2021 has been a very busy year for me, but I managed to play a couple of games this year. I wasn’t able to get to several large titles like Metroid Dread, Returnal, and It Takes Two. Despite this, I have a list of ten games that I enjoyed very much
The end of the year is about reflection, and while it was a chaotic year it is good to acknowledge the games that got me through it. This is a list based on current opinions. Some of the games ranked higher were given scores lower than some of the earlier entries. Opinions change, and I will not be redacted my reviews.
My scores are largely a gut feeling and are more of a gauge of recommendation. Some games I love but are difficult to recommend.
Number 10: Teamfight Manager
Teamfight Manager is a fantastic company simulator game. The match between managing the business, and acting as a coach for your team was such a fun gameplay combo. However, the cycle between the two dragged on after the 20th hour.
I gave this game a very positive review initially, and I don’t regret it. The game is fantastic, and while I rated some games below worse that doesn’t detract from this experience. Despite this, I have had very little desire to play this game again. In contrast, I have played some of these games over and over since my review.
Number 9: Pawnbarian
The most surprising game of 2021 for me was this gem. It is a truly addictive experience, and all of the mechanics just make sense. This is the first roguelike on the list, and while this was light year I am still happy that I can find great games of that genre.
The game is also getting repeated updates from its creator, and a mobile version will come out soon. However, I think the game is still completely playable in its current state. While the Queen’s Gambit revitalized chess frenzies this game is a great byproduct of that.
Number 8: Cookie Run: Kingdom
I didn’t expect a gacha game to be in my top ten, but I will stand by this choice. It is what I desire from a mobile game. It is fun to play with I have 10-30 minutes of time to just kill. However, this isn’t a deep and revolutionary game, but it is the best of its genre.
The art is great, and I do like playing the game quite a bit. It is one of the few games that I will be playing in 2022. Despite this, the game below has a more memorable experience. I have played this game a lot, but the ones below are leagues more memorable.
Number 7: New Pokemon Snap
This was a great year for Pokemon, but this was the only game that stuck with me this year. I am not too interested in remakes, and it wouldn’t have been eligible if I had played it. However, this game is on the list for being such a calming and fun experience.
This is a game is made for the Switch, and is great to play on a lunch break. I was still working remotely at the time, so I would play this all the time at lunch. I was a pokemon kid growing up, and this is the side game that made me feel like I was living in a Pokemon world the most.
Number 6: Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon
This game was unique, and when I see it on my desktop I sometimes get an itch to just play one more run. This is a merit of a great roguelike, and that is a pet favorite genre of this site. This game is not as good as Shovel Knight which is one of my favorite games of all time.
However, something that is fresh and unique is why I love the team behind this series. The game feels approachable, but at the same time has its own unique spin that makes you rethink gaming.
Number 5: Loop Hero
Games that are released earlier in the year can sometimes fall through the cracks. I went through the list of games I played this year, and Loop Hero was a game I almost forgot about. However, when I remembered it I thought about how much fun I had playing the game.
Loop Hero is by far the most inventive roguelike of the year, and I don’t think another game will come around quite like this. The developers behind this game put so much thought into the game, and the player is rewarded by understanding their work. Everything fits so well together and most of the fun is just in experimenting. This game is also very difficult which can be a mixed bag, but it was a great level of challenge.
Number 4: Overboard!
Overboard! was such a great story, and it trapped me into it for a whole weekend. I was just going through every possible route to see what would happen. I still remember some of the characters, and the story beats of some of the different paths. Incredibly memorable overall.
However, I have not seen all of the stories, as I still have achievements locked on steam. It is a game that is masterfully made, and it is a game that I will come back to at some point. When I played the game I thought it was going to be my favorite of the year. In the end, the next three games just had more of an impact on me.
Number 3: Warioware: Get it Together
This is the most fun game I played this whole year. I went through the entire story mode in a day, and then proceeded to knock out most of the achievements in the game. The WarioWare games are always insanely creative, and this game is no different.
However, the choice to have several different characters didn’t have the greatest payoff. It was a huge risk, and I do appreciate Nintendo games that actually take a risk. It was a great experience, and I can’t think of any big area that the game fell short on.
I have been playing games all my life, and I do enjoy games that feel like a unique experience.
Number 2: Chicory: A Colorful Tale
This game bleeds uniqueness, but is such a relatable and engaging experiencing. I binged the whole game is a weekend, and was drawn in from the beginning. This game has so much to say about people who are creators, and feel like they need to meet the standards put on them.
This game is very meaningful to people like myself, and I could identify with some of the thoughts that the characters were having. When you start creating out in the world you can start to develop an imposter syndrome, and seeing a character struggle with that was an unexpected thing.
Truly, it is a beautiful game that I recommend to anyone who is a creative type person.
Number 1: Griftlands
I expected a Roguelike game to be my game of the year, but I don’t have an idea what it will be until I play it. After I played through my first run of this game I knew it was something special. Every part of the game is masterfully made.
The battling is so engaging, and has so many different layers. It is difficult to determine what is the best playstyle because so many factors go into the combat and negotiation. The story is good enough to make the game have a logical flow.
However, the reason I put it at number 1 would be the amount of content in the game. Additionally, the quality has an insanely high average quality to it. Sometimes roguelikes can just tack on a lot of random gamemodes to pad out the game, but that doesn’t feel like the case.
The hard modes are actually harder, and the daily challenges are actually diverse enough to make me want to play them daily. This is a game that reminds me why I love the genre, and why I seek out these games every year.