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.

Red Faction Armageddon

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. 

Infamous 2 trailer

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. 

LA Noire trailer