Metacritic is a valuable resource for collecting the ratings of different games available on PC and consoles, and those looking to find the highest-rated games of 2021 should look no further. Over the past year, many projects experienced delays thanks to the ongoing global pandemic. With developers working from home and teams scrambling to establish regular communication and asset creation, many projects shifted their release dates to 2021 and 2022. While several projects suffered from bugs and botched launches, the industry also launched several highly rated titles judged by both critics and users.
Metacritic gathers data from gaming and entertainment media outlets based on their reviews of certain titles. While not every review on the internet is considered, Metacritic’s continuous collection of new reviews clearly represents the quality of each game. Additionally, Metacritic allows players to create their own user reviews and culminate a consumer opinion section. By gathering as many reviews as possible, Metacritic attempts to accurately represent each title on its site, reflecting the year’s greatest (and worst) releases.
Though many highly-rated games are AAA game releases, 2021 had dozens of popular indie titles that surpassed critics and player expectations. While none received a perfect score on Metacritic, the selections span multiple genres and platforms, with some popular choices including console exclusives. All listed games are available on various platforms, though interested buyers may have to search for digital or physical copies depending on the release window.
2021’s Highest Rated Game – Disco Elysium: The Final Cut – 97%
The highest-rated game for 2021 on Metacritic is Disco Elysium: The Final Cut, released for PC on March 30th. Players control a detective with unique skills seeking to advance their political dreams in a corrupt city. The project features full voice-acting, language options, controller support, and nearly unlimited freedom. Unlike most titles that advertise player choice but continuously railroads buyers during the campaign, Disco Elysium: The Final Cut allows players to embrace their heroic and dastardly sides.
The vast number of characters, quests, and options secures the game’s replayability and provides an immersive roleplay experience with some entertaining RPG games. Disco Elysium heavily emphasizes its adventure RPG elements, so gamers expecting heart-pounding action should look elsewhere for an appropriate FPS or alternative video game adventure. The game contains an average of 30 hours of gameplay based on user reviews on Metacritic, which graded Disco Elysium: The Final Cut at an 8.2 at the time of this writing. Disco Elysium: The Final Cut is available now for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Stadia, and Nintendo Switch.
The House In Fata Morgana – Dreams of the Revenant Edition – 97%
Unlike many other titles on this list, The House In Fata Morgana – Dreams of the Revenant Edition is a full-length visual novel 2021 horror game on the Nintendo Switch that features the equivalent of three games in one. Players embark on a riveting story filled with tragedy. Each game’s story explores the origin and consequences of Fata Morgana’s curse and the various characters affected by it.
While the game doesn’t have traditional combat, players receive a vivid exploration of each character’s personality and backstory. Choices and conversations have foreboding consequences in the haunted setting. Many gaming outlets gave The House In Fata Morgana a perfect (or nearly perfect) score, praising its deliverance of promises and many stories. Its user review score is also impressive, earning an 8.3 as of the writing of this piece. The House In Fata Morgana is available now on PC, PlayStation, and Nintendo Switch systems.
Tetris Effect: Connected – 95%
Tetris is one of the oldest puzzle game franchises in the industry, having originated back in 1984 as a basic geographical puzzle game. Its legacy continues with Tetris Effect: Connected, with the Nintendo Switch version having been released in October and already claiming the 3rd highest rated title on Metacritic’s site. Tetris Effect: Connected features online co-op and competitive game modes to keep the formulaic title fresh and new. Different soundtracks and graphics turn Tetris Effect: Connected into a more impactful puzzle game, emphasizing the placement of each piece as each match continues.
While the Nintendo Switch’s internet capabilities can be questionable, the platform holds up quite well with various options and modes of the puzzle game. Tetris Effect: Connected has won several awards and currently has an 8.5 user review on Metacritic as of the writing of this piece. Tetris Effect: Connected is available now on PlayStation, Xbox, PC, and Nintendo Switch systems.
Hades’ Console Releases Gave It 93% On Metacritic
Hades is one of the most well-known indie games developed and published by Supergiant Studios for PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. The Xbox Series X version of the roguelike, a top-down dungeon crawler, received some of the highest ratings from gaming outlets and user reviews on Metacritic’s site during 2021. Players control Zagreus, the son of Hades, in his attempt to escape the Underworld and live on Olympus with his family. Unfortunately, destiny and a hidden history have other plans and throw Zagreus’ goals out of control.
Players can utilize some of the most powerful weapons in Greek and Roman mythology to escape their father’s realm, as well as recruit Olympians to lend their power to you. The House of Hades unlocks areas and evolves into a dynamic hub with character interactions, romances, and items to locate as players progress. Dozens of character quests and challenges present players with frequent replayability, with alternating powers and builds vastly increasing the game’s lifespan. User reviews awarded Hades an 8.4 as of the writing of this piece, and the game is currently available on PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch systems.
Forza Horizon 5 Was 2021’s Highest Rated Xbox Exclusive – 92%
It’s unsurprising that Forza Horizon 5 quickly earned a top spot on Metacritic’s site. As one of the most anticipated racing games of the year, Forza Horizon 5 sought to improve nearly every aspect of its racing franchise. As a result, players have a massive open world to explore alongside their friends, with dozens of biomes home to many activities. In addition to the many new activities, Forza Horizon 5 has hundreds of cars from reality and fiction, featuring some of the fastest sports vehicles on the planet.
The game launched with over ten million players in its first week, breaking records for an Xbox exclusive. In addition to new racing modes and UI changes, Forza Horizon 5 also features a dynamic weather system that changes driving conditions in the open world. With a 92% from critics and an 8.6 user review score, Forza Horizon 5 is one of the great successes of 2021.
Psychonauts 2 Lived Up To The Hype At 91% On Metacritic
Psychonauts 2 is the long-awaited sequel to Psychonauts, which released back in 2005. As a continuation of the first adventure, players control Raz in Psychonauts 2, who has finally achieved his goal of becoming a psychonaut. As an international espionage organization, the Psychonauts seek to develop the world’s new psychic abilities into new technologies to understand the human mind better. Players explore Psychonauts 2’s various worlds and levels and a limited open-world hub area that is home to additional quests and utilize their psychic abilities to clear platforming areas. Certain rooms feature time constraints, with different mechanics and powers building off one another until players reach the final boss.
Psychonauts 2 features similar cartoonish graphics to the first game, enveloping fans in familiar nostalgia and reviving a heartwarming franchise. Unfortunately, due to Psychonauts 2’s lack of in-game Russian subtitles, user reviews for the product aren’t as high as Metacritic’s 91%. No update has been released to implement this language yet.
Source: Best Video Games For 2021 On Metacritic
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