Submitted for your approval, it’s the 2011 VU Awards

Hewing to ancient tradition, the Virtual Underground is no stranger to the long-held classic and time-tested custom of putting things into lists, and then judging them. As 2012 dawns, we take a brief glance back at the games that made the year what it was, decide what was best, and what was less-than-best, and drive it before us before we burn it in effigy. And with that sufficiently grandiose introduction, let us begin!

In the ever-present console wars, three different machines currently duke it out for supremacy. They all have similar games and similar features, to varying degrees, but they all boast their own unique and individual titles that are tied inextricably to the hardware itself. This year, the top choices on these platforms were unique in and of themselves, and demonstrated, at least in part, each console’s strengths and weaknesses.

Best PS3 Game of 2011
The PlayStation has long been home to some of gaming’s most cinematic experiences. It was Sony’s 1996 coup of the formerly Nintendo-exclusive publisher Squaresoft, bringing the explosive visuals (of the time) of role-playing giant Final Fantasy VII to the fledgling platform, that cemented the PlayStation as the go-to venue for big budget, blockbuster gaming experiences.

It is little surprise then, that this year’s best-of nod goes to now-internal Sony studio Naughty Dog and their late release of Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception.

When its predecessor, Uncharted 2: Among Thieves won not only our Best PS3 Game and Game of the Year award back in 2009, many wondered just how it could be possible to top that tour de force. As it happens, that hasn’t happened yet. Uncharted 3 was in many respects, just not as good as Uncharted 2 – or was it? Was Uncharted 2 just that good, that anything judged by that metric simply can’t hold up? Whatever the case, certainly VUers had issue with the game, nominating it not only for best PS3 game, but Biggest Disappointment of the Year, which is quite the contrast. The environments felt samey, the gunplay felt samey, and the game simply lacked the punch that its predecessor brought to the table in spades.

And yet, despite all that, gamers were still wowed by the impressive visuals, the top-notch character acting by Nolan North and crew, the tight controls and frankly, it’s just plain fun to do the things Nathan Drake does.

For all that, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception takes the award for Best PS3 Game of 2011.

Best Xbox 360 Game of 2011
The Xbox 360 is known for its violent, hypermasculine games like Halo and Gears of War, but this year’s top dog doesn’t even feature bullets. Certainly however, it does involve a heck of a lot of metal and even more speed.

We are referring to, of course, Forza Motorsport 4, which takes the award for this year’s Best Xbox Game of 2011.

The Forza franchise has long been the Xbox answer to Sony’s Gran Turismo, but in several aspects during this outing, it seems as if the folks at Turn 10 Studios have perhaps topped their rivals. Indeed, Forza has often improved on itself notably, iteration after iteration, and this time is no exception.

It’s clear that Forza is developed by car guys. The attention to detail, going as far as to set various tires onto an electric Tesla Roadster in order to record the sounds of various tires without the distortion from engine noise is just the tip of the iceberg. Turn 10 also set up a multiple year partnership with the BBC and its hit show Top Gear, featuring loads of content from the BBC hit series and narration from host Jeremy Clarkson. For car guys, this is a big deal.

And it’s not just a big deal for car guys. Critics around the world agree with our VU members that Forza 4 is top notch, calling it “this genration’s racing simulator.” And for us, not only that, but it’s the best Xbox 360 Game of 2011.

Best Wii Game of 2011
Ask anybody about Nintendo, and if they know anything about video games their mind will instantly turn to franchise favorites and mascot characters, creations that have over the last 25-30 years become pop culture icons around the globe. This year saw the return of one such character, and in a year that seems to be somewhat of a sunset for the underpowered little console, this new title is a welcome addition to an already anemic lineup.

It’s no surprise then that The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword is our Best Wii Game of 2011.

Adventures with the series hero Link always score high marks, and this new outing through the realm of Skyloft is no exception. Though it’s argued that the Legend of Zelda series has, over time, settled into a very comfortable and very predictable formula, nobody argues that the progression isn’t still enjoyable.

