Video games? Booze?! Go on, I’m listening…I’m listening.

2011 saw some incredible video games released (mostly in that small chunk of fall when bunches of them were raining down on us), but what can make a great video game even better? Why, an adult beverage concocted in the name of these very same games, of course.

The Guardian’s Games Blog reached out to James Dance, owner of the video game bar called Loading and master of the mixological arts, to create some cocktails for six of 2011′s top video game titles: The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, L.A. Noire, Portal 2, and Batman: Arkham City.

Continue on below to check out the recipes for each of these wild creations, as well as images of what they should look like!

ELDERFLOWER SCROLLS: SKYYRUM

A sweet yet heroic epic, pairing elderflower presse with spiced rum to cast an exotic spell over your taste buds.

What you’ll need:
– Skyy vanilla vodka
– Sparkling elderflower presse
– Spiced rum (Sailor Jerry)
– Orange peel

We’ve based this whole drink entirely around a series of highly amusing Skyrim puns – but luckily, it’s also delicious.

First, create a sugared rim by dipping your high ball glass into the vanilla vodka, and then into a plate of sugar. Now put ice into the glass and pour in 175ml of the presse down the side (the inside, of course). Add a measure of spiced rum on top of that, and garnish with an orange peel dragon’s tongue.

UNCHARTED 3: DRINKS DECEPTION

Seeking adventure? Ignite this Goldschlager and overproof rum depth charge then plunge it into a ginger beer ocean.

What you’ll need:
– Ginger beer (You could use Crabbies alcoholic ginger beer if you fancy more of a kick)
– Goldschlager
– Overproof rum (“we use Wray and Nephew,” says James)
– Cinnamon
– A box of matches

Like the Uncharted games, this drink is one big action set-piece.

Grab a highball glass and rub lime juice around the rim before dunking it onto a plate of sugar, then pour in 175ml ginger beer. Next, get a shot glass and pour in 10ml of Goldschlager, followed by 15ml of overproof rum, poured over the back of a spoon. You can now carefully light the shot and sprinkle cinnamon over the top from about 40cms to get an impressive flame. Then blow it out and drop the shot glass into the ginger beer.

THE MODERN WARFARE FRAG GRENADE

Earn maximum experience points by priming and consuming this explosive concoction.

What you’ll need:
– Limoncello
– Crème de Menth
– Jagermeister
– Baileys
– Energy drink
– Black vodka

Not so much a cocktail as a military exercise, this mission features two shooters colliding in an energy drink combat zone.

Start by making a Soap MacTavish – get a shot glass and pour in limoncello, then Crème de menth. Now concoct a “Jagernaut”, which is Jagermeister, then Baileys in another shot glass. Now get a half-pint glass and fix a “Makarov” – pour in your energy drink of choice, plus a shot of Black vodka. Now, wedge your two shooters in the mouth of the half-pint glass.

Your first step is to pull the pin on the Soap Mactavish, by carefully yanking the glass free and downing the shooter. This will of course, result in your Jagernaut depth charging into the Makarov – now drink the resulting combination. That’s right, it’s the ultimate shooter-’em-up.

L.A. NOIRE: TRUTH, LIE, STOUT

Solve the case of the Black Russian by interrogating this tasty mix of Kahlua, vodka and Guinness.

What you’ll need:
– Kahlua
– Vodka
– Guinness (“We use the bottles of Guiness original,” says James)

To reflect Rockstar’s stylish noir thriller, we wanted a sophisticated, smooth drink with a classic feel, and an edge of darkness about it.

Truth, Lie, Stout – based around the three responses that lead character Cole Phelps can make during interrogation sequences – is the result. Take your choice of glass and start with 25ml measures of Vodka and Kahlua, then top up with Guinness. “You should stir before drinking to move the booze around,” adds James.

THE PORTAL TWO

The finest beverage breakthroughs from the Aperture alcohol research labs. Drink them in the name of science. You monster.

What you’ll need:
– Blue Curacao
– Vodka
– Lemonade
– Cointreau
– Rum
– Orangina
– Small tumblers

This drink is, of course, designed to resemble the two coloured portals from the excellent sci-fi puzzle game.

For the blue version, get a small tumbler and pour in 10ml of Blue Curacao, 10ml of vodka and top up with lemonade. For orange you’ll need another tumbler, this time filled with 10ml of Cointreau, 10ml of rum and Orangina. If you fancy, you can jazz the glasses up with coloured sugar rims. Simply pour some sugar into a sandwich bag with the relevant food colouring, shake them up, pour the resulting mix into a dish and dip your tumbler in.

“You can mix the portals together if you like,” says James. “It’s a very orangey flavour, which we thought tied in with The Orange Box, the compilation in which the original Portal appeared.”

BATMAN: ARKHAM PARTY

The caped crusader better have some paracetamol in that utility belt – this isn’t so much a cocktail as a super villain fist fight.

What you’ll need:
– Midori
– Vodka
– Crushed ice
– Blue Curacao
– Sambuca
– Cranberry juice
– Rum
– Popping candy
– Fresh Mint
– Sugar syrup
– Blackcurrant coulis (you can buy this in bottles or jars if you don’t want to make your own)
– Champagne

This shot set sees some of Gotham’s most dastardly villains taking on the Dark Knight.

For The Riddler, pour 20ml of Midori down the inside of glass, then add 5ml of vodka over a spoon. For a Mr Freeze, crush some ice and pour it into your shot glass, followed by 10ml of Blue Curacao and 10ml of Sambuca. Your Joker is made from 15ml Blue Curacao, cranberry juice and rum with a topping of popping candy (“You’ll need to stir it up with a straw to get the colour,” says James). Then we have a Poison Ivy, grown from 15ml of rum, a fresh mint leaf (or a dash crème de menth if you prefer) and sugar syrup.

Finally, create your Batman/Bruce Wayne shooter with 5ml of blackcurrant coulis and champagne. Now let the flavour battle commence!

[Source: Games Blog via Dave Chen]