Game of the Year Awards 2021

“It is the many great characters that make the story in True Colors so rich and rewarding. Lashings of humor bring emotional highs and darker themes demonstrate good range. The narrative is strong; Deck Nine Games have (now twice) proven capable when it comes to episodic narrative adventure games.” – Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Psychonauts 2, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, It Takes Two

“With so many fantastical mindscapes and truly amazing character designs, Psychonauts 2 might have some of the most consistent and rewarding art styles in any game from the last few years. You visit a range of vibrant, abstract environments, like the psychedelic music-land that has rainbow-light bridges, a mini-world that Raz must sail around, and a library with giant books.” – Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Solar Ash, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Chorus

“Though a cross-generational game, the title manages to visually impress on Xbox Series X. The game looks sharp, and the special effects have been dialed up such as when kicking up dust in the desert. Improvements are also found in the little things, like better draw distance, better reflective surfaces, and the natural lighting at sunsets and sunrises.” – Alex V

Runners-up: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Returnal, Halo Infinite

“The title also features one of the best soundtracks in years. The indie-folk selection features soft guitar strumming, melancholy vocals, and light percussion. Angus & Julia Stone, mxmtoon, and Keaton Henson are the artists responsible for the best songs. It is the perfect fit for the franchise and utilized so well, so often.” – Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Forza Horizon 5, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Riders Republic

“Dilapidated houses creak mournfully as you search for supplies, and footsteps on the floor above indicate danger is near. When exploring the village, bushes rustle uneasily and the wind whistles down a narrow mountain path. These ambient noises go with sounds from more immediate threats, like the buzz of insects that hide a vampire or the bone-shivering cries of a grotesque beast in a house of dolls.” – Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Returnal, Forza Horizon 5, Back 4 Blood

“Places from the real exclusion zone have been faithfully reproduced, like the stained-glass cafe in the Pripyat port, desolate camp buildings in Kopachi, and the infamous Duga radar tower. The environments are dripping with atmosphere and it takes quite a while before they stop being enthralling.” – Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Resident Evil Village, Psychonauts 2, Little Nightmares 2

“Humor is another reason why many of the characters are awesome. True Colors is one of the funniest games in a while, and Alex plays a major role in the best jokes. The banter is smart and delivered with some brilliant voice acting and impeccable timing.” – Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Deathloop, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy, Psychonauts 2

“Whereas in Resident Evil 7 the bosses were a family of yokels, living off the grid, pathetically wasting away, bosses like Lady Dimitrescu strut triumphantly. There’s flair and panache to everything. This game is less about the dirt in the wrinkles of a monster’s skin and more about the other-wordly force they exhibit.” – Josh Hinke

Runners-up: Alex (Life is Strange: True Colors), Raz (Psychonauts 2), Nikki (Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy)

“Devotion is a chilling and horrific exploration of what happens when a desperate father loses himself in the search for help. The game succeeds in spite of all that it has going against it. Whether you’re a fan of horror or not, it’s still worth picking up Devotion just to see the creative ways the developers use familiar space and manipulate it with dread.” – Josh Hinke

Runners-up: The Rewinder, Age of Empires IV, Humankind

“Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is a solid return for the enjoyable action franchise, and a strong debut on the PS5 console. The campaign is accessible and offers some nice set pieces, with a decent 12 hour runtime, plus a bit more for those who wish to find every collectible. It’s certainly a great game to help sell the new system; everyone needs some solid, familiar entertainment once in a while.” – Alex V

Runners-up: Returnal, Deathloop, Kena: Bridge of the Spirits

“With Forza Horizon 5, the experience settles into a more comfortable and familiar groove. The new map is large, the racing and car customization remain excellent, and the visuals impress. The cars and the racing remain excellent. Many of the expected top manufacturers of the world are present, from Porsche to Lamborghini and Ferrari, and the cars are nicely detailed inside and out.” – Alex V

Runners-up: Halo Infinite, Microsoft Flight Simulator, The Artful Escape

“The story is entertaining with twists and reveals that kept me intrigued, while the gameplay loop of exploring, finding new abilities, and using them to defeat bosses and reach new locations was satisfying from start to finish, largely due to fluid traversal mechanics, engaging combat and the near constant introduction of new powers.” – Dylan Blereau

Runners-up: Shin Megami Tensei V, Monster Hunter Rise, New Pokemon Snap

“Returnal puts you in the space suit of Selene Vassos, an Astra Scout whose curiosity results in her being stranded on the mysterious planet known as Atropos. Addictive combat and traversal with plenty of weapons, consumables and upgrades that ensure runs always feel unique. Risk vs Reward of picking up Parasites and Malignant items remains constantly engaging.” – Dylan Blereau

Runners-up: It Takes Two, Death’s Door, Genesis Noir

“Like its traditional and time-tested gameplay, you can also count on Halo to perform well. The limited helmet vision from Halo 5 is replaced by a standard view with the transparent UI elements, as it should be. While the story is not a huge improvement, the new open-world design takes Halo campaign into a new direction, and the various gadgets – namely the grappleshot – expand its gameplay in new ways.” – Alex V

