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It’s that time of year again, the great games have just come out, and snow is right around the corner.
We’ve hit the awards season and it’s time to crown one game the highest honour, Game of the Year.
We here at Lazy Ass Gamer value each of our writers’ opinions. That’s why this list is the result
of voting that took place within the LAG staff. It may not be perfect, you may disagree, and hell,
some of you WILL disagree, but this list is LAG’s Top 10 Games of the Year!
Top 10 Guidelines:
The ranking is in reverse order, so it counts down from 10th best to the actual Game of the Year.
Games can be from any platform, but they had to be officially released within the 2011 year.
The list is based on games in their retail form, no DLC’s or bonus content is considered in the
actual ranking. Our list is based on separate top tens submitted from each writer, and averaged out.
Thus, this is truly “LAG’s Top Ten Games of 2011
Runner-up: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
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#10: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
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Why it’s on the list:
This game is unbelievable. Coming from CD Projekt, a polish developer with more experience in translating games then making them. That didn’t stop them from creating one of the best, most beautiful and difficult RPG’s ever made. The combat system was difficult to get the hang of, but very functional and rewarding. The side quests, if you can even call them that, are fully fleshed out and engrossing. The entire world of Witcher is beautiful and can get you sucked in very easily. Witcher 2 is one of the more impressive RPG’s to come out this year.
Why it isn’t higher:
Unfortunately, much like Dark Souls, it didn’t make it higher on this list because its appeal was far too limited. Only the most hardcore of hardcore gamers really sunk their teeth into this game. It is an immense experience that is a developmental marvel, but it is also difficult and very much a sequel that requires playing the original Witcher. Despite its limited niche, it succeeded in overcoming it to place 10th.
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#9: Battlefield 3
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Why it’s on the list:
The immediate fan boy wars between Battlefield and Call of Duty will spark the instant either game is mentioned in a GOTY discussion. The simple fact is that Battlefield delivered a fantastic multiplayer experience, incredible visuals, and audio that will knock you on your ass. While there can be an argument made that Bad Company 2 was released just over a year ago, Battlefield 3 is a far superior game. The sheer amount of content found in the game, mixed with the improved visuals, audio, combat, and even added a single or co-operative campaign. If treated like a bonus on top of the regular multiplayer content, it’s all a more complete package compared to Bad Company 2, while Modern Warfare 3 is not significantly better then last year’s Black Ops.
Why it isn’t higher:
Uninspired single player campaign doesn’t really match up to other campaigns, not even in the weak military-FPS genre. Military-FPS genre is becoming hard to improve upon in a way to earn true Game of the Year recognition. Battlefield 3 persevered to still gain recognition for its presentation and gameplay improvements, which managed to earn it the rank of 9th best game of 2011.
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#8: Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad
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Why it’s on the list:
Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad is certainly not a game that garnered much attention in 2011. You would be hard-pressed to find another site that has Red Orchestra 2 even in their GOTY discussions. Maybe that’s due to Battlefield and Call of Duty eating up the media attention, or perhaps due to the fact Red Orchestra 2 is a PC exclusive. Whatever the case, it had a fairly silent launch. That didn’t stop us from loving it, as the game simply clicked with us here at LAG. It’s realism and challenge made multiplayer more fun then we’ve had in any other shooter all year. The game played out as a realistic shooter, that meant it might not be quite as fast as arcade-style FPS’s, but it was certainly more challenging and rewarding. The strategy and realism made Red Orchestra 2 an incredibly fun, and very different first person shooter. The arcade-style military-FPS’s have been done to death, and to see a game like this come out and make us fall back in love with the art of war is something special.
Why it isn’t higher:
The game suffered from a poor launch. Bugs and balance issues were easy to find, though have since been fixed. The game’s lack of fast paced arcade action makes it harder to recommend to the casual Call of Duty crowd. The single player is an afterthought as it is with all military shooters. Fortunately, the incredibly solid multiplayer experience more than makes up for that. When it comes down to it, multiplayer is what makes a military shooter what it is. And what it is, is #8 on our list.
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#7: Minecraft
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Why it’s on the list:
Minecraft is one of those games that makes you question whether it can even be called a “game”. It is perhaps the most innovative and freethinking tools to ever be introduced into the industry. Your imagination and free time are the only real limits placed upon you. While there is a survival feature that can be treated more like a traditional video game, it is the Creative mode which really shines. Get together with friends, think up a common goal, and get it done. Minecraft gives you the tools to play god, the rest is up to you. It’s one of the biggest steps forward that gaming has taken in a long time.
