Top Action Games of 2011

• 30.

  
  8

  Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon: Shadow Wars

  For all its lack of 3D showboating, Shadow Wars offers genuine depth. So here it is, the real gem of the 3DS launch line-up. It's not a new Mario game, sadly, nor is it a racing game, or even a portable version of Street... more

  Reviewed on: 25 Mar 2011   Platforms: 3DS

• 29.

  
  8

  LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars

  There's plenty of things to like in LEGO Star Wars III, though some of them might be buried a little too deep for younger players. In the interests of full disclosure, here's what I knew about Star Wars: The Clone Wars before... more

  Reviewed on: 28 Mar 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, PC

• 28.

  
  8

  Call of Duty: Black Ops - Escalation

  Escalation has plenty of variety on offer, and the quintet of new competitive maps will slot extremely nicely into the broader rotation. You'd think a new map pack would be the ideal jumping on point for Call of Duty - everyone's... more

  Reviewed on: 5 May 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360

• 27.

  
  8

  BRINK

  Brink is a game that deserves a chance, and those with a penchant for the multiplayer shooter owe it to themselves to give it a look. If you believe all the huffing and puffing from this oft-delayed game, Brink has managed... more

  Reviewed on: 10 May 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

• 26.

  
  8

  Child of Eden

  Mizuguchi believes that games can change the world, and that the medium is to become more and more of a sensory experience. Child of Eden is a great example of this vision. It's unavoidable; talking about Child of Eden with... more

  Reviewed on: 15 Jun 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360

• 25.

  
  8

  Dungeon Siege 3

  Dungeon Siege 3 is noticeably pricier than the competition in the genre, but it's a modernised take on dungeon crawling that brings a few new ideas to the series with superior production values. Dungeon Siege began in 2002... more

  Reviewed on: 20 Jun 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

• 24.

  
  8

  Deathsmiles

  This is the perfect game to sit around on an iDevice for occasional high-score runs. Deathsmiles on the iPhone is, for the most part, the same game as we saw released earlier this year on Xbox 360. Building on the earlier... more

  Reviewed on: 7 Jul 2011   Platforms: iPhone

• 23.

  
  8

  Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet

  Creeping through the isolated and hostile corridors of Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet makes for an unexpected summer delight. Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet, unlike many of its contemporaries, tells its tale without the use... more

  Reviewed on: 1 Aug 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360

• 22.

  
  8

  Star Fox 64 3D

  Star Fox 64 3D is no masterpiece. All the same, it's one of the best-looking games on the platform, and a respectful restoration that will please the fans. As I mentioned (well, ranted) fairly recently, Star Wars is dead... more

  Reviewed on: 6 Sep 2011   Platforms: 3DS

• 21.

  
  8

  El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron

  It can feel a little dated in terms of its approach to combat, but the game is so beautiful, so different, so utterly weird and wonderful that this is of no real consequence. "What the hell!?" is a phrase you'll utter with... more

  Reviewed on: 12 Sep 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3

• 20.

  
  8

  God of War Collection: Volume II

  The HD remastering has been handled extremely well, and thanks to the improved controls these are the definitive versions of Kratos' smaller outings. I love God of War. I've suffered endless shtick for awarding God of War... more

  Reviewed on: 21 Sep 2011   Platforms: PS3

• 19.

  
  8

  Child of Eden

  Miziguchi believes that games can change world, and that the medium is to become more and more of a sensory experience. Child of Eden is a great example of this vision. There are two discernible differences between Child... more

  Reviewed on: 26 Sep 2011   Platforms: PS3

• 18.

  
  8

  Rage

  Rage is a technical powerhouse, and if you can overlook the bits that don't quite work, you'll find one of the most exciting shooters we've had in years. An ominous clanking heralds the arrival of a heavy Gearhead thug -... more

  Reviewed on: 4 Oct 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

• 17.

  
  8

  Battlefield 3

  Battlefield 3 isn't quite the Call of Duty killer many were wanting. EA is at war. Everybody knows this, of course, as an unrelenting year of hype and a multi-squillion marketing budget has made sure of that. Like all wars,... more

  Reviewed on: 26 Oct 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3

• 16.

  
  8

  The House of the Dead: Overkill Extended Cut

  As long as you're not offended by strong language and an extreme amount of blood, Overkill should be added to your collection as soon as possible. The lightgun shooter genre has, let's be honest, stagnated a little. The glory... more

  Reviewed on: 28 Oct 2011   Platforms: PS3

• 15.

