Favorite Video Games of 2021

I have a couple of addendums to this list. The first, I do not have a PS5 or an Xbox Series X, so games like Death Loop and Returnal were out of the question, unfortunately. I also have not yet had enough of a chance to dig into Halo Infinite or Metroid Dread, which are the two games at the top of my play list at the moment. But here is my top ten for the year:

10. Cozy Grove

The game I spent the most time with and yet another balm for the seemingly impending doom around us. Its basic premise is not dissimilar to Animal Crossing, with you running around an island, doing tasks, and generally chilling out.

9. Genesis Noir

This game is an absolute trip. One you just have to agree to give yourself up to as soon as it starts. When you do, you’ll be rewarded. Trust me.

8. Chicory: A Colorful Tale

If I would have expanded this list beyond 10 games, you would have seen even more games that don’t have high stakes (like the wonderful unpacking). Chicory: A Colorful Tale at least has boss battles though, and it’s another game where your interactions with the environment are key.

7. Eastward

Eastward has the feel of an old handheld Zelda game (think A Link to the Past) with more modern apocalyptic storytelling. Where Zelda often reaches back, Eastward reaches forward into the dark. While the narrative was spotty at times, I found myself wanting to dive deeper and deeper into the world.

6. Kena: Bridge of Spirits

When you look at Kena: Bridge of Spirits you likely see an adorable cast of characters just doing magical stuff. When I look at, I see combat that kicked my ass six ways from Sunday, especially any time I encountered a boss. It’s not that it was complex necessarily, but timing is key. And as it turns out, timing is where I often struggle. You know what they say though, that’s where you find the beauty.

5. Sable

I desperately wanted to rank this game higher. I spent a lot of time with it exploring the world and listening to all of its travelers’ tales. It’s probably my favorite looking game out of this whole bunch (besides perhaps Guardians of the Galaxy), but the glitches. Oh boy, the glitches. The way you move and the way light and shadows engulf everything across the desert landscape is gorgeous. It’s a beautiful exploration game that is only marred by its mechanics at times.

4. Super Mario 3D World & Bowser’s Fury

Sometimes, it’s best not to mess with an established formula, especially not when it’s the one that lays claim to the very best of its genre. Enter: Super Mario. It’s sort of remarkable that after all this time, it’s still a series of games that I know I will grab when a new one comes out. This was no exception. Plus, it is technically two games in one.

3. Scarlet Nexus

The first thing that I found myself sinking my teeth into in Scarlet Nexus was the combat. It’s a lot of fun, and it’s not hard to dive in headfirst. Because once you get the basics down, you can really start to have fun (especially as you unlock more of your party’s powers). That’s just the surface though, Scarlet Nexus has a worthwhile story to match.

2. Guardians of the Galaxy

I truly did not think this would ascend this high on the list when I first started playing it. Of course, it’s gorgeous. The different worlds and the way you can interact with them rivals any game on this list, but those aren’t what kept me playing. Hell, it wasn’t even the relatively bland combat. (It’s not that it is bad, it’s just mostly repetitive, even as you add more of your Guardian buds to the mix). But the story. The way the game gets you to immediately invest in not just how the story moves but how you interact with it and why each choice matters. It certainly helps that it features some terrific voice acting as well.

1. Death’s Door

My immediate thought when I started playing this game was about how wonderful it looked. I was so enamored with moving through the world of Death’s Door that I quickly fell off the edge and died. But after that, once things start clicking with the unforgiving combat, the game develops a rhythm. A rhythm that immerses you in this world and doesn’t let go.

This is the last of my year-end lists for 2021. I hope you enjoy browsing them as much as I had writing all of them. I hope to see you again back here next year, I plan on doing it bigger and better than ever.

Until then, stay safe. And Happy New Year!