SuperPhillip Central Best of 2021 Awards - Top Ten Games of 2021

With 2021 quickly drawing to a close, 2022 arriving in but a few hours here on SuperPhillip Central and seven awards and lists out of the way, we now stand at the main event: it's time to crown 2021's Game of the Year here as part of SuperPhillip Central's Best of 2021 Awards! While the year itself saw the pandemic still raging on and a world in continued crisis (as if this were 2020: The Sequel in some regards), gaming offered a nice respite, an escape from the chaos of the world--how ever brief it may be.

These ten games are some of the best that were played this year. They offered unparalleled design, fantastic worlds to do some escaping that was previously mentioned, took our imaginations to new heights, made us laugh, made us happy, and made us for a moment forget about our cares. The latter of which was something truly special in these intensely trying times. 

If you need to catch up on past lists from the SPC Best of 2021 Awards, look no further than these links:

Top Five Best Original Soundtracks

Top Five Biggest Surprises

Top Five Games That Kept On Giving

Top Five Most Overlooked Games

Top Five Multiplayer Games

Top Five Platformers

Top Five Remakes & Remasters

Without further ado, though, let's see which ten games made the list this year and which will be crowned with SPC's Game of 2021! Note: None of the games on this list received a grade less than an A- this year, which for this site is quite special! 

Now, onto the list of the Top Ten Games of 2021!

10) The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD (NSW)

Starting off the countdown of the Games of 2021 we have a blast from SuperPhillip Central's past. The original Skyward Sword was named SPC's Game of the Year in 2011, and now The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword HD kicks off this countdown ten years later. This HD remaster of the Wii classic brought with it the motion-controlled swordplay, as well as the bomb-rolling, arrow-shooting, Clawshot-launching goodness of the original, but also featured analog controls for those who may not want to or be able to utilize motion controls as easily. Venturing back into the realm of Skyloft and the surrounding areas (and of course the surface below) was a most welcomed return, and with the quality of life upgrades (such as less interruptions from Fi), and you have a much better game than what was already available in 2011. 

9) Halo Infinite (XBS, XB1, PC)

Master Chief returned, and despite all the hubbub and commotion over the much reported issues surrounding the development of the game, Halo Infinite defied all odds and came out a winner in the end. Releasing piecemeal with its multiplayer in November and its single-player campaign this past month (co-op coming in 2022), Halo Infinite delivered exciting firefights on a bold, grand new scale. The game was sort of a Breath of the Wild moment for the Halo series, presenting a robust open-world to explore, which was substantially made more fun due to the all-new Grappleshot accessory. This allowed Master Chief to propel himself across distances both horizontal and vertical with a shot of his grapple, and made his mobility even more impressive and fun. This was featured in the multiplayer component, which somehow improved even more as a multiplayer experience than it was already. By the end of Halo Infinite's campaign, I was yearning for more, and thankfully for me, co-op is again coming soon, and there's plenty to see and discover on the Ring as I wait and players online to slay (or in my case, get slayed by)!

8) Death's Door (Multi)

The sole indie game on this list of stellar titles (but don't let yourself think indies didn't have their fair share of excellence this year in gaming), Death's Door delivered a delightful cross between Dark Souls and a traditional Zelda adventure. The action was immense, the exploration was enjoyable to search every nook and cranny of the game's world for secrets, and the world itself was lovingly crafted to make for a brilliant game. Then, there's the sensational soundtrack, which did well for itself in SPC's Best of 2021 Awards Best Original Soundtrack category. Death's Door was a tour de force in game design, offering a magnificent Zelda-like with a melancholy world and set of characters, superb puzzles, challenging fights--whether they be against groups of foes or bosses, and interesting dungeons to dive into. A real winner this year, feel free to knock on Death's Door and give the game a playthrough or two. You won't regret it.

