Here are the 25 games from 2021 that received the highest scores on Metacritic (an aggregator site that collects reviews for movies, games, and series). This is not a popular trend, but rather a cross-section that demonstrates the preferences not of individuals, but of critics in general.
How we've grouped data:
- releases are placed from top to bottom and left to right, from highest to lowest, and in alphabetical order;
- if the game was released on several platforms, the score was taken from the one with the most reviews;
- projects released before 2021 on at least one platform (with the exception of mobile devices) were not taken into account;
- the data is current as of the end of December 2021. With more reviews, the layout may change;
- only games with at least 15 reviews are taken into account.
Forza Horizon 5 — 92 points (PC, Xbox One/Series)
Genre: arcade racing
What is remarkable: the main arcade race of the last decade has moved to vibrant Mexico. Now the changing seasons are complemented by special natural phenomena — dust storms and tropical showers.
Chicory: A Colorful Tale — 90 points (PC, PS4/5)
Genre: isometric adventure
What is remarkable: one day, the artist Chicory disappeared without a trace, after which the whole world became colorless. Now her main fan needs to return to the world of paint with the help of the magic Brush.
Disco Elysium: The Final Cut — 89 points (PC, PS4/5, Switch, Xbox One/Series)
Genre: isometric RPG
What is remarkable: a “director's cut” of a philosophical RPG the size of a weighty novel in which you can die by urinating on a ficus or tying a hangover tie. The main innovation is fully voiced dialogues (read our text).
Super Mario 3D World+ Bowser's Fury — 89 points (Switch)
Genre: platformer
What is remarkable: a remaster of “Super Mario 3D World”, previously released on Nintendo Wii U, which includes a completely new addition about the furious Bowser.
Deathloop — 88 points (PC, PS5)
Genre: 1st person shooter
What is remarkable: immersive-sim about professional assassins stuck in a time loop. Colt must kill 8 targets to break the vicious circle, and Julianna intends to stop him. A new project by the developers of “Dishonored” series.
It Takes Two — 88 points (PC, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series)
Genre: cooperative adventure
What is remarkable: a cooperative adventure about a divorced couple. The development was led by Yusef Fares, the ideologist of “Brothers: A Tale of Two Sons” and “A Way Out”.
Metroid Dread — 88 points (Switch)
Genre: metroidvania
What is remarkable: bounty hunter Samus Aran travels to a new planet to rid the galaxy of an old threat. The first part of the series in 19 years, made in full 2D.
Monster Hunter Rise — 88 points (Switch)
Genre: 3rd person action
What is remarkable: a painstaking hunt for huge monsters has moved to Nintendo Switch.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart — 88 points (PS5)
Genre: 3rd person action
What is remarkable: the first truly high-profile exclusive for ninth-generation consoles. This time, Ratchet and Clank visited a lot of fantastic dimensions with no loading screens in between.
Guilty Gear -Strive- — 87 points (PC, PS4/5)
Genre: fighting
What is remarkable: a new part of one of the best fighting games. The developers have completed the story, which they have been working on for 20 years.
Halo Infinite — 87 points (PC, Xbox One/Series)
Genre: 1st person shooter
What is remarkable: Master Chief, this time without Cortana's help, will once again try to save humanity from destruction. The first open world game in the series.
Hitman 3 — 87 points (PC, PS4/5, Switch, Xbox One/Series)
Genre: stealth action
What is remarkable: Agent 47 is on a new hunt. The most influential and longest-running stealth action game in video game history.
Psychonauts 2 — 87 points (PC, PS4, Xbox One/Series)
Genre: 3rd person adventure
What is remarkable: the long-awaited return of Raz and Tim Shafer. Parapsychic abilities, unique style, labyrinths of reason and a sea of humor.
Tales of Arise — 87 points (PC, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series)
Genre: jRPG
What is remarkable: the main characters are leading a rebellion against 300 years of tyranny. This time, the “Tales of” series has made a significant technological breakthrough.
Wildermyth — 87 points (PC)
Genre: turn-based RPG
What is remarkable: a story-based RPG with an emphasis on procedural generation that allows you to go a long way with the characters — from the first adventures to old age. The abundance of choices makes the story truly original.
Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights — 86 points (PC, PS4/5, Switch, Xbox One/Series)
Genre: metroidvania
What is remarkable: metroidvania is about a little girl traveling through a fallen kingdom full of grief and suffering. And immortal knights protect her from dangers.
F1 2021 — 86 points (PC, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series)
Genre: racing simulator
What is remarkable: an annual batch of circuit racing, which updated the story mode. Codemasters's first project, published by Electronic Arts.
Football Manager 2022 — 86 points (PC, Xbox One/Series)
Genre: football manager
What is remarkable: another opportunity to become a coach at one of the many football clubs.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition — 86 points (PC, PS4, Xbox One)
Genre: 3rd person RPG
What is remarkable: the updated “Mass Effect” trilogy with all the major additions. In each part, the combat system and visual range have been improved, but the original has undergone the most global restoration.
Mini Motorways — 86 points (PS4)
Genre: puzzle
What is remarkable: a puzzle about creating road infrastructure in tirelessly growing cities. The sequel to “Mini Metro”.
Overboard! — 86 points (PC, Switch)
Genre: adventure
What is remarkable: during a sea cruise, the main character killed her own husband, and now her main task is not to be caught. The overall concept is reminiscent of Jordan Mechner's “The Last Express”. A new project by the developers of “80 Days” and “Heaven's Vault”.
Sumire — 86 points (PC, Switch)
Genre: adventure
What is remarkable: one day in the life of the girl Sumire, which turned into a fleeting adventure in which every meeting and decision made will play a role.
Death's Door — 85 points (PC, PS4/5, Xbox One/Series)
Genre: isometric action RPG
What is remarkable: the raven, whose duty is to collect dead souls, travels to deathless lands. A new project by the developers of “Titan Souls”.
Shin Megami Tensei V — 85 points (Switch)
Genre: jRPG
What is remarkable: students explore modern Tokyo, fight against numerous demons and submit them to their will. “Shin Megami Tensei” is the ancestor of the “Persona” series.
Returnal — 85 points (PS5)
Genre: roguelike 3rd person shooter
What is remarkable: roguelike shooter with elements of psychological horror. A new project by the developers of “Super Stardust”, “Dead Nation” and “Resogun”.
See you next year!
