Eric’s favourite video games of 2021 – Destructoid

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Please, no objections
Effectively, then. 2021 is over. A collection of one year that determined, “what if we did 2020, once more?” It was the remaster we didn’t want. However all that mentioned, despite the continued results of the pandemic and different nonsense, it was a great yr too—one with good instances, enjoyable tales, and a smattering of latest video games to name my favorites of the yr.
Once I ran down the listing of what I’ve performed final yr, I noticed how everywhere it’s been. There weren’t a ton of tentpole video games like there have been lately. Possibly Halo Infinite, however Xbox’s heavy hitter launched a little bit late within the yr for me to really feel like I do know the place I’m at with it. I bought to dive again into the Mass Impact collection with the Legendary Version, an honorable point out for this listing; I didn’t embody it as a result of it was my umpteenth time taking part in by way of the entire thing, however I’m glad these video games have a unified house now.

2021 was one other yr of stellar indies. 2021 was a yr of surprises, even within the AAA area. 2021 was the yr of revivals, group performs, and lengthy, late-night visible novel studying binges. Heck, by the tip of it, I used to be even into Closing Fantasy XIV. By no means say by no means.
It was additionally the primary yr of my phrases discovering a house right here at Destructoid, and I simply wish to take a short second to thank all of y’all. For those who’ve been hanging round within the feedback, studying our work, and supporting the cool tales, interviews, critiques, and foolish blogs we did right here in 2021, thanks a ton!
Effectively, let’s get this going? Listed here are a few of my favourite video games from the yr 2021, in no explicit order besides the ultimate one.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
Holy flark, I didn’t see this one coming. I had admittedly written off Guardians of the Galaxy after the launch of Marvel’s Avengers, and the Guardians aren’t precisely my traditional cup of tea with regards to Marvel content material in any case. One thing about its Mass Impact Andromeda-ness appealed to me although, and after listening to sufficient individuals bathe stunned reward on it, I gave it a shot.
What a pleasing, surprisingly heartfelt, and genuinely humorous recreation. Actually, Guardians of the Galaxy might nonetheless use a tune-up on the fight aspect. However the huge attraction of Eidos Montreal’s Marvel journey is its writing and its characters. They bought me to genuinely care about Drax, Gamora, and Rocket, with some genuinely incredible writing at instances. And all of the barks! It was a great yr for fight barks. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy was the shock I didn’t anticipate this yr.

Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139…
After Nier Automata put the Nier collection on my radar, I used to be very, very desperate to see what its predecessor was like. And Nier Replicant didn’t disappoint. Although perhaps a little bit bit extra tedious than Automata, the modernizations of this yr’s Replicant remaster went a great distance towards making an outdated recreation very enjoyable to play by way of repeatedly.
It was additionally nice to see extra ties made to Automata with some added content material. Each video games function halves of an entire, to me; Replicant can gut-punch you about one thing, then hit you once more in Automata, or vice versa. I’m curious to see what’s subsequent for Yoko Taro and the crew behind these video games, and particularly desperate to see how on earth Nier performs out inside a critically acclaimed MMORPG. However Replicant felt like I used to be tying off a unfastened finish of gaming, mining the depths of disappointment and despair as I went.

The Forgotten Metropolis / Inscryption
This one’s a two-parter, and I’ll clarify why: earlier this yr, I wrote about my newfound pleasure in taking part in video games with a bunch over Discord. Since I used to be younger, I’ve all the time loved the many-people, one-controller manner of taking part in sure video games. It doesn’t work for all the pieces, however it will possibly make some experiences actually click on.
Within the driver’s seat portion of this entry, The Forgotten Metropolis was a surprise to choose aside. In a yr of time loop video games providing all types of approaches to thriller and narrative, The Forgotten Metropolis stands above the pack. It’s such a concise, contained loop that also finds a lot area to work in. It waxes on and on about philosophy and historical past, with a lot element and care put into framing the story at hand inside the world at giant. And the reveals are nonetheless simply unimaginable.