Why it isn’t higher:
In Minecraft’s case, it didn’t really have the WOW factor that other games in this list did. That is mostly due to the game being unofficially released in 2009. It also is hard to even judge it in comparison to other games, as it doesn’t have many of the fundamentals of most games. That being said, it is a groundbreaking achievement that still holds up 2 years after most people began playing it.
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#6: Batman: Arkham City
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Why it’s on the list:
Arkham City is the follow up to Arkham Asylum, one of 2009’s best games. Arkham City took the stellar combat mechanics from Arkham Asylum, and added in an enormous city that Batman can zip and glide through with ease. Add this in with hundreds of riddles and many other side quests to do and you’ve got yourself a much bigger game. In many ways, Arkham City is the full realization of what a Batman game has always tried to achieve. It’s unfortunate that it took this long to get there. With a plethora of Batman characters and gadgets to choose from, what’s not to love?
Why it isn’t higher:
It may seem strange, but the game was too large for its own good. The switching characters to Catwoman, absolutely mind-boggling amount of trophies, and enormous city to explore, it took some time to adjust. Add in the massive amount of overpriced DLC skins and characters released so shortly after release, and you’ve got yourself a lot of gamers that feel ripped off. It’s a fantastic game only hurt by the greed post-release. That being said, the original product is still fantastic, and deserves all the praise it has garnered.
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#5: L.A. Noire
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Why it’s on the list:
Whenever Rockstar decides to release a game, you know people will be paying attention. L.A. Noire is an open-city style game where you play as the cop instead of the criminal. Though the game had a few mixed reactions, nearly everyone agrees that L.A. Noire is a groundbreaking achievement in motion capture and, in turn, voice acting. The game is not without its faults but the innovation and feeling of playing a game quite unlike anything before is inviting. It’s a breath of fresh air in an industry that is choking on the pollution.
Why it isn’t higher:
The game suffered from linear gameplay in an open-world. That style made the game feel very limiting and a lack of long term consequences was a missed opportunity. It is probably the most technically flawed game on the list, but somehow the freshness of the experience overcame those problems, earning it a top 5 placement on this list.
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#4: Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
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Why it’s on the list:
Possibly the biggest PS3 exclusive ever, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception showcases some of the best visuals ever seen, incredibly fun, varied, and challenging gameplay, an immersive story, and humorous dialogue. Then the game absolutely wows you with its incredibly massive set pieces. The Uncharted series has always strived to be a Hollywood version of a video game, and it goes above and beyond. I can’t even think of a movie that pulled off the level of perfection that Uncharted 3 did. It was the epitome of action, humour, and pure enjoyment. There is perhaps no game that better represents the all-around video game experience then Uncharted 3 does.
Why it isn’t higher:
I could give you a bunch of nonsense reasons as to why Uncharted didn’t place top 3, but simply put, it was a great year for games. When it comes to the top 4, it was simply a matter of personal opinion, and we here at LAG voted and chose these games, in this order. Uncharted 3 has few flaws and could just as easily be #1 as any of the 3 games below it.
For the top 3 games of the year, ‘why it isn’t higher’ will not be included.
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#3: Deus Ex: Human Revolution
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Deus Ex is the series that truly innovated mixing RPG with FPS. Human Revolution features an incredible dystopian storyline that centers on the sale of bio-mechanical limb replacements, and corporate greed in the sale of drugs associated with them. It has perhaps the strongest core storyline of any of the candidates on this list. While it doesn’t take place directly in our time, it is easy to see the comparisons. The gameplay truly makes gunplay and role playing seamless. Whether you want to focus on stealth or straight up shooting, you choose the gameplay path you wish to take. While it may not innovate the way its predecessors did, Human Revolution manages to tie the story of the series together, while providing new narrative and gameplay possibly better then ever before. Deus Ex: Human Revolution delivers beautifully, and earns the #3 spot in our top 10 games of the year.
