The Best Games Of 2021, According To Everyone
It's December, which means Best of 2021 lists are here. With so many lists out there, who has time to read all of them?
Turns out: We do. But because you probably don't, we rounded up all the Top 10 lists we could find, smashed 'em together in a big spreadsheet, and spit out overall Top 10 lists for the year's best movies, albums, songs, books and TV shows. You're welcome.
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The Best Games Of 2021
10. 'Inscryption' — Daniel Mullins Games and Devolver Digital
["Inscryption"] is unlike anything else released this year — and easily one of the best video games of 2021. I insist that you stop everything, go buy the game, and not return until you've played and finished it on your own. I know that time is of the essence, and I can't tell you how to spend your money — here's what I'll offer: I'll tell you everything you need to know about why "Inscryption" is so amazing and unforgettable. You just might regret it afterward, when you realize you should have discovered what makes this one of 2021's greatest releases for yourself.
[Slate]
9. 'Sable' — Shedworks and Raw Fury
Inspired the artwork of Moebius and the exploration of "Breath of the Wild," this coming of age story hit hard for me even though I'm now closer to middle age than I am to adolescence. The feeling that literally anything could happen stayed throughout the entire experience, and I ended up wearing a dopey smile the entire time. It's has something special that's hard to actually put into words — magic.
8. 'Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart' — Insomniac Games and Sony
"Rift Apart" is a special game. And as long as Sony Interactive Entertainment has Insomniac releasing games like this for the PS5, I'm going keep showing up on day one with $70 in hand, ready for the next adventure.
7. 'Returnal' — Housemarque and Sony
Fast and frantic action, a dazzling display of thousands of bullets in a multitude of shapes and sizes, and glorious, glorious particle effects. These hallmarks are what Housemarque games are all about, and "Returnal" certainly checks all of those boxes. But it's also their most ambitious effort yet: a PS5-exclusive third-person shooter with an incredible sense of exploration and discovery, rich atmosphere on par with "Dead Space" or "Metroid Prime," and shootouts that remain fresh and rewarding throughout the multiple playthroughs needed to beat its roguelike campaign and unlock the secrets that remain beyond the credits.
[IGN]
6. 'Psychonauts 2' — Double Fine Games and Microsoft
I adored almost every second of "Psychonauts 2." It achieves something I don't often see in games – a continual sense of awe as each of its worlds unfold. It took 16 years to reach release, but Double Fine has delivered an incredible sequel. I hope we get a third installment that doesn't take nearly as long to create.
5. 'Hitman 3' — IO Interactive
"Hitman 3" is a sensational stealth game. Berlin, Chongqing and Dartmoor represent the series at its best, which is a fine way to end the trilogy. And if you own the first two games you can access all of those levels here, with improved visuals and the ability to use the new game's gadgets and weapons in them. Do that, and this is easily one of the best games on PC. If this was a review of the trilogy as a whole, I'd stick a couple more points on the review score. But even on its own, "Hitman 3" is a magnificent videogame and a perfect swansong for Agent 47.
[PC Gamer]
4. 'Halo Infinite' — 343 Studios and Microsoft
Perhaps also though, this return to basics will ensure that the game is a hit. It feels exhilarating to be riding the wave of something I know will crash to the shore with bombast. Still, what "Halo Infinite" will most likely be for me, and for many other people, is a space to spend time with friends, without expectation outside of play and chatter. Games like "Halo" are merely vessels for something far more powerful and precious.
3. 'Metroid Dread' — MercurySteam and Nintendo EPD
"Metroid Dread" is a superb mix of action and exploration that brings Nintendo's classic series into the modern era in a way that feels like a new beginning even as it positions itself as an end to a 35-year saga. Samus, her abilities, and the challenges she faces have changed and expanded over time, but the excitement and satisfaction her adventures provide continue to this day.
[EGM]
2. 'Resident Evil Village' — Capcom
I love when "Village" leans into camp and slapstick goth violence. I love when it magically, without logic, gives me the tools I need to fight against the madness. I love how many aesthetic cues it takes from the fourth game. I love how many gameplay mechanics "Village" borrows from it too, especially the return of the attaché case. Resident Evil games are as much about inventory management as they are about killing zombies, and "Village" allows you to play "Tetris" with your items. My Ethan Winters took plenty of breaks to play Marie Kondo, decluttering and rearranging until the joy sparked.
1. 'Deathloop' — Arkane Studios and Bethesda Softworks
Perhaps the most laudable part of "Deathloop" is how it takes so many seemingly disparate things and creates harmony between them. Gameplay systems that feel isolated become pieces of a bigger puzzle, and when you see how they seamlessly connect together, you realize how special an achievement it really is. Similarly, on paper, the different aesthetics should be like oil and water, but they come together effortlessly to be part of a greater whole, and, for me, that's what "Deathloop" is really about.
[Gamespot]
Honorable Mentions
If you've already played the top 10, here are some other notable games of the year. Just barely missed the top ten!
14. 'Before Your Eyes' — GoodbyeWorld Games and Skybound Games
13. 'It Takes Two' — Hazelight Studios and Electronic Arts
12. 'The Forgotten City' — Modern Storyteller and Dear Villagers
11. 'Forza Horizon 5' — Playground Games and Microsoft Studios
In other Top 10 lists from 2021:
A Note On Methodology
We wish we could say there was a super fancy algorithm that combed the internet and did this for us. But the truth is that the entity doing the internet combing was a human Digg Editor, and calculations were performed by an Excel sheet that ingested and re-ranked all the lists we fed into it (briefly: #1 ranked items received 10 points, #2 ranked items got 9 points… down through #10 ranked items, which got 1 point. Items on unranked lists all got 5.5 points). We tried to get every single list from a professional outlet, website, magazine, and industry poll, and this is the results from dozens of those rankings.
