10. Dead Space 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
9. L.A. Noire (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
8. Shadows of the Damned (Xbox 360, PS3)
7. Deus Ex: Human Revolution (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
6. Gears of War 3 (Xbox 360)
5. Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS3)
4. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii)
3. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
2. Portal 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Mac)
1. Batman: Arkham City (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Possibly one of the most hyped games in recent history, Batman: Arkham City had pretty big shoes to fill. Not even scoffing at the pressure, Rocksteady Studios made it look easy by delivering a bigger and badder Batman game with five times the amount of explorable space. Arkham City makes gamers feel like they are in fact the Dark Knight themselves, completely nailing the atmosphere, gadgets, top-of-the-line production values, and acting performances. On top of that, the game is an absolute shrine for Batman loyalists, creatively incorporating most of the Batman universe into the various modes of play. Finally, the replay value here is among the best you'll find in gaming, providing tons of content for players to unlock and discover--and more DLC is still coming down the pike. It's engaging, thrilling, totally satisfying, and without a doubt my pick for 2011's video game of the year.