10 Awesome 2021 Video Games You Missed (So Far)

Don't sleep on these instant cult classics.

Knockout city
Velan Studios

It's absolutely fair to say that 2021 has been a fairly low-key year for video games so far. While the majority of last year's games were already deep into the final stages of polishing when the pandemic hit, the global shutdowns have had a much wider-reaching effect on the 2021 video game calendar.

Though only a small handful of blockbuster AAA titles have been released in the first half of this year, there have been literally dozens of superb smaller-scale indie titles hitting storefronts that are well worth your time.

With more than 150 games being released every week on average, it's of course impossible to keep track of everything, and more importantly, keep track of every great game coming out.

But fear not, because here are 10 awesome video games released within the last six months which, for one reason or another, you've most likely slept on.

The majority of these games couldn't be further from the AAA sphere, and most of them can be beaten over a relaxed weekend or perhaps even in just a single day.

For adventurous, open-minded players craving something totally different, you can't go wrong with these criminally under-appreciated 2021 video games...

10. The Medium

Knockout city
Bloober Team

Fans of old-school survival horror will have an absolute blast with the woefully under-discussed The Medium, from the fine folks at Bloober Team (Observer, Layers of Fear, Blair Witch).

With its shamelessly robotic tank controls and fixed camera angles, The Medium is a loving homage to its genre forebears, albeit one which drags the genre into the present with its beautiful graphics, strong voice work and music, and unique gameplay loop which unfolds within two realms of existence.

While investigating an eerie, abandoned communist-era resort in the Polish wilderness, medium Marianne can use her psychic abilities to inhabit the spirit realm at the same time as the corporeal world, at which point a split-screen allows players to interact with both worlds simultaneously.

It's a striking visual and helps differentiate The Medium from other similarly themed supernatural yarns, particularly elevating the expected puzzle-solving elements.

With its lack of direct combat and emphasis on mood above all else, The Medium is a most unique survival horror joint, even if some may finds its core gameplay a throwback to a fault.

Oh, and Bloober Team also just announced that the game will be finally coming to PlayStation 5 on September 3rd.

Contributor
Contributor

Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.