My favorite games of 2011

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Portal 2 (PS3/Steam) and Rayman Origins (PS3) continue to amaze me. Both titles, in completely different ways, aren’t just a blast to play… they teach me things about game design and design in general. They are engrossing, masterful works.

Some honorable mentions:

I also thought Sonic Generations (PS3/Steam) was fun, but mostly for the nostalgia. I haven’t had a chance to play Bastion (Steam), Q.U.B.E. (Steam), L.A. Noire (PS3) or Arkham City (PS3) yet, though I’d like to.

I don’t think it’s an accident that most of these titles are portable, with shorter play sessions. When I was in school, I could devote whole weekends to uncovering every unlockable in some sprawling epic. Today, every hour I spend playing games is an hour I’m not making games… or websites, or apps, or whatever.

As an adult, shorter games feel somewhat merciful.