The best video games of 2011

2011 was a great year for gamers. It was arguably not as big as 2007, which brought with it such massive hits as Halo 3, Portal (The Orange Box), Mass Effect, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, BioShock, Uncharted: Drake’s Fortune, and even Rock Band, but the past year still had a fantastic selection of titles. So, without further ado, here are some of my favorite games of 2011. It should be noted that these are my personal favorites, and may not represent the opinion of Talk Video Games as a whole.

Portal 2, the long-awaited sequel to the classic first-person puzzler, finally hit stores in April. The game perfectly lived up to its predecessor, expanding the game’s universe and introducing a series of hilarious and memorable characters.

After years of anticipation, Star Wars: The Old Republic launched on December 20 to great success, amassing more than one million subscribers in three days. Occasionally referred to as “Knights of the Old Republic 3-12,” the MMO allows gamers to play through a KOTOR-style story solo or in a group. The voice acting is fantastic, and the massive amount of content should keep subscribers happy for years to come.

LA Noire came out of nowhere and surprised me by how good the game was. It was one of those games I wasn’t originally anticipating, but ended up enjoying quite a bit. LA Noire is an open world game, but its investigative gameplay was a refreshing change from your standard slate of games. Less than 10% of the game is spent in combat, but don’t let that discourage you from playing this unique title.

Like LA Noire, Deus Ex: Human Revolution drew me in with its engaging story and gameplay. I managed to play through the entire game without firing a shot; a challenge that usually isn’t possible in other games. The boss battles were a little out of place, but everything else was quite enjoyable. Just keep a spare Praxis Point or two on hand for when you get in a pinch.

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary managed to recapture the spirit of the original classic while giving the visuals a fresh overhaul. It is still a fantastic game, even ten years later. And new features like skulls, terminals, achievements, and Kinect integration make it even better.

Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception continued the cinematic Indiana Jones-inspired adventure series. The story was probably the best of the trilogy, and it nicely wrapped things up. Even multiplayer was quite fun, supporting both versus matches and co-operative missions.

Like many of 2011’s biggest titles, Assassin’s Creed Revelations concludes the story of both Altair and Ezio. The scope of the game wasn’t as big as some of the past installments in the series, but the story was very enjoyable. The multiplayer expands upon the idea introduced in AC Brotherhood, providing a fun and unique alternative to the standard deathmatch found in so many games.

After a series of somewhat over-the-top installments, Gears of War 3 closed out Marcus Fenix’s story with a more personal tale. Epic Games learned from its experience with Gears 2, and managed to provide a stable and fun multiplayer experience this time around. Horde and Beast mode only added to the enjoyment.

And last, but certainly not least, is Modern Warfare 3. The core game hasn’t changed much since the original Modern Warfare, but Infinity Ward has continued to evolve the experience over the years. The game’s intense story was easier to follow this time around, and Spec Ops once again delivered hours of fun.

Unfortunately, there’s only so much time for gaming every year. As disappointing as it is, some games slip through the cracks. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Batman: Arkham City, Bastion, and Dead Space 2 are all fantastic games, and I fully intend to play them over the next month. And while they didn’t make the cut for my favorite games, honorable mentions include Battlefield 3, Crysis 2, Fruit Ninja Kinect, The Gunstringer, and Stacking. What were our readers’ favorite games of 2011?