The Best Video Games Of 2021

 

While 2021 has been a terrible year, it was actually a pretty good one for games. Way better than the last couple, anyway.

Here, in the order I played them, are my favorite games of 2021.

 

Outriders

Developer: People Can Fly

Publisher: Square Enix

Systems: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Though it has many of the same annoying shortcomings as other games that are made for co-op as opposed to made for single-player and co-op equally (I’m looking at you, The Division 2), Outriders manages to overcome them by being effortlessly fun…and by actually being balanced for solo players. A third-person, cover-based, sci-fi shooter with deep role-playing game elements — or should that be the other way around? — this distinguishes itself by having multi-layered gunfights in which you alternate between sniping enemies from afar while ducking and roll dodge while shotgunning fools who rush you with machetes at the ready.

SCORE: 9.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

Resident Evil Village

Developer: Capcom

Publisher: Capcom

Systems: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

By evenly combining the sheer terror of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard with the shooting and variety of Resident Evil 4, the good people at Capcom have come up with one of the better entries in a series that has long been one of my favorites. Not only is the gunplay top-notch, but the way it puts you on edge right before it has something jump out at you that you have to shoot is just masterful.

SCORE: 9.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

The Ascent

Developer: Neon Giant

Publisher: Curve Digital

Systems: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

By combining the top-down, twin stick approach of Dead Nation with the cyberpunk aesthetic of, well, Cyberpunk 2077, the developers essentially made the best Blade Runner game ever. Or, more accurately, they made a great 20th anniversary remake of a Blade Runner game that never existed.

 

Ghost Of Tsushima: Director’s Cut

Developer: Sucker Punch

Publisher: Sony

Systems: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4

While yes, the original version of this Witcher 3 meets James Clavell’s Shôgun third-person, open world, hack & slash game did come out in 2020, this edition was released this year…and it was the first time I played this super good game. Not only was the combat flawless — even the blocking, which is often more annoying than it’s worth — but the world was engrossing, the story compelling, and the little touches (hello, foxy) made for an epic and engaging time.

 

Back 4 Blood

Developer: Turtle Rock Studios

Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive

Systems: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC

Under normal circumstance, games made to be played co-op are not games made to be played by me. But by including a real “Solo Campaign,” complete with options for difficulty, and A.I. companions who are helpful and mindful, this first-person zombie shooter was…okay, it wasn’t as good as it would’ve been had they given it a real single-player mode, but it was still a really fun and frantic shooter for people who like to go it alone.

(Click here to read my full review of the game as a single-player experience.)

 

Forza Horizon 5

Developer: Playground Games

Publisher: Xbox Game Studios

Systems: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Though it doesn’t evolve this series in any serious way, this still provides the kind of racing excitement I love: arcade-ish, but with tons of variety when it comes to race types and locations. Not that everything works — sometimes I just want to race, not drive up ramps so I can destroy an ugly statue someone spent months building — but when you do get to drive fast, man, this is good.

SCORE: 8.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

Call Of Duty: Vanguard

Developer: Sledgehammer Games

Publisher: Activision

Systems: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

By adding some interesting new modes and mechanics, this version of the venerable first-person shooter series managed to make itself feel as fresh and new as a long-running series can be. But what made it one of the best shooters of the year is that it was set during WWII (a favorite setting of mine for shooting), and brought back the over-the-top cinematically explosive moments that used to be a hallmark of this series.

SCORE: 9.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

Halo Infinite

Developer: 343 Industries

Publisher: Microsoft

Systems: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

As fun as they may have been, Halo 4 and Halo 5‘s campaigns weren’t as exhilarating as the previous ones. But Infinite changes all that by making some interesting changes to the formula. Not only is the story mode set on an open world, one full of mountains and structures, but you can navigate it with help from a versatile grapple gun. More importantly, the Grappleshooter can also be used in combat. There’s literally nothing in this game — or any other game this year — as satisfying as when you pull yourself towards an enemy fist first, and then reinforce that with some shots to the face.

(Click here to read my full review of the game as a single-player experience.)

 

Honorable Mentions:

Biomutant

(THQ Nordic; Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC)

Though it was too long, and took forever to get good, this third-person, open world, sci-fi RPG did eventually become an epic and fun adventure.

SCORE: 7.5/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy

(Square Enix; PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)

While it ultimately become an engaging third-person sci-fi shooter, it’s hard not to see how much better it would’ve been had the obvious flaws been fixed (hence it’s inclusion on my Worst Games Of The Year list as well).

SCORE: 7.5/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

Serious Sam 4

(Devolver Digital; PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)

Like Tsushima, this was another 2020 game I didn’t get to until it was released on a new gen system this year. Though unlike Tsushima, being late to this party wasn’t so bad, since this was just a mindless Doom-but-not-really shooter that was fun even when it was being redundant and stupid.

 

The Gunk

(Thunderful Publishing; Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)

Despite my aversion to doing housework, this puzzling third person vacuum-er (and platformer) grabbed me by being clever and having an engaging sci-fi story set on a vibrant alien world.

 

And that’s a wrap on 2021. Here’s hoping 2022 will be better. Or at least as good.