Runners-up: Life is Strange: True Colors, Psychonauts 2, Far Cry 6

“Much as how a car is a vessel to reach a destination, the gameplay is a vessel to tell the story Digixart wants to tell. And it’s a story that I found myself being constantly intrigued by. Digixart has crafted a fully unique title that leverages its consistently varied gameplay to tell a story that is relevant in 2021.” – Eric Hall

Runners-up: Genesis Noir, The Forgotten City, Loop Hero

“Forza Horizon 5 carries on the legacy of the franchise, with another big open world to explore, a large amount of content, and the still excellent racing. As always, the map is very well designed from a functional perspective. There are also multiple drag strips to push your tunes to the limit, and some of the longest jumps that the series has ever offered at the end of them.” – Alex V

Runners-up: Life is Strange: True Colors, Resident Evil Village, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

“343 Industries and Microsoft made a big and risky move, and pulled it off. By offering the multiplayer component of Halo Infinite for free and as standalone, it allowed the game to reach more players than ever. And those players were met with some of the smoothest gameplay in the genre. From the typical ongoing DLC Seasons to the variety of playlists, the multiplayer action of Halo Infinite is smooth and varied.” – Alex V

Runners-up: Back 4 Blood, It Takes Two, Riders Republic

“Where Infinite continues to unquestionably succeed is in its core gameplay. Every gun feels satisfying to use, and the action pushes you to stay mobile when possible, in order to get to the next weapon rack or dropped gun. The addition of gadgets elevates the experience.” – Alex V

Runners-up: Returnal, Resident Evil Village, Forza Horizon 5

“The shooting is trademark Halo, having the same refined feel and weapon variety that fans have come to expect from the series. With two weapons available at a time, your arsenal features everything from the Bulldog shotgun and VK76 Commando, to the Mangler hand cannon and satisfying Sentinel Beam. Every gun feels satisfying to use, and your ammo is still limited, so you’ll have to constantly cycle between the entire arsenal as enemies drop their guns on the battlefield.” – Alex V

Runners-up: Far Cry 6, Returnal, Back 4 Blood

“Returnal’s third person combat is extremely solid, with the shooting as fast and frantic as you’d expect from a Housemarque title. Equipped with a dash that is invulnerable to most enemy attacks and a handy jump, Selene can easily rush around a room destroying anything in her path. There’s also an adrenaline level that increases with enough kills, granting you handy buffs such as an enhanced overload and an upgraded proficiency rate.” – Dylan Blereau

Runners-up: Resident Evil Village, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

“Forza Horizon 5 is the most enjoyable and accessible racing game around, thanks to superb car handling and the feel of the terrain. Whether it’s barreling down the highway in a hypercar, or pushing through the forested areas in a huge truck, the vehicles are simply fun to drive. The handling model has been tweaked and improved slightly, with a more noticeable difference between high-rated and lower rated cars beyond just their speed and acceleration.” – Alex V

Runners-up: WRC 10, Riders Republic

“If you’re a fan of the franchise, Age of Empires IV will feel distinctly familiar to returning players and it is accessible enough for new players, just as long as they enjoy an RTS with an older sensibility. A bigger focus on historical campaigns is enjoyable, alongside great Skirmish and multiplayer modes.” – Daniel Nichols

Runners-up: Humankind, Loop Hero, Cozy Grove

“Unlike Before the Storm, True Colors is a fresh start. It has a slew of new characters, a different and interesting superpower, and an original setting. The connection to the previous games is mainly thematic, with the biggest link being a side character from Before the Storm, and their presence turns out to be the equivalent of rolling a 20.” – Ben Thomas

Runners-up: It Takes Two, Psychonauts 2, Road 96

“It’s hard to go wrong with Shin Megami Tensei V. The layered combat engine seems daunting at first, but as you experiment with it, the options afforded to you are staggering. Every encounter carries weight, and the boss battles are immensely satisfying to tackle. It’s an excellent RPG, and one of the best exclusives currently available on the Switch.” – Eric Hall

Runners-up: Monster Hunter Rise, Bravely Default 2, Chernobylite

“FIFA 22 is still a good football sim that’s highly authentic and has plenty of content to get involved with – from offline career modes to FUT. It’s not particularly flashy, flawless or totally immersive. It’s just solid – that’s a compliment to the quality that the series has managed to keep up for the past few decades.” – Alex V

Runners-up: Riders Republic, MLB The Show 21, NHL 22

“The multitude of abilities that Cody and May have each feel unique, while the platforming, combat and gameplay experience at large controls very nicely, and is a far cry from the somewhat clunkier controls in Hazelight’s previous game. There are even moments throughout It Takes Two where the game shifts genres entirely, and not once did it feel like the experience was hindered as a result.” – Dylan Blereau

Runners-up: Psychonauts 2, Little Nightmares 2, The Artful Escape

“Levels consist of various puzzles and platforming segments that must be done cooperatively, with both Cody and May often having their own unique abilities. Cooperating with your partner and discovering how to combat each puzzle scenario with your given abilities is the key to success. Boss Fights at the end of levels also provide a lot of fun, serving as places for you to get the most out of your level-exclusive weapons and abilities.” – Dylan Blereau

Runners-up: Little Nightmares 2, Looking for Aliens, Unpacking