It is easy to feel overwhelmed or spoiled for choice these days when it comes to picking a new game to play. Due to an ever-increasing demand, many new video games released in 2021 are tailored for online gameplay, especially AAA games. However, thanks to online digital distribution services such as Steam, it is possible for lone wolves, start-ups and small development companies to create their own video games and release them on the Steam store. Due to the low budgets of the majority of small-time developers, (although some start-ups manage to gain million in investment money) it is common for them to create single player games, which have therefore started to return to the mainstream. Prior to this and for the past decade, most AAA game companies have concentrated their efforts into creating games specifically for online play.
However, due to the influx of online games we’ve had for the past 10 years or so, there are an increasing number of people who remain nostalgic for the primarily single player games of the past – games such as The Legend of Zelda, Final Fantasy and Resident Evil. Although it has to be said, that gamers are still treated to some of the best single player games ever made such as titles in the God of War series and Assassins Creed.
We have decided to create for you a full guide to picking the very best games to suit your taste. We will look at games of the past that you may have been too young to play at the time as well as some of the best games released in 2021 including retro games, online games and online slots. We have also created different categories based on the type of game. The categories are:
- Best story mode games.
- Best online games.
- Best retro games.
- Best adult games.
- Best games released in 2021.
We have done our very best to offer you a wide variety of different games. All the games mentioned are available to play too, so you can get stuck in straight away.
Our Top 3 Story Mode Games
God of War (2018)
The newest God of War title is widely regarded as one of the greatest video games of all time. Released in 2018 for the PlayStation 4, it reaches a depth which no previous game in the series managed to get to. Along with his son, the former Greek God of War Kratos must make his way through ancient Scandinavia in the realm of Midgard. Previous entries in the series consisted primarily of beating the hell out of Kratos’ enemies and although we loved that, the latest game offered more depth due to the addition of Kratos’ son, Atreus.
Throughout the game, we can see more of Kratos’ softer side, and we are able to witness for ourselves a realistic and age-old struggle of a man struggling to pass on wisdom to his son and not allowing him to make the same mistakes which has tormented Kratos throughout his own life. Their mission is to reach the highest peak of the nine realms so that both father and son can fulfil the request of Atreus’ mother to spread her ashes.
Along with the fantastic storyline, the game received acclaim for its world design, graphics, music and combat system. Voted as the 2018 Game of the Year by a variety of media outlets and award shows, God of War helped to revitalise the whole series. An untitled sequel is schedule for release in 2022, so if you are yet to play the 2018 release, hurry up and do so before the sequel arrives!
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (2017)
Released in 2017, 31 years after the first ever Legend of Zelda game (The Legend of Zelda 1986), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is regarded as a masterpiece and one of the best video games ever made. We love this game as it is like a modern version of the original. Players are given little instruction and can explore the completely open world freely. One of the major features which people love about games in The Legend of Zelda series is the sense of accomplishment they feel whilst playing. Players must solve puzzles and side quests and the world is unstructured and deigned to award experimentation. Unfortunately, many modern games have become pay-to-win but this 2017 release brought us back to a point where games were created to challenge us rather than try to get money out of our wallets.
We do not want to tell you too much as we do not want to spoil the game for anyone who has not played it yet. But if you are reading this now and you haven’t yet played Breath of the Wild, what are you waiting for? It is available on the Nintendo Switch and the Wii U.
Final Fantasy VII (1997)
Final Fantasy VII is a role-playing game released in 1997. But don’t let the age of the game fool you, the seventh instalment in the Final fantasy series is widely regarded as one of the most influential and greatest games ever made. Final Fantasy VII has become something of a religious pilgrimage for many people who try to play through the game once a year to be able to relive the nostalgia of their first playthrough. The illustrious strongman Eddie Hall recently told his fans on YouTube how he played through the game at least once a year and that it was his favourite video game both growing up and now as an adult.
The game features three modes of play: the world map, the field and the battle screen. The player can explore different environments, talk with characters and initiate the fantastic story. If you are just hearing about this game for the first time, then we really envy you! Final Fantasy VII is available on all modern platforms including PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and Microsoft Windows. You can even play on your mobile too!
