eShopperReviews 2021 Game Awards Day 5: Highest Honors

We’re finally down to it. What follows is the best of the best, the absolute cream of the crop of what 2021 had to offer.

Game of the Year: Bronze Award (Third Place)

Unsighted – Unsighted is a game that juggles multiple elements, and it does them all very well. It has top-down Action-RPG elements in line with the Zelda franchise, complete with unique dungeons, great puzzles, and creative bosses. It has exploration elements apparently influenced by Metroidvanias, with a customizable upgrade system that feels very reminiscent of Hollow Knight. It has a story and characters reminiscent of the Mega Man X series (so much angst!). And it has some great combat, with a focus on timing and proper use of a parry-counter mechanic.

In addition, it adds some creative elements of its own, such as NPCs whose days are literally numbered, and you can get into their good graces by handing them (artificial) life-saving meteor dust, or hoard it all for yourself. And while the core game is very difficult, Unsighted allows players to alter the experience to their liking, reducing the challenge of combat or getting rid of the time limits, for example.

The result is a phenomenal Action-RPG that has a wide appeal for a variety of different types of gamers. Whether you’re looking for great exploration, great action, great puzzles, inventive RPG mechanics, or a combination of all of the above, you’ll find a lot to love in Unsighted.

Game of the Year: Silver Award (Second Place)

New Pokemon Snap – I don’t think anyone expected, after all these years, for Nintendo and developer Bandai Namco to revive the beloved cult classic Pokemon Snap with a sequel. However, far more than a sequel, this is a game that delivers on the promise of the classic game in the modern day, with truly great visuals and music to accompany the superb camera puzzle gameplay.

However, what is perhaps most impressive about New Pokemon Snap is the way this game gives players the feeling of exploring the world of Pokemon, seeing its creatures in their natural habitat. For a franchise that so often wants to transport you into its world, New Pokemon Snap may be the first time a Pokemon game has truly delivered on that goal.

Game of the Year: Runners-Up

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury – It seemed inevitable that Super Mario 3D World would eventually make its way to the Nintendo Switch. As with many games that made the jump from Wii U to Nintendo Switch, Super Mario 3D World was a great game whose sales numbers were limited due to being stuck on a dead platform, and it was a given that this was another example of a game that would get a second chance on Nintendo’s thriving new hybrid console.

What wasn’t expected was that this game would receive a phenomenal port that would update not only the game’s visuals, but make multiple improvements to the game overall. However, that’s not even close to the biggest surprise in this package, because Nintendo shocked everyone by including a brand new game packed in with 3D World, using the excellent core gameplay of 3D World to build a completely new open-world experience. As a result, a port that everyone was resigned to getting a second time became a game Nintendo Switch owners were delighted to play, and one of the best new experiences of 2021.

The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles – I’ll admit, I was a bit unsure about The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles prior to playing it. Having grown attached to the characters of the early Ace Attorney games, I didn’t know if a trip to a different era with an entirely new (yet familiar) group of characters would manage to retain the series’ trademark charm. I needn’t have worried – The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles does an outstanding job investing that series charm into its new cast of characters, and even bringing fun new characters into the mix, like the confident but frequently wrong Herlock Sholmes.

However, more than just continuing the series’ tradition for excellence, The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles updates the presentation to feature absolutely superb cel-shaded 3D visuals that perfectly mirror the style of the series’ 2D artwork. This is joined by clever new mechanics like the new “Course Correction” mechanic that has players correcting Sholmes’ deductions by making observations of their own. The result is a game that evolves its series by leaps and bounds… that series being one that was already arguably the pinnacle of its genre(s).

Shin Megami Tensei V – The Shin Megami Tensei series has long been in the shadow of its spinoff franchise, Persona. However, if there was ever going to be a time for SMT to shine in its own right, it would be in the franchise’s first major entry on Nintendo Switch, and thankfully SMT V is an outstanding entry in the series that retains classic elements of the series while streamlining and modernizing them.

