What are the best games of 2021?
The previous year was not great in the gaming industry; of course, it is clear to everyone. The global pandemic has often been a good excuse for big developers to delay good gaming titles. Also, the conditions in which the development teams worked, the lack of hardware, and other problems further affected the delays and disappointments we had the opportunity to see last year.
There were some excellent games worth mentioning, not to be all black. So, in front of you is a list of 10 games you should not miss and by which we will remember the best games of 2021.
Table of Contents
10. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart
Although not made for the PC, this game is worth mentioning because it was exclusive to Sony Playstation 5, packed with irresistible charm, quality, and action. Unfortunately, MS Xbox Series X/S is relatively poor in exclusive gaming titles. For those who remember, Ratchet & Clank had a premiere on Playstation 2 a long time ago, in 2002. If we count all previous sequels and spin-offs, this would be the 17th title in a series of successful Sony franchises.
The game’s action revolves around Doctor Nefarious, who tries again to reign the world, but this time by Dimensionator. This device makes portals between the dimensions, and when general chaos arises, the famous Ratchet & Clank comes to save the world.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a typical game for a younger population, light and entertainment. The game is good fun for older family members too. So, Ratchet & Clank has everything; travel between the dimensions, a lot of jumping, platform games, and all are charged with good action. I must admit that, more than successfully, Sony demonstrated all that his new console can through this game. Overall, if you own a Playstation 5, this is a must-have gaming title. Enjoy.
Game Type: third-person shooter platform
Platform: Sony Playstation 5
Storage: 30GB
9. Death’s Door
Publisher Devolver brought to us in 2021 an exciting game. Behind this exciting game is Acid Nerve, a small creative studio from Manchester. Maybe the older gamers remember their heavy game Titan Souls in 2015. Luckily Death’s Door isn’t as severe as the predecessor.
The action of Death’s Door revolves around the black crow, which works in the organization of the Reaping Commission. As a Reaper beginner, the young crow has the task of conducting souls in the afterlife, but at the first task, the situation is complicated.
The gaming environment acts very strangely, dark, and gloomy, but the whole atmosphere is excellent. You lead a young crow with an isometric view of the action. The game is quite heavy and packed with action and logical tasks. Overall, Death’s Door adorns an exciting story so gamers will enjoy this unusual edition.
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Game Type: 3D, isometric, action-adventure
Platform: Windows, Playstation 4/5, Xbox One/SX, Switch
Storage: 20GB
8. Forza Horizon 5
You have something to look forward to if you own an Xbox console. Even if you love racing games, you will enjoy the gorgeous graphics that take your breath away. The continuation of Forza Horizon was over 12 months, but the game didn’t disappoint in the end.
Forza Horizon 5 is packed with rich content that you have rarely seen. You can play a classic campaign, enjoy free map driving, race with different drivers, perform interesting challenges, break down various obstacles, etc. It’s hard to list them all.
Xbox console owners will have something to enjoy, and if you also have a Game Pass subscription, you can get this game for free. The game is halfway between the simulation and the arcade, and the only complaint is the sound that isn’t done as the graphic component of the game.
Strong horses under the hood don’t sound as powerful as you expect. It is far from bad, but it could have been better. Regardless of the sound flaws, everything else is really at the level of the best racing games, and I strongly recommend that you try Forza Horizon 5 if you haven’t already.
Game Type: open-world arcade racing
Platform: Windows 10 64-bit, Xbox One/SX
Minimum: Core i5-4460 / Ryzen 3 1200, 8GB RAM, GeForce GTX 970 / Radeon RX 470
Recommended: Core i5-8400 / Ryzen 5 1500X, 16GB RAM, GeForce GTX 1070 / Radeon RX 590
Storage: 101GB
7. Halo Infinite
Halo Infinite is conceived as a launch game for the new series of Microsoft Xbox consoles. Due to the known problems with the pandemic, there was a delay of almost a year. In mid-November last year, multiplayer was available, while in early December, the game finally appeared, completely free of charge for all subscribers to the Microsoft Game Pass service.
The main character is the famous Master Chief, who takes matters into his own hands in a recognizable Doom-style – alone against everyone. It’s an open-world shooting game, a departure from previous sequels. You will be more than satisfied with the graphic component of Halo Infinite and the mechanics of the game, which have been brought almost to perfection.
Weapons are potent and effective, so you feel superior on the battlefield. Thanks to the novelties compared to the older sequels, the campaign is quite long and will take you almost 26 hours to complete. A unique gem of this game is multiplayer, which is subjectively even better than the campaign.
Halo infinite has lived up to all expectations, and if you have an Xbox, this is a game you shouldn’t miss.
Game Type: open-world FPS
Platform: Windows 10 64-bit, Xbox One/SX
Minimum: Core i5-4440 / Ryzen 5 1600, 8GB RAM, GeForce GTX 1050 Ti / Radeon RX 570
Recommended: Core i7-9700K / Ryzen 7 3700X, 16GB RAM, GeForce RTX 2070 / Radeon RX 5700 XT
Storage: 48GB
6. Inscryption
Inscryption is perhaps the most exciting and original game that has emerged over the past year. It isn’t easy to give an exact definition of the genre to which this game belongs. It’s a mixture of card games, escape room adventures, JRPG, and horror. Although this is a strange mixture in practice, it works great.
Simply put, you are placed in the role of playing cards to survive. On the other side of the table sits a dark opponent who lurks every mistake you make and especially looks forward to your execution if you lose. The game seems weird when I describe it, but you need to run the Inscryption yourself and feel its unique atmosphere.
Inscryption is a specific and strange game and isn’t for everyone. It would be best to have enough time and concentration, but it pays off because it presents a real mental challenge. Best of all, you can play the game on weaker computers.
