With only a few days left of 2021, it’s time to reflect on some of my personal favorite games of the year. Although it’s been a tough time for many due to the ongoing pandemic, you may always count on video games to give you that little escape from reality.
Whether it’s teaming up with Rivet to take on Doctor Nefarious inRatchet & Clank: Rift Apart, or raging at the incredibly difficult but addictingReturnal, 2021 really has had something for everyone.
So, here are my top ten favorite games of 2021, some of which weren’t actually released this year, but still snuck into my favorite titles of the year for one reason or another!
10.Deathloop
Deathloopdidn’t quite hit home for me the same way it did with many others, but it still deserves its place as one of my favorite games of 2021.
Arkane Studios created a very unique and combat rich game that was enjoyable and immersive, but the thing that failed to keep me coming back for more was the rogue-lite aspect. As you’ll discover later in this article, I never completedReturnaleither.
But I still had a great time withDeathloopand it deserves all the praise it received, its tactful gameplay elements and unique ideas make it a must for anyone looking for a great next-gen experience.
9.Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
Similar to theFar Cryseries, I hadn’t found myself really interested in anAssassin’s Creedtitle sinceBrotherhood. I know everybody lovedBlack Flag, but none of the games have actually felt like trueAssassin’s Creedgames since the days of Altaïr and Ezio.
I stand by that statement withAssassin’s Creed Valhalla,it still doesn’t have the classicAssassin’s Creedvibe to it, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a great RPG title in itself.Valhallais absolutely gigantic, I’m not convinced I’ll ever actually complete it, especially with a new 40 hour DLC on the way next year. But every time I decide to chip away at it, you’re always guaranteed a great adventure with a fun story to back it up.
8.Far Cry 6
When it comes to theFar Cryfranchise, Ubisoft seems to have implemented an “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” strategy, which clearly began with the success ofFar Cry 3.
Many fans of the franchise will often refer toFar Cry 3as the best in the series (Of course, this is purely opinion-based), so it always confused me as to whyFar Cry 4and5fell so flat with me. But nevertheless,Far Cry 6has somehow revitalized my interest inFar Crywithout even changing anything.
The gigantic map, gorgeous graphics, and fun gameplay ofFar Cry 6kept me coming back for more, something the series hasn’t done in a long time.
7.Mario Party Superstars
Mario Party Superstarswas one of the surprise hits of the year for me, mainly because I’ve never been massively into any Nintendo title. ButMario Party Superstarshas somehow become part of my nightly routine.
I love the idea of it being one big board game you’re able to play with friends on your Switch, with a huge amount of mini-games in between. Plus if you don’t fancy playing the board game aspect of it, you can just jump straight into the mini-games.
Mario Party Superstarsis just straight-up fun, especially when played with friends or family.
6.Returnal
Returnalgave me some of the most frustrating moments I’ve ever experienced in gaming, but boy what a game it is. I’ll come right out and say it, I never completedReturnal, mainly because I’m not very good at roguelike titles. But I constantly think about this game, it’s visually stunning, made great use of the DualSense controller capabilities, has a fascinating story and just keeps you coming back for more.
One day I will finally conquer my fears and completeReturnal, but for now, I think I’ll just admire it from afar as one of the best PlayStation exclusives of the year.
5.Grand Theft Auto V
In recent years,Grand Theft Auto Vhas been looked at rather negatively. Originally released in 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, the hugely popular title has now been re-released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, PC, and will soon be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. So, it’s kind of being milked byRockstar.
Fans have started to think the constant re-releases are a bit of a joke, with everyone begging Rockstar to just announceGTA 6already. But after the catastrophe that wasGrand Theft Auto: The Trilogy - The Definitive Edition, I thought I’d dive back into the single-player and experience to remind myself what a goodGTAgame actually feels like.
Rockstar might be in the bad books at the minute with the failure of theGTA Trilogy, constantly pushingGTA Onlineand Shark Cards down our throats, and lack ofGTA 6news, but boy they sure know how to make a great game.
Grand Theft Auto Vis one of the greatest single-player experiences in gaming and the only negative thing I can say about it is that I wish they gave us more.
4.Call of Duty: Vanguard
TheCall of Dutyseries has become very similar to marmite, you either love it…or absolutely hate it. For me, I’ve lovedCall of Dutysince the originalModern Warfare. But I’ll happily admit the golden age of the franchise has long gone, withBlack Ops 2being the last truly amazingCall of Dutygame.
I thoroughly enjoyed theModern Warfarereboot back in 2019 and along with the release ofWarzone, my love for the series was revitalized. Until Treyarch releasedBlack Ops Cold War, who thought that was a good idea?
But nevertheless, withVanguardbeing incredibly similar to 2019’sModern Warfarein terms of gameplay, I knew Activision had me wrapped around their pinky again. Although still a little buggy, I find myself playingVanguard’sMultiplayer for hours on end, it’s addicting, fast-paced, and skill-based matchmaking doesn’t feel as aggressive as previous titles. It’s just a shame the launch ofWarzone Pacificwas such a damn mess.
3.Resident Evil Village
Resident Evil Villageturned into a game that I just couldn’t stop thinking about. All of my free evenings became devoted to the latest instalment in the classic franchise.
I was convinced that I wouldn’t enjoyResident Evil Villageas much asBiohazard, but it delivered everything I loved about the previous entry and more. I do wish it leaned slightly more into the “horror” tone that worked so perfectly inBiohazard, but the non-stop action and amazing boss fights had me completely hooked.
2.Mafia: Definitive Edition
I knowMafia: Definitive Editionwas released towards the backend of 2020, but I never got round to picking it up until the start of 2021. I never played the original Mafia and in some ways, I’m glad about that.
Of course, as this was a remake of an almost 20-year-old game, it didn’t blow me away in terms of features or mindblowing gameplay. The thing that really got me hooked intoMafia: Definitive Editionwas the story, mainly because I’m a sucker for the 1930s and 40s gangster genre.
Similar toResident Evil Village, Mafia: Definitive Editionturned into one of those games that you just can’t stop thinking about, all I wanted to do was find out exactly how Tommy Angelo’s story was going to end and experience the incredibly fun chaos along the way.
1.Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Without a doubt in my mind,Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apartis my personal game of the year for 2021. In my officialreviewI scored it a 9/10 and said that it was “the most visually gratifying game I’ve played on a PlayStation 5”, and I still stand by every word.
I definitely didn’t put the most amount of hours intoRift Apartcompared to other games on this list, but it stood out the most to me. Insomniac Games perfectly combined a mix of old and new, managing to simultaneously take you back to your childhood whilst giving you a fresh experience with unbelievable next-gen features. I urge everyone who owns a PS5 to pick up a copy ofRift Apartbecause it’ll be some of the best fun you have with a next-gen console.
Check out the rest of DualShocker’s staff Top 10 lists below and our Offical Game of the Year Awards winners:
December 20: Jo Craig (Staff Writer)
December 21: Natalie Schmidt (Freelance Writer)
December 22: Dean James (Freelance Staff Writer)
December 25: Shivam Gulati (Senior Staff Writer)
December 26: Mehrdad Khayyat (Senior Staff Writer)
December 27: Md Armughanuddin (Head of Content- India)
December 28: Iyane Agossah (Head of Japanese Content)
December 29: Rachael Fiddis (Deputy Editor & Head of Stakeholder Relations)
December 30: Sam Woods (Managing Editor and EIC)
December 31: Game of the Year Awards 2021 Official Winners Revealed
