Despite being a year filled with tremendous difficulties for many, multiple fantastic video games released in 2021. While Inscryption won Screen Rant's 2021 Game of the Year award, it was only one of many games we played and enjoyed this year - and some of them were not even published by Devolver Digital!
There are even more games of great quality and merit which launched in 2021 that aren't mentioned below - releases like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Unpacking, Valheim, and Forza Horizon 5 are all worth checking out if anyone is even remotely interested in the subject matter - or, in the case of Unpacking, even if they think they might not be - but there are many other Best Of breakdowns and lists available on this site which go into greater detail on those. The collection of titles below were chosen simply because they left the greatest impression on us, for whatever reason that may be.
To celebrate the end of this year and allow us move on to the next, below consists of the Best Games of 2021 as selected by Screen Rant editors. This is not a ranked list and is in no particular order, it is only an amalgamation of what we feel the best games released in 2021 are.
Chris' Best Game of 2021 - Psychonauts 2
Selected by Christopher J. Teuton, Screen Rant's Lead Gaming Editor
Nearly every month in 2021 saw a game releasing which I enjoyed, and in a year that includes Hitman 3, Resident Evil Village, and Loop Hero it is extremely tough to nail down a definite Game of the Year. Hitman 3 offers the definitive Hitman experience, mixing the best elements of games like Blood Money and Contracts with the gameplay features IO perfected with Hitman 2016 and Hitman 2. Resident Evil Village may be the most enjoyable first-person horror game I've played in years, and it is the first Resident Evil game I've beaten multiple times in a row for fun since RE4. Loop Hero is basically cocaine; I Expect You To Die 2: The Spy and the Liar is a gratifying sequel; Inscryption is a fascinating mix of deckbuilding and puzzles; all of these are wonderful games.
However, Double Fine Productions' Psychonauts 2 tops my own personal list not only because it offers incredibly fun 3D platforming gameplay, but also because of the creativity, care, and heart which is on display throughout the entire experience. Despite loving games like Grim Fandango and Brütal Legend I had never really cared for the original Psychonauts, but after playing Psychonauts 2 I immediately jumped back into the original - and the VR-exclusive side story - and enjoyed both of those more than I thought I ever could. 2021 has been a difficult and trying year for many, but Psychonauts 2 tells a lovely story saturated with symbolism, acceptance, and positivity, all while allowing players to read the minds of squirrels.
Cody's Best Game of 2021 - Lost Judgment
Selected by Cody Gravelle, Screen Rant Game Reviews Editor
For all the well-deserved love the Yakuza series gets, its the spin-off sibling Judgment that has finally sold me on the RGG brand of chaotic worldbuilding. Lost Judgment improved on the formula of its predecessor in essentially every way, creating a more fluid and satisfying combat system while working hard to add more detective work to a title that's, well, pretty much about detective work.
The heart and soul of Lost Judgment is its characters and its seedy underworld, and it's an engrossing deep dive into grudges, subjective justice, and more - wrapped in a high school Persona-esque social sim and the occasional need to find someone's lost wallet. Lost Judgment is an incredible game I'm still thinking of months after finishing its gut-wrenching tale.
Lara's Best Game of 2021 - Life is Strange: True Colors
Selected by Lara Jackson, Screen Rant News Editor
Lots of the games I was expecting to play in 2021 have now been pushed to 2022, meaning this year I had more time to try titles from franchises I'd not experienced before. I delved into Life is Strange: True Colors, my first time with an LiS game, and was immediately gripped by its emotional storytelling, relatable characters, and absorbing gameplay. Alex Chen's struggles as a supernatural empath, "cursed" with feeling the intense emotions of others, stayed with me long after I beat the game. True Colors spilled into my reality, making me consider my own emotional reactions and responses to everything from mildly-annoying everyday occurrences, to deep-set trauma.
Life is Strange: True Colors provided me with one of my most profound gaming experiences of recent years, encouraging me to figure out its world in the same way we strive to navigate our own lives, searching for the place and people we belong with. It is definitely my Game of the Year for 2021, and I'm hoping we'll see more of Alex Chen again in the future.
