2011 is going to be an absolutely ridiculous year for gaming. Just taking a cursory glance at the release list makes my wallet silently weep within my pocket. So, in anticipation of the glory 2011 will surely bring, I put together a little list of the games I’m most excited about. In a testament to the amazing depth of titles coming next year, I had to leave off games like Crysis 2, Dragon Age 2, L.A. Noire, Gears of War 3, Batman: Arkham City… the list really goes on and on. Of course, there’s always the ever-present threat that some of these games might get pushed back to 2012 (or beyond), but for now I’ll just assume everything will remain on track. Aaaaaand the survey says:
10) The Lord of the Rings: War in the North
An M-rated Lord of the Rings game exploring a little-told history of Middle Earth? Yes, please, with sprinkles. It even has 3 player co-op, so your friends can join in on the orc slaughtering.
9) Deus Ex: Human Revolution
If you ever need to get a PC gamer’s attention, just say “Deus Ex”. The 2000 original still holds its place as one of the greatest games of all time, so if Human Revolution can be more like that and less like Invisible War, then you’ve got a winner.
8) Marvel vs. Capcom 3
I wanna take you for a ride. Now that I’ve made that reference, I don’t know what else to say about this one. It’s Marvel vs. Capcom, it’s going to be awesome.
7) Portal 2
Spoiler: Gabe Newell ate the cake.
6) Rage
This game impresses me based on the tech alone. If id can really make that next quantum leap in FPS gameplay and enemy AI, then Rage will be a surefire hit.
5) Duke Nukem Forever
Any other year and this would be a joke, but this time it actually seems like Duke Nukem Forever is, in fact, nearing the end of its 13 year odyssey. Thanks to new developer Gearbox, it looks like we’re finally going to get to play The Duke’s latest endeavor into ass-kicking and bubblegum-running-out-of in 2011. Hail to the king, baby.
4) Shadows of the Damned
Suda 51? Awesome. Shinji Mikami? Just as awesome. So the two of them collaborating on a new game? That’s, like, double-awesome, isn’t it? Shadows of the Damned: double-awesome, as proven mathematically just now.
3) The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Is there anything better than a game that sucks over 100 hours of your life away, but you love every minute of it? Perhaps, in fact I’m sure there are a lot of things that are better, but the point I’m trying to make is that Oblivion was awesome, and now the next game in the venerable Elder Scrolls series is on its way. All we’ve seen so far is a short teaser trailer, but all I need to know is that it exists and I’m pumped. Dragons!
2) The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
Anytime a new Zelda game is on the horizon, it instantly becomes one of my most-anticipated games, and Skyward Sword is certainly no exception. This is perhaps the biggest leap in game design the series has seen since Ocarina of Time, with the Wii MotionPlus being heavily relied upon for precise swordplay and actions. Buggy E3 2010 demo aside, I can’t wait to experience how this game plays. And as a last thought, I love the graphic style. It’s like what A Link to the Past would look like if it were a 3D game.
1) 3DS
Wow, what a cop-out by me, picking an entire system instead of a single game. Nonetheless, my most anticipated game (system) for 2011 is the 3DS. Why? Because it offers a completely new gaming experience that actually has the potential to enhance games by providing players with a sense a depth to better estimate distance. Also, no stupid glasses. Also also, the games: Ocarina of Time, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Super Street Fighter IV, Kid Icarus, Star Fox, Mario Kart, et al. Who knows if all the games we saw at E3 last year are going to see the light of say this year, but it’s still an impressive list. DS, you’ve had a great run, but 2011 belongs to the mighty 3DS.
