The unsung, the unheard, the invisible. Not every game is equal. Imagine how these game designers, producers, marketers feel when they pour their heart and souls into a new project but it doesn’t bang like some of the bigger boys or girls seem to do. This one is for the gaming companies that have great titles that deserve a little more respect.
10. The Medium | 2021 | Blooper Team SA | X Box Series X, PlayStation 5, PC
Halloween may have come and gone this year but the horror remains. We have everything from the Resident Evil series being remade to the Dead space series which is still close to our fright-infested hearts.
You play as Maryanne a Medium whose mission is to find the origins of her power which sets her up for an out-of-body experience. This includes weird creatures, migraines that split the screen apart, and a mystery that would make Colombo gasp.
The Medium toes the line of survival and adventure which allows more Resident Evil comparisons with a villain like Nemesis cannot be killed. While the puzzles aren’t as exciting or as scarier as other titles, it still manages to provide you with a good time.
9. Oddworld – Soulstorm | 2021 |Oddworld Inhabitants | PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox X
I always respect games with longevity. The Oddworld franchise has been around since 1997, In 97 I was drinking with mates at Uni and deciding on what car I wanted but here we are in 2021, and that weird-looking rascal Abe is back at it again with a new title.
Once again your mission is to save Abe’s mates from the evil Glukkons who want to use them for financial gain and hard labor. While the game is very similar to most of the older titles, it still has a good blend of story, fun, and weapon crafting in difficult scenarios.
Those damn bugs have entered the building and have affected nearly every part of the game. Characters freezing mid-air, followers disappearing faster than my hairline. Despite all these things, the story is still strong and satisfying enough for you to power lift your way to the cul-de-sac.
8. Blue Fire | 2021| Robi - Studios | PC, Nintendo Switch
Platformers are everywhere, the gaming world is full of them, It’s hard to find a new successor these days to make you stop and think ‘This isn’t half bad at all’ Blue fire finds a way of combining a few very popular platforms games than adding its flavor to a fault.
You play as a lone warrior on a mission to help clear out the riff-raff roaming the city of Penumbra, sadly they outnumber you 1000-1. You can see shades of Mario, Hallow Knight, and Zelda lurking around the corners but it does switch gears halfway through into more of a boss-hunting affair.
While it gets frustrating going back and forth to some areas, the games gravity defining moments and brilliant special attacks make you feel empowered. , the package certainly packs a cute but addictive punch to the mix of adventure titles.
7. Returnal | 2021 | House Marque | PlayStation 5
Bill Murray has a lot to answer for. Groundhog day opened up a lot of possibilities for the whole start, die, repeat style gimmick at this point but in movies. Returnal finds a way in a game to make it fresher by sticking it in a Sci-Fi setting with a protagonist with a dodgy past.
Selene crashes on a strange planet while investigating a signal on the surface realizes that she is trapped in a time loop. From the jump, you will realize that this is a difficult game. It pulls no punches and their foes swarm you like a smothered in sticky honey.
While the game has a great feel to it, the difficulty level and the bizarre inability to save the levels are uncalled for and unwelcome. The choice of weapons and upgrades are great, the levels are next-gen and the side story revealing Selene’s past is a nice touch. All and all I would certainly recommend this one despite the hard journey to the finish.
6. Cyber Shadow | 2021 | Mechanical Head Studios | Switch, PC
Well, it certainly wins in the cool title screen department. Cyber Shadow is a throwback to the mega drive days in which Sega dominated the market. It has all the elements of a Metroidvania title and adds a few clever methods of its own.
The story involves Shadow whose mission is to protect his clan while also tracking the man who betrayed his people for his motives. The graphics are in 8 bit but the novelty runs thin at all as you hack around with your razor-sharp-thirsty blade.
The game has all the beauty and the bad points of most retro titles, hard and frustrating at times but very rewarding in many other ways. This game manages to find a place in my lemonade-flooded heart due to its generally enjoyable nostalgic gameplay.
5. Mundaun | 2021 | Hidden Fields| PC, PlayStation, Xbox S X
First Person horror is thriving at the moment. Before Resident Evil Village the gaming space was already being haunted by many different horror titles but this little gem certainly has an intriguing spin on the genre.
You play Curdin who returns home due to a death in the family which turns into a big mystery with unsettling consequences. Stealth and good timing are needed to avoid foes while a lot of bizarre scenarios seem to occur all the time.
The fact that this was made by a skeleton crew increases my respect for it. While it doesn’t shoot to the top of the survival horror list, it certainly deserves to be mentioned in a possible game of the year list.
4. Necromunda Hired Gun | 1998 | Streum on Studio| PlayStation, PC
Necromunda is a first-person shooter based in the world of Warhammer involving a mercenary investigating a big conspiracy lurking in Necromunda, yep that’s the city’s name too.
Now, most of the game involves our hero taking on contracts but mostly you are just blowing crap up with your trusty and cute dog until nothing is left but a disturbing combination of bullets and blood.
Sadly the game is riddled with bugs that really shouldn’t be occurring on any next-gen consoles. Despite all of this, the awesome kills, weapons, and modded canine attacks are a nice touch to a handsome-looking title.
3. Little Nightmares | 2021| Tarsier Studios | PlayStation, PC, Xbox
We all love cute dark adventure platformers right? Little Nightmares has a lot of ingredients taken from other titles from the same genre but finds a way to add extra creepiness at the same time.
You play once again as Mono trying to survive in a matter of fun and crazy situations in Pale city. This is another game I would recommend playing in the dark and enjoying the atmosphere and great sound effects throughout this adventure.
Unlike the first game, you can fight enemies, smack them over the head or leg it to safety. It’s a nice touch to get help from your companion to complete puzzles and genuinely think it’s a nice touch that you can even hold hands while on the march to the next task. It’s a cute little game that needs the comfort of other gamers to live on.
2. Nier Replicant 1.22 | 2021 | Square Enix | PlayStation, Xbox, PC
Square Enix is at it again. They have a long list of great action RPGs’s so we aren’t gonna complain about another gem not called Final Fantasy? Hell no. Technically this is a remake, reboot, sequel but it’s all the better for it than its predecessor in some ways.
You play as Nier, a man who will do anything to find a vaccine that is killing his sister, this leads to him doing very questionable things to get to the cure which he feels he can acquire for her.
Nier has great combat with sword and magic attacks plus a compelling story which every good RPG should. While I still feel like it fits in the underrated category, thankfully it does seem like it is getting noticed a bit more now, thankfully.
1. Scarlett Nexus | 2021 | Bandai | PlayStation, Xbox, PC
Anime crossover is incoming! Well, it has an Anime TV show out at the moment and a great underrated game that demands respect, so let’s give it some respect right now.
In this one you have a choice of either playing as Yuito or Kasane, both members of the OSF force who exterminate the infestation of weird flower creatures (Others) who are taking over the city.
Scarlett Nexus is a rare mix of a surprisingly deep storyline, great game mechanics, and a brilliant soundtrack that all complement each other over and over again as you slash your way through the story. Give it a chance like the other titles in the list.