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#2: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
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Skyrim is possibly the most liked game of 2011. The sheer size of the game is hard to grasp. You can play the game for a hundred hours and not even be 50% of the way through the main quest. The graphics are pretty, and the gameplay is rock solid. It’s an RPG lovers dream, and unlike many RPGs, it’s also available on consoles. It has taken the RPG genre and brought it to the mainstream with its easy to love gameplay and freedom. While it’s true that the PS3 version suffered from game breaking bugs and Skyrim fans have taken internet trolling to a new extreme, but neither of these factors makes the actual Skyrim game any less great. It’s the game’s ability to rise above the bugs and still be an incredible experience that makes Skyrim something truly special, and our pick for the second best game of 2011.
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#1: Portal 2
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Portal 2 is perhaps the most difficult, thought provoking and hilarious game ever. An absolute masterpiece from Valve, it introduced more story, hilarity, puzzles, and physics to the portal series. Hell, it even gave us a co-operative mode to play with. Now you can grab a friend and ruin your friendship in a challenging cooperative experience. Simply put, the game was a blast from start to finish, and an improvement on the original in every way. While it still maintains traditional gaming fundamentals(beat a level, move on), it really plays out like more of a mental endurance test, and it is without equal in the ‘fun’ department. Due to the incredible polish, humour, challenge, size, and story of Portal 2, we here at LAG award it with our highest honour. Portal 2 is our Game of the Year.
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And there you have it, LAG’s Game of the Year is Portal 2! While our Top 10 may not be something you may agree with, it is an honest list based on what we, as gamers, enjoyed in 2011. It was an interesting year that included games we played in beta years ago, long-time-coming sequels, and just about every PS3 exclusive you can think of. It’s true that many other games could have made it up here, Assassin’s Creed Revelations, Dark Souls, Gears of War 3, Infamous 2, and many others. We either enjoyed the others more, didn’t really have enough time with them, or simply had no more room to place them. We here at LAG hope you’ve enjoyed gaming in 2011 as much as we have. With Mass Effect 3, Grand Theft Auto V, Diablo III, Metal Gear Solid: Rising, Bioshock Infinite, and Halo 4, 2012 is shaping up to be just as good. Here’s to hoping they can get The Last Guardian a release date. Come on Santa, you can do it!
Source
It’s that time of year again, the great games have just come out, and snow is right around the corner.
We’ve hit the awards season and it’s time to crown one game the highest honour, Game of the Year.
We here at Lazy Ass Gamer value each of our writers’ opinions. That’s why this list is the result
of voting that took place within the LAG staff. It may not be perfect, you may disagree, and hell,
some of you WILL disagree, but this list is LAG’s Top 10 Games of the Year!
Top 10 Guidelines:
The ranking is in reverse order, so it counts down from 10th best to the actual Game of the Year.
Games can be from any platform, but they had to be officially released within the 2011 year.
The list is based on games in their retail form, no DLC’s or bonus content is considered in the
actual ranking. Our list is based on separate top tens submitted from each writer, and averaged out.
Thus, this is truly “LAG’s Top Ten Games of 2011
Runner-up: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
—————————————————————————————————————————————————
#10: The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
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Why it’s on the list:
This game is unbelievable. Coming from CD Projekt, a polish developer with more experience in translating games then making them. That didn’t stop them from creating one of the best, most beautiful and difficult RPG’s ever made. The combat system was difficult to get the hang of, but very functional and rewarding. The side quests, if you can even call them that, are fully fleshed out and engrossing. The entire world of Witcher is beautiful and can get you sucked in very easily. Witcher 2 is one of the more impressive RPG’s to come out this year.
Why it isn’t higher:
Unfortunately, much like Dark Souls, it didn’t make it higher on this list because its appeal was far too limited. Only the most hardcore of hardcore gamers really sunk their teeth into this game. It is an immense experience that is a developmental marvel, but it is also difficult and very much a sequel that requires playing the original Witcher. Despite its limited niche, it succeeded in overcoming it to place 10th.
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#9: Battlefield 3
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Why it’s on the list:
The immediate fan boy wars between Battlefield and Call of Duty will spark the instant either game is mentioned in a GOTY discussion. The simple fact is that Battlefield delivered a fantastic multiplayer experience, incredible visuals, and audio that will knock you on your ass. While there can be an argument made that Bad Company 2 was released just over a year ago, Battlefield 3 is a far superior game. The sheer amount of content found in the game, mixed with the improved visuals, audio, combat, and even added a single or co-operative campaign. If treated like a bonus on top of the regular multiplayer content, it’s all a more complete package compared to Bad Company 2, while Modern Warfare 3 is not significantly better then last year’s Black Ops.
