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Most Anticipated Games of 2021

We look ahead to the first full year of the new console generation
Posted by NGN_Staff
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The past year has been challenging for many across the globe. With the world getting caught up in a deadly virus outbreak, we were forced to stay at home, and try to weather the storm. As we touched on in our GOTY 2020 Awards though, this situation helped push video games into the spotlight, a way for us to unwind and forget, at least for a moment. And just as we all hope for the global pandemic to soon come to an end, we also look ahead to the video games that will hopefully release and entertain us in the coming year. With the arrival of new consoles, the future has a bright and exciting outlook. Below, we’ve selected 12 games that all of our current staff are currently anticipating for 2021, listed in alphabetical order.


Back 4 Blood
Back 4 Blood
Back 4 Blood is a thrilling cooperative first-person shooter from the creators of the Left 4 Dead franchise. Fight your way through a dynamic, perilous world in a 4-player co-op story campaign where you must work together to survive increasingly challenging missions. Play with up to 3 of your friends online or go solo.

When: June 22, 2021
Where: pc Xbox one Xbox series x|s ps4 ps5


Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur's Gate 3
Choose from a wide selection of D&D races and classes, or play as an origin character with a hand-crafted background. Adventure, loot, battle and romance as you journey through the Forgotten Realms and beyond. Play alone, and select your companions carefully, or as a party of up to four in multiplayer.

When: TBD 2021
Where: pc


Deathloop
Deathloop
Deathloop transports players to the lawless island of Blackreef in an eternal struggle between two extraordinary assassins. As Colt, the only chance for escape is to end the cycle by assassinating eight key targets before the day resets. Learn from each cycle – try new paths, gather intel, and find new weapons and abilities.

When: May 21, 2021
Where: pc ps5


Far Cry 6
Far Cry 6
Far Cry 6 plunges players into the heart of a modern-day guerrilla revolution set in Yara, a tropical paradise frozen in time. President Antón Castillo (Esposito) vows to restore his country to its former glory while grooming his son Diego (Gonzalez) to follow in his footsteps.

When: TBD 2021
Where: pc Xbox one Xbox series x|s ps4 ps5


Gotham Knights
Gotham Knights
Gotham Knights promises a dynamic and interactive Gotham City where an exploding criminal element has swept through the streets. With the Belfry as their base of operations, this new era of heroes will solve mysteries that connect the darkest chapters in the city’s history and defeat notorious villains.

When: TBD 2021
Where: pc Xbox one Xbox series x|s ps4 ps5


Halo Infinite
Halo Infinite
When all hope is lost and humanity’s fate hangs in the balance, the Master Chief is ready to confront the most ruthless foe he’s ever faced. Begin anew and step inside the armor of humanity’s greatest hero to experience a new adventure and finally explore the scale of the Halo ring itself.

When: TBD 2021
Where: pc Xbox one Xbox series x|s

 

The list continues on the next page!

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Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West continues Aloy’s story as she moves west to a far-future America to brave a majestic, but dangerous frontier where she’ll face larger machines and mysterious new threats. It’s up to Aloy to uncover the secrets behind these threats and restore order and balance to the world.

When: TBD 2021
Where: ps4 ps5


Monster Hunter Rise
Monster Hunter Rise
Monster Hunter Rise is an action RPG that evolves the Monster Hunter series by providing hunters with an inventive set of new tools to track down and defeat threatening monsters. Players can tackle these challenges solo, or with up to three other hunters in local or cooperative online play.

When: March 26, 2021
Where: switch


Resident Evil Village
Resident Evil Village
Set a few years after Resident Evil 7, the all-new storyline begins with Ethan and his wife Mia living peacefully in a new location, free from their past nightmares. Just as they are building their new life together, tragedy befalls them once again. Chris Redfield is reacquainted with the couple and horribly disrupts their life, leaving Ethan devastated and thrown into an entirely new nightmare.

When: May 7, 2021
Where: pc Xbox one Xbox series x|s ps4 ps5


Returnal
Returnal game
After crash-landing on this shape-shifting world, Selene must search through the barren landscape of an ancient civilization for her escape. Isolated and alone, she finds herself fighting tooth and nail for survival. Again and again, she’s defeated – forced to restart her journey every time she dies.

