Though 2021 was a bit of a dumpster fire of a year (more like 2020, the sequel), there is one good thing that can be said for it: there was a plethora of fantastic games that released across all platforms this year. As we head into the final weeks of the year, the topic of conversation for gamers everywhere will quickly become focused on the game of the year: that one game that captured the hearts and minds of gamers across the world. With so many stellar games, and some absolute bombs as well, it is definitely crowded at the top of the list. Which game that released in 2021 is your game of the year?

Maybe it was a remake or a re-release, such as The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD. Or perhaps an indie title shot out of nowhere to take the top prize, like Death’s Door. It could be that a completely new IP took you by surprise and quickly became your favorite game, like Guardians of the Galaxy. There were so many fantastic games this year that it is hard to narrow it down to even five, let alone one.

For me, it has to be Metroid Dread. Is it a perfect game? No, but honestly, it is pretty damn close. But Metroid Dread is a game that finally made the Metroid series click for me. I can’t stop thinking about it. I want to play it again already, and I rarely do that. It was blisteringly hard, but whenever I defeated another boss or gained a new ability, I could feel myself improving as a player. The E.M.M.I. sequences were tense and frustrating, absolutely filling me with a sense of dread. The controls were tight, the music was amazing, and the graphics were some of the best I have ever seen on a Switch game. The fact that this game was decades in the making and came out of nowhere definitely adds to its greatness. It should not have worked. But I am so grateful it did.

So, which game is your game of the year? Can you even narrow it down? Share your thoughts below or join the conversation on the Boss Rush Discord.

Image source: Kiplinger