gamrReview 2011 Game of the Year Awards - Xbox 360 - Article

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Good evening one and all, and welcome to the GamrReview Game of the Year Awards 2011 Xbox 360 edition! Sit back, relax, take a time out from fattening yourself with over-cooked turkey and come and spend some time with us. Don't skip straight to the Game of the Year though; I could see that thought flicker through your cranium. Instead, sample some other morsels first: How about some roasted racing games? Pickled XBLA classics? Maybe even some chutneyed graphical excellence might be for you. We've even got an option for the vegetarians, with Mortal Kombat featuring heavily in our fighting section. What more could a humanoid want?

Still, whilst it's been a good year for Microsoft, with the Kinect selling well and the 360's sales going from strength to strength, it's been a better year for multi-format gaming, with all but two of our winners available on other platforms. It's a worrying trend, and suggestive that Microsoft may need to produce some new Ips of their own in the coming year, and fast.

Best Racing Game: Forza 4

The king of racing is back (get over yourself Gran Turismo!) and has never looked better. Offering a facelift that few thought possible, Turn 10 have improved and refined the already spectacular simulation driving to create THE vehicular experience of this generation. A worthy winner.

Runner-Up: DiRT 3

Reader's Choice: Forza 4

 

Best Sports Game: FIFA 12

The beautiful game returns and my, it has never looked better. A new physics engine maifests realistic tussles between players (and hilarious youtube fails) whilst the passing is slicker and offers more scope for attacking endeavour. Defending has been bravely, if somewhat naively, butchered, with the new hussling, marking and pulls offering a different challenge for those who are more Baressi than Socrates, although they fall foul when, you know, you play a human opponent who doesn't run into channels. Although not the classic it could have been, it is a sturdy foundation for the next addition of the huge franchise.

Runner-Up: NBA 2k12

Reader's Choice: NBA 2k12

Best First-Person Shooter:  Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

After a long and tediuos PR-war against close-rivals (in stature, not gameplay) Battlefield 3, Infinity Ward's hugely successful series has won through once again. With improved graphics, a refinement of that famous multi-player and the tying of all those loose strands, this is the game that all Call of Duty fans wanted to see. However, it is a shame about the pithy 'shock' story-line elements, which come across as desperate grasps for attention and entirely pointless to the demands of the story. This is a series which has always been about the gameplay; in this respect, Modern Warfare 3 has delivered, and then some.

Runner-Up: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

Reader's Choice: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary 

Best Third-Person Shooter: Gears of War 3

Like a chainsaw to the back, Epics's seminal shooter returned with a vengeance, packing the punch that fans and pundits demanded in the series finale (of this arc, apparently). Featuring awesome, brutal gunplay, with the a new sheen given to the trademark duck and gun style, this is everything that one could want from a third-person shooter. Add to this an explosion of new multi-player modes and, well, you have a contender for Game of the Year right here.

Runner-Up: Dead Space 2

Reader's Choice: Gears of War 3

Best Kinect Game:  Dance Central 2

Ever been judged, criticised and ridiculed by a game? No? Well, now's your chance, as your dance confidence is decimated by the extreme accuracy of the Kinect. But that's ok, at least there are 44 tracks to dance along to, from Lady GaGa to Sir-Mix-A-Lot (YAS!). A special mention should also go to runner-up Child of Eden, an imaginative attempt to do something different with the hugely potential technology of the Kinect.

Runner-Up: Child of Eden

Reader's Choice: Dance Central 2

 

Best Puzzle Game:  Portal 2

Valve's knack of exceeding all expectations surfaces again for the return of gaming's favourite silent heroine. Genuinely hilarious (thanks in part to the brilliant Stephen Merchant) with an engaging story, Portal 2 proves that bigger can be better. Couple this with an extremely viable co-operative mode with free updates and you have the perfect update. Fantastic stuff; one can only imagine what Valve will come up with next. Time-travel perhaps . . .

Runners-Up: Catherine

Reader's Choice: Portal 2

Best Role-Playing Game:  The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

What a year for RPGs! Any other year Deus Ex: Human Revolution would easily romp into first place; now, it barely gets into second. Dark Souls is a fantastic achievement, with a glorious multiplayer, but Skyrim . . Oh Skyrim. There are simply not enough superlatives for Bethesda's adventure of unrivalled possibility, whether it be mage, thief or entrepenuer. Not the last time Skyrim will be gracing our list, that's for sure.

Runner-Up: Dark Souls/Deux Ex: Human Revolution

Reader's Choice : The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Best Platform Game:  Rayman Origins

Normally one of gaming's flagship genres, the humble platformer has been somewhat shunned this generation for those with a bit more bang. This year, however, saw the return of two platforming heroes; Rayman and Sonic. Despite Sonic's superb outing, Rayman Origins beats it at almost every level. Marvelous hand-drawn graphics are twinned with a charming and addictive playing style to create a platformer that is not only easily the best of the year but arguably the best of this generation. As comebacks go, this is up there with Jesus.

