Click to watch embedded media The first full year of a new platform cycle is always exciting. Developers have new technologies to leverage in game releases, and players begin to glimpse the potential of new hardware. This particular new generation of gaming has had an unusual start. The global pandemic meant significant changes to development pipelines, causing production setbacks and global shipping delays. This resulted in games arriving later and new hardware that was difficult to find – even for the most diligent gaming enthusiasts.
Despite those challenges, 2021 came together as an excellent year for video games, filled with remarkable new experiences for players to enjoy. We’ve selected and ranked our picks for the 10 best releases of the year, detailing exactly why these particular games are must-plays. Read more...
10
Psychonauts 2
The original Psychonauts set the template for what would become the quintessential Double Fine game. That is to say, an experience that overflows with personality, humor, and imagination and gameplay that, while usually serviceable, doesn’t reach the same heights. This trend finally ended with Psychonauts 2. Fans waited years for this sequel, and, against all odds, it not only lives up to expectations but shatters the perception of what Double Fine is capable of.
Psychonauts 2’s gameplay serves as a marked improvement over the original. Exceptional level design across an array of wildly imaginative worlds showcases the more finely tuned platforming. Exploring bizarre mental destinations such as a casino/hospital mash-up or a puppet-driven twist on Iron Chef was always an exciting prospect. We’re glad that actually playing them proves just as entertaining; there’s no Meat Circus to be found. Raz’s psychic abilities, such as telekinesis and pyrokinesis, are as fun as ever. New powers like conjuring a goofy, wafer-thin doppelganger are welcome additions.
The espionage story stands as the highlight, thanks to its surprising twists and turns. Hanging out with Raz and his gang of old favorites and fun newcomers, including his entire family, left permanent smiles on our faces. Most admirably, the writing handles mental illnesses with respect and empathy instead of ridicule. Psychonauts 2 is a superb throwback to the platformers of yesteryear and it’s Double Fine’s magnum opus. | Our Review
9
Inscryption
Excitement for Inscryption swept through our staff like wildfire at the year’s end. The title is thick with atmosphere and mystery from the opening moments, taunting you to ask questions from the start screen. However, its impressive introduction is just a façade. Tearing it away shows the true layers at the heart of the narrative, slowly revealing what the game actually is and how you, the player, are instrumental to its story.
The core of Inscryption is a robust card game similar to Yu-Gi-Oh and Hearthstone that grows and changes over time. New mechanics and resource systems continuously appear throughout, providing plenty of viable builds to explore. You learn the ropes of the game in a dark cabin, with only the table to which you’ve been shackled visible in the flickering candlelight. Peering from the pitch-black shadows are the orange, spiral eyes of your captor, who acts like a D&D game master, roleplaying your opponents in his sinister deckbuilding roguelike gauntlet. From there, Inscryption masterfully weaves puzzles in and out of its card game and exploration sequences. Every discovery is a chance to learn more about your desperate circumstance and advance further towards freedom.
Daniel Mullins Games’ Inscryption is unsettling at times and downright wonderous at others; many of its best moments are ones we won’t spoil here. It goes to incredible, unexpected places and is worth seeing through to the end. It’s one of the most fascinating experiences of the year and truly hits best when you know as little as possible going in. | Our Review