2021 has been another bumper year for video games, with a ton of unforgettable titles making their way to our consoles and PCs. With so much to choose from, it might be hard to sort the great from the average.
Whether you’re a fan of the game Wild Worlds or you’re a casual gamer who likes to spend a few hours exploring a new world, here are the top 10 best games that have been released this year so far.
Disco Elysium
Disco Elysium is a mystery/adventure game set in a city that has been ravaged by a war that happened decades before your story begins. You take on the role of a detective with amnesia, trying to solve a murder case.
The game uses oil paint-style graphics and differs from most adventure games as there is no combat. Instead, there are skill checks and an elaborate dialogue tree that allows you to advance the story. The game is gritty, detailed, and rated as one of, if not the best, game released this year.
Deathloop
Deathloop puts a unique spin on the time-traveling genre. You play as an assassin, Colt, who is tasked with tracking down and killing eight leaders of a group known as the Visionaries, who can be found across the island the game takes place on.
However, you only have until midnight each day to explore and find clues before the day resets. The goal is to get all the Visionaries in the same spot simultaneously and not let any of them get away. The game is intense with a brilliant story and shakes up a slightly stale genre.
Hitman 3
Hitman 3 is the eighth installment in the Hitman franchise and the game that wraps up the storyline that started with Hitman 1. You reprise the role of Agent 47 as he hunts the members of Providence, a group that controls the affairs of the world.
The game has been praised for sticking to and improving what has made Hitman the incredible franchise it is today. Hitman 3 is also the perfect send-off for the story that so many have followed for years.
It Takes Two
It Takes Two is an action/adventure game with elements from platformers. The game is unique because it is specifically designed to be played by two people at once, hence the title.
Each level has a different theme and new mechanics for you to take advantage of, with each of these mechanics working in unison. In other words, your ability works the best when combined with the ability of your second player. The game is colorful, fun, and very enjoyable, regardless of your age.
Monster Hunter Rise
Monster Hunter Rise is a brilliant action role-playing game for the Nintendo Switch. It’s the sixth game in the Monster Hunter series and the sequel to 2018’s Monster Hunter World. Rise also adds new mechanics and features to the game, such as a companion named Palamute that you can ride with across the map.
Monster Hunter is a game that lets you play as a hunter who’s tasked with capturing and sometimes slaying deadly monsters. You use a variety of tools, and there is loot available for completing a task. This game is so detailed and has so much depth you’ll forget it’s a Switch game.
Metroid Dread
The famous Metroid franchise has a brand new game that was recently released on the Nintendo Switch. Dread was first conceived as a Metroid game to be released on the Nintendo DS but was canceled in the mid-2000s.
Dread sees players control the bounty hunter Samus as she investigates a transmission source on the planet ZDR. Fans love that even though it is a modern-day version of the series, it has retained its side-scrolling style of play.
Resident Evil Village
Village is the sequel to the much-loved and highly successful Resident Evil: Biohazard. This title sees you take on the role of Ethan Winters, who finds himself in a mysterious village in search of his daughter after a deadly encounter with Chris Redfield.
The game has been praised for keeping and improving the horror aspects that have made Resident Evil a popular franchise. It has also adapted and is a more action-focussed game compared to previous titles.
High Fleet
High Fleet is one of the most exciting and complicated-looking games on the list. It’s a mash-up of action, strategy, management, and diplomacy. Think of Age of Empires meets World of Warcraft and up the action by a thousand percent.
The game has been praised for its depth and complexity, and if you are a lover of city and population management games but wish there was more fighting, High Fleet is for you.
F1 2021
Formula 1 games have often missed out on the praise they deserve. However, F1 2021 is proving to be one of the best titles in the series. Not only can you race on all your favorite tracks, but there is also a new mechanic that allows a friend to play in your career as either a teammate or rival.
You can also race as one of many legendary drivers, such as Ayrton Senna, Nico Rosberg, David Coulthard, Michael Schumacher, etc. F1 2021 is the best racing game out there right, with little to no competition to that title.
Pokemon Unite
Pokemon has expanded into the arena of Dota and League of Legends. Unite pits two teams of five against each other on a map split in half. You earn points by defeating NPC or “Wild” Pokemon and maintaining control of points found across the map.
You can choose to play as one of 21 different Pokemon, each with its strengths, abilities, and weaknesses. The game is pretty easy to play compared to DOTA and LOL, and the addition of Pokemon changes what we know about the gaming history of the franchise.
