Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Movie games never have it easy, but it's probably because the vast majority of them are terrible. The same goes for the game adaptation of the third Transformers movie. Dark of the Moon failed to impress most critics, with complaints of lame graphics and gameplay running rampant.
Bodycount (Xbox 360, PS3)
While skill shots were fun to pull off in Bodycount, the game's supershort campaign and abysmal enemy A.I. prevented it from becoming anything more than a run-of-the-mill shooter.
Thor: God of Thunder (Xbox 360, PS3)
Sorry, Thor, while your movie saw some success, your game just couldn't hammer it home. Critics complained about God of Thunder's overall lack of fun and a total absence of anything memorable.
Call of Juarez: The Cartel (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)
Aside from garnering a bunch of negative press over racial insensitivity, The Cartel wasn't any fun to play, either.
Rise of Nightmares (Xbox 360 Kinect)
Rise of Nightmares makes our list for a few reasons. It represents the first and probably final attempt at an M-rated Kinect game, and because it also conveys the sense of malaise core gamers feel toward Kinect games. Aside from a few diamonds in the rough like Child of Eden and Dance Central 2, Kinect didn't offer much this year in terms of software despite its excellent sales.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 (multiplatform)
The box-office juggernaut unfortunately landed well short of any kind of respectability in Deathly Hallows, Part 2. Critics slammed the game for its lame combat, bland level design, and boring gameplay.
X-Men: Destiny (Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, DS)
We had high hopes for Destiny, but alas this X-Men game just wasn't any fun to play. Promised to be a game where decisions heavily affect outcomes, X-Men: Destiny fell flat in the end, suffering from poor controls and even worse production value.
The Nintendo Wii drought
This wasn't the greatest year for Nintendo, specifically the Wii. A serious lack of quality software plagued the console for most of the year, up until we were treated with the excellent Skyward Sword in late November. Even at the company's E3 2011 press conference, the Wii seemed to be just a footnote, further reinforcing the notion that Nintendo is ready to move on to the Wii U--even if you're not.
The 3DS launch
This year was a double whammy for Nintendo. After much hype, the Nintendo 3DS launched in April with some pretty impressive technology, but unfortunately failed to present a game that achieved "must-buy" status. Every console launch needs a killer app, but the 3DS just didn't have one. Seven months and a 32 percent price drop later, the 3DS finally has some quality games worth playing, including Mario Kart 7 and Super Mario 3D Land, in addition to a selection of revamped 3D reboots. Unfortunately, a lot of the other titles that were teased over the summer won't hit until 2012.
Duke Nukem Forever (Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Mac)
After 15 years of development hell, Duke Nukem Forever finally saw the light of day when it was released June 14, 2011. Unfortunately for gamers, though, it was met with widespread negative reviews. It appeared that the 15 years wasn't very kind to the visibly aged title nor was it for the once lovable Duke Nukem himself. The game's ugly graphics and weak gameplay were highly forgettable and Duke's crude and tasteless jokes weren't amusing, even to the loyal Duke faithful.
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