We imagine that, like us, most video game enthusiasts are
ecstatic to put the awful year of 2020 behind us. It wasn’t awful for games, of
course, but even still there’s lost of exciting Triple-A and indie releases
worth looking forward to releasing in 2021. For this list we thought we’d run
through some of the former, ranking the 10 biggest video games confirmed to
arrive this year in order of how excited we are to play them. Just bear this
prerequisite in mind as we lay it all out.
All the games featured might be of Triple-A calibre, but
we’ve done our best to cover a wide gamut of genres and platforms because,
after all, it’s good to have some variety. This means that regardless of where
you play there’s sure to be one or two games present in the following list that
you are extremely enthusiastic about, too. Let’s get into it…
10. Outriders
It’s been a while since the gaming industry was shook up
with a new heavyweight looter-shooter. Borderlands 3 released in 2019, sure,
but for players craving something a little grittier, Outriders from People Can
Fly (the team behind Bulletstorm) could do the trick. It provides the perfect
basis for you and a team of two friends to gun down legions of enemy alien
invaders, all as you hunt down and collect better powered armour and weapons.
Outriders is being published by Square Enix and is set for release on February
2nd. Could this be your next looting fix?
9. Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury
Another underrated Wii U title is set to make the jump to
Switch mid-February in Super Mario 3D World. It’s a fun and creative 3D
platformer played out from an isometric perspective, which is what you’d
expected from a first-party Nintendo release, but what has us intrigued more is
this mysterious ‘Bowser’s Fury’ expansion. All we got during the re-release’s
announcement is a moody piece that hinted at what this might be, but we’ll find
out soon enough when this charming Mario game expands its audience by a few
million players. That’s the power of Nintendo Switch.
8. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time – Remake
The first sizeable remake to arrive in 2021 comes in the
form of 2003’s action-platforming classic Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.
Everything from the voice lines to the environments have been completely remade
and redone from the ground up, all in the effort to have it look just like how
veteran players remember it. The updated visuals also help to make this much
beloved game feel fresh for a modern generation of players. Experience a
classic through a fresh lens when it releases on March 18th, 2021.
7. Monster Hunter Rise
The Nintendo Switch receives its very first exclusive
Monster Hunter game very early on in the year in the form of Monster HunterRise, which cherry-picks elements from the wildly successful Monster Hunter
World from 2018 and merges them with new ones. Just like with that game Monster
Hunter Rise aims to be more successful than previous entries, letting solo
hunters and co-op groups alike battle various beasts using a wide suite of
weaponry. This you do alongside a faithful canine companion, all while taking
advantage of new combat manoeuvres new to Rise.
6. Deathloop
Releasing in May is a completely new IP from Arkane Studios,
the folks most known for Prey and Dishonored. Deathloop is a PlayStation 5
console exclusive that feels stylistically distinct, however, casting players
as assassin Colt who has somehow found himself stuck in a timeloop. This forces
him to live out the same events over and over again, yet his ability to retain
information between loops makes for some cool gameplay opportunities. Will you
use stealth, parkour, or the direct approach to take out your 8 required
targets? The choice is up to you when Deathloop releases on May 21st.
5. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Though Demon’s Souls and Astro’s Playroom ensured that PS5
owners weren’t left wanting for games that really showcased the power of Sony’s
new box, the next true PlayStation 5 exclusive game is set to arrive early on
this year. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart promises to deliver the same platforming/shooter
concoction the Pixar-like franchise is known for, building off of the success
of 2016’s reboot by using the console’s new SSD to instantly transport the
iconic duo across dimensions. This is in addition to beautiful ray-traced
visuals and an all knew story, all of which can be experienced at a
reconstructed 4K resolution and 60 fps simultaneously.
4. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
You can always rely on the LEGO games for a brick-bashing
good time with the family. In 2021, however, TT Games is throwing out the rulebook
by recreating all nine of the mainline Star Wars movies using a new engine.
This will see events play out very differently from any prior LEGO Star Wars
game, with sections that resemble third-person shooters and melee combat that’s
been completely revamped. Each movie will be playable through 5 missions each,
and for the first time there will be multiple hub areas rather than just one. May
the force be with this game.
3. Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy is a highly anticipated action RPG that sets
you in the shoes of a student training to be a wizard at the eponymous school.
Developed by the team responsible for the three Disney Infinity games, the
story is fully single-player and takes place roughly 200 years before the
events of the Harry Potter books and films, delivering an original story set in
J.K Rowling’s celebrated world of witchcraft and wizardry. Confirmed locations
you’ll get to explore include Hogsmeade Village, The Forbidden Forest and of
course Hogwarts itself. It’s been a long time coming, but Hogwarts Legacy looks
to be the Triple-A quality Harry Potter games fans have been crying out for.
2. Halo Infinite
Originally set to release alongside Xbox Series S|X in
November 2020, Halo Infinite will in fact arrive this year as Microsoft’s big
first-party showpiece. Both a classic-style throwback to the first Halo trilogy
and yet also a bold new direction for the series, Infinite will see Master
Chief and his mysterious human companion navigate a sprawling Halo Ring in an
entry that’s more open-ended and non-linear than ever before. Events will
instead pop up at random and it’ll be your choice whether to engage with them. Because
of this Halo Infinite intends to live up to its ambitious subtitle and be more
flexible than ever before. Expected to play it in late 2021.
1. Horizon Forbidden West
Even coming out the same year as The Legend of Zelda: Breath
of the Wild couldn’t dampen the open-world spectacle PS4 players experienced
when Horizon: Zero Dawn released in 2017. Aloy’s robot dinosaur-slaying escapes
return during the latter half of 2021, where this time she must venture to a
mysterious location known only as the Forbidden West to prevent an infectious
plague. Expect to find new creature types to hunt down and plenty more weapons
to do it with, all as Horizon Forbidden West takes advantage of the next-gen
PS5 hardware. Providing God of War 2 doesn’t release, it could be 2021’s
biggest PlayStation exclusive.
