Are you looking for the best games set for 2021 release? Then, we’d like to tell you that the search is over. Yes, the year of 2020 is still not over yet. Even so, most eyes are already on titles built specifically to run on the next generation of consoles. We’re talking about the PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X, as well as Series S.
Of course, the PC, as well as the Nintendo Switch, aren’t going to be left behind. The former, in particular, will benefit greatly from the added power of the next-gen consoles. This is because games will no longer be limited in terms of hardware. This makes desktops the ideal choice for gamers who want to see just how pretty a game could look like with all the graphic settings turned all the way up.
Meanwhile, the Nintendo Switch has carved itself a nice piece of the gaming market. It isn’t the most powerful console. It is, however, arguably, the one console that holds the longest-lasting appeal.
With that said, the year 2021 is set to be a big year for gaming, and since it’s near-impossible to keep up with all the latest news on big upcoming releases, we’ve decided to do the legwork for you.
Hitman 3
Release date: January 2021
Platform/s: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series S and Series X, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
Genre: Stealth, Action
During the latter half of the past decade, IO’s refreshing take on the old Hitman formula was one of the bigger surprises. Opting for an episodic release before releasing as a single title later on, the first Hitman reboot was a “sandbox assassination simulator”. The game gave players all the freedom that they needed to complete their contracts and assassinate their targets.
The second game, Hitman 2, was more of the same. Albeit, it was bigger and more beautiful. It also features more locations.
The third title, self-published by IO themselves, is set to be even bigger.
Once again assuming the role of the infamous Agent 47, Hitman 3 will have players travelling across the globe to take down their targets. This includes locations like Dubai, Dartmoor, and England. Also, for long-time fans of the now-trilogy, players will be able to import maps, levels, and even their progress from the first two Hitman titles into the latest release.
Hitman 3 is also compatible with PSVR for the PS4 and PS5, with levels imported from previous titles receiving support retroactively. However, gone is the multiplayer component this time around. But, even so, Hitman 3 should remain a better game, with IO promising a more “mature, serious, and darker” take.
God of War: Ragnarok
Release date: 2021
Platform/s: PlayStation 5
Genre: Action-Adventure, Fantasy
Since 2005, God of War has been synonymous with the PlayStation brand. However, what Sony Santa Monica did was just on a whole other level.
Although people weren’t really tired of the old formula that God of War had followed prior to their take on the franchise, their choice to transform the game from hack and slash to action-adventure and turn the ruthless and vengeful Kratos into a protective but proud father may have elevated the series into even greater heights.
Now, they’ve set the bar pretty high for themselves. But, even so, all signs point to God of War: Ragnarok meeting any and all expectations once it releases on the PS5 (no word on its availability on the PS4 just yet) come 2021. In preparation for that, head on over and get yourself a PlayStation Gift Card, so you don’t miss out when the game releases.
God of War: Ragnarok will pick up just right where the last God of War ended. It follows the games’ conclusion as it was revealed that Kratos’ son isn’t just a half-god, he’s also a half-giant. Atreus, also known as Loki, was born to a giant mother, Faye, who also came to be known by the name of Laufey.
Kratos’ killing of Baldur is also taken straight out of Norse mythology (not the Kratos part, but the death part) as the signal for the start of the “Twilight of the Gods”, which is an event also known as Ragnarok where many gods meet their demise.
We already know that Kratos’ journey tussles with Norse mythology isn’t over yet. The secret cutscene revealed that Thor, the Norse god of thunder and half-brother to Baldur, was quick to confront Kratos. But, whether or not this was to seek vengeance is not something we’re sure of just yet.
What we do know is that Thor doesn’t just come knocking at anyone’s door.
Horizon: Forbidden West
Release date: 2021
Platform/s: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
Genre: Action-Adventure, Role-Playing
The PlayStation franchise has had a thing for introducing genre-defining exclusives that pushed the limits of what the console of their respective generation was capable of.
For the PlayStation 2, this was Shadow of the Colossus. Meanwhile, The Last of Us, was a fitting final hurrah for the PlayStation 3. But, while it wasn’t released at the end of the PS4’s lifecycle (it hasn’t even ended yet), and didn’t exactly push the console to its absolute limits, what Horizon: Zero Dawn did was give gamers arguably the most beautiful game of the current generation.
Developers Guerilla Games introduced gamers to Aloy and a future planet earth where humans have split up and devolved into living like ancient tribes as the rest of the world has been terraformed and overrun by dinosaur-like machine creatures.
Playing as the young outcast who later earned herself a spot at the Nora tribe, gamers saw Aloy work hard to uncover what mysteries lie behind the machines and whatever happened to the “Old Ones”, their term for the “technologically-advanced” humans who previously inhabited the planet before its demise at the hands of an AI gone rogue.
After saving the world in Zero Dawn, the sequel, Forbidden West, will have Aloy journey through the west to try and find out what set off the events that previously threatened to end the world as she knew it.
