The Games Of 2011 (Part 1)

Posted 2 years ago By kingquagmire - David Collins

We may still be relishing in all the tasty gaming treats that 2010 brought us this year, but that doesn’t mean we haven’t begun to covet what 2011 plans to serve up! While you are out saving the galaxy with Commander Sheppard, taming the wild west with John Marston, or battling the Templar forces as you jaunt across Rome with Ezio during this holiday break, why don’t you take a quick look at some of our most anticipated 2011 releases! We have quite a few, so we broke it down into two parts.

Here’s Part 1:

Dead Space 2 (XB360, PS3, PC)
Publisher: Electronic Arts - Developer: Visceral Games
Release date: 01/25/2011

The everyman hero Issac Clarke is back...and so is his insanity thanks to his exposure to the Marker during the first Dead Space. This hot sequel will be bigger. Much bigger. Taking place in a full-sized space city - dubbed The Sprawl - it makes the Ishimura look like a small hovel. Visceral promises lots of scares as Issac ventures through factories, churches, schools and much more. Plus, a multiplayer component is being added to the mix, making this one of the first “can’t miss” titles of 2011.

Bulletstorm (XB360, PS3, PC)
Publisher: Electronic Arts - Developer: Epic Games/People Can Fly
Release date: 02/22/2011

Check your brain at the door and just kill...with style! Bulletstorm arrives with the promise of providing some of the most over-the-top methods of disposing your opponents. And you know what, after our time with it back at E3, Polish developer People Can Fly, with the help of Epic Games, is set to deliver on that promise by the truckload. One of our top picks to come out of E3 and one that is sure to be one of yours as well, once it hits store shelves.

Killzone 3 (PS3)
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment - Developer: Guerilla Games
Release date: 02/22/2011

Picking up right where Killzone 2 left off, KZ3 will have players once again taking on the forces of the Helghast Empire. This time around, the story won’t be quite as dark as the one found in the last entry...and it’ll have jet packs. Seriously, do you need anything else? Let me spell it out for you: J E T P A C K S!! Throw in some 3D and you have one of the most anticipated shooters of the year.

Dragon Age 2 (PS3, PC, XB360)
Publisher: Electronic Arts - Developer: Bioware
Release date: 03/08/2011

The first Dragon Age was loooong in development, dating all the way back befor this current console cycle even began. So it came as a shocking surprise to find out last August that not only is the sequel coming, but will be here just a mere 16 months after the first one took the RPG world by storm. But if anyone can pull off a quick turn around and still deliver an engaging RPG on an epic scale, it’s BioWare.

Homefront (PS3, PC, XB360)
Publisher: THQ - Developer: KAOS Studios
Release date: 03/08/2011

What do you get when you take the cult-classic homeland invasion themes from the 1980’s film Red Dawn and plop it down into a nifty FPS shell? Homefront, the most recent effort from Frontlines’ developer KAOS Studios. We’ve been looking forward to spending some quality time with this one ever since got our first glimpse of it in action at E3 2009. If it delivers on its promises, you’re sure to see it among our 2011 GameFocus Award nominees.

Deus Ex: Human Revolution (PS3, PC, XB360)
Publisher: Square Enix/Eidos - Developer: Eidos Montreal
Release date: 03/08/2011

Warren Spector’s first-person RPG franchise returns...sans Warren Spector. Eidos Montreal and Square Enix are breathing new life into the fan-favorite franchise and judging from everything we’ve seen thus far, it’s gonna be a thrill ride from beginning to end. Acting as a prequel to the 2000 original, Human Revolution set up to re-introduce the cyberpunk universe to a whole new generation of gamers.

Crysis 2 (PS3, PC, XB360)
Publisher: Electronic Arts - Developer: Crytek
Release date: 03/22/2011

The first true sequel to the resource-hogging, yet still fan/critic favorite Crysis, Crysis 2 plans not only be a bit more accessible by releasing on home consoles, but also showcase CryTech’s new CryEngine 3. Set three years after the events in the first game, players will be plunged into the frontlines of a post-alien invasion New York City, allowing for a much more open and varied battleground than the jungle island of its predecessor. Throw in the new Nanosuit 2 and some really fast-paced multiplayer and you had a game that could very well boost the franchise into Call of Duty and Battlefield territory.

BRINK (PS3, PC, XB360)
Publisher: Bethesda Softworks - Developer: Splash Damage
Release date: 04/12/2011

BRINK is an interesting title that merges co-op and competitive multiplayer with a single-player story. Two factions, battling for control over a floating Utopian city dubbed The Ark. It’s cool idea that has us really excited, especially when you take the noob-friendly S.M.A.R.T. system into consideration. This may be Splash Damage’s first original IP, but there’s a good chance that it will be the first of a new franchise for them.

Portal 2 (PS3, PC, XB360)
Publisher: Valve - Developer: Valve
Release date: 04/20/2011

What started as a student project has turned into a full-fledged franchise for Valve. Expanding on the first Portal in every conceivable way, this sequel will charm you and turn your brain into mush at the same time. The best part? Co-Op! ‘nuff said!

Mortal Kombat (PS3, XB360)
Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive - Developer: NetherRealm Studios
Release date: April 2011

More of a refresh than a reboot, this ninth entry in the gory fighting franchise represents a fresh start. After Midway was shuttered, Warner Bros swooped in and picked up the rights, with this being the first offering to hit store shelves. We’ve seen it in action. It’s absolutely lovely, well, as lovely as ripping the spinal column out of your foe can get. With uber Kollector’s Editions, a huge roster, special characters (the PS3 version has already been confirmed to feature God of War’s Kratos as a playable fighter) and all the nasty fatalities a blood-lover could possibly want, Mortal Kombat is looking to take their rightful spot back as one of the top fighters in the business.

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