HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
2011
As 2011 comes to a close, take account of all the lessons you've learned this year. Aspire to build up your life a bit more in the coming year, and keep an eye out for gainful and rewarding opportunities.
2011 was one of the biggest years in gaming that I have seen so far, and I can tell that so much more is on the horizon! I'm very glad to have witnessed such advances and strides, and I can't wait to see what's coming. I'm also glad you all enjoyed my Gaming Favorites of 2011, and as we march forward into 2012, Get Tuitt will be there to give you opinions that weren't asked for in the first place. As per the picture above, you all know what I'm looking forward to! Be safe and remember, when you can't do it, Get Tuitt!
FAVORITE: Rayman Origins
Released November 15, 2011
Like De Blob 2, I can say from experience that playing Rayman
offered me a nice break from slaying dragons or hanging Russian terrorists. I’m
not sure if it was meant for younger audiences, but this one certainly gave me
more fun that I bargained for.
Rayman has to save his friends from bad guys in this side-scroller,
and it’s clear that Ubisoft put the effort in to make it as colorful and long
as possible. Honestly, it’s like Mario, but a lot goofier and for the Xbox 360!
FAVORITE: Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Released November 11, 2011
With the exception of the Mass Effect series, there aren’t
many RPG’s that I can identify with. Skyrim, however, is one of the best RPG’s
I’ve ever experienced. The main story revolves around the prophesized return of
the Dragonborn, a being with the power to use the power of the dragons to
defeat them.
Along the way, I looted everything and everyone.
Unfortunately, I got so sidetracked by the sheer volume of tasks and dungeons
to explore that I forgot what the story was after a while. It’s a game that
boasts great graphics, stellar soundtrack, and DRAGONS! I’m glad it won Game of
the Year, and I hope to see lots of downloadable content… not that Skyrim needs
it since it is so immersive as it is.
FAVORITE: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
Released November 8, 2011
A battle across many countries is exciting enough, but I
couldn’t wait to finish the McTavish/Soap vs. Makarov story arc of “I’m gonna
kill you dead”!
The name recognition alone makes COD a winner, but I
continue to enjoy the fast-paced action that seems to be unique to Call of
Duty, but universal to shooters these days. As this gaming giant grows and
grows, I’m pretty sure that there will be another next year.
FAVORITE: Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception
Released November 1, 2011
Every time someone asks me what Uncharted is about, I simply
tell them to think of it as a modernized Indiana Jones. And it is! Nathan Drake
has had some awesome adventures, and it goes without saying that his search for
the Atlantis of the sands is the best one yet. He follows clues, collects
treasure, and exerts a plucky charm with every line. To say that he resembles
Nathan Fillion is my opinion, but it’s damn close!
With heart stopping quick time events, and great cut scenes,
Uncharted 3 blew me away. And every time I play it, I feel like I’m watching a
movie the whole way through. Sometimes it’s bad because I’m not sure where the
cut scene ends and the game play begins.
FAVORITE: Batman: Arkham City
Released October 18, 2011
The Dark Knight is back in one of the most epic sequels of
2011. Since Arkham Asylum, a portion of Gotham has been walled off to house the
criminals and psychopaths from the asylum and Blackgate prison. Obviously,
something is awry, and Batman is on the case as he enters the bowls of fortress
known as Arkham City. But to his surprise, it quickly becomes a desperate fight
to save his life along with trying to stop something called Protocol 10.
I absolutely loved the first game, and was completely
excited for the next installment. The combat system was more fluid, including
more gadgets, takedowns, and allows for the character to disperse more goons at
once. Not only can you play as Batman, though. Catwoman, Nightwing, and Robin
are playable in the challenge missions. Catwoman, however, has her own missions
within the campaign, as well. It is rumored that the Dick and Tim get their own
campaign missions, but we’ll see. For now, this has to be in my top three
favorites of 2011.
FAVORITE: Forza Motorsport 4
Released October 11, 2011
Shiny cars. Beautiful tracks and environments. Epic racing.
That is all!
