15 Best Years In Video Game History

12. 2011

Notable Releases - Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Portal 2, Batman: Arkham City, Uncharted 3

With the benefit of hindsight, it's apparent many 2011 titles had a staggering influence on the industry. Dark Souls popularised the Soulsborne genre. LA Noire pushed motion-capture to the brink. The Binding of Isaac perfected the roguelike shooter formula. Batman: Arkham City's combat mechanics were so sharp, countless games have tried to imitate them. On top of that, Minecraft became the best-selling video game in history.

With the success of Dead Space 2, The Witcher 2, Uncharted 3, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, it seemed every sequels at the time was knocking it out of the park.

Having said that, this lot live in the shadow of 2011's magnum opus - Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. The fact you instinctively think of Skyrim when you hear the word "open-world" goes to show how insurmountable its legacy is. With its world design, illustrious visuals, innovative character perk system, and solid dual-wielding combat mechanics, Skyrim never stops wowing you.

Also, it's so frickin' big. Skyrim's world seems slightly smaller than the ACTUAL world! Despite coming out nearly a decade ago, Skyrim hasn't lost an iota of its lustre.