On the flip-side, Inscryption is the sport I nonetheless haven’t performed myself, however have back-seated by way of a number of pals. It’s a refreshing tackle the deck-building style popularized by video games like Slay the Spire and Monster Prepare. Nevertheless it’s additionally not only a good deck-builder; it’s a great thriller, a great journey, a great puzzle recreation, and oh a lot extra. I’ve been a fan of developer Daniel Mullins for a number of years now, and it’s been nice to see him get a lot recognition for the sorts of video games he does oh-so-well.

Earlier than Your Eyes
Actually, I really feel like I bought this take out finest a short time in the past. Earlier than Your Eyes is solely the one recreation from this yr that I feel everybody, and I imply everybody, ought to play.
Within the time it takes to look at a contemporary film, Earlier than Your Eyes takes you thru a life, one blink at a time. The way in which that developer GoodbyeWorld Video games makes use of the blinking mechanic is so easy at first and turns into so intelligent because the story goes on. It’s actually an expertise that I feel anybody and everybody ought to attempt no less than as soon as. Get a webcam, hook it up, and expertise probably the most genuinely transferring video games of the yr.

Dungeon Encounters
Generally a recreation exhibits up and it’s precisely what you wanted, regardless of being one thing you’d by no means assume to ask for within the first place. Dungeon Encounters feels experimental. It feels contemporary and new. It’s like attending to see the outcomes of an inside recreation jam, solely it’s coming from the minds behind a few of Closing Fantasy‘s finest.
The minimalist method can appear sparse at first, nevertheless it actually enables you to fill within the areas as you go. The deeper into the dungeon you go, the much less it seems like a barren, unfinished recreation world, and the extra it seems like a dive right into a digital tabletop. Its battle system is so good and twists on itself in fascinating methods. And the best way methods and menus intertwine creates such a compelling expertise of constructing and managing not only a celebration, however a complete firm of adventurers. Everybody remembers their first Petrified journeyer, or once they found the way to recruit extra members.
I actually hope Dungeon Encounters is an indication of extra to come back from Sq. Enix. Extra offbeat, fascinating video games like this from massive publishers, please!

Life is Unusual: True Colours
I’ve fallen a bit behind on Life is Unusual. I cherished the primary season however by no means bought round to the others. I feel by the point Life is Unusual 2 was releasing, I used to be burned out on the episodic mannequin. One of many smartest issues Life is Unusual: True Colours does is maintain the episodic construction, however ship them unexpectedly. You understand, like what streaming providers used to do.
The opposite smartest factor it does is introduce Alex Chen, the guts and soul of True Colours. Between the unimaginable voice appearing and actually spot-on movement seize, Alex simply seems like a relatable, endearing protagonist that carries the burden of the small-town thriller so nicely. Deck 9 actually discovered a winner within the small-town story of True Colours, and it’s giving me hope that extra journey video games from the episodic period can maintain it going into the longer term.

Gnosia
Going into 2021, Gnosia was already on my radar. Its announcement at a winter Nintendo Indie World showcase was so thrilling as a result of I’d heard whispers about this recreation from a small studio in Japan that was making the rounds, one of many final Vita exclusives making its mark and now lastly coming to Change. And to me, Gnosia didn’t disappoint.
Gnosia is what I cherished about outdated Flash relationship sims, blended with fashionable rogue-lite narrative concepts. It’s one other looping recreation, solely this one has you getting stronger run over run, in a position to sway debates, and discern impostors at a look. And all of the whereas, you get smarter too, studying extra about these characters. Who they’re, their most popular technique of verbal warfare, and what they’re hiding in regards to the predicament you’re all in.
If I needed to decide probably the most neglected recreation of the yr, it’s Gnosia. It’s additionally decidedly not going to be everybody’s cup of tea; I’ve a sense that is one from 2021 that may have video essays made about it years from now. It’s as a lot a recreation to investigate and dive deep into as it’s to play within the second. Nevertheless it actually did so many issues that took me completely abruptly. And what a real ending, too. Gnosia is the little indie you shouldn’t overlook.