FAVORITE: Gears of War 3
Released September 20, 2011
Back in college, I never saw the appeal of Gears of War. I
was a Halo guy, so it wasn’t a top priority for me. But I figured I would give
it a shot, and since I enjoyed the first game, I figured I’d see it through
until the end. Since I’ve finished the trilogy, I still don’t understand the
plot as a whole very much, but I enjoyed chain sawing an alien in half!
Marcus Fenix and the gang are back to save humanity… again.
This time, they’re going after the queen bee. Like Bulletstorm, the story rides
shotgun while the action takes the wheel. Bloody mayhem is what ensues and I
was blown to pieces on more than one occasion!
FAVORITE: Deus Ex Human Revolution
Released August 23, 2011
An in-depth RPG shooter that takes place in the near future!
With a dialogue wheel that reminded me Mass Effect and Dragon Age 2, I found
myself carefully selecting responses because like those games, your words and
actions determine the outcome of the game as a whole. I enjoyed tweaking my
augmented abilities so they could work to my advantage. There were so many ways
to go about completing a mission that I felt empowered when making tactical
decisions.
Advances in cybernetics have given humanity a second chance
at having a normal existence. People can now have limbs, organs, etc replaced
with cybernetic tech, but is this all too good to be true?
Adam Jenson is a private security enforcer that happened to
be in the wrong place at the wrong time. After an attack on his employer and
the apparent death of his girlfriend, Adam is left broken. He is repaired and
given augmentation to sustain him, but as he searches for the truth, he is
thrown into a global conspiracy that is likely to prevail is he doesn’t
intervene.
FAVORITE: Red Faction Armageddon
Released June 7, 2011
Following the events of Red Faction: Guerilla, the last of
the Mason brothers accidentally unleashes a dormant race of killer insects upon
the populace of Mars. They’re quite fast, vicious, and hungry for flesh.
Thankfully, the player is given a plethora of weapons, tools, and technology to
combat these insects.
I had a lot of fun playing this one since the buildings are
destructible and can be repaired. The monsters were fast and tough, but it
helped to be able to shift to your next target on a whim. The game didn’t sell
very well from what I saw, but I enjoyed it for the mass destruction, third
person shooter it was.
Thursday, December 29, 2011
FAVORITE: Infamous 2
Released June 7, 2011
Who doesn’t want superpowers? What if everyone hated you
because of those powers? Cole McGrath can relate to that in what is one of the
best exclusives for the Playstation 3. Cole can manipulate and generate
electricity, but this time around, he has super-powered friends to help him
out. Traveling to New Marai (which isn’t like New Orleans at all), he seeks to
amplify his powers in order to take part in a prophesized battle against The
Beast. Ominous enough for you?
As the story goes on, we learn that Cole’s powers are
growing, and that he can absorb parts of other powers to become stronger. Players
essentially have a choice between fire and ice, and each choice leads you
further down the paths of good or evil. Actually, the more deeds (good or evil)
you do in the city will determine whether the citizens praise you as their
savior or revere you as a demon. There are two different endings for each side,
and it’s worth playing the game over to see how the other pans out.
FAVORITE: LA Noire
Released May 17, 2011
Developed by Rockstar Games, the third person, open world
crime thriller gave me a run for my money. The game’s development went well,
especially because it boasted some of the best motion captures in the business.
It definitely showcased the graphics to their full extent and I think a sequel
would be well warranted.
Following the story of Detective Cole Phelps, the player is
charged with solving a string of murders to catch a vicious serial killer. It’s
everything you want from a great crime drama (mystery, lies, smooth-talking
gumshoes), and all the rawness that comes with it. Honestly, it was difficult
to look at some of the crimescenes due to their graphic nature. That says a lot
considering I’m no stranger to video game violence.
While the game is long and certainly rewarding, I think it
might have lasted too long. The formula for solving crimes became evidently
repetitive; survey the scene for clues, talk to witnesses, apprehend suspects,
determine if you nabbed your man, and repeat. Toward the last quarter of the
game, I found myself struggling to get through it. I was relieved when it
ended, but I was determined to finish the story. Trust me, it’s sad.
