Look, it’s all opinion, and differences of opinion are good, but last year Time Magazine claimed that Alan Wake was the game of 2010 and I simply can’t jive with that. This year, however, I think Time has done a great job of their top 10 games of 2011 list. I may quibble with the order, but really — they’ve kinda nailed it.
The List is as follows…
1. Minecraft
2. Portal 2
3. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
4. Uncharted 3
5. Batman: Arkham City
6. Bastion
7. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
8. Dark Souls
9. Sword & Sworcery
10. Battlefield 3
While we’re here and thinking about it — let’s hear your top 10 list! Let us know in the comments below.
McGarnical
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:19 AMI’d take Minecraft, Bastion and Uncharted 3 off because I either didn’t get into them or can’t because I don’t have a PS3.
I’d add Deus Ex Human Revolution, Witcher 2, and Gears of War 3.
Zoet
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:30 AMDeus Ex Human Revolution certainly needs to be on that list! But I suppose it demonstrates just how many good games came out this year, although I wouldn’t put Sword and Sworcery in the top 10 personally. It was nice, but I didn’t really like its rather ‘hipster’ ironic tone.
Trjn
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:26 AMActually had to look up Sword and Sworcery. Looking at the website, I still have precious little idea about it.
Thom
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:34 AMJim Sterling raves about it, but if you don’t own an iPhone your unlikely to know or care.
El Phantasmogoro
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 1:37 PMits cheap on steam and really good.
2D RTS
The Elusive Tom Cruise
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 6:01 PMI think you’re talking about Swords and Soldiers…
Thom
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:29 AMPretty good list – though I preferred Deus Ex and Witcher 2 to some of those titles. I know its a good year when a game as good as Batman: AC doesn’t make my top 5.
Of course, I actually think this year has been too good. My pile of shame is waste deep. I still haven’t started Bastion, Zelda, Gears 3 or Uncharted 3 at all.
Tristan Damen
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:35 AMStill making my way through Skyrim, so I don’t want to commit to an order just yet.
It would definitely include the following: Deus Ex: HR, Bastion, Super Mario 3D Land, Skyrim, Gears of War 3 and Jetpack Joyride.
Matthew K
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:41 AMI don’t know if I should really be putting Minecraft on my list because it’s not really a 2011 release, though admittedly I only personally started playing it about 4 months ago. Well, let’s include it…
1. Deus Ex: Human Revolution
2. Minecraft
3. Batman: Arkham City
4. Portal 2
5. LA Noire
6. Gears of War 3
7. Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
8. Saints Row the Third
9. Shadows of the Damned
10. Bulletstorm
Yeah, that’ll do. Looking back at this list I’m a bit shocked that this year’s Assassin’s Creed isn’t higher on the list but I don’t know where I’d place it.
I’ve also excluded Modern Warfare 3 because while I still play the multiplayer several nights a week, I have fallen out of love with the campaign and, and I feared would be the case as soon as Infinity Ward was gutted and the withered form of MW3 was passed around from developer to developer to be abused until all life drained out of it, it’s only really redeeming aspect is that it concludes the story arc. It’s not that it’s not enjoyable and didn’t have it’s good aspects but I have to hold it up to the standard set my COD4 and MW2, and it simply doesn’t belong in the same class.
It’s still better than Black Ops.
Roninski
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:39 PMWhy so no Skyrim?
GoodOleTones
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:41 AMMinecraft? Really? Lol oh well its nice to see a list without Skyrim at the top! Good list
iniff
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:42 AM1. Battlefield 3
2. … there was more than one game released this year?
McGarnical
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:47 AMThis game just keeps getting better and better for me. Every hour I spend with it I enjoy more than the last.
SunSkorpion
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:42 AMThere have been a bucketload of good titles this year. Time and cash don’t permit me all of them.
Of the games I did manage to get this year, DX:HR, Batman: AC, MW3 are the best for me. They’re also 3 of the 5 games I’ve bought this year…. ha!
