Best of 2011: Video Games

Mortal Kombat

5

NetherRealm Studios finally returned to their roots with this fantastic reboot of the Mortal Kombat series. I loved seeing the original cast, the reworked story, and all the nods to the original trilogy. Oh, and it’s actually a solid fighting game this time as well!

Dark Souls

4

Dark Souls is an absolutely brutal game, but that isn’t what makes it great. The real magic is how it forces you to explore it’s deadly and terrifying world with all the creeping precision of a survival horror game. The understated tone is genuinely creepy and the dark fantasy setting is well crafted. Overall, Dark Souls might be the most original game I played this year. VICTORY ACHIEVED.

Batman: Arkham City

3

This game delivers exactly what it promises. You’re THE GODDAMN BATMAN. I wasn’t a huge Arkham Asylum fan, but Arkham City’s open world and improved group fighting system make it one of the best superhero action games I’ve ever played.

Mass Effect 2

2

I finally got a chance to play Mass Effect 2 on PS3 this year. Part shooter, part RPG, the gameplay mechanics are simple, but the story is where Mass Effect 2 really shines. The fiction is literally comparable to Star Wars in terms of the scope and the interesting races and characters found within. The focus on team building makes each mission feel important and keeps the momentum going right up until the end.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

1

Skyrim is big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I’ve sunk almost 70 hours into this game, and I’m not even close to finished with it. I love the setting, the quests are interesting, and the music is great. I’m currently on hiatus due to frame rate and freezing issues, but as soon as a patch drops, I’ll be back to slaying dragons, reading books, shouting at bears, collecting drums, stealing cabbages, etc, etc.