While not a game for everyone, SMT V provides a wealth of options for players to customize their party of recruited demons by growing them and combining them with each other to create something new. Furthermore, players will find the combat challenging and engaging, requiring them to take full advantage of every tool at their disposal to succeed. The result is a game that truly stands in its own right as one of the best and most unique RPGs available today, on the Nintendo Switch or any platform.

Axiom Verge 2 – Axiom Verge 2 is a very different game from its predecessor, and not holding slavishly to the formula of the first game has freed Axiom Verge 2 to be an extremely creative take on the genre that is inspired and fun while still being an exemplar of what a Metroidvania should be.

More than any other Metroidvania this year (yes, even Metroid Dread), Axiom Verge rewards exploration, giving players numerous viable avenues for further exploration with each upgrade you find, and rewarding players for poking into its nooks and crannies. What’s more, bosses being optional means that players can opt to skip a tough boss or even come back to it later after gathering more power-ups, and enemies not damaging you upon contact makes plowing through those enemies a viable strategy. Add to this the alternate-world drone levels… there’s just so much about this game that’s refreshing and wonderful, any fan of Metroidvania-style games should be giving it a look.

Islanders – While Tetris Effect may be a better pure Puzzle game, and Disgaea 6 is a more creative Strategy game… as just a game game, Islanders is one of the most joyous, relaxing games I’ve played this year, and all for a teenie-tiny price of $5.

It is just so satisfying to find a way to fill up your island juuuuust a bit more before you cash it in and start a new one, and being able to position a new building at just the right cross-section to maximize your points feels like a true accomplishment. And Islanders feels like such a perfect fit for Nintendo Switch, being a delight to play for 5 minutes or 2 hours at a time. I know that a part of this is Islanders tapping into exactly the sort of stuff I love in a game, and there are games that are overall better games, but no game this year has captured my heart quite like this one.

Game of the Year

Monster Hunter Rise – I am still noticing little details in Monster Hunter Rise that make me love this game even more. Tiny little animations characters do in the background that most players would miss, tiny notes hidden throughout the game’s levels for players seeking them out, little details in the hunter journal for those looking to maximize their effectiveness. This is a game that has some incredible depth for those who seek it. Or, you can just find your favorite weapon and have an absolute blast fight-dodging your way through massive dinosaur-esque beast after massive dinosaur-esque beast.

After my massive disappointment in Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate, I openly noted my dread at going into Monster Hunter Rise. Ultimately, my fears would largely be unfounded – while Rise still bears some of the baked-in issues the series has long struggled with, it is clear that this game features improvements the series received in Monster Hunter World, making for a much more streamlined, user-friendly game.

However, do not for one second be fooled into thinking this game is a mere carbon copy of Monster Hunter World. Quite the contrary, the changes Rise makes to the series formula is such a massive improvement for the series that I cannot possibly see the Monster Hunter franchise continuing without them. The verticality that the wirebug and palamute add to traversal and combat open up the game in ways that make exploration an absolute joy. It doesn’t hurt that Rise has some of the most gorgeous graphics on the Nintendo Switch, an outstanding soundtrack, and some truly excellent online co-op multiplayer.

All of this adds up to a game that I think is truly the biggest, most impressive, most ambitious, and overall outright best game on the Nintendo Switch in 2021. While it’s a tough game and may not be a game everyone will appreciate, I think the majority of Nintendo Switch players, especially those who game online with friends, will consider this to be a must-have addition to the Nintendo Switch library.

For commentary on today’s awards, please check out the eShopperReviews 2021 Game Awards Day 5: Highest Honors Podcast!

That’s all for the eShopperReviews 2021 Game Awards! If you missed the other awards this week, be sure to check back at the Awards’ Start Page to see the other awards that have been handed out!

You can now support this content on Patreon! Please click the link to learn more!