The Forever Classic Games of Excellence 2021

A Collection of Amazing Games Released in 2021

Trying to pick a single game, even in a specific category, for game of the year accolades often leads to a bunch of amazing being passed over for more mainstream titles. Rather than try and argue our way through to a small set of awards, we at Forever Classic Games have opted to instead just list out a bunch of games released in 2021 (as well as long-term games we think are worth playing) that we think need more attention. These are not necessarily the best games of the year, but they are ones that we can easily recommend. Our list is not prioritized in any particular order, it is merely a collection of basic information and why it has been picked. If we have reviewed the game, we’ll link to that writing. 

Speaking of reviews, we also want to thank the many developers that have supported us over the years both through games and by taking the time to speak with us for interviews. There is a lot of work still to be done and we try our best with the limited time we have each day. Forever Classic Games is run by a small group of volunteers so everything we do is fueled through free time and love for games and media. Much of the end of 2021 has been dedicated to establishing ourselves as an official business. We’ll have more to share soon! Thank you to everyone who has been a part of Forever Classic Games! 

Another thing to note about this collection of games accolades is that most of the team are lacking a few platforms and there are several platforms we just haven’t explored. These are games that we have personally played. If there are games that we really should take the time to play, please let us know! 

Resident Evil Village 

Few games these days keep me up all night. Resident Evil Village absolutely did for a whole weekend. With a touch of RE4 flair, Village keeps the intense horror established in RE7 and adds in a Batman-esque gallery of rogues that added a level of fun that I didn’t expect. Even on a base PS4 the game looked incredible and I was immediately drawn into the game’s events. There is enough lore to expand for the Resident Evil world in exciting ways too! House Beneviento may go down as one of the scariest sections in gaming. Lady Dimitrescu is unforgettable from a design perspective and for having the game’s most iconic moments. There is an upcoming DLC on the way for Village and I hope it adds a significant new chapter. Regardless, I continue to adore each release from this legendary franchise. -Alex McC

Learn more in this review.

Everhood

Playing Everhood before guides were available was one of the coolest gaming mysteries of my life. Drawing lots of inspiration from Undertale, Everhood uses a simple art style to tell a mature, intriguing story. There were plenty of times where Joe and I bounced ideas off of each other on what secrets we might uncover and I’ll never forget “The Hallway”. Lastly, the music in Everhood is incredible. Play this one as soon as possible but be warned that there are some intense scenes that may be dangerous for photosensitive people. -Alex McC 

Everhood intrigued me. I missed the window to play Undertale without spoilers and this game seemed to promise similar vibes and I was excited to get in on the action early. The simple yet effective visuals combined with the rhythm-based gameplay and philosophical storyline all came together for one of the most standout and unique games I played this year. Everhood is definitely at the top of my recommendations for 2021. - Joe Siemsen 

Learn more in this review. 

Back 4 Blood

Back 4 Blood has given me an awesome chance to reconnect with another horde shooter game I loved, Left 4 Dead. With this release being from the same creators, I was so excited with anticipation that I was basically drooling from the mouth. It has been everything I wanted and more. There has been some rocky stuff with bugs and balance, but it has been getting fixed through several patches already it seems like it will continue to be polished up as time goes on. Not to mention this also gave me a great way to play something with my little brother that we both loved a lot growing up. It’s a great way to keep connected!
- Zach S.

Death’s Door

Somber piano notes accentuate this action-adventure extremely well. Death’s Door is the story of a crow reaper whose day job is twisted into a race to bring back natural order after a quarry’s soul is stolen by another crow. The ethereal world and quirky character design hearken films like Howl’s Moving Castle with a touch of corporate mistrust a la the recent MCU show Loki. The gameplay is similar to The Legend of Zelda with an emphasis on dodge rolling and epic boss encounters like Dark Souls. It’s a game that has stuck with me. - Alex McC

Learn more in this review.

The Forgotten City

What a journey it has been for The Forgotten City. Going from Skyrim mod to a full-blown game with a PS5 release is a story that I’ve been fascinated by since the full game was announced. Now that the game is out and I’ve finished all of the endings, I can proudly say that the superb writing that hooked me back then floored me this time around. Even though I’m not a huge fan of games that focus on conversation choices, this puzzle box of social and logic teasers is one of the coolest experiences of my year. This Roman time travel whodunit translates into a game wonderfully. - Alex McC

Learn more in this review.

Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Finally snagging a PS5 is not something I expected to happen but games like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart have solidified to me just how exciting the next generation of gaming could be. Load times and performance makes playing this space comedy seamless and the improvements made to the series’ formula kept me hooked. I’m always sad to see a Ratchet & Clank game end, even though there is always a great post-game loop to enjoy. It’s truly one of the best PS5 games so far. - Alex McC

Ender Lilies: Quietus of the Knights

One look at our reviews over the years will reveal that Metroidvania is one of my favorite genres. This leads me to pick up several games in the genre and the general look and feel of Ender Lilies stood out to me, so I snagged it at the tail end of 2021. With music akin to NieR and beautifully realized backgrounds, Ender Lilies is a somber story about sacrifice, lineage, and duty with well-paced action. Players start as a rather defenseless little girl and eventually become a more confident and more capable summoner of souls that just want to see their land set free. The game has its faults but it has been one of the more memorable games of the year and I hope to see more from this studio. - Alex McC

Monster Hunter Rise

Adding far more verticality through the Wire Bug and running like a dream on the Nintendo Switch, Monster Hunter Rise further fuels my obsession with slaying beasts and gaining armor. Having this game on the go feels great and I love traveling with it. Being able to use a full sized controller with several quality of life changes that carry over from the previous game Monster Hunter World is just icing on the cake. I hope that the upcoming Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak expansion adds enough new elements to bring me back. Unfortunately though, cross progression and crossplay are sorely missed as this game prepares for a PC release in early 2022. - Alex McC

Learn more in this review.