  
  8

  Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

  This modern remastering sufficiently highlights what it was that made the original Halo: Combat Evolved such a landmark gaming moment to begin with. I think it's important to tell you a story about Crewman #1. He might only... more

  Reviewed on: 14 Nov 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360

• 14.

  
  8

  Saints Row: The Third

  Ceaselessly crass and juvenile it may be, but then Saints Row: The Third has no higher purpose than to entertain you in the most ridiculous way possible. Three games in, and Saints Row is now much more than a Grand Theft... more

  Reviewed on: 15 Nov 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3

• 13.

  
  9

  Bulletstorm

  Given the current landscape of the genre, it's fair to say that Bulletstorm is not only a great game, but an important one, too. Bulletstorm is: a bromantic comedy starring two meat-heads and a chick with huge norks; a lesson... more

  Reviewed on: 22 Feb 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

• 12.

  
  9

  Crysis 2

  Switching to New York gives Crysis 2 what it desperately needed: a credible sense of menace to go alongside gorgeous technical fortitude and impressive artistic direction. New York. The city that never sleeps, though I imagine... more

  Reviewed on: 22 Mar 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

• 11.

  
  9

  Deus Ex: Human Revolution

  Deus Ex: Human Revolution is reminiscent of the best efforts from the golden era of PC gaming at the end of the 90s. Deus Ex: Human Revolution is the story of a man who gets blown apart, and then put back together again.... more

  Reviewed on: 22 Aug 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PC

• 10.

  
  9

  Resistance 3

  Insomniac has produced one of the biggest surprises of the year. Played alone or with a friend the campaign here is of the highest order. The PlayStation 3's best exclusive FPS. Quite why the Resistance series has wallowed... more

  Reviewed on: 6 Sep 2011   Platforms: PS3

• 9.

  
  9

  Gears of War 3

  Few games offer up as much as Gears of War 3, and even fewer manage to do it this successfully. Gears of War defined a console generation, but in 2011 it has almost become a victim of its own success. The signature third-person... more

  Reviewed on: 15 Sep 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360

• 8.

  
  9

  Resident Evil 4 HD

  Resi 4 is easily the best Resident Evil title, and an absolute must-buy for anyone interested in action or horror. Resident Evil 4 remains one of the greats. Having finished Resident Evil 4 twice before (once on GameCube,... more

  Reviewed on: 19 Sep 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3

• 7.

  
  9

  Crysis

  The console port of Crysis is excellent, so if you've never had a PC up to the job now's your chance to see what all the fuss was about. Back in 2007, Crysis felt like a game from the future. Running on a top-spec rig, no... more

  Reviewed on: 6 Oct 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3

• 6.

  
  9

  Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception

  Uncharted 3's trivial flaws are buried beneath a tidal wave of big-budget spectacle, and a genuine narrative warmth far beyond most blockbuster titles. Let it be publicly known that Nathan Drake is a card-carrying member... more

  Reviewed on: 24 Oct 2011   Platforms: PS3

• 5.

  
  9

  Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

  Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 doesn't do anything new, but it also doesn't do anything wrong. Do you remember where you were at the start of World War III? I do; getting pounded by some guy with a Striker over and over again... more

  Reviewed on: 8 Nov 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3

• 4.

  
  10

  Mass Effect 2

  You say potato, I say potato. It's taken almost a year for Mass Effect 2 to reach the PS3. Now that it's finally here, however, there are only two questions worth asking: "Does the game live up to its reputation?" and "Does... more

  Reviewed on: 18 Jan 2011   Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3

• 3.

  
  10

  L.A. Noire

  We've had games that let us play cop before, of course, but it's hard to remember anything that's ever come this close to making us feel like we're actually doing the job. The following review is spoiler-free.https://videogamer.com/games/la-noire/screenshots?media%3Db46facbb-6454-4e65-8258-2aeaef326aa8It... more

  Reviewed on: 16 May 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3

• 2.

  
  10

  Batman: Arkham City

  It doesn't take the world's greatest detective to spot that this is an expertly crafted adventure, one that maintains a breathtaking pace and invigorating rhythm from beginning to end. Batman: Arkham Asylum's success hinged... more

  Reviewed on: 14 Oct 2011   Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3

• 1.

  
  10

  The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

  Your favourite Zelda is usually your first. For many, come November 18, that won’t be the case any longer It's no surprise that Zelda has historically been a bit of a magpie. It does, after all, tell the story of a boy who... more

  Reviewed on: 11 Nov 2011   Platforms: Wii