7) It Takes Two (Multi)

A co-operative game that masterfully weaves multiple polished gameplay set pieces together, each idea that could be formed into their own games, It Takes Two was a masterclass of multiplayer design. With each of the two player characters in the game having asymmetrical roles, players needed to depend on one another to get through the game's platforming levels, action sequences, and of course, boss battles as well--some of the most impressive from 2021. Whether you gelled well with your co-operative partner or not (online or off), you were going to get an equal dose of fun, laughter, and great times. I mentioned this already in previous awards categories, but It Takes Two gave my older brother and I some truly terrific times together. For that, I will always appreciate the game, not just for that, but also just for being a well-polished and wonderful co-operative game in general.

6) Psychonauts 2 (XBS, XB1, PS4, PC)

With mind over matter, Double Fine dished out a much anticipated, long awaited sequel to the original Psychonauts, fittingly titled Psychonauts 2, and this sequel upped the ante quite considerably. Bigger worlds, more to see, more to do, and plenty of kooky characters to fall in love with made Psychonauts 2 a pleasure to play and fully complete for this particular player. Speaking of upping the ante, Psychonauts 2's levels regularly did just that. Whether reuniting a band in a trippy musical world or trekking through a mix between a hospital and a casino, just when I figured the development team at Double Fine had run out of ingenious ideas for levels, boom! A new one was introduced that impressed me even more. While combat wasn't the game's strong suit by any stretch of the imagination, Psychonauts 2 excelled in other areas so highly that I can't be too upset that the game dropped the ball when it came to battles.  

5) Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (NSW)

Continuing with our platforming theme, we have the king of the genre: Mario, and Nintendo brought back one of his greatest 3D adventures while adding a whole new one based off its mechanics with Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury. The former featured full online play for the first time in a 3D Mario game, while the latter showed us a potential glimpse at what an open world Mario game might look like in the future. Bowser's Fury was a tantalizing tease and prototype for a possible open world Mario, and if this is the foundation, oh my, are we in for something really special! Really, that's what Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury was this past year: something really special. It was a combo of old and new, the comfortably familiar and bold and daring, and it made for one of my favorite platforming games of 2021 and one of my favorite games released this past year period. 

4) Monster Hunter Rise (NSW)

A duo of Capcom-developed and published games sit on the next two spots of this countdown, and we begin with Monster Hunter Rise. I'm not telling tales here when I say that Monster Hunter as a series had never felt more entertaining, more enjoyable, and more satisfying to play with this latest entry. The Wirebug ability brought some much needed (and much fun) mobility to the Monster Hunter series, allowing quick escapes from monsters' clutches as well as new ways to interact with the world and said behemoth beasts. The gameplay loop of hunting down monsters, collecting their drops, and then recycling them for better equipment was here, present, and addicting as always, and the online multiplayer shined as some of the year's best. Monster Hunter Rise was overall one of my favorite entries, if not my favorite entry ever in this long-running franchise. It was THAT good.

3) Resident Evil: Village (Multi)

Poor Ethan Winters had a lot on his hands (and off his hands, too, heh) in Resident Evil: Village. Bad news for him, but it was very much good news for us, as Village stands as one of the most satisfying entries in the series yet. It reminded me of a stellar cross between Resident Evil 4's action and structure mixed with Resident Evil VII's scares and first-person perspective. Village was indeed a horrifying game, scary to boot, but also one with fantastic gunplay, superb set pieces, excellent action, and a world that was most definitely fun to explore and search for its many secrets. Resident Evil Village was a thrill ride from beginning to end for players to sink their teeth into, like a Lycan into Ethan's flesh. It was something I could easily recommend playing again and again, and at the end of the day and at the end of Ethan's adventure, I could not have asked for a better Resident Evil game from Capcom all things considered.

2) Metroid Dread (NSW)

After nearly two decades without any wholly original 2D entries in the Metroid franchise, Samus Aran returned to two-dimensions for a brand-new mission, and man alive was the wait worth it. Metroid Dread delivered a difficult, tough-as-nails, but always fair adventure for players to dive into. Intense boss battles, awesome exploration, clever backtracking and signposting so players seldom got lost, frantic EMMI sequences where one false or careless move could mean an instant game over, and a story that nicely wrapped up Samus' current saga with the Metroids, Metroid Dread was a remarkable return to form for the franchise. If I had to nitpick the game at all, it'd be for these paltry reasons: a less than memorable soundtrack and some annoying shinespark puzzles required for 100% completion, but when a Metroid game is THIS good? Those are but things to shrug one's shoulders at, as Samus Aran's latest mission ended in total success not just for her, but for the players who got the privilege to experience it.

