2021 Rankings
This is a simple breakdown that I do every single year, and have been doing since 2011. I organize all the games I play throughout the year, and at the end I rank them personally from my favorite to least favorite. Over time my changes and thoughts evolve, so I always like seeing what I felt in that moment. Here are my games for the year of 2021. Enjoy my tiny blurbs on them all! I want to write reviews on them all, so await that fated day!
65 Games
Game of the Year. What can I say about this game? It embodies what I love about JRPGS and Adventure from the new to the old while doing both justice. Few times do I have that feeling of...Yes...yes this game is something special to me, but the Top 3 all did that this year, but in comparison, DQ 11 is on another level. Whenever I update my Top list you shall see, but until then, just let it be said, this is the game that defined the best of gaming in 2021 for me, and I am eternally thankful towards it.
1
Improvement creates love?! This is when I fell in love with Mass Effect. The unique missions, recruitment and loyalty, the rich cast, the vastly improved gameplay. Everything here is where it needs to be. The sequel is better with the cast, but this game creates that foundation for that payoff with a lot of love and care. I'm glad I finally got around to playing this and having this type of experience. Tali for life!
2
Co-op experience of the year. When it finally clicks, this game clicks on all cylinders. Give it a few years time and more playtime and this might overtake many of the games on my Top 100 list.
3
Turtles is Full experience. 1 hour of pure bliss. Nothing else needed.
4
Ends with a bang. Where to start? The best DLC in gaming? The richest characterization in the franchise? The impactful threads of your choices coming to a head? If you took out the weaker parts of this game like the exploration getting ruined, and it being so sad and requiring two other games to fully enjoy it, you'd have the best of the bunch.
5
Persona 5 Summer Vacation. Take a trip with your favorite Persona 5 characters, and see all the lovely locales of Japan in this hybrid of musou meets Persona. And you know what? It fucking works wonders. The best spin off the series has made to date.
6
Nothing quite like it. To explain this is hard, but to say it was utterly wonderful to decode and think about is the smallest compliment I could give. Absolutely a hidden gem in the world of indies.
7
Atelier is comfy. The right dose of cute, fun, and interesting that has once again made me realize that Atelier is a sleeper hit series for me. Only more to come from here!
8
Gamecube masterrace. What an adorable, creative, and enjoyable launch title. While it is short, it really pumps enjoyment thoroughly into each and every moment you are tip toeing around the mansion.
9
2 Steps Forwards, 3 Steps Back. For every complaint this game produces in me(weaker map design, unsatisfying ending, lack of thought when implementing new systems) it makes up for as an all around excellent game nonetheless. I prefer the original, but this is still solid work.
10
Don't play hard mode unless you are a fool. Otherwise this gorgeous game will move you with the music, visuals, and themes it holds within. It needs a bit more polish and depth to be a classic, but its definitely worth the time.
11
Pokemon can be good!? God damn has it been years since I've genuinely been happy while playing a new pokemon experience. I shouldn't have to say it, but I agree, this was the end of the peak of the franchise.
12
Those bosses though. Despite the framework of the soul system being here, and a fantastic castle to explore and wreck havoc upon, CAOS falls short in creating highlight moments that define the genre so well.
13
Therapy Zelda. Apparently 2D Zelda is my go to when I need a pick me up when I lose a family member. You know what? I ain't even mad. Thank you for being such a darling game and series to me.
14
I like Baseball. I mean that is really it. This is as good as Baseball simulation has felt in a very long time and I am so happy to have it exist.
15
ORDER UP! Co-op madness at its finest. Coordination is key as you master recipes with ever evolving stages and obstacles. Not all perfect, but hella fun.
16
Shockingly Missed. Miles Morales is a blast, as an action game and a new venture into the Spidey-Verse. Although his own solo outing has a vastly underwhelming main plot that hampers it from greatness.
17
A new age. Same old Layton, new game, new story, new twists and puzzles. I love Emi, and some of the story bits, but the weaker set up and puzzles make it feel a lot like Curious Village as a humble start to a new chapter.
18
Mutant power! Gorgeous sprite work, that brilliant cold open, and each X-men feels unique to use and enjoy with strengths and weaknesses. Now if only the story was a little more engaging, and the game wasn't so hard!
19
Yep it's smash. I guess as I grow older I see Smash doesn't impact my life the same as it once did. That being said it is still a massively enjoyable time.
20
Dumb and bullshit. Yet, I can't help but love it. It's silly, poorly acted, unbalanced throughout, and still one of the most enjoyable rail shooters ever made.
21
Heartfelt times. Why a little unremarkable in writing it makes up for in atmosphere, emotion, and intent. A cute story game that did better than the rest this year in talking about getting over the hurdles of loss and indecision.
22
Cweepy. Mood setting is on point, and it really is phenomenal in aesthetic. If it had more big moments, and less instant kill puzzles, I'd like it even more. That being said, charmingly spooky.
23
Water journey. Go splorin underwatah and sea everything b4 ya!
24
Not that extreme. Goda is weak sauce, the story is weaker, the combat is weaker, the substories are weaker. This is Yakuza still, and it nails a lot of things I love, but it's such a disappointment after 0 and Kiwami.
25
Banooka. A nice return to form and a revival the series deserved. Overwhemingly made with care. I do wish it wasn't so god damn brutally hard and cruel as a completionist though.
26
Gorgeously unambitious. An almost anime-like gripping presentation with comforting style. Had the gameplay had more variety or challenge in some way rather than rinse/repeat puzzle, we could of had something special.