Of course, the big addition to the game this time around is the 1:1 sword swinging action, brought to life by Nintendo’s extra MotionPlus addon peripheral. Through the MotionPlus, the player’s arm becomes Link’s, and his slashes, parries and thrusts in combat are controlled entirely by the player. It’s a whole new way to game, and it’s cool, no doubt. Of course, the technology has its limitations, and at times becomes frustrating in menus.

Speaking of frustration, Link has a history of being cursed with overly mouthy assistants, and in Skyward Sword, this is no exception. Everything, and we mean EVERYTHING, will be explained to you in excruciating detail, and – what the hell, Nintendo – you can’t skip it. If you happen to perish on your journey, prepare for the same lecture all over again. It’s boneheaded design at its worst.

Fortunately, it’s such a minor, niggling little detail that mars an otherwise phenomenal product.

With Skyward Sword in the can, though, Nintendo and its Zelda team are looking forward to newer, bigger and better things. And that’s great, we look forward to seeing what they come up with next. But in the meantime, we admire and relish what they’ve brought us to date, and honor The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, as the Best Wii Game of 2011.

Best PC Game of 2011
Of late, PC gamers have struggled to define their gaming identity. Modern gaming PCs can, these days, do everything consoles can do and more. Lots more. And yet, this is not always showcased, as it becomes more financially solvent to release a game on as many platforms as possible. And indeed, this year we find that our Best PC Game of 2011 is a multiplatform release.

However, it’s notable in its multiplatform nature, in that it contains features that we never thought we’d see, because its developers straight-out told us we wouldn’t. Naturally we are talking about the cross-platform nature of Valve Software’s Portal 2, our Best PC Game of 2011.

The original was a runaway favorite in any avenue you cared to name when it was released back in 2007, spawning all sorts of jokes and memes that took the Internet by storm, including one catchy little computer-voiced tune. This is not said necessarily to contrast it to Portal 2, though it was less jokey and was less meme-worthy. That isn’t to say it wasn’t funny or clever, because Portal 2 was indeed both of these things. But ultimately it was just better at it.

Not only did Portal 2 build on everything that was great about the original Portal, but it let gamers play with friends on top of the original gameplay mechanics, adding a whole new dimension to the proceedings, as well as making each campaign, both the single- and multi-player, longer and harder than the original’s.

Of course, Portal games are made what they are through not just their clever design, but through their presentation as well. In Portal 2, players are treated to, well, mostly more of what they experienced in the original Portal, but there are hints of interesting things here and there which through the school of “less is more,” makes the game’s environments particularly engaging. Coupled with the ever-present top-notch voice acting from greats like Stephen Merchant, J.K. Simmons and of course the incomprable Ellen McClain as the iconic GLaDOS.

Though it was up against stiff competition, Portal 2 assembles a keenly designed mix of high quality components to come out on top, and while it doesn’t do anything particularly new, compared to some of its competitors for the crown, what Portal 2 DOES do, it does extremely, notably well. For that, Portal 2 is our Best PC Game of 2011.

Best Mobile and Portable Games of 2011
It’d be irresponsible to belittle the achievements of developers in the mobile and portable spaces. As game machines and mobile handsets get more and more powerful, we are fast approaching the time when these devices will handle all our gaming needs. The PlayStation Vita, already released in Japan, is better than a PlayStation 2 in our pockets, and with iPhone 4s and iPad 2s being able to push out to television sets, it’s only a matter of time.

And already, we are seeing games that hint at that promise.

Super Mario 3D Land and Infinity Blade II are two of those games, taking the titles for our Best Portable and Best Mobile Games of 2011, respectively.

In Super Mario 3D Land, gamers are treated to a fun and unique way of handling Nintendo’s iconic and titular hero. It presents a clever marrying of traditional 2D and modern 3D gameplay, and lets players tackle quick Mario levels in a new way.

Infinity Blade II represents the future of mobile gaming. Though the screen size enables Chair and Epic Games to cheat a little, reducing polygon counts on their already incredibly-detailed models in order to conserve overhead, it hasn’t stopped them from producing a game that is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. It’s something that looks like it’d be at home on a PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360, but no – it fits in your pocket.

