Throughout the chaos that has been 2021, we can be sure that there is no shortage of great games to play. With the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S being relatively new, there have been a wide variety of games released this year and even re-releases as well as remakes of new and improved versions of our much-loved old-time favorites. If you don’t know where to look to find these fantastic games, you’ve come to the right place!
Keep reading to find out what the best games released so far and also what platforms you’re able to play them on.
1. Hitman 3
If you’re looking for a modern murder simulator, then this is the game for you. Hitman 3 is the final installment in the “World of Assassination” trilogy brought to us by IO Interactive; it’s also the best game in the trilogy. Hitman 3 is a hilarious puzzle box of murder that gives you the most ironic ays to kill and hunt targets, exploding golf balls and rat poison in cakes being two of them.
The setting for this game takes the main character (Agent 47) around the world, either DJing at Clubs in Berlin, playing deceptive in Dartmoor, or even hanging off skyscrapers in Dubai. Each new kill opportunity allows you, as the player, to decide how to kill any targets.
The Hitman games are so highly rated that they set the benchmark for modern game designs in that the developers trust the players to figure things out on their own and then reward them for doing so. It immerses you in a no-hand-holding way, even with all the whiteboard snippets throughout the game. So if you mess up in the game, it’s up to you to learn from your mistakes and plan your assassinations better.
Although Hitman 3 does not add new ideas to the Hitman series, it lets you develop the ideas, making it a true masterpiece.
Release Date: January 2021
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
2. Resident Evil Village
If you’re a true gamer, then you’ve heard of and played the Resident Evil series that first graced our screens 25 years ago. Yes, these games have been around for that long. If you’re a fan, then you’ll love the new release in the series, Resident Evil Village. This game picks up from the terrifyingly thrilling 2017 Resident Evil: Biohazard, taking a modern approach to survival horror with all the jump scares we love and exciting creatures like werewolves and blood-drinking countesses.
Resident Evil Village sees the main character (Ethan Winters) begin his new life in rural Eastern Europe when he is struck by a tragedy that plunges him into a quest worthy of all your nightmares.
One of the best things about this game, like all the Resident Evil games, is that it switches between modes when you least expect it, always keeping you on your toes. You could be in the middle of searching for a solution to a puzzle in a seemingly non-threatening place when out of nowhere, a werewolf leaps out at you. Or you’re being chased by a slime creature that laughs like a baby.
The weird and ludicrous scenarios and plots still have references to the previous games, so you have the best of all the Resident Evil games for all the true fans out there.
Release Date: May 2021
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S
3. Ratchet & Clank
A more recent release, the sixteenth installment of the Ratchet & Clank series, brings us this unrestrained sci-fi adventure Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. With animation that rivals Pixar, this game centered around a furry animal and his trusted robot pal, follows the two as we last saw them in Ratchet & Clank: Into the Nexus.
With incredible storylines and the never-ending array of eccentric weapons to help get rid of any obstacles (skeletons and robots) in your way, plus a new over-the-top mechanic that allows you to switch between different dimensions!
Fans of the Ratchet & Clank series have highly rated this new addition, giving special mention to the quirky weapons and the laugh-out-loud witty dialogue.
Release Date: June 2021
Platform: PS5
4. It Takes Two
For those who enjoy playing games with others, this two-player-only experience is perfect for you. It Takes Two is a Pixar-Esque adventure based on a couple amidst a divorce where you get to play as either side of the couple as they navigate being shrunk and trying to get to their daughter to repair their relationship,
The central theme in this game is teamwork, as you’re immersed in a blend of puzzles, emotional narratives, and synchronized action. While one player prepares the route, and the other has to navigate it. This requires continuous planning and communication between players to best use their unique gadgets (a bazooka that shoots flammable honey while the other bazooka shoots matches to ignite the flammable honey, for instance) effectively.
If you enjoy problem-solving games that allow you to work with others to achieve a common goal, then this is the game for you. Though the storyline is slightly on the sad side, the game itself is full of adventure and high-stake challenges, either set in a workshop, garden, and even the home itself.
Release Date: March 2021
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X
5. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
Super Mario is one of those games we always return to due to nostalgia. Since moving from Wii U to the more popular Nintendo Switch, it’s gained more attraction in recent years. With this has come the remake that is Super Mario 3D World. Although quite similar to the 2013 Wii U version, it does have new adaptations and online multiplayer features.
Super Mario 3D World allows for four-player fun in catsuits with vibrant and colorful levels where you get to play as a cat and climb walls and scratch enemies alike. In addition to this is the 3D Mario: Bowser’s Fury game where it’s an open-world Mario with a giant Godzilla-like Bowser who emerges from the sea for the sole purpose of raining havoc on you, offering new islands and also obstacles (in the form of lava, fire, and volcanic rocks) to overcome.
This game is perfect for those who grew up playing Super Mario and are eager to face new adventures with their favorite small Italian plumber.
Release Date: February 2021
Platform: Nintendo Switch