Almighty Booka
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:44 AMThe only thing they got right is Bastion higher than Skyrim.
boomtush
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:51 AMsif
James
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:45 AMSo MW3 which broke entertainment sales records globally doesn’t make the list??
I suppose they could actually be judging games on their quality not sales quantity for a change. :)
boomtush
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:50 AMDead Island.
Shane
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:53 AMPoor AC: Revs. Most other years it would’ve gotten at least an honourable mention
nicky6
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 9:53 AMBastion didnt appeal to me, I’d swap that for Terreria, I had a lot of fun with that.
Sword & Sworcery, I never even heard of, maybe put witcher 2 in place of that.
Freeman
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 10:08 AMWhats with number 9. i dont remeber that game.
where we wome wasty Sworcery wabbit HUYUK!
Freeman
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 10:14 AMHA i just looked it up, GOLD its actually spelled that way.
totally didnt know its spelled like that, though the guy had a lisp.
ive got to get it now.
Unicron
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 10:10 AMWhat’s with the controller layout on the cover? I’ve never seen a joystick on the right hand side or one that just goes up and down.
Even if it’s art, it’s still gay.
Ty
Friday, December 9, 2011 at 5:44 AMThe cover’s from the early 80′s, and they’re using it to critique how out-of-touch “mainstream” publications like Time usually are with the games industry.
NotAbbott
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 10:21 AMGood list, though like many I’ve seen, no Deus Ex:HR on it. I’d gladly drop Skyrim for DE:HR in that list.
DkS can jump up a couple spots too, though just seeing it in a top 10 makes me pretty merry.
ba!
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 10:23 AMthat list is pretty legit!
Lone Wolf
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 10:30 AMI agree mostly, but I’d remove Uncharted 3 and Swords and Sworcery and put in Deus Ex: HR and Witcher 2.
Otherwise, pretty fair.
Foggy
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 10:52 AMI can’t put together a top 10 list becuase my pile of “haven’t started” games is still huge!
When I get around to playing Zelda, Batman, Gears 3 and finish Skyrim I might be able to have a think about it.
Deus Ex and Portal 2 were the best games of 2011 up till about a month ago.
Skyrim may well be my new favourite game of all time!
Black Dahlia NZ
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 10:57 AMit is opinion, but i’d remove minecraft, portal2, zelda, bastion, sword & sworcery, let the other fight over top 5
Marathon
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 11:18 AM1. Deus Ex: HR
2. Witcher 2 (Even though for some reason it won’t work now. Silly drivers…)
3. Combat Mission: Battle for Normandy
4. Skyrim (Great but I drift off to other other games far to easy for it to be any higher)
5. LA Noire (For trying something different)
6. Crysis 2
7. AC: Revelations
8. Batman: AC (Not as good as AA)
I know it isn’t ten but that’s the only real ones I enjoyed playing this year. Dragon Age 2, loved the story but the gameplay, grrrrrr.
Supreme
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 11:24 AMExcuse me sir, but why is Skyrim number 7.
Take it back to the printers and make it #1.
Roddy
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 11:27 AMWhat is with the Skyrim hating on just about every forum? I could see it for games like Need for Speed: The Run (really wasted opportunity), but why the bashing on what is an excellent game?
Barry
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 11:31 AMInteresting how Battlefield 3 and not Call of Duty is in their list. I would love to know the reason for that? I know why I would have BF3 in there
doubleDizz
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 11:48 AMBecuase one is the long awaiting return of one of the best online shooters this century and the other is the 4th re-iteration of the same game with a bunch of bloated gameplay features added to it.
NegativeZero
Thursday, December 8, 2011 at 11:49 AMDrop out Minecraft since it’s a 2009 game, bump everything up one place, Add DX:HR and Witcher 2 both around #5 pushing everything down accordingly, push Batman to #1, drop out Battlefield 3.