Both of these games show us the way, they tell us where gaming in the future is headed. Plus, they’re great fun. For that, the VU has awarded Super Mario 3D Land and Infinity Blade II the titles of Best Portable and Best Mobile Games of 2011.

Best Indie Game of 2011
One of the great things about the independent gaming space is that developers are more free to take risks and try new things than their more corporate counterparts. Sometimes they just aren’t beholden to the traditional schedules and time limits that other developers face, giving them time to craft something exceptional.

Such is the case with Supergiant Games and their 2011 bombshell, Bastion.

Though action RPGs are nothing new, Bastion’s unique visuals and gravelly but charming narrator captured gamers’ imaginations in 2011. It didn’t just capture gamers’ imaginations, but also the industry’s moneyed interests as well, as it was snapped up and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, and placed on as many platforms as possible, including Steam and Xbox Live Arcade, and even breaking new ground as a Google Chrome Browser App.

As the narrator might put it, The Kid’s game made a real number of itself this year, and for that we’re happy to bestow it with the new title of Best Indie Game of 2011.

Best Sound Design, Soundtrack and Voice Acting of 2011
While video games are by definition a visual medium, they wouldn’t be half as entertaining as they are without great sound. Of course, that comes in several different flavors, and we at the VU find it important to acknowledge the different disciplines.

This year, the game with the Best Sound Design of 2011 is Portal 2. Not only does the game feature clear, creative sound, but it features several smart, almost iconic sound layouts that help to inform players of incoming danger, or simply help them navigate the world before them, making it a more inclusive cerebral experience.

The Best Soundtrack of 2011 goes to Bastion. The world of Caelondia would not be the same without the game’s great music, especially the memorable “Build That Wall (Zia’s Theme)”, which help to lend the game that unique fairytale quality.

Finally, the Best Voice Acting of 2011 is a no-brainer, going to Batman: Arkham City. Gamers LOVE being Batman, but the only person they love being Batman more than themselves is Keith Conroy, the gravel-throated voice actor who’s been portraying animated versions of the Dark Knight since the 1990s. Of course, opposite Conroy is the incredible Mark Hamill, who has used voice acting to get away from that whole Luke Skywalker thing and has really cemented himself in the role of Batman’s nemesis, The Joker, in his animated outings, for much of the same period. Sadly, Arkham City will be the duo’s swan song for their voicing of the classic characters, but if you’re going to go out with a bang, there’s no better way than with Arkham City.

Best Graphics of 2011
While gamers might complain about the gameplay, or weapon tuning, or a myriad of other things, there’s no denying that Naughty Dog goes to their Uncharted franchise when they want to make a beautiful game. So we’re totally cool with saying that Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception has the Best Graphics of 2011.

Where the original game featured the team’s attempts to really get good at modeling water, and the second game tried very hard to get good at modeling snow, the Uncharted 3 team spent a lot of time learning to accurately model the look and behavior of sand. Set largely in desert areas, it’s probably for the best they did. Of course, it’s hard to notice the sand when engaged in a firefight on horseback against a heavily-armed military convoy, but it’s the attention to detail on little things like that, that is a clear sign that the bigger things are going to look great also – and they do. There’s no denying it, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception absolutely has the Best Graphics of 2011.

Best Story of 2011
More and more, games are getting to be storytellers. As much as, if not more than radio, television, books or cinema, games let players immerse themselves in the developers’ established worlds and really experience a tale for themselves.

This year’s winner for best story isn’t necessarily up front, nor does it hold players’ hands and pull them along for the ride, rather, it presents itself and lets gamers discover for themselves. As players navigate the halls and labs of Aperture Science, they are in for a store that is both a bit of a thinker, a bit of a laugh, and is all around a real treat. So of course, we’re happy to give Portal 2 the nod for Best Story of 2011.

Biggest Disappointment of 2011
When it was first announced by Atlus’ Persona team, we thought that Catherine would be some sort of sexy-cool romp wrapped in an RPG, so imagine our surprise when it was actually a ghostly take on Q*Bert.

Of course, that sells it a bit short, there’s more to it in terms of story and gameplay, but not enough – and certainly not enough to help us get over our surprise at its true nature. For that, we have to give Catherine the title of Biggest Disappointment of 2011.

