Here are our picks for the 40 most anticipated games in the year 2011.
Jeff Bakalar
Jeff is CNET Editor at Large and a host for CNET video. He's regularly featured on CBS and CBSN. He founded the site's longest-running podcast, The 404 Show, which ran for 10 years. He's currently featured on Giant Bomb's Giant Beastcast podcast and has an unhealthy obsession with ice hockey and pinball.
Lost in Shadow is a unique platform game where players control a shadow that is cast along various surfaces throughout the game while swarms of puzzles and enemies await at every turn. Exclusive to the Wii, Lost in Shadow starts the year off right for Nintendo's console.
Developer: Hudson Software Release date: January 4
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LittleBigPlanet 2 (PS3)
A recent delay puts LittleBigPlanet 2 into our 2011 list. While the original focused on level design, LittleBigPlanet 2 will give players the opportunity to design their own games within the already highly customizable world inhabited by Sackboy and an infinite number of possible creations.
Developer: Media Molecule Release date: January 18
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Dead Space 2 (360, PS3)
The original Dead Space not only terrified audiences, but also made great use of zero-gravity during gameplay. Dead Space 2 promises more of the same nail-biting intensity, keeping the survival-horror component fully in tact. Expect much more mind-blowing cinematics, new weapons, and better upgrades.
Developer: Visceral Games Release date: January 25
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Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds (360, PS3)
An entire decade has passed, but Marvel vs. Capcom is finally returning to game consoles, bringing along with it some of the most over-the-top crossover fighting around.
Developer: Capcom Release date: February 15
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Bulletstorm (360, PS3, PC)
From some of the developers who brought us the Gears of War franchise comes Bulletstorm, an over-the-top shooter that awards players based on the complexity--but usually absurdity--of their kills.
Developer: People Can Fly, Epic Games Release date: February 22
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Killzone 3 (PS3)
The follow up to one of PlayStation 3's most thrilling and best-looking games takes players to a frozen arctic world to continue the fight against Helghan forces. Killzone 3 will also be one of the first games for the PS3 built from the ground up in 3D.
Developer: Guerilla Release date: February 22
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de Blob 2 (360, PS3, Wii, DS)
The original de Blob impressed us with its addictive gameplay and clever platforming design, tasking players with bringing color to a black-and-white world. de Blob 2 will feature more of what gamers fell in love with the first time around, but now Xbox 360, PS3, and DS owners can join in the fun, too.
Developer: Blue Tongue Release date: February 22
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Dragon Age II (360, PS3, PC)
Dragon Age II looks to tell the story of one character's rise to power over the course of an entire decade, and the effect they have on the Dragon Age Universe.
Developer: BioWare Release date: March 8
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F.3.A.R. aka F.E.A.R. 3 (360, PS3, PC)
We can't wait to jump back into the paranormal world of F.E.A.R., a franchise that's been chilling us for half a decade. In the third iteration, look for the addition of a co-op mode, an expansion of the story, and a handful of reasons to play with the lights on.
Developer: Day 1 Studios Release date: March 22
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Crysis 2 (360, PS3, PC)
Crysis 2 will take place after an alien invasion in New York City--the remnants of which you must trudge through. It's been years since the original Crysis game that took place in lush tropical jungles, but we happily welcome the new setting.
Developer: Crytek Release date: March 22
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Deus Ex: Human Revolution (360, PS3, PC)
This cyberpunk-themed franchise looks to make its return in 2011, specifically riding on the ability to use three different approaches to play the game: action, espionage, and social charmer.
Developer: Eidos Montreal Release date: March 2011
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L.A. Noire (360, PS3)
L.A. Noire is a detective thriller set in the 1940s that promises some of the best facial expression animations ever seen in a game to date. A game that's been shrouded in secrecy for years looks to make a spring 2011 debut.
Developer: Team Bondi, Rockstar Games Release date: April 5
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Brink (360, PS3, PC)
Brink feels like what Mirror's Edge would have been were it also a traditional shooter. Combining acrobatic elements of parkour with a first-person shooter, Brink sounds unique enough to stand out when it's released this coming April.
Developer: Splash Damage Release date: April 12
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Portal 2 (360, PS3, PC, Mac)
What started innocently enough as an add-on to The Orange Box has becoming a gaming phenomenon, as well as earning the right for a proper full-length sequel in the process. Expect more mind-bending puzzles, dark humor, and a new co-op mode.
Developer: Valve Software Release date: April 19
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Mortal Kombat (360, PS3)
A direct homage to the classic 2D fighting experience that launched the franchise into gaming infamy, Mortal Kombat returns to consoles in 2011 along with the classic "Fatality" endings.
Developer: NetherRealm Release date: April 2011
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Red Faction: Armageddon (360, PS3, PC)
The Martian revolution game continues its tale in Armageddon, after winning over gamers and critics alike with Red Faction: Guerilla. While it takes place two generations after the events in Guerilla, Armageddon sees colonists heading beneath the Martian surface.
Developer: Volition Inc. Release date: May 2011
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Child of Eden (360, PS3)
Child of Eden intrigued us at E3 2010 with its mysterious plot and art style. Players will need to rid Eden of a virus that is infecting it, and the game's ending will also be directly influenced by a user-submitted initiative called the Journey Project.
Developer: Q Entertainment Release date: Q1 2011
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Shadows of the Damned (360, PS3, Wii, PC)
Game director Suda 51 (Killer 7, No More Heroes) teams up with some of the best action-horror designers to bring us Shadows of the Damned, a psychological thriller that reminds us of a campy Halloween movie.
