Now that we’ve reviewed all the games that will be released in 2011, it’s time to start breaking down the winners (and a few of the losers). Quite simply, this was one of the greatest years in video game history. We already anticipate that our debate over awarding our “Game of the Year” prize will be a long one, as several titles released in 2011 would have walked away with the award in a less competitive year. Read on to see which games won the highest accolades from Game Informer this year.

Big Franchises Deliver Big Scores

While everyone likes to champion the underdog, the fact remains that many big franchise are big for a reason. This year featured an almost unprecedented number of high profile sequels. Thankfully, many of these lived up to their predecessor’s standards of quality and – in some cases – even surpassed them.

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (PS3, 360, PC) – 9.5
Portal 2 (PS3, 360, PC) – 9.5
Gears of War 3 – (360) – 9.5
Super Mario 3D Land (3DS) – 9.5
Uncharted 3 (PS3) – 9.5
Battlefield 3 (PC) – 9.5 (PC), 9.25 (Consoles)
Forza Motorsport 4 (360) – 9.25
Gran Turismo 5 – (PS3) – 9
Bejeweled 3 (PC, Mac) – 9
Assassin’s Creed: Revelations (PS3, 360, PC) – 8.75

Absolute Perfection

While many games this year received high scores, and will likely be considered classics in years to come, only two games achieved perfection and garnered a perfect 10/10 from Game Informer. Interestingly, Batman: Arkham City, was part of franchise that had been video-game poison until Rocksteady’s Arkham Asylum rehabilitated the caped crusader as a digital hero. On the other hand, The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword comes from perhaps gaming’s most critically acclaimed series of all time. It just goes to show you, it’s not where you’re from – it’s where you’re at.

Stellar Sequels

Sequels often get a bad rap among gamers. The tendency of publishers to stick with what works (and, more importantly, what has sold well in the past) is cited as reason why there isn’t enough innovation in the industry. While it’s true that we’d all like to see more new franchises and ideas, you can’t ignore the fact, many times, sequels end up bettering their predecessors by bringing and greater level of polish, sophistication, and yes, new concepts to a familiar brand. This year saw a host of well-made sequels, which garnered some exceptionally high grades from Game Informer.

LittleBigPlanet 2 (PS3) – 9.5/10
Total War: Shogun 2 (PC) – 9.5/10
Killzone 3 (PS3) – 9/10
Crysis 2 (PS3, 360, PC) – 9/10
Saints Row: The Third (PS3, 360, PC) – 9/10
Dead Space 2 (PS3, 360, PC) – 9/10
The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings (PC) – 9.25
Pac-Man Championship Edition DX (PS3, 360) – 9