Wasteland Angel
This game is the first for developer Octane Games and they did something right. You take the role of Angel as she drives her car named Gypsy through a post-nuclear war wasteland. The people that survived the fallout have gathered into small towns across America. As you make your way across the country seeking a close friend, you take the time to protect these towns from raiding mutants. The mutants will come at you with various gun-mounted vehicles try to abduct the people. But do not fear; Gypsy is mounted with machine guns and can pick up various weapons along the way to help you defeat the bad guys.
To keep you from getting in a rut with the same top down gameplay, every 4th level of Wasteland Angel puts you in the driver’s seat. Unleash the carnage on swarm of bad guys as you fall in love with the Twisted Metal style gameplay all over again. Wasteland Angel costs $10 on Steam. The game can be beat in about 4-7 hours (depending on your skill level), but it is worth every penny.
Trine 2
Released in the last few weeks of 2011, Trine 2 was all but forgotten amidst all of the Skyrim coverage. But those who were smart enough to pick up the sequel to Frozenbyte’s smash hit Trine, know that it is a game worthy of the franchise name. In Trine 2, you follow the adventures of a thief, knight, and wizard who have been brought together by the mystical object called the Trine. Now their bodies are connected and they cannot venture too far away from one another. Each level is a puzzle filled, side scrolling, platformer. You can play each level in single player mode or 3 player coop with multiple input devices, through LAN, or online. Together, you must learn to help one another in their weaknesses to progress through the level. 
Trine 2 is visually stunning. It also has one of the most beautifully created environments for gamers who use Nvidia 3D Vision. A person can get lost in the soundtrack of this game and the gameplay is incredible. My wife, who hates video games, loves Trine 1 and 2. Together we have logged over 50 hours in Trine and its sequel, and we still go back to play with friends. Trine 2 is a game that anyone will love.
Conclusion
So if you missed any of these titles in 2011, you may want to take a second look. All of these games have helped to raise the bar of indie standards. If you can drag yourself out of Skyrim for a few hours, and will drop a few buck on these great titles, you will find them to be fun, action packed, impressive, and well worth your time and money.
