Best and Worst of 2011: A Landmark Year in Computing

The Multiplayer Game: Battlefield 3
Without any doubt, Battlefield 3 would have won "Game of The Year" award for both categories, if there wasn't for one small thing: In a bid to win over CoD fans, the single-player campaign took a big step back from phenomenal Battlefield: Bad Company 2. True, we also got the best multiplayer the world of shooters has even seen. Massive 64 player maps, and even more important, stunts even James Bond or Ethan Hunt wouldn't dare to pull off (fly in a fighter jet, shoot an enemy plane down, exit the plane, shoot the pilot which is taking a 'chute down, and jump back into the plane and start the engines again). Advice for DICE: best multiplayer ever, how about hiring a screenwriter for single-player one?

Runner up: Star Wars: The Old Republic
After years in development, the world finally saw the first MMORPG title that could kick World of Warcraft from its throne. Thanks to an army of tens of millions of fans (did you that there are more Jedies in UK than Jews or Buddhists?) and the golden touch of Bioware, SWTOR actually has a chance of becoming a successful MMO - fate not shared by similar Star Trek MMO title earlier this year. This point of contention may likely come up when Star Wars and Star Trek fanboys start to argue about which is best.

Runner up: Portal 2
Portal and Portal 2 are without any doubt, some of most innovative games of our time. The concept of using a tool to jump from one room to another, from one dimension to another - and having fun while doing it is a sheer testament of what masters of gameplay reside in Valve. Its a first person three multi-dimensional puzzle which can make even the sharpest of minds hesitate.

The Singleplayer Game: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Whenever an Elder Scrolls title shows up, you know that you are in for complete immersion in the never-ending realm of Tamriel. This is a typical sandbox game which offers you unlimited freedom to go about in the Kingdom of Skyrim, offering anywhere between 200 and 400 hours of gametime. We're not sure what your stand on gay marriage is, but Skyrim has that component as well - and your wife or husband brings you 100 gold per day, and in case you selected the best one, you might even get skill training at a reduced price. Given that the game has already passed the $1 billion mark, it is also the most successful single-player RPG game of all times. Just remember, if your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife complains about Skyrim, just tell them "why you don't bring me 100 gold per day like him/her". Or just buy him/her the game too. :)

Runner up: The Witcher 2
The Witcher franchise is shaping up to be one of the best examples of how exciting series of books can become a fantastic game experience as well. Based on cult series written by Andrzej Sapkowski, CD Projekt developed a title which bundles excellent graphics with quality gameplay and immerse you in a world which binds fantasy with sarcasm. Wizards and Ecology and so on, and so forth. In any case, play it if you haven't already done so.

Runner up: Batman: Arkham City
The Dark Knight Rises is coming to movie theaters from July 2012 and what better preparation for yet another Chris Nolan's masterpiece than an adventurous masterpiece by Rocksteady Studios. Based on the plot by Paul Dini, "Batman: Arkham City" puts you in driving seat as Bruce Wayne ends jailed inside the walls of Arkham City Jail filled with his greatest foes. Not to mention the fact that this game builds on its predecessors amazing sound and 3D gaming integration in ways that put you inside the game like never before.


Best Mobile App: M-PESA
While there were many apps that attracted our attention, M-PESA (Pesa is money in Swahili) technology is the future of money for you, for us - for pretty much everyone. 2011 was the year when we saw the birth of completely digital money in the form of bitCoin, the arrival of DWOLLA and first service in which money is completely replaced with a cellphone. M-Pesa created virtual wallets hooked directly to your bank account and you use your phone as a wallet, never using cash or credit cards. This service is now handled by IBM who is taking it globally. Your wallet may turn digital in 2012, but the service was originally called - M-Pesa.

Runner up: Words with Friends
The latest creation from Zynga spread like wildfire among Android users. Social cardboard games are increasingly moving to digital and enjoying the same, or even better rate of success than they had in the past. Words with Friends or "Scrabble goes Social" is one of the finest examples and doesn't require you to take care of crops.

Runner up: Apple Siri
Given the amount of media coverage, we have to include Apple's Siri as one of mobile apps of the year. Siri is an advanced version of what almost every Android owner has (voice assistant), but Apple is trying to take it to the next level. Without this feature, iPhone 4S would have quite the poor spec sheet when compared to its predecessor. It's fun and you'll either like voice assistant functions or you will stop using them - like the majority of Android users did already.