Resident Evil Village
Release date: 2021
Platform/s: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
Genre: Survival Horror
The last time that Resident Evil was set in a village, gamers were treated to one of the most influential games of all time in Resident Evil 4.
To this date, the Resident Evil franchise has yet to match the 2005 title. However, they are slowly working their way towards making a comeback. After back-to-back duds in Resident Evil 5 and 6, Capcom turned things around with Resident Evil 7, a first-person shooter that took the franchise back to its roots.
Many expected Capcom to follow it up with yet another sequel. Instead, Capcom circled back with complete remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 to mixed success.
Now, Capcom intends to return to the formula that made Resident Evil the horror game to beat in Resident Evil Village, or as some people call it, Resident Evil 8.
As the name implies, the game is set in a village. It will bring back fan favourite protagonist, Chris Redfield, who is as brooding as ever. Also returning is Resident Evil 7’s main character, Ethan Winters, who, along with his wife, Mia Winters, are trying to build a new life following their escape from the Baker family.
The most surprising part here is that Chris has taken up the role of antagonist for some reason.
Unlike the previous remakes, Resident Evil Village will play more like a survival horror title from a first-person perspective. Capcom did mention that there’ll be more action this time around.
The only issue here is that Ethan Winters doesn’t really have any formal combat training. This means that we could still pretty much do the same things as Resident Evil 7, although we aren’t exactly complaining.
Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War
Release date: 2021
Platform/s: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series S and Series X, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Call of Duty will take us on a trip to the past, specifically, to the Cold War, with Call of Duty: Black Ops – Cold War.
Similar to previous Black Ops titles, the latest iteration will see Treyarch at the helm. It’ll also see the return of familiar faces in Mason, Woods, and Hudson. But, you won’t be playing as either one of them. Instead, you’ll play as your own customizable character and lead your own team on the hunt of Perseus, a spy who has supposedly infiltrated the US government.
Like Black Ops 2, the latest Black Ops game’s campaign will feature multiplayer endings. The campaign script was written by David Goyer of the Dark Knight trilogy fame. This gives it maximum replay value. This is on top of what’s going to be a more refined and improved multiplayer experience.
Immortals Fenyx Rising
Release date: 2021
Platform/s: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series S and Series X, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Microsoft Windows
Genre: Action-Adventure
Immortals Fenyx Rising is a brave and new IP from Ubisoft.
Perhaps after seeing the success of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey, Ubisoft went full Greek Mythology with their latest game. It’s a full-on action-adventure title that puts players in the shoes of the red-headed Fenyx, a winged demigod whose destiny is to save the rest of the Greek gods from their untimely demise at the hands of a vengeful Typhon.
As a titan hell-bent on taking out Zeus and the other Greek gods responsible for his banishment to Tartaros, taking out Typhon is no easy task.
Luckily, Fenyx is up for it.
The game draws heavy inspiration from another third-person favourite, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, but will incorporate many more Ubisoft elements to it, perhaps all for the better. Not to mention, it’s a very light-hearted title. It will have the Greek God of Fire, the ever-intelligent Prometheus, serve as the narrator while working alongside Zeus himself.
Gotham Knights
Release date: 2021
Platform/s: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series S and Series X, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
Genre: Action-Adventure, Role-Playing
After years of speculation, we finally have confirmation of a new Batman game. But, instead of Rocksteady returning to develop the game, it was WB Games Montréal who will work on the game that will reportedly have an entirely original story and plot.
An open-world action RPG, Gotham Knights is set in a Batman-less Gotham where the dark knight’s former proteges will have to try and fill in the large hole left by the apparent death of their mentor. Naturally, this means that Gotham Knights will feature multiple playable characters. This includes Batgirl, Nightwing, and Red Hood, as well as the Time Drake version of Robin.
We have no news as to what exactly the story of Gotham Knights will be like just yet. The only thing we know is that it will revolve around the four’s attempt to try and put order into Gotham after the death of, not just Batman, but also James Gordon.
The game will also feature the secret criminal society, Court of Owls, as well as their superhuman assassins, the Talons, at some point in its story.
Gotham Knights can be played entirely solo, as confirmed by WB senior producer, Fleur Marty. This means players can play entirely on their own. But, he did go on to confirm that the game will let players drop-in and out of co-op games when they want to, which implies a very involved multiplayer mechanic to the game for those who want to play with friends.
Conclusion
There are good games, then there are the best games. The 7 above are the best among the lot. They’re easily worth getting excited about. This is even if we’re still quite a while away from their actual release dates.
The PS5 and Xbox Series X are coming. This we know for sure.
Along with it is surely a slate of titles that’s going to make people want to make the jump to the next generation of consoles.
These 7 games aren’t necessarily exclusive to the Xbox Series and PS5. However, both consoles are more powerful. This means that the gameplay experience should be different when played on them as compared to previous generations. But, of course, it’s still up to gamers if they think it’s worth migrating to a new system just to play these games at their best.
Either way, these are the 7 best games set for 2021 release. It doesn’t matter which platform you prefer. So, which game are you most excited for? Let us know in the comments below!
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