Runner-Up: Sonic Generations

Reader's Choice: Rayman Origins

Best Action/Adventure Game:  Batman: Arkham City

How do you better what is already one of the complete games of the generation? Rocksteady, it seems, decided that bigger is better. Filling the heavily increased game world with a huge array of nooks, secrets and rewards, Arkham City is great value, if you can be bothered. Although lacking the linear focus and claustrophobia of Arkham Asylum, it makes up for it with the feeling that you are the Batman; enemies react in terror to his approach and the environment yields to his demands. The Batman is formidable, as his game; a brilliant entry into a brilliant series.

Runner-Up: L.A. Noire

Reader's Choice: Batman: Arkham City

Best Fighting Game: Mortal Kombat

Cometh the hour, cometh the violence. Emerging what seems like an age ago (only 11 months), Mortal Kombat offered the violence, finishers and gory combos that were expected, nay, demanded of the series. Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 ran it close with some quality combat, but there was always likely to be one winner; at least, that's what I told Sub-Zero.

Runner-Up: Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3

Reader's Choice: Mortal Kombat

Best New IP:  Catherine

There have been some promising new Ips emerging this year, with Bulletstorm and RAGE making particularly strong claims for attention. However, Atlus' marvellous, mental Catherine romped home with an action/adventure/puzzle/flirtathon of crazt proportions. Exquisitely produced and full of vivid imagination, Catherine is worthy of any collection. Luckily, Europeans won't have to wait much longer, with a February 2012 release date confirmed.

Runner-Up: Bulletstorm

Reader's Choice: Bulletstorm

Best XBLA Game:  Bastion

Part RPG, part city-builder (of sorts), Bastion 's imagination and scope belies its humble origins on Xbox Live. Add to this potent mix hand-drawn graphics, an involving story and engaging characters and you are left with an unmissable bargain. Credit also to Beyond Good & Evil HD, which, although never receiving the sales its critical acclaim deserved upon original release is enjoying a welcome renaissance on digital platforms.

Runner-Up: Beyond Good and Evil HD

Reader's Choice: Beyond Good and Evil HD

Best Graphics:  Gears of War 3

An alien invasion may be horrific, but if it looks this good then at least the inevitable death will be enjoyable. Strangely serene, always brutal, Gears of War's trademark mix of squats, holes and set-pieces are superbly realised with the right mix of detail and fuzzy mayhem. Add to this a solid, chunky engine, some spectacular enemies (and friends) and you have a visual feast for your eyes only. There's still life in this old dog of a console yet.

Runner-Up: Rayman Origins

Reader's Choice: Gears of War 3

Best Original Score: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Ever since that trailer was accompanied by a soaring, magnificent choral score there was only ever going to be one winner. The views and vistas of Skyrim would not be the same without the swirling chords which can stouten even the most timid of adventurers, belieing the epic nature that Bethesda always envisioned. Rarely has a soundtrack suited its master so well.

Runner-Up: Portal 2/ Batman: Arkham City

Reader's Choice: Portal 2

Biggest Disappointment:  Dragon Age II

Dragon Age II is by no means a bad game, not at all. It is perfectly decent. However, as the follow-up to the wittily brilliant Dragon Age: Origins it gets nowhere near the heights of the previous entry and thus throughly deserves its place as the most disappointing game of the year. Its not the worst game of the year, not by a long way, but in many ways this is worse; a real, real shame and waste of fine early promise.

Runner-Up: Brink

Reader's Choice: Brink

Best Game No-One Played: Rayman Origins

It's a real crying shame that our platformer of the year is also the best no-one has played. There is, however, a way to rectify this: run down to Gamestation, where Rayman can be found for an easy £20, which at this stage is an unbelievable deal. Go, make your christmas, and give a poor, lonely classic the loving it deserves.

Runner-Up: Child of Eden

Reader's Choice: Rayman Origins

Most Anticipated Game:  Mass Effect 3

After two of the finest games of this generation, and arguably the best original IP too, it is no surprise to see the tantalisingly close Mass Effect 3 topping the list. With features and updates being drip-fed every week, excitement is building up to release in March in anticipation of Commander Shepherd's last hurrah. We can't wait, and, it appears, neither can you.

Runner-Up: Halo 4

Reader's Choice: Mass Effect 3

Xbox 360 Game of the Year: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Rarely has early hype been rewarded in so spectacular fashion. Since the first trailer was released, there was always one clear favourite for the Xbox 360 Game of the Year 2011, and, unfortunately for its competitors, Bethesda's epic had too much quality for the opposition. Despite a few early hiccups which needed patching, Skyrim has, in a year of enormous quality, shone through as an outstanding achievement in every aspect. Emotionally subtle, with engaging, likeable characters and a mind-blowing world of un-ending potential, Bethesda have somehow matched their searing ambitions with perhaps the high-watermark of this generation. In a competition that included Portal 2 , a certain winner for any other year, Skyrim's staying power is testament to its awesome achievement. Magnificent.

Runner-Up: Portal 2

Reader's Choice: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

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