Welcome to our site’s first-ever Game of the Year Awards. We know you’re tired and ready for a break after the Year in Which Time Was Largely Meaningless, so we’re keeping this one to the point – with just five categories.
This list is mostly about the games we loved playing in 2021. No genre breakdowns. No segmentation of development components. We recruited a few South African game writers, reviewers and commentators to share their thoughts and favourites from the period January 1 to December 15.
Weighing in are:
Noelle Adams, Pfangirl.com owner and editor
Darryn Bonthuys, Pfangirl.com reviewer and freelance writer
Matthew Figueira, Checkpoint Chat podcast host
Caveshen Rajman, freelance writer (formerly of eGamer and NAG)
Read our picks below, and comment if you think we forgot anything that stood out for you in these categories.
1. Biggest surprise of 2021
Noelle – The Artful Escape
When the Annapurna Interactive Showcase took place back in July, I dismissed this indie musical platformer as weird and pretentious on the basis of its trailer. When I got hands on with The Artful Escape, yes, it was peak hipster and hallucinogenic, but gloriously so. No game in 2021 gave me a top-of-the-universe rush like the short and dazzling-in-every-way The Artful Escape. Full review here.
Honorary mention to Resident Evil Village, for surprising me with the fact that its setting is far more vast and diverse than Castle Dimitrescu (which dominated the game’s marketing).
Darryn – Unpacking
Who would have thought that in a year of time-looping murder sandboxes, intergalactic adventures, and genre-defining co-op fun, that a game about unpacking a few boxes across multiple eras of a person’s life could be so enthralling? Not me! Unpacking does exactly what it says on the box, throwing you into empty spaces that are populated by boxes full of memories and keepsakes – artifacts that chart the growth of a single person’s life over their most formative years.
It’s a simple formula, but with stellar art direction encapsulated by quirky retro graphics, a sublime soundtrack, and subtle audio cues, Unpacking is a cathartic experience focused on putting another person’s life together, assembling their story from each and every box that’s emptied of memories.
Matty – Metroid Dread
Announced in June and released a few short months later in October, it’s safe to say that nobody saw Metroid Dread coming. And yet, despite a lack of forewarning and underlying doubt, I found the direct sequel to 2002’s Metroid Fusion to be an outstanding return to form for one of Nintendo’s oldest franchises.
Metroid Dread, simply put, is a masterclass in Metroidvania design. Its slick presentation and smooth gameplay bring Samus straight back into the spotlight, and yes, she’s still one hell of a bounty hunter!
Cavie – It Takes Two
It Takes Two has no right to be as good as it is. Ostensibly a Pixar animated series of co-operative mini-games, underpinned by a narrative broaching the very serious topic of irreconcilable differences leading to divorce, this insanely ambitious undertaking by Hazelight Games somehow manages to work as a cohesive and satisfying experience for all ages. “F%$* the Oscars” indeed.
2. Favourite game played in 2021
Noelle – Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
This year I finally got around to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. It was my first RE game, and it set the bar so high that not even Village could top it. As a horror game, Biohazard is like being dropped into every sordid slasher/torture porn movie rolled into one. It’s undiluted nightmare fuel made interactive, and I loved it despite (or perhaps because of) how it regularly threw petrol on my anxiety.
Honorable mentions in this category go to the weirdly satisfying GTA-with-a-bullshark actioner that is Maneater; and relentlessly fun Zombie Army 4: Dead War, for uniting some of my favourite things: World War II, sniper combat, supernatural themes, over-the-top Nazi slaughter and badass women of colour protagonists.
Darryn – Destiny 2
I’m as predictable as ever on this, but 2021 has been one of the best years of Destiny 2 since it first arrived in 2017. The new seasonal model–and a behind-the-scenes shift at Bungie to make the studio less toxic–has seen the cosmic sandbox evolve to tell engrossing stories, full of personal stakes, intrigue, and sci-fi drama. This has been a year where the narrative of Destiny 2 has become far less binary in its construction, and along with seasonal events, explosive new weapons to add to your arsenal, and constant tweaking, Destiny 2 is in a brilliant position ahead of February 2022’s Witch Queen expansion.
Plus, all the new lore that I talk about allows me to baffle Noelle continuously, which is an added bonus.
