Hello. Justin here and welcome to the first Otaku Mind of 2021. As always with the New Year I like to start by naming my favorite games from 2021. A bit of a slow year for the video game industry as the best games either didn’t come out until later on in the year or games were delayed until 2022. 2021 saw the first year of the PS5 and Xbox series S and it was. . .decent for the most part. The Switch also continued to dish out good games as well and with the release of Pokémon Arceus coming out at the end of the month it seems the console will be starting the year off strong. The PS5 also seems to be starting the year strong with the much-anticipated release of Horizon next month. With these two big games starting the year off I have a feeling this will a prosperous one for the video game industry. Before getting to the list, I would like to give an honorable mention to Metroid Dread. I didn’t play it but my friend, streamers, and vtubers that I follow have played the game and from what I saw it was a great game and hopefully we can see more Metroid games in the future now that Nintendo sees how profitable and well-received the series is. Also, my light novel Shadow Eye will officially be making it’s debut on Friday February 4th, 2022 and we’re doing it right with a special two chapter premiere. It’s only two weeks so please be sure to check out the novel when it comes out. With that said, I’m Justin and these are the top 11 Games of 2021.
#11. New Pokémon Snap
A welcomed blast from the past. The long-awaited sequel to Pokémon Snap from N64 was just some good relaxing fun. With new areas to explore, lots of different Pokémon to take pictures of as well as a day/night cycle there was no shortage of replay value here as you level up each area and discover new Pokémon or areas to explore. Nothing much to say about this game. If you grew up with the original like I did this put a smile on your face and if you’re new to Snap I’m sure it made you smile too.
#10. Mario Party Superstars
Another blast from the past. Superstars combines the party games from all the Mario Party games as well as brings back 5 maps from the N64 Mario Party games fully remade for you to enjoy. This is another game where there’s not much to say. It’s just a fun game to play with your friends or family members. It takes you on a trip down memory lane as they’ve chosen some really good minigames for you to play which have all been remade for the Switch. I like how we return to the original village from the first game and they even updated the music. There are a few downsides to this game such as only 5 maps to choose from, there’s no team mode, the character die has been removed, and no special modes outside of a regular party game and minigame option. Other than that the game is still enjoyable and I have hopes that as time goes on they’ll add more maps down the line. Please add Koopa’s Tycoon Town!
#9. Scarlet Nexus
Bandai Namco’s action RPG had a lot of hype surrounding it when it was announced in 2019. While it didn’t live up to that hype as a lot of people had hoped it was still a very cool game. Taking place in an alternate world we focus on a bunch of officers with kinesis powers fighting these other worldly creatures known as Others and trying to prevent the destruction of the world where along the way they discover a lot of hidden truths about themselves and the world around them. The game gives you the choice of choosing between two characters. You can play as the badass overprotective sister Kasane or the rich good boy Yuito. Both of their stories are different from each other, they each have their own fighting style and side characters that they fight alongside with. While the game’s writing is lackluster and the side missions weak the game excels in two areas. First off, the visuals. The game looks great especially on next gen consoles. It reminds me of Persona 5 which is what a lot of people have said. Second, the combat. This game’s combat is excellent. It’s fresh, fast, inventive, fluent, and fun. You can use your powers to interact with the environment, perform special moves, and even borrow the powers from your teammates that fight beside you. There’s a lot of fun combos here that make the combat never boring and always fun throughout the game. Overall, this was a fun game and definitely worth picking up when you get the chance.
#8. Persona 5 Strikers
A sequel to the Persona 5 games. Taking place months after the events of the first games we see the Phantom Thieves reunite for summer vacation where they get caught up in another caper that threatens the world and go on a road trip throughout the country to stop it. This game presents a new battling system which combines the traditional turn-based style of battles with that of Dynasty Warriors. You play as the Phantom Thieves while fighting hordes of shadows using your persona skills and weapons to attack weak points and activate special skills or moves in combat. We once again get a good story as well as new characters Sophia and officer Zenkichi who are a welcomed addition to the team. There’s great music as well as funny moments scattered throughout the game, and the different locations we go to are all great. I was having so much fun with this game that I was bummed when I beat it. I wanted to go to more locations. It was like going on a summer trip with your friends, having a good time, and not wanting it to end. With Persona 6 supposedly in the works I hope that game achieves the same level of popularity as Persona 5 did and I hope this isn’t the last we see of the Phantom Thieves. They managed to steal my heart for a third time.
