The Best Games of 2021
As we prepare to close out 2021, it’s time to look back on the games that defined the year. The COVID-19 pandemic claimed release date through release date as we moved through 2021, but the games industry kept chugging away. Despite the fact that the year’s release schedule was in a constant state of flux, we still received a number of great titles in 2021. In this list, we’ll recap the Best Games of 2021 and tell you what made each one so special.
Note: While I’ve handled most of these year-end gaming wrap-ups on my own in the past, this year I have some help from one of SlashGear’s newest writers, Josh Hawkins. I’ll note who’s responsible for each entry with our initials (EA and JH) at the end so it’s clear who wrote what. Welcome to the team, Josh! Let’s get into the games.
IO Interactive took the Hitman series to a new level with its World of Assassination Trilogy, and Hitman 3 was a perfect ending to the latest saga of everyone’s favorite bald assassin. In the third game, IO builds off the interactive environments that it has become known for, and ups the ante even more by adding in new ways to take out targets, as well as new ways to traverse the world.
Perhaps one of the most exciting things about Hitman 3, though, was that it brought all of the missions from the previous two entries of the trilogy to the latest engine. This included new performance enhancements, new features, weapons, and tools. With so many options at your fingertips, Hitman 3 made playing as Agent 47 one of the best sandbox experiences you can find in gaming right now.
Few games managed to hold my attention as well as Hitman 3 did, and despite releasing at the start of the year, I consistently find myself revisiting Agent 47’s universe to try my hand at pulling off more daring and spectacular assassinations. – JH
There’s no doubt that the roguelike space is getting a little crowded here in 2021. We’ve seen the genre grow to be one of the dominant ones in the indie space throughout the last several years, and there are so many roguelike games that it can be difficult for new titles to stand out. That wasn’t the case for Loop Hero.
Loop Hero serves up a lot of fresh ideas and, like many roguelikes, is defined by “easy to learn, difficult to master” gameplay. For as good as it is, Loop Hero might be the most difficult to describe game on this list. A Lich has plunged the world into eternal nothingness and it’s up to players to rebuild it by placing buildings, enemies, and even terrain from a customizable deck of cards alongside endless loops. While the concept may be a little meta, the core gameplay loop (no pun intended) is solid and given a chance, Loop Hero will have you theorycrafting the most efficient decks and layouts in no time.
Loop Hero is a perfect pick-up-and-play game for those who only have a little bit of free time while also being a game that you can sink your teeth into for extended periods. It offers a fantastic spin on the roguelike genre, and anyone who counts themselves as a roguelike fan should check it out. – EA
It can be easy to get lost in the most explosive and action-packed games, but Sable isn’t like that. Instead of endless combat, Sable greets you with beautiful vistas like slow-motion sunsets and the remnants of crumbling stone ruins. The game is heavily styled after fantasy RPGs like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but without all the defending and finding new weapons.
Instead of fighting, you’ll spend your time exploring a beautiful world that beckons you deeper into it with every passing second. Sandy banks spread out before you like an ocean, just waiting for you to experience all of the secrets that it has waiting on the other side of each and every dune ahead of you. It’s a beautiful title that does a great job of reminding you that combat doesn’t have to be the centerpiece of a game for it to be an absolute masterpiece. – JH
After It Takes Two, it’s clear that Hazelight Studios is a master of making memorable co-op experiences. While the studio’s first game A Way Out may have had some flaws, it’s hard to find much to criticize about It Takes Two.
In It Takes Two, players take on the role of a divorcing couple who are forced to work together and examine the failings of their relationship after magically transforming into dolls. The collaborative gameplay, which forces players to work together to solve puzzles and progress through the game, is top-notch, as is the voice acting and the writing.
It Takes Two is a very charming game and an excellent co-op experience that should be on the shortlist for everyone who hasn’t already played it. It’s one of those genre-defining experiences that’s made even better by the fact that it forces you to play through with a friend or a loved one. While those who haven’t played it yet may have thought it was strange to see it win Game of the Year at The Game Awards, those who have played it knew why it was chosen and why it deserved the honor. – EA