Why it isn’t higher:
Uninspired single player campaign doesn’t really match up to other campaigns, not even in the weak military-FPS genre. Military-FPS genre is becoming hard to improve upon in a way to earn true Game of the Year recognition. Battlefield 3 persevered to still gain recognition for its presentation and gameplay improvements, which managed to earn it the rank of 9th best game of 2011.
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#8: Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad
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Why it’s on the list:
Red Orchestra 2: Heroes of Stalingrad is certainly not a game that garnered much attention in 2011. You would be hard-pressed to find another site that has Red Orchestra 2 even in their GOTY discussions. Maybe that’s due to Battlefield and Call of Duty eating up the media attention, or perhaps due to the fact Red Orchestra 2 is a PC exclusive. Whatever the case, it had a fairly silent launch. That didn’t stop us from loving it, as the game simply clicked with us here at LAG. It’s realism and challenge made multiplayer more fun then we’ve had in any other shooter all year. The game played out as a realistic shooter, that meant it might not be quite as fast as arcade-style FPS’s, but it was certainly more challenging and rewarding. The strategy and realism made Red Orchestra 2 an incredibly fun, and very different first person shooter. The arcade-style military-FPS’s have been done to death, and to see a game like this come out and make us fall back in love with the art of war is something special.
Why it isn’t higher:
The game suffered from a poor launch. Bugs and balance issues were easy to find, though have since been fixed. The game’s lack of fast paced arcade action makes it harder to recommend to the casual Call of Duty crowd. The single player is an afterthought as it is with all military shooters. Fortunately, the incredibly solid multiplayer experience more than makes up for that. When it comes down to it, multiplayer is what makes a military shooter what it is. And what it is, is #8 on our list.
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#7: Minecraft
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Why it’s on the list:
Minecraft is one of those games that makes you question whether it can even be called a “game”. It is perhaps the most innovative and freethinking tools to ever be introduced into the industry. Your imagination and free time are the only real limits placed upon you. While there is a survival feature that can be treated more like a traditional video game, it is the Creative mode which really shines. Get together with friends, think up a common goal, and get it done. Minecraft gives you the tools to play god, the rest is up to you. It’s one of the biggest steps forward that gaming has taken in a long time.
Why it isn’t higher:
In Minecraft’s case, it didn’t really have the WOW factor that other games in this list did. That is mostly due to the game being unofficially released in 2009. It also is hard to even judge it in comparison to other games, as it doesn’t have many of the fundamentals of most games. That being said, it is a groundbreaking achievement that still holds up 2 years after most people began playing it.
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#6: Batman: Arkham City
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Why it’s on the list:
Arkham City is the follow up to Arkham Asylum, one of 2009’s best games. Arkham City took the stellar combat mechanics from Arkham Asylum, and added in an enormous city that Batman can zip and glide through with ease. Add this in with hundreds of riddles and many other side quests to do and you’ve got yourself a much bigger game. In many ways, Arkham City is the full realization of what a Batman game has always tried to achieve. It’s unfortunate that it took this long to get there. With a plethora of Batman characters and gadgets to choose from, what’s not to love?
Why it isn’t higher:
It may seem strange, but the game was too large for its own good. The switching characters to Catwoman, absolutely mind-boggling amount of trophies, and enormous city to explore, it took some time to adjust. Add in the massive amount of overpriced DLC skins and characters released so shortly after release, and you’ve got yourself a lot of gamers that feel ripped off. It’s a fantastic game only hurt by the greed post-release. That being said, the original product is still fantastic, and deserves all the praise it has garnered.
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#5: L.A. Noire
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Why it’s on the list:
Whenever Rockstar decides to release a game, you know people will be paying attention. L.A. Noire is an open-city style game where you play as the cop instead of the criminal. Though the game had a few mixed reactions, nearly everyone agrees that L.A. Noire is a groundbreaking achievement in motion capture and, in turn, voice acting. The game is not without its faults but the innovation and feeling of playing a game quite unlike anything before is inviting. It’s a breath of fresh air in an industry that is choking on the pollution.