#7. Ratchet & Clank: Rifts Apart
The first full title game for the PS5. We see the return of fan favorites Ratchet and Clank as they along with Nefarious are sent to an alternate dimension where that dimension’s Nefarious (Emperor Nefarious) controls the universe and is steadily crushing the rebellion. Our two heroes are now separated from each other and must work with new allies to return to their dimension and stop the two Nefariouses from conquering space and time. Just like in their previous outings the story is good, the banter between the characters is a lot of fun, the different locations look great and the weapons are inventive and cool. The game accomplishes its goal of showing off the power of the PS5 as I never got a loading screen and the graphics looked amazing. New characters Rivet and Kit are just as likable as Ratchet and Clank but have their own personalities and character arcs that make them stand on their own. Even Emperor Nefarious is different from Dr. Nefarious. While Dr. Nefarious is defined by his losses Emperor Nefarious is defined by his wins and when he achieves everything he’s ever wanted he has no idea how to feel at the end of it. Ratchet and Clank was the perfect game to show off what the PS5 could do and set the standards for other games to follow.
#6. It Takes Two
Man this game hits hard. While not my pick for GOTY it does deserve all the praise and awards it has received. Two parents about to go through a divorce find themselves magically trapped in the handmade dolls of their daughter Rose who runs away believing that she’s the reason her parents are divorcing. The parents must now work together and overcome obstacles to reach Rose and return to normal. First off, the co-op gameplay and world that the parents find themselves in is fantastic. The graphics look great, the gameplay is fun, exciting, and imaginative. However, the real selling point for me is the story. The story really hits close to home for a lot of people. I love how the game shows both parents are at fault for their marriage falling apart instead of just one and really does capture the realistic thoughts and mind of a child who blames themselves for their parents divorcing. You really do find yourself getting invested with the characters and hope that through these trials that they’ll somehow someway remember what’s important to them and make the right choices at the end. It’s a fun co-op game to play with your friends or significant other and definitely worth checking out when you get the chance.
#5. SMT 3: Nocturne Remastered
The dark father of the Persona series finally gets its much-deserved recognition in the West. Often considered one of the greatest JRPGs of all time, Nocturne is the third game in the SMT series which gets a complete remaster for the PS4 and Switch. We play as your typical high schooler who survives the apocalypse, gets turned into a demon, and journeys into a post-apocalyptic world where demons run wild and you are caught in the middle of a war between these two cults who want to remake the world in their image. If you’ve played Persona 5 you’ll be familiar with the fighting mechanics. You and demons (personas) fight other demons and attempt to recruit them to your team which is easier said than done as these demons demand a lot from you or will just be straight up assholes who refuse to help you, steal your stuff, and run away. As you would expect from these types of games there’s a lot of good philosophical talks and ideas about life, the way we live, and how we should live. We also have a cool selection of demons to recruit including Dante from Devil May Cry who makes a guest appearance. My one complaint with this game is the random encounters which I’ve never been a fan of. It’s also a tough game to really get into but when you do get into it it’s great. It’s a hard game too, so if you’re new to JRPGs this is a game you might want to wait to try out but if you’re a hardcore gamer looking for a good challenge then definitely pick this game up. Can you believe this wasn’t even Atlus’s best game last year?
#4. Deathloop
Another game that received a lot of attention during the PS5’s presentation showcase. I’ve never really been a big fan of FPS games, but this game really intrigued me so I checked it out and boy was I blown away. In the game we play as the assassin Colt on this late 60s early 70s island who is stuck in a time loop where he must kill his 8 targets in one day otherwise the loop will restart and bring him back to square one. However, his targets have no intention of going down so easily and there’s another assassin named Julianna who is trying to kill Colt and stop him from breaking the loop. This game gives you a lot of freedom to explore the island of Black Reef to gather clues on your targets, figure out where they’re gonna be, when the best time to kill them is, and stock up on weapons and abilities to make the task easier for you. There’s four different areas to explore throughout the game and four different times to explore them where you’ll discover new clues and everything. You even have the option of going into other player’s games and trying to assassinate them. Other aspects of this game I like is the look and feel of the island. I really do like how it looks like a bygone era. The music is good and I love the banter between Colt and Julianna throughout the game. You get a clear idea of their relationship with one another as well as who they are as people. I’m not sure if this game will get a sequel down the line. With the way it ended it seems like a possibility, but if not I say this game was awesome and it’s become one of my favorite FPS games along with Doom and Golden Eye.