Our Top 3 Online Games
Halo 3 (2007)
Halo 3 is regarded by many as the very best game in the series of Halo video games due to its fantastic online multiplayer game-mode. Released in 2007, the Halo 3 online multiplayer ensured thousands of gamers worldwide would be treated to endless hours of fun. Pretty much all of the multiplayer maps were superb – the Bungie team really improved on the comparatively poor Halo 2 multiplayer experience. Of course, the main story campaign in Halo 3 still does not compete with Halo: Combat Evolved, but nevertheless, we regard the Halo 3 multiplayer as one of the best of all time.
Unfortunately, 343 Industries announced that all remaining Halo servers on the Xbox 360 will be shutdown by the end of 2021 at the latest. You will not be able to play Halo 3 online on any other Xbox console either. Let’s just hope that the upcoming Halo Infinite will be able to match its predecessor on the online stage.
Overwatch (2016)
With their team-based multiplayer first-person shooter, Blizzard introduced gamers with an online game which revolved primarily around teamwork. One of the major successes of Overwatch was how the development team were able to create over 20 playable characters which all had different strengths and weaknesses. Furthermore, no single character was the overalls strongest, this ensured the necessity for teamwork and each characters utilising their strongest components.
In 2021, Overwatch has a thriving esports scene which sees professional teams compete against one another. Of course, you don’t have to be a professional gamer to play Overwatch. The servers are still alive and kicking and you can play Overwatch on your console or computer.
Mario Kart 8 (2014/2017)
Out of the whole Mario Kart series of video games, Mario Kart 8 is widely regarded as the best of them all, the crème de la crème. The racecourses are fabulous as well as the features which include inverted gravity and sections of the track completely disappearing at random. Of course, like any Mario Kart game, it is most fun when playing with your friends but there is a solo mode too which is fun.
Since the release of Mario Kart 8 in 2014, Nintendo has not felt the need to replace it, such is the games popularity. The game was originally released on the Wii U in 2014 and the Switch in 2017.
Our Top 3 Retro Games
Streets of Rage 2 (1992)
If you used to own a SEGA Mega Drive then you probably have fond memories of playing the superb Streets of Rage 2 beat ’em up. This side scrolling adventure allowed you to pick from several characters (my favourite was always Max) and your mission would be to beat up all of the baddies who confronted you before you would take on an end of level boss. As the game went on, the bad guys became harder and harder to defeat. You can play co-op too, I have fond memories of playing Streets of Rage 2 with my older brother although we never once managed to beat the game. The soundtrack helped to keep players concentration levels up too, you can play for hours without ever getting bored!
A Streets of Rage 2 remake was released on the PlayStation 4 console which you can download and play today! In 2020, Streets of Rage 4 was released. However, many thought the fourth instalment in the series remained far inferior to the remake of Streets of Rage 2.
Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992)
Perhaps the most recognizable game series for any kid growing up in the 90s, Sonic the Hedgehog games were truly fantastic, especially the first two. Your mission was to defeat the evil Dr Robotnik (now Dr Eggman) who was attempting to turn all animals into his evil minions hellbent on destruction. Every level in the game offered something different and although each boss fight was against Dr Robotnik, the evil villain would utilise a wide range of different machines in which to fight you in.
The soundtrack for each level was memorable too and was a major reason why the Sonic the Hedgehog series was so popular. As of 2021, you can play remakes of both of the first two games. You can even save the games too, on the original Sega Mega Drive console where the games were first released, there was no option to save the game!
Metal Gear Solid (1998)
‘What have you got there? A cardboard box?’ Who can say they didn’t love using the cardboard box to hide from the bad guys? I never actually played Metal Gear Solid but I recall watching one of my best friends playing and using the cardboard box. It blew my mind seeing this in a game for the first time, as it allowed the player to use their own initiative. You could also use first person view within the box to look around. However, if you try to look around, the box will move which could result in your discovery if an enemy AI notices you.
The game also had other fantastic features too though and it paved the way for many similar stealth shooting games in the future such as Splinter Cell. The main character in the Metal Gear Solid series was called Snake but his real name was Jack… that would make him a Jack-in-the-box.