Broccoli Award for 2011
VU community member Anonymous Brocccoli has made such a name for himself with his unopened backlog of games that we have now, for years, named the award for the best game nobody played for him. Indeed, this most underrated title ticks off several gamers’ checklists when it comes to what they’re looking for in games. An interesting premise, challenging gameplay, solid controls and most of all, fun. If they’d bothered to pick it up, Final Form Games’ vertical-scrolling shooter Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony provides all of these in spades.

Putting players in the midst of an alt-history clash between colonial England, Spanish conquistadors and Martian warlords that would make Jules Verne proud, Jamestown is from start to finish, packed wall-to-wall with excitement and entertainment that gamers would love – if only they’d played it. For that, Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony is our runaway favorite for the Broccoli Award for 2011.

Worst Game of the Year 2011
In years past, we’ve tried to highlight positive achievement in games only, but sometimes it’s fun to indulge in a little schadenfreude. So this year, we’ve introduced the new category of Worst Game of the Year, which as one might guess, acknowledges one of the biggest stinkers of the year.

As it happens, there are always several terrible games to come out during a given year, and for our money, superhero games are always a gamble as they’re usually a cash-in on a license. This year provides little exception, but the worst of the lot was Silicon Knights and Activision’s X-Men: Destiny. Sporting ugly, last-gen graphics, choppy and sluggish gameplay in a short campaign, there’s not a lot for X-Men: Destiny to build on in the first place. But without memorable or interesting characters, (aside from the game’s titular characters, whom you don’t get to play) or a perhaps unsurprising lack of consequence considering the game is called ‘Destiny’, it just doesn’t have a leg to stand on.

For all these failings, X-Men: Destiny is the VU’s Worst Game of 2011.

Best Game of the Year 2011
The flip side of the coin, the cool side of the pillow, the moment you’ve all been waiting for.

This year, our Game of the Year has its roots in a smallish, almost unfinished PC game released in 1994. While its developers had hoped to create a role-playing game in which players could roam a world and do, and be whatever they wanted, the scope of their project had wound up being unexpectedly large, and despite their best efforts, the bulk of what they finally released was the only really interesting part of the game, that of an in-game arena. And so, they subtitled the game as such, Arena, and went about making a bigger and better sequel.

Over the last 17 years, The Elder Scrolls has focused on that “be who you want, do what you want” ideal and it has pervaded their franchise ever since. So when they released the latest chapter in the series this year, it is no surprise that the sense of immersion and connection with the game world is only that much greater. For this reason and more, the Virtual Underground names The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim as its 2011 Game of the Year.

Featuring the player’s protagonist who is tasked with charging around the countryside slaying dragons and yelling at monsters, it is Bethesda Softworks’ unique design sensibilities that allow their hero to take time out to go around towns placing buckets on townspeople’s heads, or sit back and watch the citizens of Tamriel glitch out and swim through the air with the greatest of ease. Indeed, the unexpected is the norm in the world of Skyrim, sometimes.

But that doesn’t stop the game from being fun. It’s fun to do whatever you want. It’s fun to yell at dragons while backed by a barbarian choir. It’s fun to explore a deeply realized world and know that you can do just about whatever you want, and if you’re skilled enough, smart enough, powerful enough or feared enough, get away with it. It is fantasy fulfillment in every sense of the word.

Gamers and critics from around the world have hailed Skyrim and made it their choice game of the year, from the United States to Europe and Japan, and everywhere in between – indeed, it’s the first western game to ever receive a perfect 40 out of 40 from vaunted Japanese mag Famitsu – and for good reason. Skyrim is great.

So despite its blemishes, but more because of its exceptional nature, the VU calls The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim its 2011 Game of the Year.

And there you have it. Once again, the VU levels its picks on an unsuspecting Internet. What did you think? Did the community’s picks line up with your own? Do you disagree or agree with the calls? Let us know in the comments, and tell us what you think! What was your Game of the Year?

Of course, it all starts over again in 2012. What will the new year bring? Our controllers are ready. Let’s find out together.