Wildermyth
Talking of small indie tasks that up-ended my world, Wildermyth is each a recreation I can’t yell about sufficient and a recreation I’m excited to see continue to grow. Its melding of XCOM-like techniques and D&D narrative, with a touch of overworld administration, may appear a bit dense. Nevertheless it all works in conjunction to make a tabletop marketing campaign come to life earlier than your eyes, with procedurally generated engines driving the story behind it.
Wildermyth is, to place it bluntly, an engine for constructing myths and legends. Each marketing campaign is a brand new story, and a brand new alternative to see a humble farmer known as to greatness. After which became a part-crow wizard with a penchant for archery. Or a stealthy huntress in a position to set enemies ablaze together with her arms. Or a warrior, heat and cheerful amongst pals, slowly fading away because of the stone that pierced her coronary heart. These are all tales that Wildermyth served to me on a silver platter.
The workforce at Worldwalker Video games LLC has been doing a great job at updating Wildermyth too, including new occasions and choices. And it has Steam Workshop assist, the place the modding scene is barely rising. This recreation has a variety of potential to turn out to be much more within the years to come back, and I can’t wait to see it occur.

Tales of Come up
This was the revival the Tales collection wanted. Tales of Come up isn’t only a present of drive for Bandai Namco, placing in a big funds and graphical improve in comparison with earlier entries. Nevertheless it scales up with out dropping its soul within the course of.
Characters nonetheless loudly declare DEMON FANG and name out lengthy incantations within the warmth of battle, a symphony of particular strikes and responses. The story is grand and transferring, but there are nonetheless so many great skits to uncover. Cooking remains to be right here! And the solid is a real all-timer lineup of Tales celebration members.
Tales of Come up in the end falls prey to a few of the collection’ identified shortcomings too. Its final act sags a great deal, and there are nonetheless odd spikes in ranges and one very annoying recurring villain. However regardless of the falters, a few of my favourite moments this yr had been seeing the animations for Enhance Strikes time and again. The Enhance strikes felt just like the glue for Tales of Come up, bringing the celebration collectively and actually making fights really feel like an all-out brawl. The horizon could be very, very vibrant for the Tales collection, and that’s a great feeling.

The Backlog of Disgrace, 2021 Version: Chicory: A Colourful Story, Misplaced Judgement, Unsighted, Shin Megami Tensei V, Demise’s Door
The Honorable Mentions, 2021 Version: Mass Impact: Legendary Version, Dyson Sphere Program, Scarlet Nexus, Loop Hero, New Pokémon Snap, Operation: Tango
And my favourite recreation of the yr goes to…

The Nice Ace Lawyer Chronicles
Once I completed the ultimate case in The Nice Ace Lawyer Chronicles, I knew two issues. One, I wanted a second to simply breathe and take all of it in. And two, there was no manner this recreation wouldn’t be on my end-of-the-year listing.
I’ve been a fan of Phoenix Wright for some time, from the unique trilogy up by way of the newer video games. And as a lot as I like Phoenix, Apollo, Athena, and the crew, Nice Ace Lawyer is a breath of contemporary air. No high-tech mechanisms or spirit channeling—the main target is solely on some fundamental forensics and deductions. And oh, the deductions. Herlock Sholmes and Ryunosuke Naruhodo doing the dance of deduction is such a deal with.
The Nice Ace Lawyer Chronicles advantages drastically from being two video games packed into one. And the place I can see how followers wouldn’t just like the cliffhanger and clearly unanswered threads of the primary recreation main into the second, as a duo they’re nigh-unstoppable. The Nice Ace Lawyer Chronicles is a ten-case powerhouse that weaves threads and tales all through its complete run, constructing as much as large showdowns in court docket with honor, fame, legacy, and even lives on the road.
That is the sport I’d hand to anybody seeking to get into the Ace Lawyer collection. It’s a prolonged one, however so, so value your time. And there’s little question it’s my favourite recreation I’ve performed this yr.