Guilty Gear Strive

Arc System Works seem to be on top of the fighting game world and most of their titles are incredible but the release of Guilty Gear Strive was something special. The first time I saw this game in motion, I was absolutely stunned by how beautiful it was. The soundtrack is an extremely good collection of metal. Gameplay is more akin to Street Fighter this time around, fairly accessible for newcomers, and each character plays differently. Each DLC addition feels substantial and the community surrounding this game is so much fun to be a part of. Watching high-level competitors play has been a highlight of 2021 for me and I hope this energy continues well beyond this year. - Alex McC

Resident Evil 4 VR

I've made it known that I am not a big fan of Resident Evil 4 but when the game was slapped it into VR that changed, almost giving it a Resident Evil 7 feel. If you have the means, you should play Resident Evil 4 VR; it feels like an entirely different game. - Justin Wood

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl

This is honestly a huge surprise to me but I tend to pick my GOTY contenders based on fun, and while there were certainly other games I played this year that were technically better than Pokemon Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl I simply just had fun with it. The return to a more classic formula, the fact that the game exceeded my admittedly low expectations, and playing the game with my daughter all played into it being a highlight of my gaming year. - Joe Siemsen

Demon Turf

Demon Turf proudly carries the Super Mario 64 flag and serves as not only a standout release from studio Fabraz, who primarily has worked in 2D prior to this, but also as a flagship of the platformer genre. Fans of jumping about, chaining together moves, and quirky hip-hop beats should definitely give this a try. There’s a ton to collect and challenges to overcome; beyond that though there is an excellent speedrun to explore. A few tweaks and maybe an update or two and Demon Turf could be a game that people play for decades. - Alex McC

Learn more in this review.

Inscryption 

While I was late on this train, I heard suggestions for this game because it has an almost Return of the Obra Dinn feel to it. While the gameplay is a deck-building battler, Inscryption goes so much deeper, and to say any more would be spoiling the whole thing so even if you can't play it, watch someone play it from beginning to end because it's a rollercoaster ride. - Justin Wood

Halo Infinite

After years of really only playing Halo on the Master Chief Collection in rare circumstances, Halo Infinite feels like coming home. I’ve been playing the free-to-play multiplayer and, even though I dislike the monetization structure, I have finally found a competitive shooter that I want to play with friends. Jumping from an Xbox controller to a mouse/keyboard control scheme makes the game feel so much better to me. A few hours with the campaign makes me realize just how enjoyable an open-world Halo can be but I feel like staple genre features are sorely missed in this title.

I want to live in a world where Halo is actively enjoyed and celebrated instead of regarded as a nostalgic memory. 343 Industries pulled a win. -Alex McC

Melty Blood: Type Lumina

I’ve always known about Melty Blood as a franchise but Type Lumina brought on this newfound desire to actually learn the game. Flashy anime action with enough tools for amateur players to feel cool makes for an exciting time, especially at local tournaments. It’s awesome to see a more mainstream approach with this release since there are console versions to enjoy. Hopefully, Type Lumina leads to more support of the developers that results in more updates and further balances. There are DLC characters planned and I hope we see another guest fighter or two. - Alex McC 

Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy

I really didn’t expect much from Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. I wasn’t overly impressed with Marvel’s Avengers, even though I did have some fun with it, and this release has a similar visual style. Thankfully, the storytelling in Guardians is so good that it becomes a heartwarming story with a familiar cast. There are so many incredible environments and stretches of space to see, the dialogue is hilarious, the music is a fantastic collection of 80s hits, making this one of the most fun comic book games in years. Sure, it’s not as amazing as Marvel’s Spider-Man on PlayStation but it’s a fine adventure and it’s just a game! No constant nagging to buy costumes or fake money!

Personally, I hope Square Enix continues with this type of Marvel game for future projects. - Alex McC

Learn more in this review.

Metroid Dread

While this may be a tough spot to jump into this series, Metroid Dread is one of the best action platformers of the year. Featuring way more frantic combat sections than I anticipated, this game pushed me to my limits but I felt amazing when I overcame the challenge. I don’t have much intention of getting 100% of the items or practicing a speedrun but the general flow of the story is awesome, especially for a longtime fan of Metroid. There’s so much more depth added to the Chozo race and I think Samus actually develops more as a character here than maybe any other game. Should the Metroid story continue from here, we are in for a hell of a ride. - Alex McC

Learn more in this review.

NieR Replicant

The strange worlds found in the games spearheaded by Yoko Taro and his team of creatives have enticed me since my first interaction with Drakengard. I’ve actually owned a copy of NieR on PS3 for a while but on the release of a remake, I dove in without hesitation. NieR Replicant has the tone of 2000s era JRPGs to the point that I felt a sense of comfort. The game’s story may be mostly the same but I pushed through to the end because of how much I loved the party dynamics. Improved combat, extra chapters, all might bring back those who know this tale inside and out but I think newcomers or those coming from the stunning NieR Automata will find a game that is hard to forget. NeiR Replicant reaffirms just how much of a classic this game is. -Alex McC

Learn more in this review.

Loop Hero

Loop Hero dropped early into the year. It had a lot of hype from some very good early access play by streamers online and was so simple to play it made for an amazing experience each time you sat down. With a randomly generated “loop” each and every time you played it would give you this new adventure mindset. I still play it whenever I can, especially because of the pause feature in the middle of a loop. I can have it pause in between and let it run to farm resources for upgrades while I take care of other things as well!
- Zach S.