FAVORITE: Mortal Kombat
Released April 19, 2011
As a kid, I wasn’t allowed to play Mortal Kombat games. Some
of my friends in elementary school were playing it, but I was too afraid of
getting caught if I snuck over to play. Time went on and I lost interest in
fighting games, but I sincerely hope you’ll give this rendition of Mortal
Kombat a try. With all the Street Fighters and Street Fighter-esq games out
there, ripping someone’s head off for a Fatality was a breath of fresh air.
I’ve never been knowledgeable about the MK cannon, but
throughout the campaign, a lot of people die. The amount of blood and violence
in that game is fantastic, and I’m happy to say that I’m a fan.
FAVORITE: Crysis 2
Released March 22, 2011
An odd entry into the list, I’m sad to say that I never
finished Crysis 2. The first person shooter was beautiful; graphically, it was
quite stunning. Seeing New York City in ruins had never been so realistic, yet
I wasn’t satisfied. I had certain expectations for the game, but the abilities
weren’t as I thought they would be.
I agree that having many different tactical options on the
battlefield is warranted, and that the abilities (invisibility, super strength,
invulnerability) have to be limited to prevent players from using them as a
crutch. My problem is that I am not used to limited superhuman abilities in a
video game. It forced me to be a lot more creative in battle with few
resources. I’ve since realized that only a few games really challenge me
anymore, which is why I look forward to finishing it in my spare time.
FAVORITE: De Blob 2
Released February 22, 2011
Not many people knew about this one. As someone who sold
games for a living, this was a game I tried my hardest to sell. It was a great
deal of fun, and I reached the end feeling like that was all I needed in a
video game at the time. With cute comedy and likable characters, De Blob 2 is
an entry I’m proud to have played. Although the game was meant for younger
audiences, it was a nice breather from the everyday, shoot’em up titles.
The story centers on the actions of a paint blob called
Blob. He has the ability to absorb different colors, and apply them to his
environment. When Comrade Blank and his army of Inkies try to make the world
dull and gray, it’s up to Blob to save the day!
FAVORITE: Bulletstorm
Released February 22, 2011
Trash talking, alcohol drinking, foul-mouthed fun from
beginning to end: my kinda game! Bulletstorm is a menagerie of combos, points,
and, well… bullets! I was a bit skeptical about playing this game because I’m a
gamer who enjoys the story and loves it just as much as the game play. But then
I realized that some stories are just fluffing surrounding the meat and potatoes
of the game.
And that’s all the story was compared to the violence and
sheer gratification of killing a group of enemies in a certain way. Maxing out
my points was the purpose if I wanted to upgrade my weapons. Epic Games
definitely gave players something to hold them while waiting for Gears of War
3, and it truly helped fans get their taste until then.
FAVORITE: Dead Space 2
Released January 25, 2011
The best selling survival horror game series returned to
kick off this year. Fighting hordes of mutated human corpses in closed spaces
wasn’t my scene since I watched my dad play Resident Evil 2 back in the day.
The third person shooter provided an intense gaming experience, as I found
myself liking the fact that I was fearful of what was around the next corner.
The main character, Issac Clarke undergoes mental
deterioration as he makes his way through a space station overrun with
Necromorphs. I have to be honest and say that I’ve never been more terrified of
my surroundings than I was playing this game. The visions of his dead
girlfriend, coupled with some intense dismemberment made Dead Space 2 a creepy,
but very enjoyable game.
My Favorite Games of 2011... GO!
I’ve played a lot of games this year. When I say I’ve played
a lot of games, I mean to say that I’ve played a LOT of games. Whether I tried
something out for a better understanding to sell the game, or for my own curiosity.
As 2011 comes to a close, I’ve compiled a list of my favorite games of the
year. I will post each game individually to make it a bit easier to follow.
Maybe you share my favorites, or maybe you disagree and have
a favorite of your own. If so, feel free to leave a comment on any of the games that will be posted over the next few days. For now, let’s
delve into my favorites of 2011!
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