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Relic Entertainment have outdone themselves with Age of Empires IV. They’ve dramatically improved the visuals and world-building of the series whilst keeping most of the tried-and-true Age of Empires gameplay intact; throwing in an incredible amount of historical content to not only play, but also learn from as well. Ultimately, their main ambition was to modernise the Age of Empires formula – and they’ve absolutely nailed it here.
Fatal Frame: Maiden of Blackwater is a disappointing horror venture. It gets the creepy, Silent Hill-type atmosphere just right but drops the ball in so many other key areas. The story and characters are vapid, the movement controls are as stiff as Harry Potter’s broomstick and the general gameplay loses its lustre well before the credits roll.
Forza Horizon 5 easily cements itself as one of the premier racing titles of 2021. Playground Games have implemented a multitude of fantastic features and quality of life improvements that make this game so hard to put down. The story and characters are largely forgettable, but practically everything else about this open-world racer is top class.
Sherlock Holmes: Chapter One successfully puts you into the shoes of London’s greatest detective, albeit with crippling, pace-killer conveyance issues. However, the precision-based combat, fun crime scene investigations and decent story help to mitigate the general lack of direction. Holmes is also as sassy as ever.
Pokémon Shining Pearl effortlessly captures the essence of the classic handheld titles. And while there is plenty of new content and Pokémon to discover, it can’t help but seem stuck in the past somewhat. Frequent random encounters, a bland story structure and a low level of difficulty can quickly drag down the experience.
Death’s Door is a prime example of what a dedicated indie team can achieve. It flows incredibly well with incredible combat mixed with some breathtaking visuals. The contrast between the colourful attacks and the bland world works fantastically well, and the controls are crisp and precise. Death’s Door has to be in contention for not only one of the best indie games, but one of the best titles this year in general.
Chorus is an exceptional space shooter, especially when it comes to the gameplay. It has such tight controls it’s ridiculous. Once you add in the superhuman powers and an incredible universe to explore, then there is even more fun to be had here. The one problem however, is the narrative. Even though it’s a lot of fun to play, there just isn’t enough story content to drive you on, leaving the player feeling empty well before the credits roll.
Halo Infinite features the same great gameplay and control from past campaigns, merged together with some awesome new additions like the Grappleshot, slide mechanic and AI field scan ability to bring the series up to modern FPS standards. The story and open-world design ultimately feel a bit lacking, but it’s still tonnes of fun regardless. Let’s finish the fight!
You may be a little sceptical at first, but don’t hesitate. 2021’s Vertigo has such excellent story and character moments which are bound to leave a strong, lasting impact long after the credits roll. The acting/cutscene presentation is a bit wonky at times, and the gameplay is relatively simplistic. However, Vertigo’s Hitchcockian influences ultimately shine through and help to create an experience that’s more than worth the price of admission.
Monster Hunter Rise is an awesome new entry for both die-hard fans and beginners. The newly-released PC version packs in all the extra content from the Nintendo Switch release whilst adding in uncapped framerates, 4K resolution, HDR and more, making it the ideal way to play. No matter which platform you choose though, Monster Hunter Rise will devour your social calendar.
Rainbow Six Extraction takes the awesome gunplay mechanics from Siege and puts them to the test in this brilliant co-op survival experience! With a variety of operators at your exposal, and a large variety of content (plus an exciting endgame), Rainbow Six Extraction promises an addicting thrill ride that will provide hours upon hours of fun!
Serious Sam Siberian Mayhem is simply a good run and gun game. There really isn’t much emphasis on story, and honestly, there really isn’t much other than exactly that – running and shooting. This doesn’t make it a bad game, it just makes it fun for a particular audience. For those that love getting chased, shooting countless bad guys, and being under pressure, this game does a great job!
OlliOlli World maintains the challenging gameplay of the previous entries in the series, whilst being much more accessible for new players! Featuring slick and satisfying controls, as well as a stunning cell-shaded art style, OlliOlli World sets itself apart as one of the best side-scrolling skateboarding games to date!
Grapple Dog combines some fantastic 2D platforming with an awesome grappling hook mechanic that's a cinch to pick up n' play.
If you enjoy top-down real-time strategy games, then Total War: Warhammer 3 is a must-play. The story is intriguing and stock full of lore. The gameplay is reminiscent of other great real-time strategy titles with it’s own flare. And the art design looks incredible.
If you’re looking for an entertaining turn-based strategy game and a linear, school-based story similar to the first two Persona titles, then go forth. For everyone else, it’s going to depend on whether you can stomach a bunch of frustrating puzzles, terrible graphics, annoying exploration mechanics and a story that takes its sweet sweet time to get going.
If you're searching for a balance of arcade and sim-style racing full of varied events, sublime controls and great sound design, then you're already in the right place. GRID Legends has such quality content that'll keep you coming back long after the credits roll.
Whilst Shadow Warrior 3 boasts some fantastic combat and interesting new traversal elements, it’s failed attempt to give us a narrative filled with the creativity and humour that we have become accustomed to with the series, really leaves a lot to be desired! The gameplay’s rinse and repeat formula can become quite tedious and will leave many players disinterested fairly early on!
Babylon’s Fall bears the shell of a Platinum Games release, however, it doesn’t go anywhere beyond that. The combat is dull and colourless, the story and graphical presentation are weak, and the micro-transactions it tries to shove down your throat feel like blatant predatory practices. There are some enjoyable moments of co-op gameplay, although they are few and far between.