Video games: These virtual realms merit more visits

Amid the towering piles and teetering stacks of video games that arrive every year, there are always some that nag: the ones that got away. So, here are the most interesting games of 2011 that deserved more attention.

"Rift," introduced in March, is the best online fantasy game that is not called "World of Warcraft." "Rift" has sold more than 1 million copies and has been a worthier competitor to "World of Warcraft" than other online fantasy pretenders such as "Warhammer Online" and "Age of Conan."

As the debut game from the heavily financed startup Trion Worlds, "Rift" has been impressive. The graphics appear more realistic (though not necessarily more attractive) than those of "World of Warcraft," and the Trion team went beyond "WoW" in giving players the flexibility to customize their characters' magical and martial abilities.

But the real test of a massively- multiplayer online game such as "Rift" or "World of Warcraft" (or a more recent newcomer such as "Star Wars: The Old Republic") is whether the game's developers and players, together, create a community and product that can grow for years. Like so many other online games that have dared challenge "World of Warcraft," "Rift" has not seemed able to sustain its initial success.

Logging back into the game recently, I was disheartened to see that my server (or copy of the game world) had become a practically uninhabited ghost town. Transferring to another server I found a small hardcore band of players, but it was like finding a band of survivalists huddling in a vast, otherwise deserted metropolis. A big part of the problem is that "Rift" and Trion have repeatedly proved themselves vulnerable to hacker attacks.

I hope that's not the kiss of death for "Rift" because it's a well-designed, involving game. If you're burned out on "World of Warcraft" and are looking for another top online fantasy game, "Rift" deserves a shot.

The original "Deus Ex," released in 2000, remains one of the top cult hits in game history. "Deus Ex: Human Revolution," published by Square Enix in August, does a reasonably good job of living up to the original.

In "Deus Ex," each choice should be viable. They are, which means you can play the game as you choose rather than being forced into one particular play style.

But does the game's ethically nuanced story allow players to sustain interest in the face of the disappointingly plain visual presentation and somewhat clunky combat systems?

I've been saving "Dark Souls" for the depths of winter. This is a seriously difficult and hardcore fantasy role-playing game released by Namco Bandai in October. After about five hours, I knew that I didn't want to rush the more than 100 hours I'm sure it will take to get through this punishing yet rewarding epic.

"El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron" is based on the tale of Enoch and takes as its title one of the ancient names for God. You, Enoch, have to save the universe from evil.

I'm sure it's just a coincidence that the game's lead developer, Takeyasu Sawaki, is best known for his previous work on the "Devil May Cry" series. But given his pedigree it isn't a coincidence that "El Shaddai" has a captivatingly mystical feel and pleasantly intuitive combat controls. I've spent only a short time with "El Shaddai" since it was released in North America by Ignition Entertainment in August but I will certainly return to it.

"Minecraft," which first appeared online in 2009, is a labor of love that became a commercial product only because of the support of its players. (The official version was just released in November.) Basically, your character is placed in a low-resolution world and allowed to build whatever you wish. The ultimate digital sandbox, "Minecraft" is profoundly creative. As with the other games on this list, I just wish I'd had more time to play it.