2021 was a year which was quieter on the video game release front. Sadly, Covid-19 pushed back the development and therefore release of some highly-anticipated games, including Gran Turismo 7, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, and God of War: Ragnarok. However, not all is lost, as we still managed to get some absolutely cracking games this year. So here’s the Green Team to give you their picks for the Game of the Year 2021!
Resident Evil Village
I’ve been a fan of the Resident Evil franchise for a long time, with Resident Evil 4 being the standout ever since it was released back in 2005. Resident Evil Village takes the DNA of that beloved title, infuses it with the first person perspective and story introduced in Resi 7. It also brings back the fan favourite mode Mercenaries and fully succeeds at feeling like a fresh experience.
The game is infinitely replayable thanks to its fun gameplay loop and has fun extra challenges to complete post-game through the achievements/trophies. It’s the first game in a long time that I’ve hit “new game plus” on immediately after finishing my first play through and now, 5 completions and a 1hr 50 minute knife only speedrun later, I can confidently say it’s definitely topped my Game of the Year 2021 list!
George Ogle – Senior Content Associate
Microsoft Flight Simulator
This games series dates all the way back to 1979 and while I’m just a little too young to remember that version, I can confidently say that this latest version is all kinds of fun. I’m passionate about aviation and so was happy to play such a stunning game that allows you to explore the world during a year where we were largely deprived of travel.
The graphics in Microsoft Flight Simulator are sensational and the game is larger than ever before. There are realistic weather effects, racing jets for online multiplayer racing, and you can even fly round the 7 Wonders of the World! This is the perfect game for any budding pilot.
Florian Ehret – Digital Marketing Executive
Deathloop
It’s pretty easy to see why this game was so well received when it came out, and why it subsequently won many official Game of the Year 2021 awards! Deathloop is a great combination of FPS and murder mystery (with you as the perpetrator), with interesting roguelike mechanics and fantastic, comedic writing. The whole premise of Deathloop is to learn from your actions made the day before, allowing you to make different decisions and uncover new clues.
The retro 60s art style in Deathloop is refreshingly different and the gameplay is immersive and all kinds of fun, giving you the option to go in all guns blazing or sneaking around, depending on how you like to play. This really is the result of Arkane operating at the top of their game.
Thomas Williams – Operations Administrator
The Dark Pictures Anthology: House of Ashes
Kings of horror and suspense, Supermassive Games, brought us this little gem in 2021. I’m already a big fan of The Dark Pictures series and interactive narrative games in general, so this release was very eagerly awaited by me. A buried Sumerian temple is the setting for the latest iteration in the series, where terrifying horrors need to be navigated to enable your escape. You also have to band together with another team who you don’t much like to ensure your survival, with every action influencing how the game will play out.
You can play alone if you have the nerve for it but the multiplayer version also lets you play online against another player, or offline with up to 4 other players…which I am very much looking forward to trying out when safe to do so! Overall, this game has brillant pacing, phenomenal graphics and gameplay that keeps you on the edge of your seat all the way through.
Aaron Burdett – Community Manager
Disco Elysium – The Final Cut
Disco Elysium really is a game that gives you carte blanche to make it your own. It’s an open-world spectacular where you can choose whether to become a good or bad person whilst using your detective skills to solve a murder. It’s easy to see why the game was so critically acclaimed on first release in 2019 but with this year’s Final Cut update, it went from great to sensational.
One of the best additions in the Final Cut update is the addition of voice acting. The dialogue in Disco Elysium is beautiful, and the voice acting really brings the incredible writing to the forefront. There’s new locations, quests and characters so even veteran players will get a fresh, new experience. And now the game is available for PlayStation 5, the graphics in 4k resolution make it visually stunning too. The game is a poetic masterpiece.
Tugral Ates – EVP of Business Intelligence
That’s it for our Staff Picks blog series, and we hope it’s given you a few ideas of new games to purchase and enjoy. Let us know on the Community Forum which you’ll be giving a go, as well as your own pick of Game of the Year 2021!
