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Gaming

22nd Dec 2021

These are the 10 must-play games of 2021

Rory Cashin

All of 2021’s best games on PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch and more…

Over the Christmas and New Year break, we’re all going to be looking for stuff to do, and that includes checking out any and all games that we might’ve missed through the year.

To that end, we’ve chosen our top 10 games of 2021.

How many have you played?

Deathloop

Available on PS5 and PC.

A first-person shooter with an interesting sci-fi twist, as you play an assassin with amnesia who is stuck on an island experiencing a Groundhog Day-esque timeloop.

Hitman 3

Available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Switch, Stadia and PC.

The bald killer is back, with another series of devilish playgrounds to get your kill on in.

From a lush English estate to an industrial German nightclub to the top of a Dubai skyscraper, people need to be murdered, but it is up to you how the murdering happens.

It Takes Two

Available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One and PC.

A magnificent two-player game that can be played locally (with your second player sat beside you) or online, harking back to the old-school platforming and action adventures.

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

Available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC.

Maybe the biggest surprise of 2021 (considering how bad the Marvel’s Avengers game was), this original look at the GotG characters basically plays like Uncharted in space.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition

Available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One and PC.

The landmark sci-fi trilogy got a technical glow-up this year, while also being made available on platforms that the games weren’t previously launched on.

Now is the perfect to get introduced to them.

Metroid Dread

Available on Switch.

Another return to old-school gaming, with this 2D action platformer bringing back the Metroidvania vibes of old.

2021’s must-buy for Switch owners.

Psychonauts 2

Available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One and PC.

16 years after the original, this much-anticipated sequel managed to keep the wit and intelligence of the original, while upping the technical aspects behind the platforming and puzzle-solving gameplay.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Available on PS5.

A visually stunning shooter/platformer, truly showing off what the PS5 is capable of.

Arguably the most purely-fun game of the year.

Resident Evil Village

Available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One and PC.

Meshing the OTT bonkers’ness of RE4 and the out-and-out horror of RE7, if you like scary games, this is a necessity.

If you don’t, avoid at all costs!

Returnal

Available on PS5.

Every year we get one incredibly difficult game (Hades, Sekiro, etc.) that also happens to be really, really good.

This year, that title goes to this incredibly creepy sci-fi shooter.

Clips via PlayStationDouble FineNintendo & Electronic Arts