If you can't already tell from my glowing praise, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is absolutely worth adding to your library if you own a PS5. Not only is it likely the best installment in Insomniac's action-platformer series so far, but it also gives you one of our best looks so far at what next-gen games have the potential to do. Whether this is your first foray into Ratchet & Clank or you have been playing these games since the PS2 days, Rift Apart shouldn't be missed.
At the end of the day, God of War on PC is, well, God of War on PC. That might sound like a trite way to describe this port, but the fact that I found no major drawbacks or issues with this version of the game is basically all that you can hope for when publishers bring a console game to PC. The end product here shows that PlayStation is becoming much more experienced with this PC porting process, which isn't just a great thing for God of War, but it bodes well for the company's future plans in this space. If you somehow haven't played God of War already, now is the time to rectify that mistake and prepare for the arrival of Ragnarok later in 2022.
By all accounts, Alan Wake 2 is simply a masterpiece. This is far and away the best game that Remedy has made so far and only continues to assert that the studio is one of the top AAA developers in the world. On all fronts, Alan Wake 2 is rife with inventiveness and wit that was only matched by its ability to scare me and make me laugh in the same short span of time. Not only does this serve as a new benchmark for what Remedy is capable of in the future, but it should be a shining example to other studios around the world of what story-driven third-person games can achieve.
Nex Machina is quick, challenging, and exactly what the arcade shooter genre needed.
Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus has become the new benchmark for single-player shooter campaigns. The sheer amount of freedom that players have to go along with the excellent gunplay make it one of the best shooters in years on those merits alone. Add in what is one the year's most compelling, important narratives and you have a recipe for an instant classic on your hands. Wolfenstein II: The New Colossus isn't just 2017's best shooter, it's a game that will be looked back upon as one of the standout titles of this generation when it comes to an end.
So, this leads us back to our long-debated question: are games art? Well, after playing RiME, I certainly believe so. RiME is a perfect example of just how impactful and important video games can be when looking to branch out and tell meaningful stories in new, unconventional ways. RiME joins an elite list in my mind of video games that everyone should experience in their lifetime. There's no question to me that video games are indeed art and RiME is a masterpiece of the medium.
The legacy of Shadow of the Colossus has never been in question, but this PS4 edition has just further solidified its place amongst gaming's masterpieces.
Assassin's Creed Odyssey isn't just one of the best Assassin's Creed games there has ever been, it's one of the most exceptional action RPGs that I've played this console generation. While only a few years ago I was left wondering what this franchise's future would be, now I'm more excited than I have been in quite some time to see where Ubisoft continues to take Assassin's Creed from here.
At the end of the day though for myself, Guacamelee! 2 has reminded me of what games are supposed to be in the first place — fun. I haven't had as thoroughly as joyful of an experience with any other game this year and I expect I'll be hard pressed to find another like it any time soon.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice isn't just another phenomenal action title by FromSoftware, it's a game that I really needed over these past few weeks.
Resident Evil 2 stands as not just one of the best installments in the long-running horror franchise, but it might just be the greatest remake ever made.
Gears 5 is perhaps the best entry in the long-running shooter series and stands as one of the best games of the Xbox One era.
DOOM Eternal is a drastic improvement over its predecessor in every way and sees the Doom Slayer reclaiming his throne in the shooter genre.
Persona 4 Golden has finally been ransomed from its prison on the Vita and is given new life on PC in what amounts to a fantastic port.
Demon's Souls continues Bluepoint Games' hot streak of excellent remakes and gives early PS5 adopters a next-gen experience that they can sink their teeth into.
As someone who has loved Psychonauts since I first played it over a decade ago, I cannot stress how much joy this sequel has brought me. If you're someone that also loves the original, I have a hard time believing that you won't enjoy this experience from beginning to end. And even if you're a newcomer who has been interested in Psychonauts 2 from afar, there is still more than enough here to keep you smiling from ear to ear on a regular basis. Psychonauts 2 is absolutely one of the best games so far in 2021 and serves as a fantastic example of why Xbox looked to purchase Double Fine in the first place.
If you're looking for something bite-sized to dive into before this fall's biggest releases come out, Death's Door is a game to definitely have on your radar. Whether you're a fan of old school adventure games, or you're just looking for a new standout indie, Death's Door is absolutely worth your time, money, and attention.
Whether you have played Ghost of Tsushima before and are simply looking to upgrade on PS5, or you have never experienced Sucker Punch's latest title, Director's Cut is definitely worth picking up. Not only has the PS5 improved the base version of the game that launched in 2020, but the Iki Island expansion on its own contains some of my favorite content in the entirety of Ghost of Tsushima. No matter how you might look to upgrade or purchase the new offerings that have been included, Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut is definitely worth the return trip to Tsushima.
All in all, Deathloop is my biggest surprise of the year. While it might be expected that Arkane would craft another high-quality experience, I'm personally astonished by how much the studio's latest release has clicked with me. Even though it might have a lot of common DNA with what Arkane has done before, the sheer amount of style and inventiveness that can be found in Deathloop makes it stand out greatly in a crowded video game market. If you're looking for something completely different compared to everything else that has released this year, Deathloop is absolutely worth getting lost in.
It has taken over six years for Halo Infinite to release, but after such a long wait, 343 has given fans the game that they've been holding out for. Although it might not win many points for originality, the latest entry in Xbox's flagship franchise has again verified why Halo is one of the most popular gaming properties on the planet. Even though this series is now two decades old, Halo Infinite proves that there is still plenty of creative juice left in the tank to make Halo feel fresh and relevant in the modern landscape. In simplest terms, Halo is back.