10 Best Video Games Of 2021

6. Metroid Dread

Away from home consoles for three decades - at least in its original form - the return of a "classic Metroid" could've been a boring resurrection of formulaic game design - or it could be some of the purest, most tightened up and most playable entertainment you could gets hands on.

From movement to item acquisition, weapon feel to Samus' various abilities and how they can chain together, in and out of combat, Metroid Dread lets you eat this game up. It's nothing less than a liquid butter 8-10 hours on that first playthrough, but as is always the case, re-scouring the environment for every last pickup is where only veteran players will succeed.

Even better, Nintendo and Mercury Steam have clearly learned a lot from how the likes of Kratos and DOOMguy are shot, cinematically. Metroid Dread's cutscenes and especially boss fights portray a Samus with intergalactically powerful stature, able to trigger set-piece kills where you retain control, firing missiles into a giant demon's eyes while riding on its back.

All-round it's a stellar return to form for one of gaming's most important and influential franchises. A top-to-bottom must play.