A reader has put forward 2011 and 2013 as the two best years in video game history, arguing that these years delivered an unmatched combination of quality and quantity. While many point to 1998 or 2007 as golden eras, the reader believes 2011 and 2013 stand above all others.
2011: A Year of Relentless Hits
According to the reader, 2011 began with a bang, starting with LittleBigPlanet 2, the PlayStation 3 version of Mass Effect 2, and Dead Space 2 in January. The year continued with a barrage of acclaimed titles including Bulletstorm, Portal 2, the Mortal Kombat reboot, L.A. Noire, Deus Ex: Human Revolution, Dark Souls, Minecraft, Saints Row: The Third, Skyrim, Batman: Arkham City, Rayman Origins, and The Legend Of Zelda: Skyward Sword. The Nintendo 3DS also launched with strong titles like The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time 3D, Star Fox 64 3D, Super Mario 3D Land, and Mario Kart 7.
2013: Industry-Shifting and Epic
2013 is described as even larger, serving as both an industry-shifting year and the last great year for seventh-generation consoles. The year kicked off with DmC: Devil May Cry and Ni No Kuni: Wrath Of The White Witch. Other notable releases included Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Luigi's Mansion 2, the Tomb Raider reboot, Bioshock Infinite, Animal Crossing: New Leaf, Far Cry: Blood Dragon, The Last Of Us, Pikmin 3, Saints Row 4, GTA 5, Puppeteer, The Legend Of Zelda: The Wind Waker HD, A Link Between Worlds, The Stanley Parable, Rayman Legends, Tearaway, Killzone: Mercenary, Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag, and Super Mario 3D World. The year culminated with the launch of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with launch titles like Resogun, Knack, Killzone: Shadow Fall, Ryse: Son Of Rome, Forza Motorsport 5, and Dead Rising 3.
Impact and Legacy
The reader, James Davie, emphasizes that the sheer volume and quality of releases in these years have not been matched. He notes that 2013's industry-shifting console launches changed gaming in ways still felt today. The reader's feature does not necessarily represent the views of GameCentral or Metro.