When: April 30, 2021
Where: ps4 ps5


Twelve Minutes
Twelve Minutes game
Twelve Minutes is a real-time top-down interactive thriller with an accessible click and drag interface. What should be a romantic evening with your wife turns into a nightmare when a police detective breaks into your home, accuses your wife of murder and beats you. Featuring James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley, and Willem Dafoe, the game is on our Most Antiticpated list for a second year in a row.

When: TBD 2021
Where: pc Xbox one Xbox one ps4


Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines 2
Bloodlines 2 is the successor to RPG Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodline and will feature reactive storytelling and melee combat. Players will become a vampire and explore the city streets of Seattle. Following delays, the game is on our Most Antiticpated list for a second year in a row.

When: TBD 2021
Where: pc Xbox one Xbox series x|s ps4 ps5

 

Let’s look back at how our predictions turned out in 2020 on the next page…

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On this final page, we like to look back at how well our hopes played out over the last year. Let’s take a look at our most anticipated games for 2020 and how they turned out!

Animal Crossing: New Horizons
80/100: “New Horizons draws from familiar Animal Crossing elements while building upon and redecorating them with its fun island motif. It’s still fairly minimalistic, but I liken it to a warm honey tea – it may be simple and subdued, but still provides a relaxing, enjoyable experience.”

Carrion
80/100: “The metroidvania gameplay loop is addictive, while its sound design and highly detailed pixel-art look makes it a joy to hear and look at. An average story and lack of an in-game map sap some of the enjoyment, but Carrion’s ability to have you play as an unstoppable monster is gory grandeur.”

Cyberpunk 2077
86/100: “Night City is a place of splendor and possibilities. Appealing characters and their tangled stories elevate Cyberpunk 2077 and it is only the technical issues and a few missing features that keep it from reaching legendary status.”

Doom Eternal
69/100: “Doom Eternal’s core shooting is strong thanks to grand weapons and enemy variety, but it buries the action under irksome resource management and stilted combat arenas. The bland multiplayer and silly platforming only hurt it more, driving this sequel below previous games in the series.”

Dying Light 2
The game has been further delayed to 2021.

Ghost of Tsushima
84/100: “Ghost of Tsushima offers a well-designed open world that combines great combat with enticing exploration. The excellent art style brings this unique historical setting to life, and smart design choices help the game overcome its minor flaws.” The title also won our Game of the Year 2020.

Ori and the Will of the Wisps
85/100: “Stunning visuals and brilliant music is just the first course in Ori and the Will of the Wisps. With its large world, lavish combat, and a smooth implementation of the metroidvania design, this sequel is a must-play for fans of the original, and highly recommended for everybody else.”

Resident Evil 3 (2020)
72/100: “Resident Evil 3 proves that you can take a lot of the same mechanics and ideas, but when you implement them into a flawed structure, a lot gets lost in the mix. The 2020 remake lacks the depth, pacing, and general sensibilities of a great survival horror and ends up almost becoming an action game.”

The Last of Us Part II
80/100: “The Last of Us Part II offers more of the same great stealth gameplay, as you face overwhelming odds in increasingly challenging and haunting environments. But with an ambitiously structured narrative that doesn’t pay off, and the new cast lacking chemistry, this adventure can’t quite live up to its predecessor.”

Twelve Minutes
The game didn’t make a 2020 launch window, and it is on our list for the second year in a row.

Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2
The game was delayed a few times, and it is on our list for the second year in a row.

Watch Dogs Legion
65/100: “Being able to Play As Anyone in Watch Dogs: Legion is impressive at first, but it becomes a detriment to the core experience that’s in need of revitalization. The hacking and stealth infiltrations haven’t changed a bit, and with repetitive mission design and numerous technical issues, this latest chapter finds DedSec in an identity crisis.”

 

Thanks for reading! Hopefully this year won’t have as many delays and the new PS5 and Xbox Series X|S consoles will get plenty of games to enjoy.