While 2020 was a mess all around, there was no shortage of amazing games this year.
With most of us confined to our couch, video games took on a new meaning in our lives. Our Animal Crossing islands served as our vacation homes and the only way to experience normalcy. Call of Duty chat rooms were the only way for us to have honest human interactions, and don't even get me started on the time spent traversing the wilds in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
But as 2020 comes to a close, the future of gaming is looking brighter than ever. Here is our list of most anticipated arrivals of 2021.
God of War Sequel
God of War
With an unconfirmed release date and unconfirmed title, the God of War titles have a long history of outstanding games, with 2018's reboot being the most lauded game in the series thus far. The Santa Monica Studio installment put Kratos into the messy world of Norse mythology and had him face off against some scary foes alongside his son, Atreus. But now with the innovative DualSense PS5 controller and highly improved graphics, the upcoming 2021 release should feel and look a lot different, which is incredibly exciting.
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2
Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2
The sequel to 2017's Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice, the trailer for Hellblade 2 captivated audiences when the game was announced at the 2019 Game Awards. While the first installment in the series explored Senua's descent into hell in order to save her lover's soul, the game received praise for tackling mental illness and the dangers of psychosis. Developer Ninja Theory announced that Senua will return for more hack and slash insanity, and we can't wait to see what new adventures are in store for the heroine.
The Medium
The Medium
A fascinating psychological horror game, The Medium is gearing up to be unlike anything else in 2021. Users play as Marianne, a psychological medium who can explore the spirit realm.
Both worlds will contain horrifying puzzles, and players will be expected to use Marianne's supernatural powers to fight against demons and other scary goons. Not to mention the fact that the whole thing also takes place in Poland, which is a terrifying setting.
Resident Evil 8: Village
Another highly anticipated horror entry, Resident Evil 8: Village excited players after it was revealed that RE7's protagonist, Ethan, would explore a supernatural village and face off against a unique set of foes, which other outlets have described as "zombie-werewolf-looking things." It's also rumored to be the first game in the series to be in the first person.
Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Zero Dawn is officially getting a sequel, and the PS5 trailer showed that it will be even more enthralling in its visuals and jaw-dropping in its gameplay and boss battles. The trailer alone made audiences squirm with excitement, and while a release date is nonexistent at this point, the game will no doubt be epic if it's anything like its predecessor.
Halo Infinite
It's impossible to relay the anticipation for this project in a single paragraph. Halo Infinite is expected to return the series to its shining glory. It was announced that Joseph Staten, the original trilogy's writer, had been added to the team as creative director. With 343 already at the helm, the game has been shaping up to be one of 2021's biggest releases.
While creators remain mum on the details of the game it was confirmed that Infinite will offer four-screen split-screen multiplayer, as well as immersive online play. Additionally, the game will be offered for free on the Xbox Pass and will be able to be played on the cloud via xCloud. It's in Microsoft's best interest to make sure Halo Infinite surpasses expectations, so we're hoping it will at least be a strong return to form for the series.
Hogwarts Legacy
Have you ever wanted to enroll at Hogwarts, not as Harry Potter, but as yourself? The details behind Warner Bros. Games and developer Avalance's Hogwarts Legacy have remained scarce, but the exciting open-world role-playing game is definitely set in the wizarding world of Harry Potter in the 1800s. You play as yourself and get to customize and upgrade your character, as well as attend Hogwarts and explore the wizarding world's surrounding areas, including the Forbidden Forest.
Far Cry 6
The open-world FPS series has a long-running history of fantastic villains, but when Far Cry 6's E3 trailer revealed that Giancarlo Esposito of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul fame would take the helm as a contentious dictator, the series significantly upped the ante from past releases.
Not much else is known about the story, but as the trailer shows, the graphics look phenomenal. Unfortunately, fans of the series are going to have to wait a bit to snag a copy, as Far Cry 6 has been delayed until at least April of 2021.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
One of the longest-running and most successful video game series ever created, Ratchet and Clank will return to the PS5 with Rift Apart, and if August's gameplay reveal is any indication, it's guaranteed to be a whole lot of fun.
Dr. Nefarious is up to his old "world domination" tricks again, and this time he's obtained a weapon that can split apart reality into different dimensions. Ratchet and Clank, of course, must stop him, but after getting separated, they first will have to find their way back to each other. Unfortunately, the game is not expected until at least April of 2021.
Hitman 3
The legendary stealth game Hitman kicks off the new year with its eighth installment in January 2021. Voiced once again by the veteran David Bateson, the assassination third-person action game puts you back in the shoes of Agent 47, an agent who plots out murders via a series of puzzles and utilizing vastly different locations. At its peak, the long-standing Hitman franchise offers vastly expansive and detailed maps with countless ways to take out your foe.
Hitman 3 proves to be no different. Whether you kill your enemies by slapping them with a dead fish or push them off a cliff, longtime fans of the series will not be disappointed by the game's endless array of ways to kill your foes. Not to mention it runs on an engine that supports 300 active NPCs at once, making each location feel busy and alive.