FraggedNation's 2011 Game of the Year Contenders

It's that time of year and our news team staff has determined the finalists for our Game of the Year award!





FIFA 12 was released on the 30th of September, and was a smash-hit as a successor to FIFA 11. The game holds the classic core mechanics that we've all came to love, but along with some key refinement, we're also exposed to a plethora of new features - all of which combine to make FIFA 12 the best FIFA experience yet. Our team has chosen it as a contender for game of the year due to the sheer attention to detail, along with the bold new additions that have came to the game. The classic manager mode is one feature that's received a very noticeable overhaul, such as the transfer market within it, which is now much more interactive to the players; where we're now able to wager right down to the wire, with the clock ticking down as we do so.

The key feature this year is, without a doubt, the fan-favorite interactive experience: Ultimate Team. Ultimate Team allows users to open random card packs containing many items and players in order to build up their own fantasy team. Whilst you may be stuck with lackluster players most of the time, luck can occasionally strike and you open a pack to see world class players such as Messi and Ronaldo. The unpredictable nature and excitement this installs is enthralling to say the least.

The 90/100 score shown on MetaCritic proves the game is outstanding, but if you' like to see further reasoning behind our choice, be sure to read our review of the game below:
http://www.fraggednation.com/articles/FraggedNation-FIFA-12-Review-53




Battlefield 3 came out of the shoot firing with its November release this year. Across all modes (single-player, multiplayer, co-op), Battlefield sought to show up Call of Duty and make strides from the hit that was Bad Company 2. One of the key aspects of Battlefield 3 which was well talked about before the release was Frostbite 2, the game engine. Frostbite 2 picks up where Frostbite left off with the destructible environments and game physics. There are a few instances where the programming falls short however, generally with the glare from the sun being incorrect or unrealistic in some places.

Battlefield 3 saw the return of jets to the series and with the integration of new helicopters, the air aspect of Battlefield is excellent; vehicles are solid, but with no notable new additions. The single-player is relatively short as usual at 5-7 hours, although the time spent is action packed and could potentially occur in real life given the current geopolitical climate, which adds to the experience. The multiplayer is where Battlefield overwhelmingly exceeds. With so many different weapons and gadgets to unlock, the replay potential of this title is sizable as players will undoubtedly spend hours, if not days, unlocking all customizable features and replaying the expansive maps, which feature excruciating detail. Even with a mid-high level Metacritic score of 84/100, we're still convinced it's deserving of the GoTY title. See our review below:
http://www.fraggednation.com/articles/FraggedNation-Battlefield-3-Review-104




Uncharted 3 was released later in this year, and it is in the running for FraggedNations Game of the Year. This game is a great nominee because the adventure that you experience with Drake is like no other game seen in 2011. From the expansive settings to the thrilling roller coaster ride, this game never has a dull moment. This is stuff that makes Uncharted 3 so memorable, with very few flaws and a lot of polish, this game is definitely at the top of most Game of the Year lists. 

Why we chose this game for the Action/Adventure category is because this title has a very good story and the shooting helps facilitate the action even more. With all this in mind it is going to be a heavy hitter for the number one Game of the Year spot, especially tacking on the current 92/100 MetaCritic score and our review below:
http://www.fraggednation.com/articles/FraggedNation-Uncharted-3-Review-105




Portal 2, the critically acclaimed sequel to the groundbreaking original Portal, is one of our candidates for FraggedNation Game of the Year. The voice acting, characters, and environments are all huge improvements over the original and are well done and expansive. The puzzles put forth a formidable challenge while not being unsolvable, which is important to bring in those players who may not have played the original, or are new to the genre of puzzle games.

The single-player checks in at a 10-12 hour length, which is long enough to be satisfying to complete while not becoming monotonous and making you lose interest. Valve put the development time in with this one and it shows as Portal 2 is a polished, complete title. MetaCritic has it currently ranked a 95/100, which is the highest rating of all the games on our list of contenders.





There's not much left to be said about The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. It's won Game of the Year honors with several different sites and publications, including the Video Game Awards which aired last week. With the possibility of hundreds (yes, hundreds) of hours of gameplay, gamers are not left wanting more. Even when the main quest is finished, you can take your character to master several different skills and become the master of more than a couple guilds or factions. Be careful, however, since one decision you make can effect the availability of items and quests further along in the game.

PlayStation fans may balk at the sheer number of glitches the game has, and they may even have a good argument, but taking into account that this single game lasts about as long as 15 full length titles, we're inclined to cut it a bit of slack. MetaCritic has Skyrim ranked at a very respectable 93/100 average, so its issues seemed to be forgiven by more than just our staff. You can read our full review of the game below:
http://www.fraggednation.com/articles/FraggedNation-Skyrim-Review-154