#3. Tales of Arise
It has been a long time since I’ve played a Tales game. Over the last few years the Tales games have been stuck in a rut. Not really looking all that special or interesting to play in my book. Well that all changed with Arise which is not only one of the best entries into the Tales series, but it became my favorite game from the series. The opening animated scene, the combat, the characters, and story are some of the best the series has ever done. Instead of starting off lighthearted we get pushed into some mature and heavy themes about war and slavery as well as diving into themes about one’s inheritance and evolution. While the game can be a little generic at times and yeah I’m not too happy about the DLC situation (it’s ridiculous. I’m gonna leave it at that) this game breathed new life into the Tales series and reminded me why this series is so amazing and why it will continue in the years to come. It’s definitely up there with one of the best JRPGs.
#2. Lost Judgment
A surprise entry so high up I’m sure is what you’re thinking but I really did like this game. A sequel to Judgment, Lost Judgment continues the story of Yagami and his friends taking on a new case. After a man is found guilty of sexual battery, he tells the judge about a dead body that comes up in Yokohama. The dead body was a student teacher who supposedly drove the man’s son to suicide because of bullying. Yagami is called in to investigate this murder case where the deeper he goes down the rabbit hole he finds more questions than answers and finds himself in the middle of something big and darker than he could ever imagine. As you would expect from this series the story is interesting and keeps your attention. While the side missions take a backseat this time around there’s plenty of side activities to do such as boxing, robot battles, dancing, motorcycle racing, skateboarding, drone battles, and the virtual reality game makes a return where they actually gave it a small side story (hey, they listened). Some people have said the story from the first game was better, but I personally like this story more. It sheds a light on an issue that’s been plaguing not only Japan but the world for years, bullying, and the effects it has on not only those being bullied but, on the people around them as well as how flawed the justice system is in punishing this sort of behavior and the dangers of what happens when taking the law into our own hands. The game presents a good ethical dilemma on what’s right and wrong. Should we have faith in the system to punish the guilty or take matters into our own hands when the system fails us and make a mockery of it? Social commentary like this is great showing both the pros and cons of both sides and leaving it up for us the gamer to decide what’s right and wrong in the end. There were rumors that this would be the last game in the Judgment series as Sega had a dispute with Yagami VA’s (JP) agency but there’s been recent news that the dispute has supposedly been resolved and the studio behind the game will be making another Judgment game down the line along with Yakuza and a new series entirely. This was definitely a great follow up to Judgment and I can’t wait to see what case Yagami tackles next.
And number one. . .
#1. SMT 5
If Nocturne felt too hard to get into but you still wanted to check out the SMT series then SMT 5 is your gateway into the series. Just like in previous SMT entries you play as a high schooler who wakes up in an alternate version of Tokyo where you and others from your school get caught in the middle of a war between angels and demons. It’s now up to you to ascend to godhood and restore order to the world all while deciding what to save and what to sacrifice. Bring order or chaos to the world. Like I said before this game is a good gateway to get into the SMT series if Nocturne was too hard for you. There are no more random encounters, recruiting demons isn’t as hard as before, and the graphics look nicer as the demons and landscapes are both breathtaking and terrifying at the same time. This may just be one of the best looking games on the Switch at the moment. There’s new fusion mechanics which help you change up your line-up better and new mechanics such as Glory and essence which helps you unlock new abilities for the main character as well as demons. Backing all this up is a great soundtrack. While some are disappointed that the game isn’t as difficult as Nocturne and I can understand their complaints, I still had fun with this game and would recommend it to anyone who played and liked Persona 5 and were fans of JRPGs.
And that’s my list. Did I leave any games out? Let me know in the comments below. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next time on Project Nitsuj.