Jane's Best Game of 2021 - Metroid Dread
Selected by Jane Shin Agler, Screen Rant News Editor
One of the most pleasing parts of Metroid Dread’s release was its ability to surprise both longtime fans of the franchise and newcomers. With so much time since the arrival of a high quality and completely new Metroid installment, expectations for Metroid Dread were rather high - but also, in many ways, completely muddled. The game returns to protagonist Samus Aran’s side-scrolling origins as a highly skilled, intergalactic bounty hunter who expertly traverses platform after platform; so, what should the curious expect from Metroid Dread?
Well, Metroid Dread is a game of subtleties - and this is its biggest triumph. Samus doesn’t say more than a few sentences the entire game, and yet her complexity shines through in the series’ latest installment. Whether it be her subtle body language in the game’s limited cutscenes, or her quiet demeanor amid deafening silence while traveling to different locations, or the player’s own bewilderment throughout the entire playing experience - all of this is clearly intentional, and it is (to put it simply) awesome. The game is filled with tiny moments that evoke both tenderness and an urge to scream into an abyss, and it leaves the player to bask in those feelings, as if to say: "We want you to feel like you're holding onto your sanity by a mere thread, just like Samus." Of course, Metroid Dread’s gameplay is also a real challenge; so much so that players frequently take to Reddit to ask fellow fans whether they are softlocked or just rightfully stuck. A game is definitely worth playing when, more often than not, it is the latter.
Peter's Best Game Of 2021 - Returnal
Selected by Peter Morics, Screen Rant News Editor
The roguelike genre has been growing steadily in prominence for some time, but despite standout titles like Hades and Spelunky 2, it's never been as prominent in the world of AAA gaming as the multiplayer shooter or the sports sim. Returnal is a very rare example of the roguelike genre getting mainstream support from a major publisher like Sony, and it's proof that the genre is not one that should go overlooked.
In addition to nailing the satisfying feedback loop that defines the genre, Returnal stands as a successful action game in its own right. The atmosphere of the sinister alien world of Atropos is foreboding no matter how many times the protagonist retreads its increasingly familiar terrain, and the game successfully utilizes the PS5's vaunted haptic feedback mechanics to make combat engaging and harrowing. The game also boasts a gripping storyline, especially when the player is forced into the P.T.-esque halls of the protagonist's childhood home. After the update enabling players to save their progress mid-run, there is no reason not to recommend Returnal to everyone lucky enough to have obtained a PS5.
William's Best Game Of 2021 - Twelve Minutes
Selected by William Cennamo, Screen Rant Game Guides Editor
Interactive fiction has always been hit or miss in the gaming world, but 2021 was filled with fantastic stories to experience, and Twelve Minutes is one of the best. With a strong narrative and impressive voice-over work, Twelve Minutes manages to handle time travel in a video game incredibly well. The game excels at casting you in the role of the protagonist Husband, learning information, and adapting to the confusion alongside your character. Each choice made is another step forward in the over-arching story of love and loss.
I was truly immersed in Twelve Minutes. It was one of those games that I thought about when I wasn't playing it, mulling over different decisions I should make or paths I should try next time. Although the ending of Twelve Minutes is somewhat divisive, I felt it wrapped up the narrative in quite a satisfying way. My only hope is that publisher Annapurna Interactive continues to take chances in the future with these strong story-focused titles.
Maria's Best Game Of 2021 - Mass Effect Legendary Edition
Selected by Maria Meluso, Screen Rant Game Guides Editor
Mass Effect Legendary Edition is exactly what a game remaster ought to be. Though it alters virtually nothing about the story and content, it fulfilled its promise to update and unify the trilogy and offered a new way to experience the Shepard saga. Undoubtedly Mass Effect 1 received the greatest number of changes, introducing impressive quality-of-life upgrades to famously memed mechanics like the Citadel elevators and the Mako. These were a welcome fix that could also be toggled off if players wanted to relive the authentic and clunkier ME1 experience. However, all three games benefitted from a more consistent combat UI, character creator, and character importer to ensure the choices players made in the first game carried all the way through to the last. The changes that were included genuinely made the game better and offered players options to make the experience their own. It really felt like developers listened to their fanbase and cared about putting out a faithful remaster of the series.
