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Best Video Games of 2011

December 29th, 2011

Every year video game companies produce quality games that make a ton of money and keep us gamers happy. This year was no different, it was an awesome year for video games. This year video games took a huge step forward and definitely has changed the course of gaming. The most notable game for this step forward is probably Microsoft’s Forza Motorsport 4. With Microsoft’s Kinect now a standard accessory, Forza takes full advantage of that with realistic motions to open car doors and even using no controller to drive a race car. And for this Forza Motorsport is one of the best games of 2011.

Gamers around the world not only had their hands full with Forza but third installments of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Battlefield left gamers with no time to spare. Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 set the record for the largest day-one shipment of any game due to the incredible number of pre-orders. COD MW3′s biggest competition was Battlefield 3 and although the games are similar they are different at the same time allowing for gamers to pick up both games, driving up numbers that are unheard of.

There are two games that got a lot of attention but never had the chance to play them yet. Those games are Portal 2 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Portal 2, the first person puzzle-platform game, is the sequel to Portal which was released in 2007. All year I heard nothing but good things about Portal 2 but never got my hands on it and am sure that when I do I won’t be able to put it down. Skyrim was another game I didn’t get a chance to play but from the reviews that I’ve read it is definitely a game that I’ll pick up.

The following five games below were probably the biggest games of the year and the ones I couldn’t put done.

L.A. Noire

L.A. Noire was one of those games this year that brought something new to the table. Based in 1947, you are a detective who quickly makes a name for himself in the force by solving crimes quickly. What’s interesting about this game though is the new facial expressions engine the game uses. As a detective you’re required to interrogate suspects and decided whether they are telling the truth or lying by their facial expressions. The game does trick you a few times when you think they are lying and look like they really are but in the end they are telling the truth, and vice versa.

Assassins Creed: Revelations

Assassins Creed: Revelations is the fourth installment of the super popular franchise. This also marks the last time we will see Ezio Auditore as the lead character. But that doesn’t rule out the possibility of more Assassins Creed games in the future! The game not only includes Ezio as a playable character but previous main character Altair and Desmond are also featured. With the way the storyline has been in previous games, Assassins Creed: Revelations will be a dandy to see how it ends!

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception

Nathan Drake returns in Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception to continue his search for the lost city with mentor Victor Sullivan. Being one of the biggest selling games of 2011 it’s no surprise that Uncharted 3 is considered one of the best games of 2011. You can’t go wrong when you combine action with a great accompanying storyline.

Batman: Arkham City

The new Batman video game franchise made a huge comeback in 2009 and now we see a continuation with Batman: Arkham City. New in this game is the open world type game where you are free to do side missions with Batman along with staying the course with the main mission. Like Arkham Asylum, Arkham City was a gamers favourite and it showed with the amount of copies sold. There is no stopping this franchise and I can only see better games in the future.

Gears of War 3

The Gears of War franchise has come a long way since the first game back in 2006. As all good things come to an end so do video game plots. Gears of War 3 is the final game in this amazing franchise and I for one am sad about it. Everything about this game was amazing. Gameplay, storyline, graphics and more were supreme. As much as I am sad that the game is over I am glad with the way it ended. If you’ve played the first two and haven’t played the third you need to get on it right away, it’s worth finding out what happens.