2011 was easily one of the most packed and unprecedented years in gaming history, as you’ve no doubt heard all of us here at Games Abyss reiterate time and time again. The big game of the year candidates are without a doubt the highlights of the year, but that’s hardly where the noteworthy gems began and ended. There were quite a few titles which during any other year could have possibly dominated the scene, especially considering the legacy of select releases. Center stage spotlight was not to be had in the illustrious year of 2011 however for these fan favorites; the overwhelming quality and quantity of masterful titles such as Batman: Arkham City, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, and Skyrim just to name a few saw to that. So which games am I alluding to exactly? Let’s give them a little bit of the spotlight right now shall we?
Assassins Creed Revelations – Assassins Creed as a series achieves something very difficult to do in the gaming universe; it has become an expected annual release and despite such a short time for production and perfecting it continually turns out to be a fantastic game year after year. There may be little difference in the core aspects between each game, but the latest installments always have a way of enhancing the successful formula and making the story just as gripping and the gameplay just as exciting. Revelations is no exception to this pattern. The story here is even more involving than its predecessors and harbor the most notable sense of epic scale with Ezio and Altair’s era coming to a close. Gameplay is once again tweaked for the better with the ability to access primary and secondary weapons for more variety in combat. Even multiplayer has seen an upgrade with more gameplay modes and a smoother execution online for uninterrupted slaying of our fellow man. AC:R is one of the strongest entries into the series and arguably has the most significant legacy of all the games on this list. Normally one of the most anticipated releases of the year, Ezio and Altair’s joint operation was negatively affected mostly by being lost in the confusion of the enormous Q4 assault. Despite this, it is worth a play through for any true fan of the series.
L.A. Noire – No game is a greater example of how much 2011 demanded perfection. Rockstar has 2 game of the year winners in recent memory with Red Dead Redemption and Grand Theft Auto IV, yet L.A. Noire did not do enough to even constitute a rightful nomination let alone a triumph. This gritty mature title may not have been the most groundbreaking presentation, but it achieved a great deal by showing that the high road can be taken by putting gamers in the role of the law and still be as fun to play as a GTA. For the first six months of the year L.A. Noire could easily have been considered the frontrunner for game of the year with its detailed and intuitive investigation system, impressively realistic character design and voice acting, and uncensored in-your-face story telling. Cole Phelps and company dominated the first half of the year along with Portal 2 and InFamous 2, but could not maintain enough momentum into the second half to hang with the other heavy hitters.
Deus Ex: Human Revolution – With shades of so many different titles in one, Deus Ex turned a mash up of elements into its very own formula which stays consistent throughout the entirety of the game. There is stealth gameplay, there is running and gunning, there are strong RPG elements surrounding choice and character customization, there is a solid soundtrack with some psychedelic beats, and there is an imperfect yet charming aura that borders Deus Ex right in between mainstream hit and cult purist darling. As probably the least played game on the list, its inclusion might bewilder some people; rest assure however that Eidos Montreal has definitely delivered a successful hybrid title which nips at the heels of every game of the year candidate. Deus Ex benefits from having been released during a relatively uneventful 2011 summer, but the anticipation of the following months was too much to weather.
Dead Space 2 – Who could forget the game that your mother hates? Yeah questionable marketing ploy aside, Dead Space 2 was one of the first releases of 2011 and it was a hell of a way to start things off. Perhaps Visceral’s big sequel wasn’t as impactful or purely creepy as its predecessor, but Issac Clarke reminded us once again all that survival horror is not dead. No game kept us on the edge of our seat quite like this one in the first half of the year and it has never been more satisfying dismembering necromorphs with the addition of devastating and fun new weapons and a more brutal and seasoned Issac Clarke. Dead Space 2 arguably had the largest obstacle to overcome in being a quarter 1 release. The last game to have maintained a strong enough sense of significance to justify a GOTY nod was Mass Effect 2; unfortunately the onslaught of the 2011 elite would not allow the same honor to the popular sci-fi horror.
These games can hardly be labeled as unappreciated or even underrated, they are top level titles that suffered only from being outdone by the year’s most remarkable releases. Each one still contributes to the overall success of last year’s flow; without a doubt now is indeed a fortunate time to be a gamer with so many quality titles. If these games represent the second tier of 2011, 2012 has a steep task ahead of itself to present a comparable offering.
Post contributed by Matt J. Randisi. Questions for the author? Send an email to Mjrandisi@gmail.com. Follow him on Twitter: @SaveUsMatt.