It was great to see old fans return to Mass Effect for the Legendary Edition's release and to see new fans getting involved for the first time. Mass Effect Legendary Edition demonstrates why the Mass Effect series is considered such a classic gaming staple and how a good remaster should be executed. While it was nothing completely groundbreaking, it was a ton of fun to experience, made Mass Effect 1 playable and even enjoyable again, and should pave the way for the next entry in BioWare's beloved space epic.
Austin's Best Game Of 2021 - FFXIV: Endwalker
Selected by Austin King, Screen Rant Game Features Editor
Final Fantasy XIV just keeps getting better and all of that was evident in the latest expansion, Endwalker. It was an emotional, character-driven narrative that sent off the Zodiark and Hydaelyn arc on a high note while also representing exciting prospects for the game's future. With dungeons and bosses that referenced past Final Fantasy games, some nice quality-of-life updates, and characters that feel as real as friends, FFXIV: Endwalker isn't just the game's best expansion - it's also one of the best Final Fantasy entries ever.
Ewan's Best Game Of 2021 - Hell Let Loose
Selected by Ewan Paterson, Screen Rant Game Features Editor
As a self-professed history dork and someone who's found the FPS genre increasingly stale over the last few years, Hell Let Loose has been a welcome breath of fresh air. Although previously released on PC in 2019, developer Black Matter's authentic WW2-set shooter made the leap to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S in 2021, and I've pretty much lived on it ever since, rallying troops as an officer or getting up to stealthy mischief as a sniper behind enemy lines. Matches are lengthy and occasionally exhausting, and there's a steep learning curve when it comes to mastering all of its intricacies. However, those who stick with Hell Let Loose will be rewarded with one of the most unique shooters in recent years, and one that brutally captures the chaos of conflict in a way few of its contemporaries have been able to.
The real genius behind Hell Let Loose is that it forces each player to assume a specific role on the battlefield. Whereas other shooters have erred more and more into empowering the player as much as possible, Black Matter does the opposite, forcing them to rely on each other in order to succeed. This is made all the more better by the lack of intel given to players, which often leads to hilarious proximity-chat encounters of exasperated soldiers looking for bandages or ammo, or even situations where it's difficult to tell if an enemy has really bit the dust or is still lying in wait. The end result is an experience twice as satisfying - and terrifying - as Call of Duty or Battlefield, and one that only looks set to improve going into 2022.
Michael's Best Game Of 2021 - Shin Megami Tensei V
Selected by Michael Riser, Screen Rant Game Features Editor
Shin Megami Tensei V redefines not only what an SMT game can be, but also what a traditional JRPG can look like in 2021. With far-flung philosophical and religious concepts that occasionally supersede its own storytelling, SMT V is the definition of the kind of hedonistic excess that can only come from inspired art. While not without its flaws, SMT V takes something special and reshapes it for a new and wider audience, offering a feast of audiovisual delight, from the sparkling sands of a post-apocalyptic Tokyo netherworld to a supremely listenable soundtrack that's equal parts catchy and atmospheric. I lost myself in its world in a way that rarely happens for me with JRPGs.
Shin Megami Tensei V's familiar gameplay doesn't stray particularly far from the SMT tradition, but collecting and fusing demons remains as compelling as ever. The no-holds-barred challenge is a welcome change of pace from recent iterations of Pokémon, providing the same compulsive collecting aspect with a far greater mechanical need to actually do so. The new map design is perhaps the biggest standout, with a large world that encourages exploration and adds a fluidity of movement that makes moment-to-moment gameplay as compelling as it's ever been in an SMT game. Shin Megami Tensei V is a landmark release that shouldn't be missed, and shows just what core SMT brings to the table that Persona doesn't.
Alex's Best Game Of 2021 - Deathloop
Selected by Alex Leadbeater, Screen Rant's Managing Editor
Deathloop may have hooked me on the time loop stealth killer concept and dragged me down with the slow-burn mystery, but what made it my first true next-gen obsession was the little flourishes. The world design, the adaptive triggers, the skill curve - all are so beautifully balanced. All enough to make me forgive that the time loop mystery resolution is a rote ABC multi-ending trick.
Honorable Mention to Rider's Republic, which is such a Ubisoft game yet its mix of two personal favorite sports made it the rare racing game I really vibe with.