The start of July marks the halfway point for 2011 and as such, we thought what better way to pass the time during this summer drought of games than to reminisce about the past six months in gaming. We've seen quite a few impressive titles this year and by the look of it, the second half will only be better. If you were living in a cave for the past six months for whatever reason, we're here to get you caught up on the top ten games of this year that you simply can't miss. NOTE: XBLA games have been omitted.
10. Bulletstorm - People Can Fly proved that over-the-top action and crude humor can be meshed together into one entertaining package. Their implementation of the Energy Leash was absolutely brilliant, adding a new layer to gameplay in first person shooters. Racking up high scores by brutally inflicting harm on your foes has never been so fun, but the novelty of the leash and gimmicky weapons wore off rather quickly; hence its position in the number ten slot.
9. Alice Madness Returns - This twisted take on Alice in Wonderland is surely an experience that will stick with gamers. While the all-too derivative combat was nothing to write home about, the art style and level design was absolutely jaw dropping. American McGee's sequel provides yet another disturbing yet compelling world that motivates players to push on if only to see more of the game's beautiful art.
8. Dragon Age II - The sequel to BioWare's epic fantasy role-playing game didn't take long to make, and while it's a compelling journey, the short development time definitely shows. From rehashed level design to the fact that nearly the entire game takes place within the confines of Kirkwall, Dragon Age II, while undoubtedly a great game, simply didn't live up to the pedigree of its predecessor.
7. Shadows of the Damned - There's no denying that Suda51 is one twisted dude, and his latest project is no different. Shadows of the Damned takes all the creepy and disturbing qualities that you've come to love from titles like Killer7 and No More Heroes and couples it with a much more fluid and fun control scheme, thanks to the help of Resident Evil mastermind Shinji Mikami. Sure some of the jokes can be a bit much at times, but hey, that's Suda for you.
6. Mortal Kombat - The Mortal Kombat series had been going downhill for quite sometime, but the latest reboot by NetherRealms has helped to rejuvenate the franchise. This latest entry in the famed fighting franchise brings the series back to its roots by providing the same great gameplay seen in the original titles that captivated gamers so long ago. Plus, there is plenty of brutality, blood and gore.
This feature concludes on the next page, please click Page 2 below to see the rest of our top ten.