Our Top 3 Adult Games
Mayan Wild Mystery Slot (2019)
One of the most popular online slots, Mayan Wild Mystery was developed by expert development company StakeLogic. Available to be played at only a select few online slot sites, Mayan Wild Mystery, as far as slot machine games go, is packed full of excitement. Of course, to play you need to be over the age of 18 in the UK and over 21 in America. The game is loosely based upon the ancient kingdom of the Mayans and is regarded as one of the best slot games due to its massive payout potential.
Players can win up to 125,000x their wager. This means that if you bet just £/$1, you will have the opportunity to win £/$125,000! Mayan Wild Mystery is featured on the SlotsHawk guide to the highest paying slot games and is regarded by us as one of the very best around.
Subverse (2021)
When Subverse was announced by FOW Interactive, it quickly became one of the most supported games on the start-up website, Kickstarter. The game raised over £1.6 million within one month, making it one of the top twenty highest-funded Kickstarter games. Subverse consists of recruiting your own space crew filled with a mixture hot alien babe, yes, you read that correctly. Subverse was created for anyone who wishes they were at the head of a spaceship surrounded by sexy alien waifus. If you don’t mind being aroused by fictional cartoon aliens, then Subverse is actually quite a fun game to play.
The first act of the game was released in March 2021 on Steam. On the weekend following its release, it reached #2 on the Steam ranking charts. The gameplay is similar to Mass Effect but with ‘an emphasis on erotic interaction’.
Leisure Suit Larry: Magna Cum Laude (2004)
Have you ever wanted to take the roll of a balding, leisure suit-wearing 40-year-old man on a university campus full of attractive young women? Us neither but this game is surprisingly fun and quite challenging at the same time. Although there are several different Leisure Suit Larry games, our favourite is the seventh in the series, Magna Cum Laude. However, you don’t take the role of the 40-year-old Larry in this game, instead you play as his younger nephew (who is also named Larry).
When you load up the game, you will quickly discover that it has a free exploration mode, so you can go around campus talking to scantily clad women. Whenever you strike up a conversation with a woman, a minigame will begin and if you manage to win, you will increase the affection of the girl you were talking to as well as your own confidence. Overall, the aim of the game is to get on a dating TV show called ‘Swingles’. The only way for Larry to get on the show is by proving his seductive wits.
Our Top 3 Games Released in 2021
Overcooked! All You Can Eat (March 2021)
Newly released for the new generation of consoles, Overcooked! All You Can Eat includes the enhanced bundle of Overcooked and Overcooked 2. This is a fantastic game to play with friends and family; both children and adults will have lots of fun. There is now an assist mode too making the game a little easier for children with options such as increased scores for meals and longer level times. The presentation is sharper than ever on the new consoles too.
If you are yet to play this fun party game, we can almost guarantee that you will love it.
Resident Evil Village (May 2021)
It has been a while since we last had a fast-paced Resident Evil game; enter Resident Evil Village. The games intro is set in an isolated snowy village at the foot of a medieval castle and almost immediately the title character Ethan comes under attack by a number of monsters. Expect numerous fire fights within the first hour of the game. The environment which includes a gothic mansion and wine cellars soaked with blood help to ensure that this is one of the scariest Resident Evil titles to date, luckily you are always well equipped with a stock of powerful weapons including shotguns and grenade launchers.
As usual, headshots are key. The skill is to remain calm enough to pick your shots carefully – easier said than done when you have a sharp-fanged mutant running up into your face. Expect scavenger hunts and the odd jump-cut or two. The puzzles are pretty tricky and once solved, will leave with a nice sense of accomplishment. The games creators Capcom put a lot of thought into Resident Evil Village and we expect it to be one of the standout games in 2021.
Ninja Gaiden: Master Edition June 2021
The Ninja Gaiden Master Collection lets you relive all the great Ninja Gaiden titles. Each game in the collection includes the majority of their extra DLC modes and costumes. This collection of games is perfect for both experienced Ninja Gaiden players and newbies, so if you have not played them yet, you are in for a treat.
Your Thoughts
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