It is of this writer’s opinion that 2011 was one of the great years for the video game industry. Not necessarily because it was the year of some all-time greats (though that is partially true) but much of my own genre tastes were shaped and formed this year. Many games on this list I still play to this day and I’m excited to celebrate 2011’s legacy!
Star Wars The Old Republic
Knights of the Old Republic was considered a landmark hit for RPGs when it was released in 2003. Nearly a decade later, we received an MMORPG and its launch left mixed results. Many were turned off by its similarities to World of Warcraft but it had much promise going for it. Being able to pick between eight different classes and storylines made for a plethora of role-playing opportunities. The servers are still alive today and it’s still receiving new DLC and expansions. If you enjoy MMOs and haven’t tried Old Republic, it’s a great time to jump in!
Mortal Kombat
Technically the ninth game in the series, this reboot gave Mortal Kombat the revitalization it desperately needed. A retelling of the original story, Mortal Kombat 9 (as it’s often nicknamed) was a return to form for the famous gore and fatalities that made the series famous (and infamous). Since then we’ve had two sequels that have improved on the mechanics, but those two excellent follow-ups wouldn’t be possible without what happened here.
Dead Island
This game came out when the zombie craze was at its peak. The Walking Dead had just aired a year before to massive success and the Left 4 Dead franchise was considered the pinnacle of zombie-slaying games. Dead Island had a unique approach by being focused on melee combat with minimum firearms. The hype for this game was huge as it had one of the greatest video game trailers of all time. The game was a massive success and still has a loyal fanbase, however, a sequel is yet to come out, leaving its legacy in a state of flux.
Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds
Back in the ’90s, the holy trinity of fighting games was Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, and Marvel vs Capcom. Unlike the first two, Marvel vs Capcom took a long hiatus, skipping several generations of consoles in between. This made MVC3 highly anticipated. Upon release, the game received positive attention, however, many criticized its lack of content and game modes. Many of those game modes and extra characters were eventually released as paid DLC, aggravating many of its long-time fans. Regardless, Marvel vs Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds was an overall success.
Dark Souls
A spiritual successor to Demon Souls, the first Dark Souls game made it a household name within the gaming community. Since then there have been several sequels and spin-offs. It’s left such a legacy, it’s almost crazy to think of how young it actually is. Dark Souls will forever be famous for the rage quitting difficult gameplay and creative boss battles.
Assassin’s Creed Revelation
The final installment in the Ezio trilogy, AC Revelation was the end of an era for Assassin’s Creed. We said goodbye to two of the three protagonists and it was the final game of the Renaissance period. Revelation had a middling reaction upon release. Many claimed it felt like it didn’t innovate enough and that it was more of a glorified expansion than a sequel. Still, it’s found its fans over the decades and the community still loves it dearly. Even ten years later its Istanbul setting remains beautiful to look at and the character Ezio remains as charismatic as ever.
Minecraft
Talk about the ultimate underdog story. Minecraft started as a simple indie game with simple mechanics and low res graphics. Over the years, the community has become one of the biggest in gaming history. The creator eventually sold it to Microsoft for 2 billion dollars! That’s how massive of a success it became! Minecraft, maybe more than any other game on this list, is an example of a game becoming multigenerational.
Batman Arkham City
When Batman Arkham Asylum was released in 2009, it caught everyone by surprise. Superhero games had middling success up till that point and here was a brand new Batman game with innovative gameplay and an original story. Two years later, Arkham City came out. I think many will agree with me that Arkham City is the “Dark Knight” of the Batman video game franchise. It garnered many awards that year, even a Game of the Year nomination. It also tied for the highest-rated game of 2011 on Metacritic. People were already on a Batman craze (as The Dark Knight trilogy was still on its tenure) and this game helped the hero propel it into new stardom territory. Ten years and two more sequels later, it remains the best one in the series and helped set the standard for the superhero genre in video games.
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3
The conclusion to the Modern Warfare trilogy, Modern Warfare 3 came out where multiplayer shooters were on the rise while players were still invested in story campaigns. MW3 promised the scope of World War 3 and a conclusion to the epic story that had been told thus far. Personally, I was underwhelmed with Modern Warfare 3 but it certainly had its fans, but there’s no doubt that it didn’t hold a candle to the groundbreaking first two in the Call of Duty family. Though between this and the previous year’s Black Ops, this might have been the final year where the campaign story of Call of Duty remained the star before multiplayer became the selling point.
Deus Ex Human Revolution
Before Cyberpunk 2077 exploded on the scene, there was Deus Ex, a cyberpunk-themed game filled with artificial implants, corporate conspiracies, and corrupt governments. Deus Ex Human Revolution was the long-awaited follow-up that served as a prequel. I haven’t played it but considering Deus Ex is an important title in the science fiction genre of video games, I had to include it. With its unique approach to combat and stealth, with also some unique role-playing, Deus Ex was well-received and a commercial success, spawning a 2016 sequel.
Duke Nukem Forever
I almost didn’t put this on the list as I was debating only putting good ones on here. However, Duke Nukem Forever’s failure in quality and sales is one of legends at this point. It was a long-overdue sequel to a nineties series that conformed to all the eighties’ action stereotypes with macho men, scandalous women, and lots and lots of gore. It was a fun tongue-in-cheek series that was definitely of its time and its reverence for the action clichés was endearing in a weird way. However, Duke Nukem Forever saw much development hell, taking eleven years to finally come out. By the time it hit the shelves, it was not only considered a disaster but an outdated one. Duke’s sexism and narcissist personality, both as a character and an IP, just wasn’t cutting it anymore, and the gameplay was laughably bad and cringy. A real shame because there was an opportunity for some real nostalgia here. But instead of being a fun throwback to 90s shooters, it felt like reuniting with your high school best friend who never quite matured into adulthood. 2011 was an amazing year, but it’s also home to one of the worst in the industry to date.
Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception
One of my all-time favorite games, Uncharted 3 not only lived up to its predecessors but surpassed it. A true modern masterpiece that evokes the feeling of Indiana Jones, Uncharted 3 is the Last Crusade of video games. It truly feels like a globe-trotting adventure, one of the best of the century in video games. But what was always special about the series was not only the combat and parkour but the characters and story. Nathan Drake will always be one of my favorite protagonists in gaming and his relationship with his mentor Sully is a heartfelt one in this game. For a while, it seemed like a satisfying conclusion to a trilogy, until Uncharted 4 inevitably came out to finally give the characters an ending.
Infamous 2
Perhaps one of the more underrated games of that year, Infamous 2 checks all the boxes of what a sequel should be. There wasn’t an aspect of this game that didn’t surpass the first. Where the first Infamous, good in its own right, felt more like a demo for what the newly released PlayStation 3 could be, its follow-up was a perfect evolution of its mechanics and story. Moving the setting from a gloomy, apocalyptic version of New York to a fictional, bright and lively version of New Orleans helped bring the game new life and new energy. The best innovation of gameplay allowed players to experiment with different power sets and moves, making for a more robust experience. This game came out and found success when superhero games still had a long way to go, and I find it to be an underrated gem.
Dragon Age II
Where Infamous 2 was an example of how a sequel should build on its strengths, Dragon Age II might serve as the opposite. Dragon Age Origins was a massive breakout hit that honored its D&D roots, had an expansive story, and true RPG gameplay. Only 18 months later, DA2 is released with hack-and-slash mechanics, a landscape limited to one city, and a repetitive grind. One must give the sequel credit for experimenting with different mechanics. They wanted to focus on a smaller, more personal storyline filled with social commentary, one that was free from world-ending threats. Unfortunately, its short development cycle didn’t do it any favors. The fans and critics were initially resistant to it, accusing it of being too small-minded and extremely repetitive. It’s this writer’s opinion that there’s much to love in the game, but it’s certainly the runt of the Dragon Age family whose lack of ambition doesn’t do it any favors. Coincidentally, the same week I wrote this article, the writer of the game, David Gaider, posted a Twitter thread lamenting how it was the “project of multiple regrets”.
Catherine
You probably never heard of this game, but it deserves your attention. Catherine is a platforming and puzzle game that follows protagonist Vincent who is plagued with nightmares of a beautiful woman named Catherine. He must then reconcile if he’d rather start a relationship with her, or stay with his long-time girlfriend, Katherine (with a k). Anime role-playing games have seen quite the resurgence in western gamers this decade, and Catherine helped lead the way for that. It’s a dark but charming game with a well-written story and many impactful decisions.
The Witcher 2: Assassins and Kings
The Witcher 3 had been hailed as one of the greatest games of all time, and yet nobody ever talks about its predecessors. Here, we have Witcher 2, one that sets the stage for its masterpiece sequel. The game is certainly rough around the edges, but it still has many of the ingredients that made The Witcher series so special. Its dark themes, beautiful world, and memorable characters were something to behold. Of all the fantasy games that came out in 2011, Witcher 2 gets the trophy for best narrative. I personally think this game is overdue for a remaster.
Dead Space 2
Easily the best horror game of 2011, Dead Space 2 felt like the perfect marriage of Resident Evil and System Shock mechanics, creating an experience that still terrifies players to this day. Where Dead Space felt like an underdog game when it first came on the scene in 2008, its sequel made it one of the best horror franchises in gaming. Its original portrayal of space zombies and everyman protagonist make this something special. Though the franchise would sputter in quality later on, Dead Space 2 holds up ten years later and still easily the best in the trilogy.
Battlefield 3
Among the shooter community in 2011, you were either a Modern Warfare 3 fan or a Battlefield 3 fan (for me, MW3 had the better campaign where Battlefield 3 had the better multiplayer). It seems that generally speaking, Battlefield 3 was the more fun game to play, even if MW3 sold more copies and won Best Shooter of the Year. That being said, it was Battlefield 3 that showed gamers that the Battlefield series is a force to be reckoned with, one whose quality would only improve in the coming years. Call of Duty now had serious competition, and the two would play a game of tug-of-war over the years when it came to who had the better game.
Gears of War 3
It wouldn’t last long, but Gears of War 3 was meant to be the end of a trilogy, and perhaps the end of the series (we’ve had two more sequels and one prequel since then). To me, Gears of War did for third-person shooters what Halo did for first-person. The two are science fiction stories about powerful soldiers who hold back the never-ending alien horde. Gears of War was always famous for its gleeful gore and those chainsaw rifles. This “final” installment was a smash hit for everyone but did receive criticism for not innovating enough, as it took an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” approach. In my opinion, Gears of War handles horde mode multiplayer better than most games.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
And I’ve saved the best for last. Skyrim remains to this day my all-time favorite video game. I probably don’t need to explain the monumental success this game has had. It took home Game of the Year 2011, beating out other giants like Arkham City and Uncharted 3, sold over 30 million copies by 2016, and has been imported to every possible console now on the market. It truly left a championship dynasty between this and its predecessor Oblivion. Its open world is one of the all-time greats in terms of immersion and content and its combat and magic abilities remain sublime. It’s crazy to think it’s now celebrating a decade come this November. Elder Scrolls 6, which still hasn’t come out at the time of this writing, has quite the high bar to meet.