2021 was a massive year for video game releases. From anticipated AAA games to releases from small independent developers, the year saw new projects for a massive range of fans of a bevy of genres. While these games were released across a wide range of platforms, Xbox systems saw their own share of highly anticipated releases.
While not every game this year was a hit, there were plenty of great new titles. Review aggregating site Metacritic details the best Xbox games of the year.
Ghosts 'N Goblins is a classic platformer series, renowned for its difficulty. 2021 saw a re-making of that classic, Ghosts 'N Goblins Resurrections, with additional mechanics, difficulty selection options, and a new hardstyle based on storybook illustrations.
Ghosts 'N Goblins Resurrections has received significant praise since its release, especially for its difficulty balanced by its slew of accessibility options. Ghosts 'N Goblins Resurrections currently sits at a critical rating of 85, though its audience rating is much lower, with a score of 4.5.
Released by the small developer Acid Nerve, Death's Door is a Legend Of Zelda-inspired action-adventure. the game follows the quest of a Reaper, a crow who harvests souls, as one of their assigned souls is stolen.
Made by a team of fewer than four people, Acid Nerve's newest release was incredibly well-received and lauded for its art style and gameplay. Death's Door currently has a critical score of 87 on Metacritic, and an audience rating of 6.9.
It Takes Two, a cooperative platformer developed by Hazelight, has been a big hit with the public, recently winning Game of the Year at the Game Awards.
The game follows the rather odd story of a couple going through a divorce, who are forced into the bodies of dolls and need to make their daughter cry in order to return to normal. It Takes Two has received positive attention for its unique levels and gameplay and currently sits at a critical rating of 87 and an audience score of 8.6 on Metacritic.
While originally released in 2016, Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life saw its addition to Xbox consoles in 2021. Yakuza 6 is the concluding chapter to the story of the Yakuza series' protagonist, Kazuma Kiryu, and retains the crime simulator genre of its predecessors.
Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life has seen positive attention directed to its story, characters, and for the ways it improved upon gameplay and exploration from previous installments in the series. Yakuza 6: The Song Of Life currently holds a critical score of 87, and an audience score of 7.2.
2021 saw the rerelease of two classic games bundled into a single package, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2. Not only does the game remaster the Tony Hawk's Pro Skater original versions, but it adds new content on top of the original.
Since its release in March of 2021, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 has seen a large amount of praise from critics and fans alike, though Metacritic's recorded fan score is significantly less than its critical rating. Currently, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 has a critical rating of 89 and an audience rating of 6.3.
Originally released in 2020, Microsoft Flight Simulator saw its jump to Xbox consoles in 2021. As its title would suggest, Microsoft Flight Simulator allows players to simulate piloting various aircraft over an intricately detailed rendition of some of Earth's coolest and most recognizable locales.
The game has seen massive amounts of praise, both for its level of entertainment as well as its attention to detail and accuracy. On Metacritic, Microsoft Flight Simulator currently has a critical score of 90 and an audience rating of 8.1.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition saw the classic RPG trilogy updated, modernized, and released as a single game.
While this new edition helped to bring a beloved series to the modern era, Mass Effect's story and gameplay continues to enthrall critics and fans alike, allowing them to experience Commander Shepard's adventures on the newest consoles. Mass Effect: Legendary edition currently has a critical rating of 90, but a lower audience score of 6.0.
Psychonauts 2 continues the story of the cult hit Psychonauts, released in 2005. The game follows the young acrobat and psychic Razputin Aquato, who has joined the secretive espionage agency known as the Psychonauts.
Throughout the game, Raz and his fellow Psychonauts have to thwart the return of a dangerous psychic known as Maligula. Psychonauts 2 was universally praised by critics, earning an aggregated score of 91, drawing particular praise to its art direction and engaging characters. On the other hand, audience scores were significantly more mixed, with an overall rating of 6.1.
The latest game in the famous Forza series of racing games, Forza Horizon 5 sees players explore and race in an open world that depicts large swathes of Mexico. The game boasts a large amount of customization, helping to add to its already stellar reputation.
While Forza Horizon 5 released in November, it has already received high amounts of praise. The game currently sits at a critical score of 92, and an audience rating of 8.6.
Though first introduced in 2020. the isometric rogue-lite action game Hades saw its console release in 2021. Hades follows the story of Zagreus, the son of the god of the underworld, as he attempts to break free from the land of the dead and escape to the surface.
Hades has been a critical smash hit, for everything from its gameplay to its art direction, to its characters and writing. Hades currently has a critical rating of 93 on Metacritic, and an audience score of 8.5.
