The best games of 2011 (so far!)

Posted by on July 1, 2011 in Features

Yesterday was the most disappointing games of the year so far. With all that negativity is behind us, it’s time to look at the best games of the year. Following are my ten picks for this year’s games that have made me the happiest.

After the jump, let the celebration begin!

10) Virtua Tennis 4
Virtua Tennis continues to honor the fundamentally sound principles of Pong, only with better animation and slightly deeper gameplay. This fourth version’s boardgamey world tour mode seals the deal. Read the review here.

 

9) deBlob 2
A laidback, groovy, relaxing, Kirby-esque platformer with a unique appreciation for color and music. And this time it’s in HD and you don’t have to jerk around a Wii controller.

 

8) Rift
Thanks, Trion, for breaking other MMOs for me by dropping crazy stuff into Rift’s wider world. So what if the design of the wider world is a bit typical and bland? When it’s this hoppin’, it’s the place I want to be. Read the review here.

 

7) Tiny Wings
An adorable little bird that could presides over this harmonious marriage of gravity, speed, colorful 2D graphics, and the iPhone’s touch controls.

 

6) Fear 3
Proof that corridor shooters don’t have to suck. Read the review here.

 

5) The Witcher 2
Ah, so this is how you put good fantasy writing into an RPG! Read the review here.

 

4) Shogun 2
Creative Assembly spectacularly proves that they’re still got what it takes to make an incredible strategy game with a heartfelt appreciation for its subject matter. Read the review here.

 

3) Need for Speed: Shift 2
As good as driving games get. My love letters begin here with the most weirdly erotic one here.

 

2) The Sims Medieval
If you consider that every Sims game has gotten better as the series goes along, from The Sims to The Sims 2 to The Sims 3, this could easily count as The Sims 4. Well, Ye Olde Sims 4. What a great way to not just relocate, but to reappreciate The Sims. Read the review here.

 

1) Marvel vs Capcom 3
For all its shortcomings, this is the game that got me to scratch the surface of fighting games, and therefore discover and appreciate a whole new genre. Full of energy, generously stocked with familiar and/or interesting characters, and built for accessibility and over-the-top powers instead of twenty flavors of punching. Read more here.

  • FearTheBear

    Wait, what? You lead the article with a picture of Killzone 3 and then it doesn’t get listed? I’m not sure whether I’m more confused by your using the picture or KZ3 not being listed. To be fair though, I only today picked up Fear 3 based on your recommendation/review so maybe when I get home tonight all other MP shooters will pale by comparison.

  • Cfolliot

    I normally get Tom’s humor, but I’m left scratching my head at the fact that Marvel vs. Capcom is number 1 on both lists. Color me confused.

  • garion333

    @Cfolliot The other list is disappointing games. Tom clearly loves MvC3 as a game, but is disappointed in the whole package.

    @FearTheBear He led the other article with Crysis 2, but didn’t put it in the list. I’d consider them #11.

  • Cfolliot

    @Garion333, i see what you are saying, but it still seems counterintuitive.

  • http://www.atomic-bride.com Avtar

    It was number 1 on the disappointing list, not the year’s worst.

    MvC 3 is so so good. That’s why the things that are missing from it(the things that MK has that make it a more “complete package”) make it so so disappointing. The game matches themselves are absolutely fantastic, but that’s all there is to do. No fun modes, no collecting things as you go, none of that. Just a rating as you play online. It’s a damn shame.

  • distauma

    Ummm, where’s Mortal Kombat? It should have at least made the list. It was more fun than MvC3, and it actually had stuff to do other than play online against other people.

  • Pogue Mahone

    The best part of this list to me is that I have absolutely no interest in playing any of these games. And this is not a sarcastic point — one of my favorite things about Qt3 in general and, often, Tom’s reviews specifically, is that I am looking at viewpoints completely different from my own. Vive le difference!

  • Jason Cross

    Eh, I don’t really agree with most of this list, but we’ve played quite different games this year.

  • James Johnson

    Solid choices on the disappointing list! As for this one, I think it’s a typical mid-year list: largely mediocre stuff (things that aren’t The Witcher 2) with a real gem or two (The Witcher 2) that continues to prove most of the good titles of a year get released in the fall.

  • John Roberdeau

    Spacechem! I bet you foolishly took my advice, Tom, and never played it.

  • Pile of Pooh

    World of Tanks. This thing has absorbed all of my gaming time for two months now. Pure crack.

    As for Rift… Well, it was like this really hot chick I dated when I was stationed in Hawaii: smokin’ surfer’s body and the face of an angel, but she had all the depth and charm of a puddle of dog piss. I eagerly gobbled up Rift for about three weeks — until I discovered that it’s an extremely linear theme park with lots of flashy lights and bouncing clowns, but with gameplay amounting to nothing more than a rail-mounted version of EverQuest. I guess it’s entertaining if you like being led around by the nose and playing the same public quest over and over and over and over. I moved on and canceled before they got a second shot at my credit card.

    World of Tanks. I’m tellin’ you, it’ll eat your head. And you’ll like it.