1. Portal 2
Valve took Portal, something that was perfect as a four hour mini-game and made everything bigger and (mostly) better. The new puzzle mechanics are intuitive and well thought out, although towards the end of the game there are so many bits to a puzzle that it can get a bit overwhelming. Of course, Portal’s signature humour is back in droves for the sequel with a fantastic performance from Stephen Merchant. Despite the fact that many of the later puzzles seemed impossible, whenever I did solve them I would always kick myself for not seeing the simple option sooner; one of the reasons Portal 2 is so addictive. Genuinely, a fantastic game.
2. Batman: Arkham Asylum
Arkham Asylum came out of nowhere and Rocksteady has pulled out all the stops for the sequel. Somehow they managed to make the previous brilliant game almost perfect with the sequel Batman: Arkham City. A genuinely touching story with a shocking ending, Arkham City is one of the best games of the year. However, I felt that Rocksteady tried to pack in a few too many villains this time. Most of their stories felt rushed, and the Catwoman sections felt unnecessary. Having said that, Arkham City really is a phenomenal game, the world is well designed and the gameplay and story mesh together very well. Let’s hope Arkham Planet will be just as good.
3. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
A staple on pretty much everyone’s GOTY list. The story is immeasurably superior to Oblivion; nothing feels like a chore. Of the dozens of hours I played on the game, I spent a lot of time wandering around the vast world that Bethesda created just simply to explore. The new skill system is not perfect, in that as you level up monsters will become tougher with you regardless as to whether you level up through combat or non-combat skills. And of course, it’s still full of bugs (but what Elder Scrolls game isn’t?). Skyrim is a wonderful game though, in which players will lose many hours exploring and enjoying the beautifully created world.