Will the fight against the Chimera come to an end in Resistance 3? Gamers can find out in the critically acclaimed historical-fiction first-person-shooter September 6.
Developer: Insomniac Games Release date: September 6
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Max Payne 3 (360, PS3, PC)
We're not entirely sure where Max Payne 3 is in its development because believe it or not, we had it included in last year's list, too. What is known is Max Payne 3 severely alters what the first two games looked like in terms of aesthetic and takes the series to a tropical region.
Developer: Rockstar Games Release date: Q3 2011
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Rage (360, PS3, PC, Mac)
The original team that brought Doom to the world introduces us to Rage, a post-apocalyptic first-person shooter that has players rummaging through a wasteland filled with mutants.
Developer: id Software Release date: Q3 2011
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Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS3)
Team Drake and company continue the treasure-huntin' good times in an Arabian desert setting, searching for a lost city. We're expecting only the best once again from Naughty Dog this time around, considering Uncharted 2 is still one of the most fun action-adventure games we've played in years.
Developer: Naughty Dog Release date: November 1
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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (360, PS3, PC)
The Elder Scrolls saga continues, with Skyrim taking place after the events of Oblivion. Skyrim will take advantage of an all-new game engine, an even more advanced system than the one used in the latest Fallout games.
Developer: Bethesda Studios Release date: November 11
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Batman: Arkham City (360, PS3, PC)
The sequel to what's regarded as the best Batman game ever made, Arkham City will put Bruce Wayne up against Dr. Hugo Strange--though we'd be shocked if The Joker didn't make another appearance.
It's no secret, Gears of War is one the best-selling franchises for the Xbox 360, and the highly anticipated third installment will bring with it four-player co-op, new weapons, and more terrifying enemies. Though Gears 3 was supposed to hit 2011 in April, the game has slid to a much more ambiguous Q4 release window.
Developer: Epic Games Release date: Q4 2011
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Ghost Recon: Future Soldier (multiplatform)
The next iteration of this highly acclaimed squad-based shooter lets gamers get their hands on a variety of prototype weapons, tools, and vehicles in both single-player and multiplayer campaign modes.
Developer: Ubisoft Paris Release date: Q4 2011
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Mass Effect 3 (360, PS3, PC)
The end of the Mass Effect trilogy will take place on Earth of all places, a setting the series has yet to tackle. Commander Shepard will once again lead the human race in a fight against those alien races who wish to destroy it.
Developer: BioWare Release date: Q4 2011
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Inevitable Call of Duty sequel (multiplatform)
We'd be shocked if Activision didn't have another Call of Duty game ready for sale by the 2011 holiday season. Coming off the record-shattering success of Modern Warfare 2 and now this year's Black Ops, they'd be crazy not to. Where and when the next Call of Duty game takes place is anyone's guess.
Developer: Probably Treyarch Release date: Most likely holiday 2011
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Duke Nukem Forever (360, PS3, PC)
We were just as surprised as anyone when news broke that Duke Nukem Forever would actually see the light of day. Now having played the upcoming shooter, we're even more anxious for some more trash-talking, alien-busting madness in 2011.
The highly anticipated spiritual successor to Ico and Shadow of the Colossus should finally see the light of day in 2011, where players will take on the role of a boy who must work with his gigantic animal friend to solve puzzles and explore new lands.
Developer: Team Ico Release date: TBA 2011
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Kid Icarus: Uprising (3DS)
Though we imagined Kid Icarus would eventually make its return to the Wii, we were surprised and elated to find that the flying hero would in fact help the Nintendo 3DS make its debut.
Developer: Nintendo Release date: TBA 2011
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inFamous 2 (PS3)
Cole MacGrath will return in 2011, but whether for good or evil is up to you. His same electricity powers return, but now Cole will also have the ability to freeze.
Developer: Sucker Punch Release date: TBA 2011
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Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D (3DS)
Of all the 3DS screenshots and videos we've seen, Capcom's Resident Evil 3D looks the most impressive. We can't wait to get our hands on the game, but we're not sure if it will launch along with the actual 3DS system itself.
Developer: Capcom Release date: TBA 2011
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Metal Gear Solid Rising (360, PS3, PC)
The sword-wielding character Raiden from the Metal Gear Solid series stars in this slicing and dicing action game; hopefully it's getting a release before the end of 2011.
Developer: Kojima Productions Release date: TBA 2011
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SSX: Deadly Descents (360, PS3)
The SSX franchise might not be the most realistic snowboarding game to ever hit the market, but it's definitely the most fun. We're really hoping to see the next SSX game out in 2011, especially after new SSX domain URLs were registered in November.
Developer: EA Canada Release date: TBA 2011
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XCOM (360, PC)
No, this isn't another turn-based strategy game like its identically named predecessor would indicate. The new XCOM is actually an action first-person-shooter suspense-thriller.
Developer: 2K Marin Release date: TBA 2011
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Silent Hill 8 (360, PS3)
The eighth installment of the venerable survival-horror franchise looks to creep into home consoles in 2011. We haven't seen a Silent Hill game that really hooked us since "The Room," so there is a lot riding on the next iteration.
Developer: Konami Release date: TBA 2011
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Twisted Metal (PS3)
The longest-running franchise in PlayStation history will finally make its vehicle combat debut exclusively on PS3 in 2011.
Developer: Eat Sleep Play Release date: TBA 2011
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The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
Skyward Sword will make use of 1:1 motion controls using MotionPlus functionality and tell a brand-new story of Link's quest through the land of Hyrule.
