Topic: Best Games played in 2021 (but not released in 2021)

I done one of these last year too… as I rarely, if ever play any games during the year of their release:

10. Guacamelee
9. Doom (2016)
8. Just Cause 3
7. Remnant from the Ashes
6. Metal Gear Solid 3
5. Ghost of Tsushima
4. Metal Gear Solid 4
3. Demons Souls Remastered
2. Metal Gear Solid 2
1. The Last of Us part 2

I’ve only just started Rise of the Tomb Raider but judging from what I’ve seen so far… would be pretty high on that list but I wouldn’t wanna rate it until I’ve seen everything. Fantastic game though… I have a feeling it might make my top 10 games ever (well… definitely top 20 😉).

Easily for me it was Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep. What can I say that I haven't said before about this game. It wrapped up Borderlands 2 nicely, it also is a nice introduction to to Tiny Tina's Wonderland. I couldn't ask for anything more from the Borderlands series right now.

1) Super Mario Galaxy (Switch)
2) Persona 5 Royal (PS4)
3) Warioware Gold (3DS)
4) Ys: The Oath in Felghana (PSP)
5) Shadow of the Colossus (PS4)
6) God of War (PS4)
7) Shin Megami Tensei (GBA)

I played a few other non-2021 games this year, but nothing I'm going to include on a "best of" list. I also left out ports/remasters of older games that released in 2021.

astros playroom . ive never played a more extravagant and high quality indie game in my life . since i have a strong appreciation for art and attention to detail , it blew me away .

and i generally don’t even play games like that or indies which is why i initially skipped the option to install it when i got my ps5 but , that was a mistake .

My favourite games I played in 2021:
(All PS4)
Probably in this order.

10 - Darkest Dungeon
9 - Prey
8 - Jydge
7 - Dead Nation
6 - Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
5 - Control
4 - Dead Cells
3 - God of War
2 - Disgaea 1 Complete
1 - Enter the Gungeon

Well I’m a ‘basic bitch’ too… coz I love every one of those 😎

@Jimmer-jammer well I’ll be looking forward to playing The Pathless even more off of the back of that, that’s for sure.

So I remember ‘quite’ enjoying the first (well the first of this latest trilogy) Tomb Raider… and although I don’t think they’ve changed up the formula ‘much’, this ones just clicked with me so much. Maybe I’m just in the right mood for what it’s offering, I don’t know. Still, as @RogerRoger pointed out the other day, Shadow… might be even better… so yeah, as a series of games this trilogy must be up there with the best of ‘em I reckon.

@Jimmer-jammer funnily enough mate, Dues Ex: Mankind Divided just happens to be my next game after Rise… .

For me —

10. Hitman
9. Persona 5 Dancing in Starlight
8. Uncharted Drake’s Fortune Remastered
7. Persona 5
6. A Plague Tale: Innocence
5. Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
4. Resident Evil 3 Remake
3. Astrobot’s Playroom
2. God of War (2018)
1. Control Ultimate Edition

1. Assassins Creed Valhalla
2. Immortals: Fenyx Rising

And, that's it. Those two and Biomutant are the only "new" games that I played in 2021. Waiting for a PS5 to buy anything else that's on the new generation, however long that takes.

If I'm not allowed to count replays then these are the best 'new' games I've played this year.

1 - Final Fantasy VII remake
2 - Mass Effect 2
3 - Mass Effect 3
4 - Control
5 - Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart
6 - Ghost of Tsushima
7 - Mass Effect
8 - Resident Evil 3
9 - ABZU
10 - Miles Morales

Also enjoyed inFAMOUS Second Son, A Plague Tale and Concrete Genie.

Among my standouts have been Far Cry 5, Eastshade and Detroit Become Human.
Far Cry I adored and had such fun, Eastshade chilled me and moved me (which I didnt expect), and Detroit blew me away so much I instantly started a second run and plan to do many more.
Other games I enjoyed this year: Mafia Definitive Edition, What Remains Of Edith Finch, Night In The Woods, State Of Mind, Tested On Humans and Inside.

