I’ve been working on this article for four weeks. Not because I struggled with my Game of the Year selections, but because this – my 1,000th article for TheGamer – will also be my last.
I’ve been with TheGamer since 2018, back when we were a five-to-ten post per day news site. From exciting new initiatives and exponential growth to growing pains and extra, EXTRA-long days and nights, I feel like I saw it all in my nearly four years with TG. Now, it’s time for me to head off onto my next adventure.
Before I leave, though, I am here to provide you with my final top-10 list for TheGamer and explain to you exactly why my admittedly surprising number one pick is well worth your time and attention (in addition to the other nine titles).
So, without further ado, here are the 2021 Game of the Year selections, according to me.
Honorable mentions worth checking out: Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 & 2 (PS5), Anodyne 2: Return to Dust, Exo One, Chernobylite, Disjunction
10. Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles
2020 was a year in which I really dove into the JRPG and anime genres. Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles continued that trend in 2021 with its gorgeous visuals and even better fighting mechanics. It’s a shame that the title hasn’t necessarily gone the way of a traditional fighting game, garnering a community at esports-styled events, because I think the head-to-head battles put a breath of fresh air into the fighting game genre. At any rate, Demon Slayer - Kimetsu no Yaiba - The Hinokami Chronicles is definitely worth checking out if you’re a fan of the anime (or anime in general).
9. Halo Infinite
Halo Infinite was actually the last game that I added to my list. I wasn’t sure I was going to add it since I’ve only scratched the surface of the single-player campaign, but I can’t stop playing multiplayer. It feels like the traditional Halo experience – something I haven't really felt since Halo 2. I care far less about Halo’s story than most, but the game’s multiplayer alone is more than deserving of its inclusion on this list.
8. Littlewood
Littlewood came out of nowhere for me. I reviewed the game on a whim to help out a friend, and it ended up being one of the games that earned a perfect score. It’s such an unassuming game that just sees you rebuilding your hometown and helping out its citizens, but in an incredibly calm and relaxing way, free of any threats, deadlines, or other stressors. The Switch version of the game is a great way to unwind after a long day or just before heading off to bed.
7. Back 4 Blood
Left 4 Dead’s spiritual successor has everything that I loved about the original games, but takes it to the next level with bigger enemies and higher stakes. I know I’m in the minority in this statement, but I even managed to enjoy Back 4 Blood’s deckbuilding and progression system at launch – both of which are mechanics that I don’t tend to gravitate towards usually. I still have yet to play with the same group of friends that I played L4D with way back in college (adulting sure is a pain, isn’t it?), but when that happens, it’s going to be glorious.
6. Forza Horizon 5
I think Forza Horizon 5 is this year’s “game that I didn’t know I needed.” From its opening tutorial to the wide open world just begging to be driven, Forza Horizon 5 both plays great and looks absolutely gorgeous. The best part, though? My son likes sitting with me while I play, making Forza Horizon 5 one of the first video games that he’s really shown an interest in. “Wanna drive, Dada?” You bet, kid.
5. Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy
Atelier Ryza 2: Lost Legends & the Secret Fairy takes the cake for the coziest game of the year. Sure, there are monster battles and a slightly overwhelming alchemy/crafting mechanic, but there’s not a world that I enjoyed exploring more than this one. Sometimes, I just hop in to run around the grandiose city center and hang out with Reisalin “Ryza” Stout in her apartment that would undoubtedly be way too expensive for me to afford in real life.
4. Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous
Unlike Forza Horizon 5, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous is EXACTLY a game that I’ve needed for a long time. The pandemic basically erased two years of me playing any Dungeons & Dragons (remote play just isn’t the same for my group), but Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous gives me my own personal campaign to play through. With a mind-boggling amount of depth in its character creation, along with its giant world and expansive storytelling, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous gave me a D&D experience that I so desperately needed this year.
3. Chivalry 2
The Chivalry franchise is one that has always held a special place in my heart with its over the top decapitations, dismemberment, and hilarious banter. Chivalry 2 takes everything about the original and dials it up a notch with even bigger battles and deadlier weapons – the best of which is arguably the ballista bolt, with the most ridiculous (and hilarious) weapon being a dead fish.
2. Demeo
Another game inspired by Dungeons & Dragons, Demeo takes the tabletop genre to totally new heights in this VR dungeon crawling RPG. You may be playing with mini-figurines, but Demeo is about as immersive a D&D experience as you can get as you explore dark corridors and take on a wide variety of dangerous enemies. I haven’t had a chance to check out the game’s free expansion, Realm of the Rat King, but I’m excited to hop back in over my holiday break and kick some rodent tail.
1. Cyberpunkdreams
I’d be genuinely surprised if this one made it onto other GOTY lists (especially at the #1 spot), but Cyberpunkdreams is, without a doubt, the best game that I’ve played this year. It’s a text-based, choose-your-own-adventure type of game set within a dystopian cyberpunk future, with a deckbuilding and luck mechanic that works wildly well. I’ve spent countless hours in Cyberpunkdreams (my most played game of the year, by far), but I still feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of an incredibly deep world that’s steeped in mystery and intrigue. I’m not typically a text-based game type of gamer, but Late Night Games – the team behind Cyberpunkdreams – has created something incredibly special.
“Didn’t we have some fun, though?”
In an absolutely ideal world, my final review for TheGamer would have been It Takes Two, which, obviously, would have ended up on this GOTY list. You see, my very first video game review for the website – which also happened to be the very first review for TheGamer, period – was A Way Out, another superb Josef Fares/Hazelight Studios-developed title.
I don’t think there could have been a more appropriate title to have bookended my reviewing career here at TG, especially since my A Way Out review took place during a pretty considerable low point in my life. Although, personally, this year has been one of the worst that I’ve ever experienced, I feel like I’ve finally reached the light at the end of the tunnel and feel incredibly fortunate and grateful to be in the position that I am. I haven’t played It Takes Two yet, but you can bet that I have every intention of doing so soon – all the while likely reminiscing on my first review and all of the reviews and opportunities that followed here at TheGamer.
There’s so much I want to say, but I’ll leave it at this: I’m grateful for my time at TG; my teammates old and new (Ben and Patrick, I owe you everything!); the wonderful external partners, indie developers/publishers, and PR reps that I’ve collaborated with; and for you, the readers. Thank you.
This is Sam Watanuki, your Chipotle burrito-loving Lead Reviews Editor for TheGamer.com, fondly signing out.