Matty – Outer Wilds
In 2019, Outer Wilds appeared on countless ‘Game of the Year’ lists. I knew next to nothing about Mobius Digital’s indie hit, but I made a mental note to play it soon. The announcement of an expansion two years later, shortly before a period of annual leave, was the exact reminder I needed.
Unfortunately, Outer Wilds is tricky to talk about, purely because all discourse is a potential spoiler – the game nudges you to unravel its spacefaring tale by piecing together clues from multiple breadcrumb trails, so no prior knowledge makes for the best experience. All I can say is this: it’s one of the best things I’ve ever played in my entire life, let alone in 2021.
Cavie – Apex Legends
Apex Legends landed with an absolute splash in 2019, and I’ve had it installed ever since. I just had never really given it a try until ye’ old 2021 when I was desperate for something fast-paced with a moderate-to-high learning curve, and every single player game at the time was disappointingly grindy. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my now 500 hours with this title, and have so much respect for the way Respawn regularly rework their formula. Even if, yes, it fundamentally breaks the game every three months, and makes Reddit very angry.
3. Favourite character in 2021
Noelle – Alex and Steph (Life is Strange: True Colors)
Oof. I’m going to split my vote here between the two women leads of Life is Strange: True Colors: Alex Chen, the protagonist of the base game, and Steph Gingrich, who appears as a True Colors NPC and is the playable lead in its DLC prequel Wavelengths. These ladies are examples of pitch-perfect on-screen representation, relatable and real thanks to the level of nuance in their depiction.
No matter how you play this lesser seen Asian-American lead, Alex, performed by Erika Mori, is a likeable delight. She’s been through life-shaking trauma but hasn’t lost her wit or ability to have fun. Meanwhile, Katy Bentz’s Steph presents on the surface as a supremely cool, confident lesbian, who proves to be a hot mess whenever matters of the heart come up. Hashtag too real. Every second spent with Alex and Steph is a treat.
Darryn – Rivet (Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart)
2021 is the year that I became a Furry, because I absolutely fell in love with Rivet from Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. I think that’s how this all works? I’m not sure, but I’ll roll with it.
Rivet’s debut in the PS5 exclusive has been an absolute blast, a fresh new face who stands tall next to Ratchet as a vital part of that multiverse. She’s got spunk, the subtle moments of acting that developer Insomniac Games animated into her are simply amazing, and Jennifer Hale’s vocal talents flesh her out as a believable hero in a world where evil has won. An adorable Lombax with a bright future ahead of her, Rivet’s a future main-eventer in the PS5 era, and I can’t wait to see more of her.
Matty – Rivet (Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart)
I was a newbie to PlayStation’s long-running Ratchet & Clank franchise, so I had absolutely no affinity or pre-existing love for its characters. Rift Apart introduced me to the lovable, colourful cast, but one of its new additions, Rivet, was a 2021 standout in my eyes.
Rivet is every bit as resourceful, agile, and sassy as her interdimensional counterpart Ratchet, yet I found her far more captivating. I have no doubt that she’s now an instant favourite among fans – loved by veterans and newcomers alike – and I can’t wait to see where Insomniac take her next.
Cavie – Lady Dimitrescu (Resident Evil Village)
Things certainly got weird after so long spent in isolation, and nothing punctuated that quite as well as the near-universal thirsting for Resident Evil Village’s Lady Dimitrescu. Don’t ask me why because I can’t explain it either, but something about Vampire Mom – maybe her height at way-too-many metres tall – made us all want her to step on our necks. Some might say I still think about that from time to time…
4. Biggest disappointment of 2021
Noelle – Far Cry 6 (kinda)
I’ve had a pretty good year in terms of every game I was looking forward to meeting expectations. I’m not going to dunk on any of the unfinessed and muddled indies I played, which leaves my biggest disappointment as Far Cry 6. Not because of the gameplay, please note, but because I had to wait weeks for a patch that actually let me load my PC copy. When I did start my first-ever Far Cry, I found a visually striking, surprisingly hard-hitting and engrossing game.
Darryn – Jay and Silent Bob Reboot
I know what you’re thinking. Jay and Silent Bob Reboot isn’t a game! Heck, it wasn’t even released this year! And you’re right, but you’re also wrong because my absolute undying hatred for this trainwreck of a film makes it transcend genres, mediums, and the brief that I was handed for these blurbs. Jay and Silent Bob Reboot is 105 minutes of anti-Marijuana propaganda that artists should pay attention to. It’s a creatively bankrupt trainwreck of a movie that should be wiped from existence; a poorly-made excuse to get Kevin Smith’s friends and family some screen time, and the grand finale of a film career that slowly started dying once Tusk was released.
