Innovation - what games did something new in 2011?

[rutcommapat]

Driver: San Francisco had a really unique an interesting concept, and it was a hell of a lot of fun to use.

 

[Not G. Ivingname]

The fact something other than a shooter won the VGA for best game is something new and interesting.

Also we can now YELL AT PEOPLE TO GET THEM OUT OF OUR WAY!

 

[Delsana]

Skyrim didn't actually do anything innovative.

Sound systems have been in all RPG's for a long time, they require an aural component to spells and some only have that aural component.

A lot of spells exist to effect the weather.

NWN, NWN2... the list goes on.

 

[veloper]

Magika was innovative, though I didn't like it.
Spamming eart+fire combos was the quickest way to deal threats 9 times out of 10. Tons of combinations, but when you don't need 99%, that makes typing the combos opposed to hotkeying just an added inconvenience.
Still innovative.

Next best innovation is Portal 2, which merely expands a little on the old formula, with gels.
It's a poor showing this year.

 

[valleyshrew]

L.A. Noire was a mistake that needed to be made on the way to something better. It was still a great game, but will forever be haunted by people swearing it was just an action form of point and click adventure games. Had you been able to record evidence that is insignificant to the case and lead Cole astray, this could really heat up to a great new "detective" genre. For me, a game that actually pushes forward the possibility of a new genre this late in the game impresses the hell out of me.

It already took 7 years to make and cost $100m, to make it really interactive and deep would have been extremely impractical and probably would alienate the casual audience who want their hands held. Plus it made sense for it to be linear since you are a cop reacting to other people's crimes and you could arrest innocent people though it didn't affect future cases at all.

Complaints would be more suitable for GTAIV where you have no choice on what missions you do despite Nico being fully capable of choosing for himself unlike Phelps. I still think GTAIV is better as a linear experience because the story and world is so richly designed. Maybe a lot more optional side missions along with a shorter main campaign would be the best way to go. Non-linear storytelling is more engaging gameplay-wise and it's the future direction of games, but so far the implementation is a bit lousy and stories quickly lose integrity and direction. The really bad way to do it is to have good and evil choices. The only game I've played so far with narrative choices that were important and well implemented was heavy rain, and replaying it really lessened my memory of the experience as I can't remember what really happened or didn't.