Even as some parts of the world start to open back up, 2021 has given us plenty of good reasons to stay inside and play video games. Those lucky to nab a PS5 or Xbox Series X over the past year have gotten some truly next-gen experiences, while the ever-enduring Nintendo Switch continues to get excellent exclusives. And whether you’re a hardcore PC gamer or still rocking your older-gen console, a ton of great multiplatform titles kept us glued to our couches and computers for weeks on end.
Now that we’ve done the hard work of playing countless hours of video games this year, we’ve picked out the ones worth checking out. And fortunately for you, many of these great titles are currently on sale, or available as part of an Xbox Game Pass subscription. Whether you’re looking to catch up over the holidays or need a great last-minute gift idea, here are the best games of 2021.
Bethesda
Arkane Studios already has a knack for crafting first-person action games that give the player a ton of freedom to be as sneaky, crafty or straight up menacing as they want, and Deathloop takes that formula to another level. This creative time-loop shooter challenges you to take out a series of targets in a single day, resulting in a gleeful trial-and-error puzzle of addictive action in which you’ll learn — and eventually gain new abilities — from each attempt. Deathloop’s gameplay is a blast whether you’re strategically sneaking around or wreaking havoc with supernatural powers, and the incredible performances by Jason E. Kelley (Colt Vahn) and Ozioma Akagha (Julianna Blake) will make you want to unravel this time-travel mystery in its entirety.
Xbox
Forza Horizon 5 isn’t just a great driving game — it’s one of the best open-world titles out there, period. Sure, there are plenty of fun races and challenges to tackle, but simply cruising around Playground Games’ stunning recreation of Mexico — and wreaking all kinds of havoc in the process — is what kept us glued to the steering wheel. Horizon 5 looks great whether you’re playing on PC, Xbox or even the cloud, and its wide array of vehicles and activities will keep even the most devoted drivers busy for weeks on end. It doesn’t matter if you’re a racing game fan or not; the latest Forza Horizon is a beautiful arcade playground that just about every gamer should experience.
- Forza Horizon 5 is also available with an Xbox Game Pass subscription.
Xbox
Halo Infinite strikes a perfect balance of evolving Microsoft’s flagship shooter series while bringing back the core components that made it …….
Source: https://www.cnn.com/2021/12/21/cnn-underscored/best-video-games-2021/index.html