Although 2020 was a difficult year for most of us(okay, a depressing one), it wasn’t such a bad year for games and gamers. The year marked the return of two console giants Sony and Microsoft bringing their best gaming hardware to the markets. With the release of the consoles, gaming titles that were scheduled for a 2020 release also gave gamers a preview of their games with a release date postponed to 2021. Today we will be listing out the most anticipated video game titles from those games.
Given the fact that there is a new Coronavirus strain that has alarmed people worldwide, it just might be that we might need to take to these games somewhere in 2021 as we are again forced to stay home, maintain distancing and avoid social interactions. So without further ado, here is the list of the most anticipated video games of 2021
Resident Evil Village
Available on: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
Release Date: 2021
Resident Evil series has been one of the most consistently inconsistent game series in recent years. While Resident Evil 4 made for a more action-packed (albeit downright goofy) experience, Resident Evil 2 was an excellent title that reaffirmed Capcom studio’s faith in the fact that its fans are still not done with creepy homes and well-crafted jumpscares.
Resident Evil: Village is the 25th-anniversary title of Resident Evil franchise. So far the trailer of the game is promising to give the gamers a touch of supernatural. The game will folow the Resident Evil 7 protagonist Chris Redfield as he tries to survive a village where he is trapped with creatures that are going to be a combination of zombies and werewolves.
“Village” signals the return of series staple hero Chris Redfield, so it seems Capcom is interested in returning to the old lore of the games.
Halo Infinite
Available on: PC, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One
Release Date: Fall 2021
Microsoft and Halo fans across the world have already been in the anticipatory mode of: “Damn you, 2020, give me my Halo!” Halo Infinite was initially going to be released on November 20 this year, the same day Microsoft dropped its Xbox consoles. But due to an overwhelming amount of negative reviews and meme-filled complaints around the game’s graphics, studio 343 Industries decided to postpone the release to 2021. The biggest complaint of fans of the Halo franchise was how lackluster Halo Infinite’s graphics looked, especially when compared to other shooter games.
The game’s development reigns are under the reliable hands of Joseph Staten who originally wrote the entire Halo Trilogy. Under the new creative director, fans are hoping the game fixes all the issues and hopefully surpasses all the expectations made.
Far Cry 6
Available on: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia
Release Date: 2021
Since Breaking Bad, Giancarlo Espotio has held an intimidating presence about him in show and movies he has appeared in, and it looks like the creators of Far Cry wants to cash in on his image by giving him the role of an authoritarian leader in a land that is set in the fictional Carribean island.
Far Cry franchise has been a first-person shooter experience that has increased the bar for all other video games in the FPS genre. With its open-world landscape that has plenty of bounties for all kinds of gamers Far Cry’s gaming studio, Ubisoft, is expected to stick to the same formula. Although fans of the franchise are expecting the newest entrant in the Far Cy lineup to be something more than just a camp-raiding, animal hunting experience the game has provided thus far. Ubisoft has promised a reinvention to all its games and that’s what makes Far Cry 6 an anticipated title that will push the developers into new waters and consequently, the gamers into new lands.
Horizon Forbidden West
Available on: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Release Date: 2021
Horizon Zero Dawn turned out to be PlayStation’s best exclusives in 2017 thanks to its gorgeous graphics, and utterly compelling storyline, so much so that for most gamers it just couldn’t be matched to any other gaming title on any other gaming platforms like Xbox.
During the reveal of PlayStation 5, the sequel to Horizon Zero Dawn titled Horizon Forbidden West was one of the most hyped gaming titles revelations. The game will mark the return of much-loved archer Aloy embarking on a new adventure: Forbidden West. The game will take place in a post-apocalyptic California where humanity is in shambles living in tribes and trying to thrive in a world that is now filled with large machines in animal form.
Although during the game reveal, fans of the Horizon Saga didn’t see much other than the obvious pre-rendered trailer, it can be safely assumed that gamers are in for a treat with a selection of more gorgeous locations. The title is looking to leverage the PS5’s advanced hardware. This will be a win-win situation for the developers of the game, the gamers and the PlayStation 5 development team since everyone will be finally getting a game that will be a testament to what the console is really capable of.
Hogwarts: Legacy
Available on: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4
Release Date: 2021
Although the Harry Potter universe has come alive a handful of times in a few gaming titles over the years, the games never quite itched the scratch of Potterhead gamers who wanted to enjoy more time at the school of wizardry and witchcraft. Hogwarts: Legacy is seeming to be a title that will scratch this itch and give the gamers a bewitching experience(some pun intended).
Now for the disappointing part, It looks like the game will not feature our favourite wizard that destroyed Voldemort through love and a handful of friends Harry. The game will be set in the late 1800s, where the player will play as a student who will go through the entire journey of studying at Hogwarts. From being sorted in a house, to taking classes, Hogwards: Legacy is a full-blown RPG out to give you a wizard school experience where you will learn spells, create potions and go on adventures as you explore the castle.
Deathloop
Available on: PlayStation 5, Playstation 4, PC
Release Date: 21 May 2021
Arkane Studio’s gaming titles like Dishonored and Prey have been proof of the fact that the studio doesn’t just want to create a typical shooter game. Deathloop’s trailer that was also revealed during the PlayStation release underlines the fact and shows Arkane’s intentions of giving gamers a truly one of a kind experience.
According to the studio, the gamer will play as a hired gun character named Colt who has a kill list of assassinating 8 targets before the clock strikes midnight. The interesting part? Colt is hunted by an assassin agent Julianna who is hired to take Colt down before Colt crosses off his kill list and kills his 8 targets.
If Colt fails to kill the 8 targets before midnight or dies, he will start again with a loop where he will be given the same choices but will have to act in a different way. The game is a peculiar yet fascinating version of the movie Groundhog Day where the main character is doomed and destined to keep repeating the same mistakes, while slowly learning about the loop-ey world he lives in, and eventually succeeding.
