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Over the next eight days, Hardcore Gamer will be revealing its Best of 2021 Awards leading up to our Game of the Year. Today we present you with the Best New IP, Sequel, Remaster/Remake, Surprise and VR Game.
To create the year’s best new IP, it takes more than just a lack of a popular franchise. It takes a captivating world that sucks players in, a cast of entertaining characters, unique gameplay elements and more. Luckily, Arkane has a ton of experience in such areas, so it’s no surprise that the world of Blackreef and its inhabitants were able to secure a win here. One of the joys of having time loop as gameplay mechanics is that it allows for more freedom to explore each area and soak everything in, learn more about what’s going on, see if you can’t go for that unique weapon that spices things up, or just see how many people that you can kick off of ledges in a single day. Deathloop brings a ton of variety to the table in several areas, and it all adds up to an amazing and original game that easily earns this award.
Runner-Ups
It Takes Two
ENDER LILIES: Quietus of the Knights
Psychonauts 2
Considering the reputation that Psychonauts has as one of gaming’s greatest cult classics, Psychonauts 2 had a lot to live up to, especially given the long wait between games. Not only did it manage to do the original proud, but in the eyes of many it was able to surpass it in several ways. The levels feel more vast and impressive than ever before, the platforming action and combat are improved, the story is a surprisingly mature tale that explores various aspects of mental health with even greater depth while still retaining the series’ trademark sense of humor…well, we could go on for a while. The important thing is that Psychonauts 2 took a game that many already saw as perfect and somehow managed to build upon that even further, crafting something better in the process.
Metroid Dread
Tales of Arise
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Little Nightmares II
Nier Replicant ver.122474487139
NieR developed a cult following and got a surge in popularity following the success of NieR Automata. NieR had a memorable story, great soundtrack and characters that made it a special game for players who were forgiving of the subpar mechanics. NieR Replicant ver. 1.22474487139… does more than make the graphics look nicer on modern hardware. Improvements were made across the board: the graphics were touched up to shine on 4K displays, the music was remixed and most importantly the gameplay mechanics received a massive improvement. Those improvements would have been enough on their own, but a new chapter was seamlessly woven into the story along with new cutscenes and a fifth ending. Fans of the original may have found the shift from playing as Yonah’s brother instead of her father jarring, but the story works with both relationships. NieR Replicant ver.122474487139… is this year’s best remaster because it does more than add polish to the original, it realizes all the potential of the original and makes it into the game it was always meant to be.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition
Death Stranding: Director’s Cut
Super Monkey Ball Banana Mania
Resident Evil 4 VR
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
E3 2021 was a disaster of a reveal for Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Flat comedy that felt like it was trying too hard to be like the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Check. A Star-Lord design that looked too much like Logan Paul? Check. Only able to play as Star-Lord in a Guardians of the Galaxy video game? Check. Nothing at the show clicked, and quite a few wrote the game off as a lost cause. Imagine our surprise come October when Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy finally launched and would turn out to be one of the best games of 2021. Filled with heart, comedy and slick gameplay, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy proved itself with its heart-warming story, brilliantly-written characters, and gut-wrenching performances. Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy is a reminder that just because something doesn’t demo well, doesn’t mean it won’t end up one of the best games of the year.
Knockout City
Bustafellows
Hot Wheels Unleashed
The first game that IO Interactive has self-published, Hitman 3 came as a surprising success. While it contained fewer unique stories in the missions as we had come to expect from the Danish developer, it fortunately came with other features. One of them happened to be PlayStation VR support. Hitman 3 was already a marvelous game, but the addition of VR only enhanced our enjoyment of taking down targets. There’s nothing more immersive than putting on a headset and going straight into the shoes of one of the deadliest assassins in gaming history. Of course, while it’s enjoyable to follow through with objectives, it’s the exploration element that truly excels the VR experience, being able to see every nook and cranny IO Interactive has developed and interact with some of it in ways you didn’t think was possible in a Hitman game. The VR space is not slowing down, as seen with a number of the nominees in the category, and Hitman 3 is a good example of how it only helps immerse the player in fantastical worlds.
Sniper Elite VR
Lone Echo II
I Expect You to Die 2
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