The 18 Best PC Games of 2011 That You Don't Know About

Rock of Ages
Publisher: Atlus
Developer: ACE Team
Release Date: Spring 2011
Website
Rock of Ages is the next out-of-the-ordinary outing from ACE Team, creators of the extraordinarily bizarre (and just plain extraordinary) Zeno Clash. The game is a competitive take on tower defense that sees you either build a boulder-blocking obstacle course or go on the attack by steering a speeding boulder. Also keeping with its lineage, Rock of Ages sports a completely gorgeous art style – this time inspired by ancient Greek, medieval, and Renaiassance paintings, among others.

Spy Party
Publisher: N/A
Developer: Chris Hecker
Release Date: TBA 2011
Website
Generally, the “spy” part of “spy game” is a misnomer. After all, when your objective is to avoid being discovered, it's generally not in your best inerest to shout “this it totally bitchin'” while firing car chases at explosions (yes, you read that correctly). Spy Party, however, aims to tip-toe right over that pratfall, instead focusing on “human behavior, performance, perception, and deception.” You learn what makes people tick -- instead of running and gunning until you can physically see what made them tick -- and then use that knowledge to your advantage. Sounds like a much-needed breath of fresh air to us, and we can't wait to get our hands on it.

Subversion
Publisher: N/A
Developer: Introversion
Release Date: TBA 2011
Website
With strategy hits like Uplink, DEFCON, and Darwinia in its stable, Introversion definitely knows how to get your gears churning. This time, though, the developer's stepping into the realm of smaller-scale special ops, resulting in a series of procedurally generated levels that allow you to infiltrate and subdue how ever you want. In the developer's words: “Sabotage, Social Engineering and Grifting, custom Electrical and Mechanical devices, Distractions, Hacking, Stealth, Acrobatics, Precision demolitions, Trickery -- whatever gets the job done.” Needless to say, the game's wildly ambitious, but if anyone can pull it off, Introversion can.

The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings
Publisher: Namco Bandai
Developer: CD Projekt
Release Date: May 17
Website
The original Witcher was a solid (though, at times, horribly written) stab at sprawling PC RPG glory, and the Witcher 2 promises to follow in its footsteps. This time, however, you've got a revamped combat system in your corner, as well as tense, fast-moving timed conversations to keep your tongue nice and sharp. You'll need it all, too, since you'll be facing off with the big, bad Kingslayer. Honestly, that's the sort of nametag we steer clear of at social gatherings. We don't discriminate, mind you. Just call it a hunch.