The Top 5 Games of 2021

Happy beginning of December fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

Well, we did it! Somehow, we managed to survive 2021 and all of it’s various troubles & pitfalls. Personally, this year seemed a bit more bearable than the plague-ridden bullcrap of 2020. Make no mistake, this year had it’s own set of problems, but for whatever reason things just felt....better. I don’t know how, but moving through 2021 felt a little bit easier than going through the year before, and not quite as soul crushing. So, to celebrate this occasion, let’s take a look at what I thought the best games of the year were. This list shares a little bit in common with the one I made for 2019: mainly, the fact that many of the titles on here are FPS games. However, I got a twist or two for 2021's list that will certainly surprise some of you. So, without further delay, here are my top 5 games of 2021! Enjoy!

5) Call of Duty: Black Ops - Cold War (Video)

Call of Duty seems to have been on something of a return to form of sorts in recent titles. The reboot of the Modern Warfare series brought back a lot of the trilogy’s grittiness, and the 4th (Technically the 5th if you count Black Ops 4) entry in the Black Ops series hearkens back to it’s earliest outings. In many ways, Cold War shares the flexibility of how the story moves ala Black Ops 2, not to mention the cast of characters you’ll get attached to. On top of that, the multiplayer continues the enhanced customization that was established in the MW reboot, it adds onto Warzone’s excellent gameplay, and the Zombies mode is just fantastic. If you’re a disciple of the ways of Black Ops, then join the cold war if you haven’t already!

4) Mortal Shell - Steam Edition (Video)

Now this was a game I was excited for!

Unlike Borderlands 3, I wasn’t upset that this ode to Dark Souls was a year exclusive to the Epic Game Store. Cold Symmetry is a smaller studio, and they probably needed the financial help, and thus I can’t complain. So when it finally came out back in August, I quickly picked it & the DLC on the same day, and hot damn was it worth it. Mortal Shell might go by quicker when compared to a release in the Souls trilogy (Along with Bloodborne & Sekiro), but it makes up for that by having tight yet well developed gameplay, and a world that’s varied and unique despite it’s small size. This game may be  faster than the series it takes inspiration from, but it’s still well worth your time.

3) Arthurian Legends (Video)

So this is a game that came out of nowhere!

I’ve only known about this game since near the end of October. In fact, it was due to an accidental discovery in my “Suggestions” on Youtube that I ever found it (Due to the Alpha Beta Gamer channel. I’ll mention the channel again in the Honorable Mentions). I downloaded the 2-level demo, and practically fell in love with it right then & there. Then just a few days afterwards, I bought the game for just a little over 12 dollars......and it was worth every single penny! Despite being the first title from a relatively obscure studio (Scolaro Games), it’s very obvious that they know what they’re doing. Taking on the more fantastical elements of the Arthurian Legends (Hence the game’s name), the game is another wonderful addition to the classic FPS boom in recent years, rightfully earning a place among titles like Dusk or Ion Fury. If you have some change lying around, why not give Arthurian Legends a go!?

2) Quake: 25th Anniversary (Video)

Hard to believe that one of the FPS titans turned 25 years old back in June. My 9 year old self in 1996 was blown away by how it looked, how fast it could be, and how it played. Though I hold Duke Nukem 3d in much higher regard, I still get some huge nostalgia vibes when I play this Industrial meets Lovecraft first person shooter. Cut to this past August, and a free 25th anniversary edition comes out with force! Updated graphics & textures, original soundtrack, and all of the expansion packs (Including a brand new one made) are within this delicious FPS buffet! Playing through everything brought back a lot of childhood memories & nostalgia, and for those who grew up with it back then will get that effect also. For those who didn’t, the 25th Anniversary of Quake is a great portal into the gaming past. From a time when things seemed simple, and we didn’t have all of the drama we have now. For the older generation looking for a nostalgia blast, or for the newer generation that never played games like this, Quake’s 25th anniversary is for you!

Before we get to my number one game of the year, I wanted to go over some honorable mentions. The two titles here couldn’t be any more opposite of each other: One is funny, sexy, and oddly charming, while the other harkens back to one of the grittiest FPS titles of the late 90s. So, with that said, here are my honorable mentions of 2021.

HM1) Futa Fix: Dine & Dash (Video)

Possibly one of the most absurd games I’ve ever come across!

Ironically enough, this American made visual novel came out right near the end of 2020. The 21st of December, as a matter of fact. Now, this has a bunch of stuff I like: cute girls/women, futa (Don’t judge), an absolutely absurd story, and a surprising amount of cleverness behind the entire spectacle. What puts Futa Fix in the honorable mentions is twofold: the story is the same with multiple playthroughs (There’s a good ending & bad ending), and the sex most of the time is okay at best. As problematic as that sounds, I genuinely encourage people to give this novel a go. It’s definitely not for everybody, and I can easily understand why some would drop this like a bad habit & delete it, but this absurd yet charming tale is something to possibly consider.

HM2) Cultic Demo (Video)

Not since the “Honorable Mentions” section all the way back in 2014 have I ever talked about a game demo, but lo & behold this beauty showed up a few months back! I actually found this thing by accident on Youtube thanks to the Alpha Beta Gamer channel (Link here). Much like New Blood Interactive’s 2018 masterpiece Dusk, Cultic’s demo is another heartfelt tribute to the cult classic Blood. Dark, brooding, gory, and fast-paced, this slice of FPS cheesecake bring back the spirit of the 90s, but with a decent touch of modern technology, it’s sure to be a hit when the whole thing comes out.

1) Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery (Video)

Last year I ended my list with Doom Eternal & the re-release of Doom 64. Two of the most highly anticipated games of 2020, and rightfully so. This year? I’m ending this on a title a lot of you might not have heard of. Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery. Developed by the Taiwanese game group Silver Lining Studio, this game is the exact opposite of the two FPS releases I mentioned above. Behind the Frame is calm, soothing, relaxing, charming, and has a mild Ghibli-esque look in terms of it’s visuals and animation. The puzzles you solve are fun but not terribly complex, and the story is easy to get into. It does play for a short amount of time (I beat it in an hour & 6 minutes if I recall correctly), but it doesn’t feel like it goes by too fast, and there’s definitely some encouragement to go through a second time (Maybe even a 3rd or 4th if you’re trying to grab all the achievements). If you want something to soothe the soul & warm the heart, especially after the kind of year 2020 & this year was, you can’t go wrong with Behind the Frame!

And those were the top 5 games of 2021. This was certainly an interesting mix of games, as there’s something for everybody on this list. Fantasy, 80s Cold War, a return of a legend, you name it! So, I’ll see you all next Monday, for I have quite the list of top 5 albums this year. See you then!


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If you’d like to look at what I thought the best games were of last year, check out the link below:

Top 5 Games of 2020