And SuperPhillip Central's Game of 2021 award goes to...

...

...

1) Forza Horizon 5 (XBS, XB1, PC)

If you can believe it, this is the first time an Xbox first-party game has received Game of the Year honors on SuperPhillip Central, but things seemed to have come up Xbox with all the work Microsoft has put into building a steady portfolio of development teams under the Xbox umbrella. Forza Horizon 5 was one such games that came racing down the pipeline from this work, and the excellence seen in this superb open-world racing game was something to behold.

Not only was I not expecting to enjoy Forza Horizon 5 as much as I did, I was surprised by how addicted I became to competing in seasonal events: earning points to unlock new cars and playing multiplayer matches (whether those be traditional races or arcade mode shenanigans). I loved cruising around Mexico searching for new events to participate in, experience boards to smash, PR stunts to perform like speed zones and jumps, as well as just earning experience for doing pretty much anything in the game.

While a game with so many moving parts does have the occasional issue or glitch--Forza Horizon 5 is no exception here--I greatly adored and cherished my time with the game despite any issues, showing just how much I could overlook by virtue of Forza Horizon 5 being masterful in almost every other category. Yes, that's control, all of the numerous accessibility options (such as the super helpful and optional racing lines and rewind functionality), the myriad races and events to participate in, and just having my mind blown constantly by how impressive it all looked. Forza Horizon 5 is a game that I will most definitely be jumping back into the driver's seat to play this upcoming year. It's for all these wonderful reasons why Forza Horizon 5 is SuperPhillip Central's Game of the Year. Congrats to the team and Xbox in general for one hell of a 2021!

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That concludes another year and another awards ceremony here at SuperPhillip Central. Before we part, I'd like to provide everyone with well wishes for the new year. May it be a better, more prosperous year for all of us. See you in 2022.

Review Round-Up - June 2021

June 2021 saw a lot of great things for SuperPhillip Central--13 years online and our 1,000th review: Resident Evil Village!

What a month here at SuperPhillip Central for the month of June! It was a massive month on the site, as we celebrated our 13th anniversary, as well as the arrival of SPC's 1,000th review! While we're on the subject of reviews, let's take a look at all seven of the reviews published on the site for the month of June with the good, ol' Review Round-Up!

The month started out mellow enough with a wonderful photo expedition starring hundreds of cute, adorable, and amazing Pokémon in New Pokémon Snap, which earned a B+. Also earning a B+ but a decidedly less mellow experience was that of the Donkey Kong Country-inspired Kaze and the Wild Masks. From safaris and platforming escapades, we then took the ocean waves with King of Seas, which rocked the proverbial boat a little too much, getting a C- for its excessive grind and repetitive content. Another indie title quickly followed, Piczle Cells, and this short but sweet puzzler impressed, getting a C+.

What came after was what the review SPC has been teasing and hyping for months now, and it finally arrived--the 1,000th review! Resident Evil Village took the honor, and it wowed (and scared with its quality) with a stellar A grade. From there, we wrapped up the month with two platformers, one retro remake with Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World (which got a B-) and the Super Meat Boy-esque Super Magbot, which was quite the attractive game, getting a B.

Finally, for your convenience, check out all seven of the reviews, with links and excerpts, below. And don't forget to check out the SPC Review Archive for every review--all 1,000+ of them--ever published and posted to SuperPhillip Central!

New Pokémon Snap (NSW) - B+

With 10-15 hours of playtime to complete the initial campaign, and dozens of hours more to snap every Pokémon, fully explore every area, and earn every title (achievement-like challenges), New Pokémon Snap is very much worth its price tag. It won't enthuse every player out there, but if you're the type who loves Pokémon, the idea of seeing them in natural surroundings, and taking pictures of some Pocket Monsters, then I certainly recommend that you snap up New Pokémon Snap.

