The top 30 videogames of 2011: part two - 20-11

New IPs and plenty of sequels

20

Assassin’s Creed: Revelations
Platform: Xbox 360, PS3, PC
Release date: November 15, 2011

“Though familiarity often breeds contempt among videogame critics bored of samey sequels and the regurgitation of old mechanics, it's not always a bad thing. This fourth game in the long-running series (not including numerous spin-offs) Assassin's Creed: Revelations comes complete with its familiar sandbox environment, tired-looking protagonists and up-close-and-personal sword fights, yet – ignoring some of the bizarre new additions - it's still wildly entertaining, despite the gameplay being, mostly, predictable.”

The Witcher 2: Assasssins of Kings
Platform: PC (coming to Xbox 360 in 2012)
Release date: May 17, 2011

“Pacing-wise, the sequel has moments where you simply don’t want to put the game down, but, overall, the pacing isn’t as exquisite as the first game, and big sequences can have you stopping out of frustration or boredom. It’s not as long a game either, but branching, caused by choices, is so much more significant that replays should be factored into total game time.

At the end of the day, The Witcher 2 is a quality game that really shows Bioware, et al, how RPGs can be designed to appeal to today’s market as well that that of yesteryear. On the whole it has significantly improved over its predecessor in gameplay and visually, however not every new introduction to the game is fully successful and it doesn’t quite have the same magical touch as the first game."

Bulletstorm
Platform: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
Release date: February 25, 2011

“Bulletstorm is a great game packed with clever level design and appealing environments that allow you to be creative with your kills. Mixing and matching your skills, working out combos and utilising everything you see around you to kill an enemy in a variety of gruesome ways is, ultimately, a lot of fun. You’re not likely to play a game as crude, loud or in-your-face as Bulletstorm for a long while, and though some may be put off by its attempts to shock and offend, others will revel in its childishness.”

inFamous 2
Platform: PS3
Release date: June 10, 2011

“By bombarding you with XP and new powers like an eager congregation showering a bride with confetti, inFamous 2 rewards better and more frequently than most games. With over 50 powers to unlock - and dozens of side objectives to encourage you to experiment with Cole McGrath’s parkour skills and superhero/anti-hero weapon set - the campaign is also very well-paced, never leaving it too long before throwing a new challenge at you, or giving further reason to experiment and explore the gorgeous city of New Malais. In almost every way, this electrically-charged, open-world action adventure is better than its predecessor.”

Killzone 3
Platform: PS3
Release date: February 25, 2011

“In the lead-up to the launch of Killzone 3, the words ‘bigger’ and ‘better’ echo around the web like Helghast bullets from an SMG. With lessons learned from Killzone 2, developer Guerrilla Games has tweaked its first-person shooter to deliver a more responsive control scheme, while offering a wider array of environments and gameplay styles that encourage tactical variety.

And, carrying on the good work from the last game in the series, the Killzone franchise delivers another cinematic experience that only developers with a big budget behind them have the power to deliver. On all accounts, after completing a gruelling nine-chapter campaign, Killzone 3 is most definitely ‘bigger’ and ‘better.”