Some people say 2021 was a slow year for video games. I am not one of those people.
2021 is the year that brought us localizations we never thought we’d see, sequels to so many niche JRPGs I still can’t believe it, and even a trailer for Bayonetta 3. Many games I didn’t get to play would have normally been on my list to play immediately, if not for the sheer number of must-plays all coming out on top of one another. In other words, 2021 was an absurdly good year for video games if you share my tastes, and here are some of the best examples of that.
10. Resident Evil Village
I have mixed feelings on Resident Evil Village. The first half belongs on this list without question. It was a fantastic horror experience, with House Beneviento being among the most terrifying segments of any game I’ve ever played. After that, though, it veered way too hard into action for my liking. On the other hand, that latter part of the game still has some incredible emotional moments and unexpected twists, so it’s earned its spot despite my misgivings.
9. Tales of Arise
Tales of Arise is a great new entry in the Tales series, and for a long time, it had the potential to become one of my favorites. The world is beautiful, the characters are great, and it’s just a lot of fun to play. Story-wise, it pulled me in with a premise that reminded me more than a little of my beloved Tales of Symphonia, and kept me invested with its gradual progression and twists. It lost some of its momentum near the end, though, and there are a few sticking points that prevent me from ranking it higher. Still, it was a great experience that I hope future Tales games can build on (especially when it comes to mascots; I want more Hootles and less Teepos).
8. Impostor Factory
The rush of excellent games released this year included Impostor Factory, the third game in the Sigmund Corp. series, or To the Moon 3 if you want to think of it that way. Its marketing left me unsure of what to expect from this third entry, but it absolutely lived up to its predecessors. Impostor Factory is another intriguing and emotional story, with one moment in particular that hit me like a truck when I realized where it was going. If you enjoyed the first two entries in the series, you absolutely need to play the third. Some people thought this might mark the end of the series, but that no longer seems to be the case… and I’m looking forward to seeing more.
7. Tormented Souls
Few things get my attention faster than a survival horror game styled after the classics, and Tormented Souls gave me everything I was looking for. If the high praise in my review doesn’t make it clear enough, I absolutely love the way this game feels like a long-lost cousin of my favorite classic survival horror games. The puzzles, the exploration, the grim and disturbing atmosphere–it has everything I look for in a survival horror game. If you’ve been missing that style of horror, Tormented Souls is one you should definitely check out.
6. Blue Reflection: Second Light
When I talk about unexpected sequels to niche JRPGs, Blue Reflection: Second Light definitely meets the criteria. Eons ago when I reviewed the first Blue Reflection, I didn’t actually think we’d be blessed with a sequel. Well, we not only got a sequel, we got a sequel that blows the original out of the water. As I explained in more detail in my Second Light review, there is a unique charm to the original that might have been lost, but the sequel improves upon it in pretty much every area. It’s so much more fun to explore the world, the character interactions are excellent, and the combat is a lot of fun. You have to appreciate its rather laidback slice-of-life approach, but if you’re good with that, you’ll find a lot to love here. After seeing what Gust did with Blue Reflection: Second Light, I’m more hopeful than ever that Blue Reflection will become a core series for them.
5. Psychonauts 2
Psychonauts is one of my favorite games, so when Psychonauts 2 was announced all those years ago, I marched over to Fig to back the project because I desperately needed Psychonauts 2 in my life. Well, the years since then were filled with worries. Could it possibly live up to the original? What would I do if it was bad? Fortunately, that never became an issue, because Psychonauts 2 is great! I’d argue that the original still has the creative edge when it comes to varied gameplay in its level, but the sequel is another incredible adventure through clever mindscapes and environments that are just fun to explore. Seeking out collectibles in a 3D platformer is one of my favorite things, and between that and its humor, Psychonauts 2 is exactly what I wanted.
4. Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139…
That’s right, 2021 is also the year we got the remaster of Nier Replicant! Now, I’m among the people who prefer the original Nier to Nier Automata. Don’t get me wrong, Automata is great. It just didn’t resonate with me as much as its predecessor. There are many things to praise about Nier, such as the story’s twists and the glorious soundtrack. What stands out to me the most, though, is the cast of characters. I love the core group and their dynamic. Emil is the best and you can’t tell me otherwise. And I will gladly perform any number of mind-numbing side quests to hear Weiss complain, because he is also the best. Meanwhile, Kaine is also the best, because I love the main cast so much I can’t actually rank them. I love Nier, too, of course. Meanwhile, the remaster adjusted the combat to make it much smoother and faster than in the original. So basically, Nier Replicant took an already-amazing game, made it even better, and then tossed in some additional content for good measure. I haven’t finished it yet, since I took a break during a time when I needed a happier game to play, but my love of the original and the remaster’s improvements mean it’s earned its spot here nevertheless.
3. Persona 5 Strikers
I didn’t know what to think when Persona 5 Strikers was first announced, but the most amazing thing about this spin-off/sequel is that it takes Dynasty Warriors mechanics and adapts them in a way that actually feels like Persona. Despite its action-based combat system and some significant changes, Strikers genuinely comes across as a sequel to Persona 5 in both its story and gameplay. It’s a fantastic experience that made me think back fondly to playing the original and enjoy spending time with these characters once again. The story is pretty interesting and has some nice twists and turns, and the design of the Jails just gets better and better. But the best thing about Persona 5 Strikers is that it introduced Zenkichi Hasegawa, who is not only the best character in the game but one of my favorite Persona characters so far. When I consider recommending Strikers to someone, I ask myself, “Was it really that good?” Then I remember Zenkichi and know that the answer is “yes.”
2. NEO The World Ends With You
Of all the niche JRPGs that got unexpected sequels in 2021, NEO: The World Ends With You is at the top of the list. The World Ends With You is one of my all-time favorite games, and I waited over a decade for it to get a sequel. It had started to feel like an impossible dream, but then the latest tease of TWEWY news turned out to actually be a sequel announcement. Much like with Psychonauts 2, I spent some time worrying it couldn’t possibly live up to my hopes and dreams for a sequel to such a treasured game. However, NEO did the impossible and managed to adapt the core feel of The World Ends With You despite having some major differences. The combat system is completely new and feels much more like a standard action RPG system, but it incorporates elements from the original, like controlling multiple characters at once and alternating attacks, in ways that ensure it still feels like TWEWY. The story follows a new cast of characters, but draws upon the first game’s story, introducing new elements while building upon the established lore. While it doesn’t have quite the same emotional highs as the original, it has a great cast and a fantastic story. I’ll settle for the sequel to one of my favorite JRPGs of all-time being simply an excellent one.
Games That I Wish I’d Played in Time to Potentially Make This List
This year, my honorable mentions are going to games that I was super excited for but haven’t played yet, for one reason or another. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin is one I’d have played for sure if it came out in a less-crowded year. The Caligula Effect 2 has my interest due to how people say it improved on the original. And most importantly, I have every confidence Lost Judgment could have made this list, but I decided to finish the main Yakuza series first to avoid spoilers. Now, let’s move on to my personal GOTY…
1. The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles
Anyone who has crossed paths with me recently could predict The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles would be my GOTY, due to how much time I’ve spent raving about it since I finished. Ace Attorney is one of my favorite series of all time, and I wanted The Great Ace Attorney from the moment it was first announced for the 3DS years ago. Finally getting localization news after all these years was a dream come true. In fact, after playing The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, I think it’s actually better that we got them this way, as a bundle, rather than as separate releases. The duology is essentially a single very long Ace Attorney game split into two, and the first game provides the setup for major payoffs in the second. The Great Ace Attorney: Adventures on its own might still have made this list, but it wouldn’t have won the top spot. The Great Ace Attorney 2: Resolve, on the other hand, would be ranked #1 even if I counted them separately. The cast of characters is superb, the humor is the best it’s ever been, and the story is compelling and filled with so many twists that it found ways to blindside me even when I thought I had it all figured out. That’s not even getting into the excellent soundtrack or the story’s incredible use of narrative themes. If I were to detail everything I love about The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, I’d wind up with an essay. I can’t even talk about some of my favorite characters without getting into spoilers, although this game has so many characters I adore that they might cause another essay on their own. For years, Trials and Tribulations stood strong as my unquestioned favorite Ace Attorney game, but Resolve now threatens to steal that spot. I want more from this era; I want to see more of these characters. The more I think about The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles, the more I love it, making it the undeniable choice for my #1 game of 2021.
