Why 2011 is already the best year in gaming

We all predicted that this year the games industry would grow and grow, releasing quality release after quality release and we would all be treated to the best year in gaming ever. But, in my opinion (not that it really matters), 2011 has already shown its self to be one of, if not the greatest year in gaming history. And before all you oldies start shouting at screaming at me for being ignorant or just god damn stupid, I urge you to hear me out.

In December of each passing year we all like to look back at what the previous 12 months bought to us. Thousands upon thousands of features are posted each with a list of the top 10 or so games that really shook them and were just simply brilliant. However, sometimes, a year should be judged on what happened in that year, how much it affected the future and why it was unique. In terms of an impact year, I personally would claim that 2001 would be the most 'achieving' year, if I can use that phrase, due to the release of GTA III, the Citizen Kane of gaming. 

However, 2011 has already shown us what a beast this year will be. Only a mere 5 months in and we have already witnessed great gaming experiences such as the terrifying Dead Space 2, the adorable but deep LittleBigPlanet 2, the brutal and brash Killzone 3 and my personal favourite, the astonishing Portal 2. The year is already seeping with quality and most people would be able to create a GOTY list already, only 5 months in! Usually, the start of each year is a little less quiet compared to the November release surge, but each month we have seen at least one top quality 9/10 game that oozes quality be rleased. Furthermore, the list for later this year continues on and on, with awesome releases such as Skyrim, Uncharted 3 and Dead Island. The list of top notch games is constantly growing, so much so that us poor ol' gamers are having to meticulously plan our monthly budgets in hope of purchasing our latest and most anticipated games. Top 10 GOTY lists? May have to be extend to Top 20's this year.

'Wait James!' I hear you painfully cry. 'You are contradicting yourself if I may say so myself!'. And yes, that is true. I do believe that to give a year the title of 'best year ever', you do need more than a constant flow of incredible games, and this brings me onto my next point. 2011 has already bombarded us with more original ideas than 2010 and 2009 combined. There is no denying that the gaming circuit is starting to become overcrowded with the modern day FPS's with unoriginal design and CoD copied gameplay. Many gamers consider this to be a virus, so it feels great to see a few developers fighting back this infection and clawing back the originality that games once bought. My first example of a game trying new things would be the much hated Mindjack. I know it was slated at release but I don't care, at least it tried to bring something new to the table without sticking to the boring formula that we see each and every day now. Next is WWE All Stars, yes its a wrestling game but THQ somehow managed to inject some originality into the every rotting genre with its oversized bronzed up wrestlers and colourful and crazy moves. 

However, the best example of new innovations and breaking the mould this year has to be to the balls-out Bulletstorm. People Can Fly studios were not at all afraid to try a different approach to things and it worked beautifully. The never ending combos and freedom to kill how you wanted to kill surprised every one of us and it will remain as one of the all time dark horses. Before Bulletstorms release, a CoD parody was released named Duty Calls. It was fantastic and one of the funniest videos this year. Bulletstorm didn't back down from the big daddies and hopefully, more developers will see this as a sign that they don't have to follow the boring same old formula. This has resulted in 2011 becoming the year that stood up to gaming and kicked its shins, stole its money than ran away chuckling to itself. Innovation and originality is what we all want to see, and 2011 has brought it in great quantities 

So, 2011 best year ever? I cant truly say, but from what the previous 5 months have shown us, I bloody well think that 2011 will deliver more than we predicted. The endless string of quality titles being released later this year will make this year a gamers wet dream. Hopefully we will see some truly innovative games being released alongside the bust'n sequels. Only 7 more months until we can see if my prediction is right, but who cares? No one. This makes this whole article completely void and pointless. There we go, forget everything you just read. Idiots.

Kick to the heart! And you're to blame.......
You give games, a bad name......