a great team of level designers and writers, probably the best in the industry - if you know someone better, well, they’ll hire him too. When Valve realised that adding anything extra in the first Portal will make it redundant, they started looking for newer mechanics and went shopping.

They returned with another team of programmers from DigiPen and a new mechanic, the propulsion and repulsion gels, and built a fine first person puzzle game with arguably the best writing seen anywhere last year. As this was a standalone title, unlike Portal 1 which was part of The Orange Box, a cooperative mode was necessary along with the lengthier-than-original campaign.

 

Skyrim

It may not ascend to the greatness of The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, but Skyrim is an immensely satisfying role playing game. I don’t want to hold it in a beacon of light and I don’t want to call it out saviour. it’s an extremely flawed game, but everything else in sight seems like the court jester who is good for maybe a couple of hours of enjoyment.

The current state of the industry used to be my vision of hell which has morphed into reality. But then there came Skyrim. Stop and think for a moment, imagine you could do anything within the confines of a system (of a video game) for as long as you can imagine doing it. It does not simulate an eternal life but then again, is an indefinite existence something you would actually prefer?

I just completed The Darkness 2 demo. It starts with the protagonist sitting in front of 2 vapid sexy women and one of them gets shot with her blood splattering on the other and suddenly you get the control of the character. A grim example of what exactly is wrong with the mainstream gaming industry in this generation.

We move on, into 2012 and the first of the many blockbuster stare into our eyes, they make their presence felt as the PR companies ooze praises of never-played-before glory.

Deja vu.