Best games I've played this year in a particular order:

1) Steins;Gate
2) Persona 5 Royal
3) Trails of Cold Steel IV
4) Yakuza 6
5) Ys VIII
6) Kingdom Hearts 3
7) Final Fantasy VII (PS1)
8) Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
9) The Evil Within
10) Horizon Zero Dawn
11) Shadow of the Tomb Raider
12) A Plague Tale: Innocence
13) Far Cry 3
14) Quantum Break
15) Ori and the Blind Forest
16) Alan Wake
17) Hotline Miami 2
18) Bayonetta 2
19) Devil May Cry 5
20) Outlast
21) Mafia: Definitive Edition
22) Resident Evil 2 (PS1)
23) Red Steel 2
24) Grand Theft Auto 3
25) Call of Duty: Black Ops
26) DOOM 64
27) Knack 2
28) Forza Motorsport 4
29) Tearaway: Unfolded
30) Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3

@Iver wow, considering how big each instalment is… that’s a whole load of Yakuza. I’ll be making a start on the series next year but I don’t think I’ll get through more than two of them if that 👏

It's been an excellent year of gaming for me, honorable mention for Returnal though. Also I think this is the most turn based I've ever had in just one year.

1. FFXIV: A Realm Reborn - Endwalker
2. Apex Legends
3. Metal Gear Solid 2-4
4. Persona 5 Royal
5. Horizon Zero Dawn
6. FF7
7. FF9
8. FF4 Pixel remaster
9.Ys Origin
10. Little Nightmares
11. Nioh 2
12. Streets of Rage 4

@Iver well that’s all that matters really… similarly I played like one game that actually released this year but I had an absolute blast with around 90% of the games that I did play (games that released prior to 2021).

In regards to Yakuza, I’m gonna start with … Kiwame as I’ve heard so many good things about … Zero that I want to have the best game to look forward too rather than play it first and then it being all ‘downhill from there’. As a massive fan of the series what would you suggest?

@colonelkilgore As a person who did exactly the thing you're thinking of doing, there are both pros and cons with that approach. For starters, it's just like you say that 0 is a better game than Kiwami so you won't feel as disappointed by Kiwami by playing it first. However, one counterargument is that the series in general goes downhill after 0. Kiwami isn't as good as 0, Kiwami 2 uses a new engine so it will look new but it's also underwhelming compared to 0, and then you have the PS3 titles which will definitely feel underwhelming. So there's really no escaping that, it's much better to accept that this is how the series is like because when 0 came out, there had already been five mainline entries in the franchise.

I do also regret playing Kiwami first because you won't feel as attached to the returning characters in Kiwami as you do after having played 0. For instance, when Majima, one of the popular characters of the series, shows up in Kiwami 1, I barely cared about him. But if I had played 0, I would've been like: "OMG THAT'S MAJIMA!". So yeah, it's up to you how you'd want to play these games but I think I would've rather just played them in order from 0.

@LtSarge hmm food for thought for sure… my original plan was to play in (sort of) release order. So basically, … Kiwame, … Kiwame 2, 3, 4, 5, … Zero and … Song of Life… but maybe I have to rethink.

@colonelkilgore @LtSarge

I see you two chatting about Yakuza, and as someone daunted by the staggering amount of games I wanted to ask what you thought of this approach. I cannot play the whole series, it just isn't realistic for me. I keep seeing from almost every fan that Yakuza 0 is the place to jump in. So my approach may be to play: Yakuza 0, Like a Dragon, Judgement, Lost Judgement.

What do you guys think?

@TraCuz- if only I knew 🤣… yeah I have no idea sorry mate. My plan is/was … Kiwame, … Kiwame 2, 3, 4, 5, … Zero, … Song of Life, Judgement, Lost Judgement and then ‘maybe’ Like a Dragon. But I’m keen to get further input before I lock that order in.