Where would we be in the pandemic without video games?

It is not hyperbole to say that, for many, video games has been a beacon of joy and much needed escapism from the reality of this pandemic. It continues to be one of the more enjoyable ways to connect with family/friends digitally, in a world where lockdowns are frequent and Zoom fatigue is real. While the planet continues to be a big ol’ dumpster fire, video games provided that comfort we needed to push through to the next day. And yes, the effects of the pandemic did hit game development pretty bad resulting in multiple delays but somehow, through it all, we were still able to get some quality titles this year. So join Tuong and #GamerBoyz Angus MacDonald, Matthew Whalley, and Ethan Howieson as they celebrate another fantastic year in gaming by ranking Top 5 Video Games of 2021!

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Ground Rules

• Games must have come out in 2021
• Expansions of games DO count so long as they bring in full game size experiences
• Remakes of games DO count so long as they add something new, drastic, and is not just an uprezzed version of an older game. (ie counts if the remake was built from the ground up and had some obvious attention of detail added to it) ie Zelda Skyward Sword HD is more or less just an uprezzed version with a few Quality of Life improvements but it’s largely the same game.
• Free to play games count if they came out in 2021
• Early access games count but they should feel like more or less full game experiences and not at it’s very early stages of development

Group Top 5

5. Returnal

4. Guilty Gear – Strive –

3. Metroid Dread

2. It Takes Two

1. Inscryption

Tuong’s Top 10 List (ordered)

10. Great Ace Attorney Chronicles

9. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury

8. Psychonauts 2

7. Resident Evil Village

6. Monster Hunter Rise

5. Guardians of the Galaxy

4. Rachet and Clank: Rift Apart

3. It Takes Two

2. Metroid Dread

1. Inscryption

Honorable Mentions: Animal Crossing Happy Home Paradise DLC, Halo Infinite, Tales of Arise, Tetris Effect Connected, Loop Hero, Persona 5 Strikers

Games I wish I played: Kena: Bridge of Spirits, Unpacking, Deathloop, Age of Empires 4, Back 4 Blood, Returnal

Games I wish I liked more: Valheim, Hitman 3, Psychonauts 2

Games that I liked that didn’t come out this year: Final Fantasty FFXIV, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Yakuza: Like a Dragon, Pikmin 3, Luigis Mansion 3, Captain Toad Treasure Tracker, Yoshi’s Crafted World.

Angus’s Top 10 (ordered)

10. Humankind

9. Age of Empires 4

8. Tales of Arise

7. Back 4 Blood

6. Skul the Hero Slayer

5. Guardians of the Galaxy

4. Inscryption

3. Resident Evil Village

2. Loop Hero

1.It Takes Two

Matthew’s Top 10 (ordered)

10. No More Heroes 3

9. Back 4 Blood

8. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart

7. Barotrauma

6. Loop Hero

5. Metroid Dread

4. Age of Empires 4

3. Inscryption

2. The Riftbreaker

1.Returnal

Ethan’s list (ordered…somewhat)

Ethan has several games that he’d deem as a #5 so only #1-4 are ordered.

5. Wildermyth

5. Kena: Bridge of Spirits

5. Death’s Door

4. Psychonauts 2

3. Unsighted

2. Inscryption

1.Guilty Gear – Strive –

Honorable Mentions: Splitgate, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, Hitman 3, Deathloop, Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury