Gonna make this my shortest list yet. Only really doing it because I’ve done it every year since 2012 and it seems a shame to stop now. Actually really enjoyed playing games this year. Way more than the last few years in fact. That was probably due to getting a PS5 early this year. My only real disappointment continues to be Nintendo who seem to still be living off their incredible 2017. Who knows; maybe they’ll release a big game next year.

Games that I want to play and will eventually get to but haven’t yet include:

Metroid Dread

Kena: Bridge of Spirits

Call of Duty: Vanguard

Hitman 3

Final Fantasy VII Remake Intergrade

Guardians of the Galaxy

Let’s get to it shall we?

10. The Medium

Fun game. Absolutely beautiful. Some of the best visuals I’ve seen in a horror game. The story was overly complicated and definitely lost me towards the end but I still enjoyed my time. The switching between worlds mechanic was super well done and would be perfect for a Silent Hill game. Maybe that’ll still happen in the future but Bloober definitely got me interested in what they make next now.

9. Maneater

I really like games that I can just switch off my brain and have a fun time and this game most definitely fills that role. An open world shark game where you just cause as much havoc as possible? I love when a simple idea is executed perfectly and they sure did here. The best kind of dumb fun.

8. Astro’s Playroom

One of the first games I played on my PS5 and still can’t believe it was free. Genuinely one of the best non Nintendo platformers I’ve ever played. All the easter eggs and homages to PlayStation history really made me feel nostalgic in a way I only thought I could feel about Nintendo. Uses the controller in really interesting ways which I’m sure every other developer has already forgotten exist. Would easily play a fully fledged version or something similar from this team going forward.

7. It Takes Two

One of the best co-op games ever made. The variety of fun gameplay is what floored me most. The visuals and sound are all top notch. For me what let this one down was the average voice acting and at times extremely cringey story. Still didn’t get in the way of a great time though. So many innovative moments that I didn’t see coming.

6. Far Cry 6

Yup; I’m a Far Cry guy. Yes, they have barely changed the formula since Far Cry 3 and yes I still have lots of fun playing through these games. You know how I mentioned dumb fun earlier? This game massively ticks that box for me. It’s almost comfort food gaming in that I know exactly what I’m gonna get before playing and always leave satisfied. I totally get if you’re sick of these games but for now I’m fine with playing around in their dumb open worlds every 2-3 years.

5. Inscryption

I very rarely go into the weird indie PC space as much these days but I’m so glad I did for this one. I enjoyed Pony Island but the gimmick wore out very quickly but I’m glad to say that is not the case here. Fundamentally the core card based gameplay here was super fun and interesting and that alone would’ve kept me hooked. Add in a fascinating and wild story to the mix and also constantly changing the rules of the game and they nailed this concept. Such a unique game that I don’t think I’ve ever played anything like it before. Sad now that I know all it’s secrets. Don’t miss it.

4. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Having never played a game in the series before I really didn’t know what to expect from this one other than the fact that in my opinion Insomniac are one of the best developers in the world right now. My biggest takeaway is that this game is way too good for a kids game and way better than it really ever should be. The level of polish on every single thing in this game just goes miles beyond what is the usual industry standard for this genre. I really do hope they don’t make anymore because they need to continue on with bigger and better things but for now I’ll take such a well crafted and straight up fun game.

3. Bugsnax

I’m so glad this game delivered after waiting to play it once I got my PS5 this year. From the second I first saw the announcement trailer I knew I was gonna play this game but it ended up being so much deeper and well crafted than I expected. What’s wild to me is this is pretty much what I want from a modern Pokemon game. Going around the world, doing quests for people and uncovering a story all while catching a variety of different creatures. The way you use multiple different tools and techniques and combine them to catch different Bugsnax is so clever and makes Pokemon’s same old formula of battling/catching feel as old as it is. I really hope this becomes a franchise because whenever I think about Bugsnax; a smile appears across my face.

2. Resident Evil Village

There aren’t many things in games that make me as happy as seeing Resident Evil be the best it can be and what a resurgence it’s been. After Resident Evil 7 completely saved the franchise and Resident Evil 2 Remake was the perfect mix of nostalgia and super fun gameplay; we have yet another fantastic RE game. I’ll always be excited for new games over any remakes and my absolute favourite thing about Village is how utterly batshit crazy it is. For years people have tried to put RE in a box and claim it has to be these certain things but can’t be these other things. I’m just so happy those days are over and we can have a game that contains vampires, werewolves, haunted dolls and giant mechs that still feels very Resident Evil. As a sequel to 7 it also makes that game even better; fleshing out the story in super meaningful ways I never saw coming and actually making Ethan a worthy character in the history of RE. Just an utter blast of a game that proves when Resident Evil is firing on all cylinders; nothing else in horror gaming comes remotely close.

1. Death Stranding: Director’s Cut

My 2019 GOTY becomes a double winner. Is this a cop out? You’re absolutely right it is and I’m perfectly fine with it. In the two years since it’s initial release I love the game even more now and it’s solidified its place in my all time top 5. I wanted a straight up port to PS5 so I could play the whole thing again so the fact we got any new content was a big win for me. The only downside is that I believe this version features no music from CHVRCHES. I know music licensing is the worst thing in the world but I still find this sad as the original game made me a fan so it’s a shame that part of the game isn’t here now. Still, a slightly prettier version with a few gameplay improvements on one of my all time favourite games was enough to take my crown for game of the year 2021.