2020 was a banner year for video games, and for good reason. The year saw everyone at home in their pajamas, bored out of their skulls. Luckily, a lot of developers worked tirelessly to bring us games that helped crack our boredom (Hades, Cyberpunk 2077, and The Last of Us Part 2) and bring us together virtually (Fall Guys, Among Us, and Animal Crossing: New Horizons). While the year has big shoes to fill, 2021 looks like it will be another year full of brilliant games. Here are five such games, which are out right now.

The Medium

Release date: January 28, 2021

Platforms: PC and Xbox Series X

Bloober Team, the studio that brought you Layers of Fear, Layers of Fear 2, and Blair Witch are back again with another psychological chiller to raise the hairs on the back of your neck. The Medium is a third-person puzzle adventure with survival-horror elements in which you take the role of the titular medium. Using your psychic powers, you must use both the physical and spiritual realms in order to uncover the dark secrets of an abandoned resort.

Hitman 3

Release date: January 20, 2021
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Stadia, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

The team behind the Hitman series has discovered a formula that works and still has managed to make each game feel fresh. It helps that the formula is to find your target and use the environment to kill that target in creative ways, and as technology develops, that environment can grow bigger and more interesting. This creative liberty is evident in this newest iteration of the formula, featuring polished graphics and an epic conclusion to developer IO Interactive’s Hitman trilogy, which they began in 2016.

Yakuza: Remastered Collection

Release date: January 28, 2021

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

If you’ve been wanting to get into Yakuza, but haven’t been sure where to begin, here is your chance to get most of the series on your preferred console. The game throws the player into the seedy underworld of Japanese organized crime. Even if you aren’t interested in doing the Japanese mob’s dirty work, the open worlds of the games boast a lot of things to do besides crime and violence, including karaoke, pachinko, and fishing. This couldn’t have come at a better time, since Yakuza 6 is due in March.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse—Earthblood

Release date: February 4, 2021

Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Remember in Skyrim when you joined the Companions and got to run around as a werewolf, devouring entire towns and leveling up your dark ability? That was pretty cool. Werewolf: The Apocalypse is pretty much an extended version of that quest, but with a slightly better handle on the werewolf abilities. Also, the game takes place in the not-too-distant future, with an energy corporation as the antagonist. The player can switch between different forms at will to advance between levels, leveling up their powers to play to their strengths and take down the energy corporation that threatens their livelihood.

Hellish Quart

Release date: February 16, 2021

Platform: PC

This is for you Historical European Martial Arts (HEMA) folks. Hellish Quart is a physics-based sword fighting game that requires skill and precision to defeat your opponent. Unlike many fighting games wherein it is possible to win by simply mashing buttons, this game rewards the player for watching for openings and striking at opportune moments. The game is being developed by a tiny team of one guy named Jakub, who is using the free demo (which has been out since October 2020) to analyze the game and work out bugs. The full game will certainly be a wonder to behold.

Conclusion

So there you have it: five of the hottest titles of 2021 (so far), which you can purchase right now. Greater things are in store for us as well later on in the year. Between Far Cry 6, Breath of the Wild 2, and God of War: Ragnarok, this year is shaping up to be a promising one indeed. Stay tuned!

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