Kaze and the Wild Masks (NSW, PS4, XB1, PC) - B+

Looking for an entertaining but relatively short 2D platformer that invokes wonderful DKC-style gameplay while adding a few interesting twists of its own? Then, Kaze and the Wild Masks is indeed worthy of your time. It's challenging, it's gorgeous to look at, and it's packed to the brim with exceedingly well done designs in both levels and boss battles. I waited quite a while for the retail release of the game to arrive, but fortunately and blessedly so, my wait was most definitely worth it.

King of Seas (NSW, PS4, XB1, PC) - C-

Between the groan-worthy grind that is the campaign and utterly uninspired side quests, and tons of time wasted within its slow sailing, lack of fast travel, and punishing deaths, King of Seas is a lot of floundered potential. The base of the game is inspired with regard to controlling your ship and presents some excellent ideas, but the game's economy, glacial sailing speed, and campaign woes all lead to a game that capsizes not too long after the adventure starts to unfold.

Piczle Cells (NSW) - C+

As a puzzle game, Piczle Cells will put your brain through the wringer, giving you 100 brain busters of cell sliding, combining, and solving to enjoy. The core concept and gameplay mechanic is structurally sound, but once these 100 puzzles have been completed, there's not much else to keep you returning to the game. While puzzles have multiple solutions, there's really no incentive to find new ways to solve them, unless you really, REALLY are loving the game. The appearance of that aforementioned touch screen control-related bug made that control option less than functional, so go into the game thinking you'll be using analog exclusively (unless you have more patience for bugs than I) and you'll be fine. At any rate and even with these issues, Piczle Cells is hardly a puzzle game that I would call a tough cell--er, sell! In fact, I recommend it.

Resident Evil Village (PS5, PS4, XBS, XB1, PC) - A

[Village is] an almost perfect combination of action and survival horror elements, taking the best from past Resident Evil games, most notably Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 7. Between the astounding assortment of villains in Village--some of the series' absolute best and most memorable--the wide range of awesome moments that stun and delight to the point that you'll want to replay them many times over, and a combo of gameplay and level design that stand head and shoulders above other modern games, Resident Evil Village reigns as one of the best installments of the series to date. One heck of an accomplishment, for sure, and one treasure of a game--one that the Duke would most certainly buy for a high price.

Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World (NSW, PS4, PC) - B-

Compared to previous remakes of Wonder Boy/Monster World series games, Wonder Boy: Asha in Monster World feels a bit too simplistic for its $40 price tag. Yes, the visual style is lovely to look at, and the increased personality in Asha's animations--whether she's sliding like a figure skater on ice, or shaking her can as she prepares to open a treasure chest--is also pleasant to see. However, by a gameplay and game length standpoint, Asha in Monster World isn't the strongest experience. Again, the gameplay is rather simple, and the length is quite short. These aspects notwithstanding, there is a lot to like about this remake of Monster World IV (especially if you get the physical version as--at least the Switch port received the original game on the cartridge), and now a new generation of players can join Asha on her fun-filled adventure.

Super Magbot (NSW, PC) - B

Despite being a game that did once again reveal that I'm not the mellowest platformer player out there, after personally witnessing moments of gnashing my teeth together, cursing to the heavens, and having my blood pressure noticeably rise at times, Super Magbot was an overall fun and enjoyable platformer. If you crave an almost Super Meat Boy-like challenge from your platformers, then you'll most definitely discover something great to enjoy from Super Magbot. For everyone else, you may find yourself "repelled" from the level of challenge on display in this game.

Meanwhile, a vastly different game tonally, SPC started this momentous month for the site
with a review of the cozy and quaint New Pokémon Snap!

[1,000th Review!] Resident Evil Village (Multi) Review

Earlier this month, SuperPhillip Central celebrated its 13th anniversary. Today is another auspicious occasion to celebrate this anniversary month as SPC officially hits its 1,000th review, and boy, is it a big one! Resident Evil Village is the eighth installment of the premiere survival-horror franchise, and it reaches highs never before seen within the series. How high of highs? Let's find out together with this VERY special SPC review!

Come for the survival horror, slay for the action.