Why it isn’t higher:
The game suffered from linear gameplay in an open-world. That style made the game feel very limiting and a lack of long term consequences was a missed opportunity. It is probably the most technically flawed game on the list, but somehow the freshness of the experience overcame those problems, earning it a top 5 placement on this list.
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#4: Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
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Why it’s on the list:
Possibly the biggest PS3 exclusive ever, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception showcases some of the best visuals ever seen, incredibly fun, varied, and challenging gameplay, an immersive story, and humorous dialogue. Then the game absolutely wows you with its incredibly massive set pieces. The Uncharted series has always strived to be a Hollywood version of a video game, and it goes above and beyond. I can’t even think of a movie that pulled off the level of perfection that Uncharted 3 did. It was the epitome of action, humour, and pure enjoyment. There is perhaps no game that better represents the all-around video game experience then Uncharted 3 does.
Why it isn’t higher:
I could give you a bunch of nonsense reasons as to why Uncharted didn’t place top 3, but simply put, it was a great year for games. When it comes to the top 4, it was simply a matter of personal opinion, and we here at LAG voted and chose these games, in this order. Uncharted 3 has few flaws and could just as easily be #1 as any of the 3 games below it.
For the top 3 games of the year, ‘why it isn’t higher’ will not be included.
——————————————————————————————————————————————————-
#3: Deus Ex: Human Revolution
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Deus Ex is the series that truly innovated mixing RPG with FPS. Human Revolution features an incredible dystopian storyline that centers on the sale of bio-mechanical limb replacements, and corporate greed in the sale of drugs associated with them. It has perhaps the strongest core storyline of any of the candidates on this list. While it doesn’t take place directly in our time, it is easy to see the comparisons. The gameplay truly makes gunplay and role playing seamless. Whether you want to focus on stealth or straight up shooting, you choose the gameplay path you wish to take. While it may not innovate the way its predecessors did, Human Revolution manages to tie the story of the series together, while providing new narrative and gameplay possibly better then ever before. Deus Ex: Human Revolution delivers beautifully, and earns the #3 spot in our top 10 games of the year.
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#2: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
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Skyrim is possibly the most liked game of 2011. The sheer size of the game is hard to grasp. You can play the game for a hundred hours and not even be 50% of the way through the main quest. The graphics are pretty, and the gameplay is rock solid. It’s an RPG lovers dream, and unlike many RPGs, it’s also available on consoles. It has taken the RPG genre and brought it to the mainstream with its easy to love gameplay and freedom. While it’s true that the PS3 version suffered from game breaking bugs and Skyrim fans have taken internet trolling to a new extreme, but neither of these factors makes the actual Skyrim game any less great. It’s the game’s ability to rise above the bugs and still be an incredible experience that makes Skyrim something truly special, and our pick for the second best game of 2011.
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#1: Portal 2
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Portal 2 is perhaps the most difficult, thought provoking and hilarious game ever. An absolute masterpiece from Valve, it introduced more story, hilarity, puzzles, and physics to the portal series. Hell, it even gave us a co-operative mode to play with. Now you can grab a friend and ruin your friendship in a challenging cooperative experience. Simply put, the game was a blast from start to finish, and an improvement on the original in every way. While it still maintains traditional gaming fundamentals(beat a level, move on), it really plays out like more of a mental endurance test, and it is without equal in the ‘fun’ department. Due to the incredible polish, humour, challenge, size, and story of Portal 2, we here at LAG award it with our highest honour. Portal 2 is our Game of the Year.
—————————————————————————————————————————————————
And there you have it, LAG’s Game of the Year is Portal 2! While our Top 10 may not be something you may agree with, it is an honest list based on what we, as gamers, enjoyed in 2011. It was an interesting year that included games we played in beta years ago, long-time-coming sequels, and just about every PS3 exclusive you can think of. It’s true that many other games could have made it up here, Assassin’s Creed Revelations, Dark Souls, Gears of War 3, Infamous 2, and many others. We either enjoyed the others more, didn’t really have enough time with them, or simply had no more room to place them. We here at LAG hope you’ve enjoyed gaming in 2011 as much as we have. With Mass Effect 3, Grand Theft Auto V, Diablo III, Metal Gear Solid: Rising, Bioshock Infinite, and Halo 4, 2012 is shaping up to be just as good. Here’s to hoping they can get The Last Guardian a release date. Come on Santa, you can do it!
Source
should i get it? 