27
28
Quarter sucker. Thankfully, I'm not on an arcade machine and I can fully enjoy this small and colorful reaction based game supported by beautiful Don Bluth animation.
29
Megaquack! Mix megaman shooting with Darkwing and you get a pretty solid NES action game. Much better than most of the games from the era, even Mega Man 1!
30
One and done. I do hate that about these games. A gripping style and execution to the themes present, but it lacks any reason to touch it again once you spend your solid 60 minutes with it.
31
*Only Bowsers Fury
A fun small side adventure that kinda smashes together 3D worlds mechanics and Odyssey's level design for an adorable and palettable co-op experience. More please!
A fun small side adventure that kinda smashes together 3D worlds mechanics and Odyssey's level design for an adorable and palettable co-op experience. More please!
32
Jank Effect. This game sets up lore, a massive universe, and has so many unique qualities. Nevertheless the story is dull for most of it, the biggest choices lack impact for the most part, and the powers/gunplay just suck to use. Thank goodness the sequels really achieved what was missing here.
33
Mystery begets mystery. Please don't end your mystery unresolved like that!? Charming, nevertheless incomplete and really hurt for it. Fun though if you like a classic Nancy Drew type adventure.
34
Better with pals. While worse than Trine 1 in almost every way outside the new busted final power ups, this game was more fun to experiment with and complete break apart with some friends.
35
The massa hath spoketh. You know the framework is there. Solid gunplay, great AI, interesting world concept. On the other hand the story is dull, the world is barren and too large, and it's really not that memorable.
36
God damn Google! Bring that fucking fire why don't you!? What an adorable celebration of the Olympics, Japan, and animation in this short and sweet adventure.
37
Icky Vicky. Nastier, darker, and even more visceral than the original, yet never captures the true fear and high points that the series is capable of.
38
OG is OG. Bringing me back to the start of the genre, and you know what? Pretty damn fun I must say. It's a little simple and grindy, but what it does, it does pretty well.
39
Even more epic. The bear is back, and honestly this is a massive improvement in every way. Sure, this is a jankfest, but now it works like it should and the new slash mechanic is baller.
40
Poignant and experimental. A sad look into a real story about cancer and loss. While the gameplay aspect doesn't do much but hinder, the emotions are high and worth the journey.
41
Frantic shooting. If not so challenging to the point that memorization or states are needed for full fun, this would be a stand out of the generation with the snappy combat and gorgeous sprite work.
42
Identity crisis confirmed. Does it want to be a metroidvania or classic to the series? Brutality difficulty or experimental fun? It can't find the balance and pays the price for it all over.
43
Green Filter optional. Far more Mario like than the first game, it's still a little too offbeat and missing cues to capture the greatness of the mainline series.
44
Fun albeit brief. Best Mario Party since 8, but terribly small boards, a broken coin system, and too short of minigames hold it back from greatness.
45
It's Kirby. Kirby good, yet Kirby not quite to master levels yet.
46
Fun anny project. It's short, sweet, and a good time like Classic one is. It doesn't stick a strong memorable landing though.
47
Incredible and fluid. It's the prototype for what this type of game could achieve that was mastered in VF5. Too bad the story is a mess and the arcade is the only salvageable mode.
48
Expressive yet fleeting. I like what I see and play, yet it is missing something. It must be the magic.
49
Inventive meets nonsense. If this game pulled back its camera even 10 percent more it would be much more palatable. Too bad it doesn't so you constantly get destroyed by this games brutal challenges.
50
Gone before impact. Nice looking, and fun to play, but you get to zip through it in about 40 minutes and have no reason to ever want to touch it again.
51
Wow not bad. Certainly not all that memorable, but as a childhood game finally conquered I am happy to have seen it through.
52
80/20. Putting aside the confusing map design and bad translation you have a really fun action RPG adventure that would be a timeless classic if not for how unfair the endgame ramps up to.
53
Tedium Maximus. Large open levels with ideas that should work but don't because of consistently tedious level design and objectives.
54
90/10. When prior to the final level you respect and enjoy the games balance and challenge. Then you get to the end and the fun says goodbye.
55
It's a process. And done so much better in some later games on this list. Gorgeous artstyle though.
56
Childhood not relived. A disappointing sequel sandwiched between two far better and more enjoyable Sam experiences.
57
Snap and shoot. As much as I love Sonico, and I do love a little fanservice, this game lacks depth and evolution in the photography mode. The main feature is dressing up Sonico and being her gravure shooter, and they can't even nail that much.
58
Classic Arcade time. It's fun, and I love poppin balloons, but after about 15 minutes you get the full experience no matter how good you get at it.
59
Neat and snappy. A wholly unbalanced experience, yet the charm of the classic keyboard rhythm styled gameplay does bring some fun.
60
Cute in concept. Overly hectic, and not all that fun. When the main mechanic is what causes most of your death, you know they didn't think it through very hard.
61
Sweet yet fleeting. A nice concept that dives into the battle of being accepted as a transperson. If only the choices felt true consequence or the writing was more than token hate.
62
Gutted and cramped. A twist on a classic game for the worse in every way you can imagine. Unfair design cranked up to 11 alongside an unmemorable adventure.
63
Retro and not worth revisiting. Completely unbalanced and really doesn't hold up like its contemporaries.
64
Short, and trite. What could be something more ends up being mostly aimlessly walking with music trying to elevate the experience.
65