4 + 7 generally equals 11, but in the case of the Resident Evil series, if you take the action-packed survival horror elements of Resident Evil 4 and throw in the first-person perspective of Resident Evil 7, you get Resident Evil Village, the eighth numbered installment of the long-running horror game series. Village takes some of the highest highs of past Resident Evil games, adds some streamlining of features, and creates one hellish nightmare of a scenario for our unfortunate protagonist Ethan Winters to survive through. 

Ethan previously battled a family of benevolent backwoods psychopaths in Resident Evil 7 in order to save his wife, Mia. This time around in Resident Evil Village it's another member of his family that he must rescue--his baby daughter Rose. Mysteriously taken after one hell of a shock-to-the-system opening, Rose is somewhere in the titular village's boundaries, and it's up to Ethan to find and rescue her. Unfortunately for him, he'll have to deal with a litany of Lycans, ravenous human-like werewolf creatures, as well as contend with four lords who essentially rule over the village from their four corners. 

Where'd everyone go--bingo?

The village itself isn't just here as a backdrop for the story--nor is it just a way for Capcom to cleverly thrust the roman numeral VIII into the subtitle. No, the village is basically the hub of Resident Evil 8. Ethan returns to the sinister community constantly throughout his macabre adventure, and each time new areas open up, allowing him access to new locales inside. His first foray into the village is reminiscent of Resident Evil 4's, where Leon S. Kennedy was attacked by a cavalcade of grotesque creatures. Similarly, Ethan struggles to survive against the sheer numbers of Lycan that assault him from every corner of the map, and this nod to Resident Evil 4 made me quite giddy. Of course, Resident Evil Village isn't simply retreading old ground from past games to coyly tip its hat and wink at players, but at the same time there is a lot here that has similarities to past games only given a fresh new window dressing. 

As you can probably imagine, within these cornfields rest some unsavory monstrosities! 

For instance, the resident shopkeeper, the rotund Duke, serves as the man Ethan sells various found goods to, whether they be extra unneeded goods or better yet, the immense amount of treasure that the village contains. Oh, yes, the Duke will buy it for a high price, indeed! You can purchase all sorts of items and goods from the Duke, as well, such as additional storage in the series' trademark attach case, ammo, upgrades to Ethan's weapons, and a lot more. Hunted animals such as fish, chickens, goats, and pigs can have their meat used for cooking various dishes, offering new boosts to Ethan's health, guarding abilities, and speed. 

The Duke never fails to mysteriously appear when Ethan needs to do a little shopping. 

No doubt the Duke's goods are very much worthwhile, but they are also quite costly. Thus, the game actively encourages full exploration of its many nooks and crannies to seek out bags of money, as well as items and treasures to sell. Heck, I would have done so regardless since the level design offers so many entertaining puzzles to solve, secret sights to seek out, and places to plunder. It's always fun to find a glint in the environment, perfect for placing a shot or two at it to knock loose a hidden treasure like an invaluable gem or other treasure. Not only is surveying and exploring the environment worthwhile to nab collectibles and treasures, but it's also necessary for scavenging for ammo. You never want to enter a confrontation with a hungry Lycan without a clip in your handgun.

On the subject of scavenging, Ethan comes across lots of different crafting goods, such as gunpowder and metal scraps which can be combined into various ammo types. There's a bit of a strategy in crafting as well. Do you spend your scavenged goods to craft some handgun bullets, which while weaker are much more plentiful to craft, or do you spend materials on crafting more powerful explosives like mines or pipe bombs? The latter two are massively more potent to defeat Lycans, but you only get one shot with each! Perhaps instead of handgun or explosives you opt for rifle ammo, great for picking off foes safely from afar. These tactical crafting decisions can be the difference between successfully defeating an enemy horde or becoming a Lycan's lunch. 

These particular foes emerge out of the bloody water to spook and surprise attack poor Ethan.

One notable thing regarding enemies like Lycans is that when compared to Resident Evil 7, in Resident Evil Village, the enemy variety is incredibly high by comparison. It's always a thrill (whether a welcomed one or not depending on your preparedness) to encounter a new enemy type and to see what the game will throw at you next. From the Lycans that love to bite into Ethan's flesh, to late-game Soldats whose arms are at the ready with drills to plunge deep into Ethan's body, there are plenty of foreboding foes for Ethan to encounter and hopefully defeat. They require every trick and strategy available to survive their aggressive advances.

