Chorus is undoubtedly ambitious, with Fishlabs undeniably putting in a lot of effort into their first full title. Aesthetically, there's a lot to praise the game for, with a photo mode that genuinely feels useful to capture the visual splendour of space and the action of combat. Combat here is also fun, responsive, and generally great to play, even if it can feel overused due to a significant lack of variety in the rest of the game. Add this lack of variety to an ambitious story, but poorly developed, and you get Chorus. For every positive, there is an undeniable negative. Is it worth playing? I would say yes, but how much mileage you get out of it will be very subjective.
Solar Ash makes a good first impression with its silky-smooth controls, eye-catching visuals, and bombastic boss battles, but a lack of character progression or changes to core mechanics eventually drains some of the life from the game. Solar Ash is a solid action-platformer, but it doesn't really rise above the many other indies occupying the same space, and ultimately, you may find your memories of the game disappearing rather swiftly into the void.
Perhaps the softest launch in Activision Blizzard's historic FPS series, Call of Duty Vanguard shows that there's much potential for this year's entry to grow. However with the weakest Zombies mode in series history, a shortage of cosmetics and upgrades for anything save your primary loadout, and a Campaign that could've offered so much more, Vanguard is a tough sell if you're looking for anything than your next TDM fix at the moment.
While it doesn't innovate the formula introduced in Battle Chasers: Nightwar too much, Ruined King: A League of Legends Story's quality is undeniably high, so much that even those with little to no knowledge of the League of Legends universe can enjoy the game fully. With an engaging story, charming characters and amazing combat system, the game by Airship Syndicate is the best possible debut for Riot Forge, and one of the best role-playing games released this year.
This is a fantastic return to form for the well-established series after the mess that was Dead Zone. It brings back familiar elements from the first entries in the series while using its newly implemented roguelike aspect to put players in very tense situations where the next decision may very well end in death.
Jurassic World Evolution 2 expands its prehistoric playground with more dinosaurs, modes, and unique franchise flavor, but it's all built on a flawed and often frustrating foundation of unbalanced and unpolished mechanics. Jurassic World Evolution 2 is a better game than its predecessor, but it feels like a glorified expansion. Those looking for a more substantial sequel may want to spare the expense this time.
Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition collects some truly groundbreaking games that still provide their share of nostalgic fun, but little has been done to make them shine here in 2021. Ultimately, a shoddy visual upgrade, choppy performance, and a lack of meaningful updates or extras may leave you questioning why you loved them in the first place. Perhaps this collection can be brought up to snuff with updates from Rockstar (or modders), but for now, its Wanted Level remains low.
Blue Reflection: Second Light builds upon many of the positive aspects while updating its combat system to be accessible for a broader JRPG fan audience. This is a step in the right direction that, while it may have some painful lows, also has some incredible highs that make for an overall great experience.
Sherlock Holmes Chapter One is one of the very best series installments, thanks to a great story powered by solid writing, charming characters, varied cases, and new open-world gameplay mechanics that fit incredibly well. While some of these mechanics do require a little tweaking, such as combat, Chapter One is a very solid game that no fan of the series or adventure games should pass on.
Battlefield 2042 feels like the most complete Battlefield game yet, mainly thanks to the incredible depth provided by Battlefield Portal and the brand new Hazard Mode, even though it is unclear whether it'll be enough to draw flocks of new players to the franchise.
Football Manager 2022 is yet another improvement on the long-running series, one that brings the beautiful game to life more than ever before and recreates both the small and large moments that make the sport so engaging. The options are near limitless, and the game puts even more at your fingertips, from the Data Hub to improved staff meetings, all adding onto a revamped match engine. This is the closest Sports Interactive has come to perfection, with only small elements feeling aged and needing polishing.
Forza Horizon 5 is yet another step up for the series and arguably the best racing game ever made. Offering a host of content across a fantastic representation of Mexico, its varied terrain and scenery, there's so much to explore and race. A massive roster of cars will perform all of these, each feeling different from the others, with a variety of upgrade and tuning options almost matching those of simulation titles. While there are a few minor niggles here and there, they are nearly so small as to be hardly worth mentioning. All in all, it's impossible not to recommend this for anybody, regardless of them being a fan of racing games or not, as this is that good.
Featuring a new approach to exploration and extremely solid gameplay, Shin Megami Tensei V masterfully balances innovation and tradition to offer an excellent JRPG experience. While the technical issues can get in the way, the game's quality is so high that most will be willing to look past them, as Shin Megami Tensei V is one of the best entries in the series and one of the best JRPGs released in 2021.
Riders Republic’s posturing is more than a little phony and the game may be a bit mechanically simple for some, but its playground is an impressive one. With travel still difficult, Ubisoft’s sometimes-breathtaking recreation of America’s greatest national parks feels like something to be grateful for, and this game’s wide range of activities and challenges means almost everyone will be able to find some way to amuse themselves amongst its peaks and valleys. Riders Republic is a surprising breath of virtual fresh air.
Project Zero: Maiden of Black Water is a strange release. It's not a remake, nor a remaster, feeling more like a re-release with a few added features. Visually, it's barely different to the Wii U Release, so if you've already played it, then there's not much I can say. However, considering the original was limited to the Wii U, with a limited audience, this version brings it over to modern consoles and the PC, keeping the excellent atmosphere and different combat system and making it control better than expected. Is it worth buying? That is very dependent on if you like horror games.
Mario Party Superstars offers a selection of completely revamped boards from the earliest days of the franchise. It might not offer much new, or change much, but it looks and feels as wild as fun as you remember.
Yoko Taro's storytelling is laid out on the table in a card-based adventure that'll appeal to tabletop and JRPG fans alike in Voice of Cards.
The focus placed by The Riftbreaker's gameplay loop on resource management may be too monotonous for some players. It's a game that focuses on its base-building mechanics more than its Action RPG mechanics. Still, it's a decent mixture of both that can either be loved or hated by players.
Age of Empires IV is, in almost every way, a true sequel to Age of Empires II. It plays great and has a few new features that add more tactical elements to combat and how you develop your faction.
Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy is a highly enjoyable action/adventure romp that never strays from the beaten path. You won't find any major experiments or innovations here, but you will experience a great adaptation of the beloved dysfunctional team of galactic superheroes. The story and characters are well written, the combat is fun (if perhaps a bit too easy), and the audio is excellent.