It pisses all over the legacy of the superb Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, it makes me almost as angry as penguin conservation projects do, and I’ll never ever recover that time I wasted while I was watching this film. I’d rather challenge a rhino to a headbutting contest, eat properly healthy food, clean my ears with an industrial jackhammer, or ask Christmas carol-singers to come to my home, than watch this movie again.
Matty – Twelve Minutes
If you’ve ever had a gaming-related conversation with me, you’ll know that I’m a relatively forgiving “critic”, able to find the good in any title. The truth is, I don’t like lambasting any game, because I know that nobody intentionally sets out to make something horrid (with rare exceptions).
2021 did deliver one glaring disappointment, however, even by my easy-going standards. On paper, Twelve Minutes offers an interesting time loop premise, delivered by a surprisingly star-studded voice cast that includes James McAvoy, Daisy Ridley, and Willem Dafoe. Sadly, frustrating, mundane gameplay and, quite frankly, a ridiculous twist carved out a truly sour experience in my memory.
Cavie – Far Cry 6
Far Cry 6 is every bit as Far Cry as it comes, and yet I feel that’s… not great, because we’ve kinda been there and done that too many times already. Unlike its sibling franchise Assassin’s Creed, which is hard-carried by its ever-changing historical setting, the Far Cry franchise is floundering for freshness, and is, I dare say, now a mere whimper after the former echoing highs of Vaas and Pagan Min.
5. Best game of 2021
Noelle – The Forgotten City
Looking back at my review scores for 2021, two games achieved a 9 (and I have a movie reviewing background so anything above an 8 is not easily given). One was cosy and clever Unpacking, so I guess that’s my honorary mention in this category. The other was The Forgotten City, which began life as an award-winning Skyrim mod and turned into a standalone mystery adventure set in a cursed Roman city.
Cleverly accommodating of different play styles, philosophical without being pretentious, and surprisingly funny, The Forgotten City is so good – particularly in terms of its writing – that it actually made me forget my time loop fatigue (thanks, Twelve Minutes).
Darryn – Hitman 3
What were you doing in February this year? Making plans to go out, or stocking up on alcohol in case Oom Cyril held another family meeting? I’ll tell you what I was doing. I was methodically knocking out dozens of rich bastards at a vineyard and dumping their bodies into an industrial grape-crushing machine, just so that I could have the satisfaction of seeing how much red wine I could produce from their mangled corpses. While that’s an activity that didn’t take place in the real world–yet–it was a mission that consumed hours of my life in Hitman 3.
And I regret nothing. IO Interactive’s final chapter in the World of Assassination trilogy is a masterclass of polish, grand design, and ambitious world-building. It’s Hitman at the very peak of what’s possible, a glorious apex predator of game design that swiftly moves between Dubai skyscraper penthouses and Carpathian train rides, never missing a beat and providing perfect execution on its concepts.
Matty – Chicory: A Colorful Tale
In a year where I enjoyed stellar hits like Monster Hunter Rise, Returnal, Deathloop, and It Takes Two, a small indie title about a dog bringing colour back to a black and white world stands out as my firm favourite. Chicory: A Colorful Tale is a true gem, delivering exquisite design, imaginative gameplay, and a sublime soundtrack.
But the story and themes are the true stars here, leaving such an impression on me that the game pops into my thoughts regularly even all these months later, to deliver a range of both heart-warming and tear-inducing memories. That’s not to say that Chicory is explicitly sad, mind you. It just tackles its various topics – depression, anxiety, self-worth, and imposter syndrome to name a few – in such a raw, relatable, and honest way, without being insensitive, edgy, or over the top.
This is an EXCEPTIONAL game, and I cannot thank Greg Lobanov and the team enough for making it!
Cavie – Returnal
Returnal sure was a videogame that released in 2021, hoo boy! I remember watching trailers prior to release and wondering who would enjoy this bullet-hell boss-rush mess of a third-person shooter? Fast forward and there I was on release week enjoying the h*ck out of this bullet-hell boss-rush splendour of a third-person shooter. Bonus points for the exquisite use of the PS5’s DualSense and Tempest Audio – still the only game I’ve played that actually justifies that console’s existence.