Game Type: horror deck-builder
Platform: Windows
Minimum: Core i5-760 / Athlon II X4 645, 4GB RAM, GeForce GTX 550 Ti / Radeon HD 6850
Recommended: Core i5-3470 / AMD FX-4350, 8GB RAM, GeForce GTX 1050 / Radeon RX 460
Storage: 3.4GB
5. Deathloop
Behind Deathloop is the famous Arkane studio behind big hits such as Dishonored and Prey. Their latest achievement looks like a classic shooter, but if you dive deeper into the game, you will see that the plot is much more complex and original. Deathloop is similar to Groundhog Day, a famous movie with Bill Murray but told differently.
You start the game on the beach of Blackreef Island. Here our main character (Colt Vahn) wakes up in complete amnesia. You will have to find out what it is about and how he remained trapped in a seemingly hopeless cycle.
Sony advertised this game when introducing his Playstation 5, so if you have a new console, get Deathloop because you won’t regret it. Of course, there is also a PC version if you don’t have a PS 5.
Game Type: hybrid FPS with a great story
Platform: Windows 10 64-bit, Sony Playstation 5
Minimum: Core i5-8400 / Ryzen 5 1600, 12 GB RAM, GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB / AMD Radeon RX 580 8 GB
Recommended: Core i7-9700K / Ryzen 7 2700X, 16 GB RAM, GeForce RTX 2060 / Radeon RX 5700
Storage: 30GB
4. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
This game is made for you if you are a fan of MCU and bizarre heroes from the Guardians of the Galaxy. The game relies on comic book material and not on the movies we had the opportunity to watch, but that doesn’t reduce the quality of this great game.
Everything is done correctly from the technical point of view, but the sound component makes it top entertainment. The dialogues, music, and soundtrack are masterfully created. There is also a licensed soundtrack with more than 20 hits from the 70s and 80s of the last century. Marvel fans will be more than satisfied, but other players who want good fun and action will not be indifferent to this great game.
Game Type: single-player story-driven action-adventure
Platform: Windows 10 64-bit, Sony Playstation 4/5, Xbox One/SX, Switch
Minimum: Core i5-4460 / Ryzen 5 1400, 8 GB RAM, GeForce GTX 1060 6 GB / AMD Radeon RX 570
Recommended: Core i7-4790 / Ryzen 5 1600, 16 GB RAM, GeForce GTX 1660 Super / Radeon RX 590
Storage: 80GB
3. Psychonauts 2
The first Psychonauts came out in 2005, and those who remember left a good impression. Such a good impression that the authors decided to throw out the continuation of this great game after a long time.
In addition to more complex gameplay and a good story, the new game differs from its predecessor in a magnificent, modern graphics environment. The game continues where the first game stops, and you are in the role of a young Razputin Aquato (Raz), a member of the international psycho-spy organization Psychonaut.
It’s good that this game starts with an extensive introduction showing what happened in the first part, so you can easily find your way around and move on. Psychonauts 2 is a great and calm game without too much action, but with a soul, a good story, twisted characters, and humor. The game isn’t dull, and it takes about 15 hours to complete successfully.
Game Type: third-person platform game similar in gameplay to its predecessor
Platform: Windows 10 64-bit, Sony Playstation 4/5, Xbox One/SX
Minimum: Core i3-3225 / AMD Phenom II X6 1100T, 8 GB RAM, GeForce GTX 1050 / AMD Radeon RX 560
Recommended: Core i7-7700K / Ryzen 5 1600, 8 GB RAM, GeForce GTX 1060 / Radeon RX 580
Storage: 30GB
2. Returnal
Returnal is another Sony exclusive made exclusively for the Playstation 5, but with a considerable improvement for the better in terms of quality. The game is entirely original, refreshing, and unusual. Comparing it to a movie looks like a mix of Groundhog Day and Edge of Tomorrow.
Returnal behaves similarly. When you lose a life, the game takes you back to the beginning of the adventure and thus forces you to be the best player. The main heroine is the pilot Selena, who survived the crash of a reconnaissance ship on the planet Atropos.
Selena must look for the signal source that brought her to Atropos without contact with the base and the destroyed ship. After wandering through the forest, she sees her corpse. It is immediately apparent that something strange has happened.
Returnal isn’t an easy or fun game. It requires patience and learning through repetitive missions. The atmosphere is excellent, and SF fans will get a great story that will draw you more and more into the game’s depths. So, if you own a Playstation 5 and are a fan of the SF genre, you know what to do because you won’t regret it.
Game Type: roguelike bullet-hell third-person shooter
Platform: Sony Playstation 5
Storage: 50GB
1. It Takes Two
Cody and May are spouses whose marriage is stagnant due to obligations and is threatening to break up. Mey doesn’t have much time to spend with her husband and daughter Rose whose harmless children’s play with a bit of magic will trap the parents’ souls into little dolls. The following is the most unusual marital therapy for unwilling spouses trapped in dolls.
Parents (dolls) have to go through seven levels towards their daughter, but just together must overcome all the obstacles placed in front of them. As can be seen from the description, teamwork is the game’s central mechanic that you have to play in pairs. It Takes Two is entertaining and colorful, platform type, and will give you about 15 hours of good atmosphere with friends or family members.
Game Type: addictive co-op platform arcade
Platform: Windows 10 64-bit, Sony Playstation 4/5, Xbox One/SX
Minimum: Core i3-2100T / AMD Phenom II 6100m 8 GB RAM, GeForce GTX 660 / AMD Radeon R7 260X
Recommended: Core i5-3570K / Ryzen 3 1300X, 16 GB RAM, GeForce GTX 890 / Radeon R9 290X
Storage: 44GB