I'm "Lycan" the end to this particular encounter a lot! I bet Ethan is, too!

Resident Evil Village's most interesting enemies are of course the four lords. Each of their individual sections have incredible variety as well. My favorite was the very first, Castle Dimitrescu, owned and operated by the tall, vampiric Lady Dimitrescu herself. Not only was the area packed with areas to explore, but by the second half of the castle, Lady Dimitrescu stalks the halls in pure Mr. X fashion. As Ethan you must do your best to avoid getting caught by her painfully deadly extended claw as you desperately roam the castle searching for special key items that serve as the way out. 

Face to face and in the flesh with Lady Dimitescu.

Despite the first lord's area, Castle Dimitrescu, being my favorite, that isn't to say that the other three areas occupied by the lords were pushovers, not notable, or failed to entertain me. That couldn't be further from the truth. Whether exploring the flooded reservoir area or entering the insanely creepy and all-time horror highs of House Beneviento, there was something notable and enjoyable about every area in Resident Evil Village.

Castle Dimitrescu serves as my personal favorite locale among Resident Evil Village's
wide assortment of entertaining areas.

Starting off in Resident Evil Village, save for the opening Resident Evil 4-like skirmish, I only had to contend with a single Lycan at once, perhaps encountering multiple foes to eliminate at best. However, by the end of the game, hordes of enemies almost overwhelmed myself and poor Ethan, offering gameplay that felt less like a survivor-horror game and more like something from DOOM or Call of Duty. That said, there was always a feeling of dread while playing Village, despite these more action-intensive moments, especially in the hardest difficulty within Resident Evil 8, the Village of Shadows difficulty, where death's door is easily opened.

After completing the campaign of Resident Evil Village, all 10-11 hours I spent in that delightful hellhole, I was eager to return to the nightmarish place as Ethan. (Poor Ethan, but happy me!) A New Game+ option opens upon beating the game, carrying over all of your money, weapons, and inventory. Further, a bonus shop unlocks, allowing players to enjoy the always-lovely-and-fun Mercenaries Mode. There are also infinite ammo weapons to purchase--though these require a given weapon to be fully upgraded at the Duke's before the option is unlocked for that particular gun--as well as other bonuses like character models and such. The main point to take away here is that there's plenty more to partake in long after the initial credits roll in Resident Evil Village, and I wouldn't have it any other way with how fantastically enjoyable the game truly is. 

There's definitely a haunting beauty to be found within Resident Evil Village's many vistas.

Resident Evil Village looks phenomenal, regardless of what hardware you play it on. Whether last gen consoles such as the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One, or seeing the macabre graphical magnificence on display with the current gen PS5 and Xbox Series of consoles, Resident Evil Village is haunting in its beauty. Character models and the lighting in environments steal the show, but really, everything is so remarkably well done, save for incredibly minor frame-rate hitches that do noticeably happen during gameplay. However, these are so minor that they don't ruin the experience hardly at all. Meanwhile, the musical score is suitably dramatic, tense, and atmospheric. There's seldom anything you'll be humming, of course, but that's not the intention here. The soundtrack's intention is to spook and scare the player, bring out the tension of the game's various thrilling moments, and it no doubt succeeds masterfully at this. 

After the wonderful Monster Hunter Rise, Capcom concludes its 1-2 punch of excellent springtime software with one hell of a haymaker with Resident Evil Village. It's an almost perfect combination of action and survival horror elements, taking the best from past Resident Evil games, most notably Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 7. Between the astounding assortment of villains in Village--some of the series' absolute best and most memorable--the wide range of awesome moments that stun and delight to the point that you'll want to replay them many times over, and a combo of gameplay and level design that stand head and shoulders above other modern games, Resident Evil Village reigns as one of the best installments of the series to date. One heck of an accomplishment, for sure, and one treasure of a game--one that the Duke would most certainly buy for a high price.

[SPC Says: A]