Roundtable Talk #11: The Best Game We’ve Played This Year (So Far!)

After a long hiatus, the Controller Crusade staff is back to tackle a weekly topic, with this week’s topic being the best games we’ve played so far this year. 2021 has been stacked with many great releases that we’ve gotten our hands on, but we’ve also had the chance of dipping into our backlogs, discovering new franchises, and checking out the plentiful game library that is Xbox Game Pass. Here are the best games we’ve played so far this year:

Allison’s Pick: Going Under

One of the best games I’ve played this year has to be Going Under, an addicting and hilarious dungeon crawler that captures the insanity of modern-day start-up companies. This game surprised me with its attention to detail and witty writing, with so many little moments of creative gameplay that I found myself barely able to put the game down. You play as Jackie, a recent college graduate hired as a marketing intern at Fizzle Beverages. However, your giddy project manager Marv informs you of some “pesky monsters” overrunning the basement. Ultimately, you’re tasked with removing them (definitely not a part of your job description, but whatever).

I find myself getting bored with classic dungeon crawlers, but this game was surprisingly intriguing. The combination of enjoyable gameplay and fantastic NPC’s kept me coming back for more. If you haven’t checked out Going Under, you can find it on Xbox (currently free on Game Pass), PlayStation, or Steam for PC.

George’s Pick: Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney

I spent a lot of time mulling over which game I’ve played this year is my favourite. After all, I have played quite a few good ones so far! Demon’s Souls, Hades, Animal Crossing, Mario 3D World, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and I even finally finished Pokémon Sword. And whilst I’ve spent the most time playing Demon’s Souls and Animal Crossing, I think that the 15 hours I have spent with Ace Attorney (so far) have been my favourite.

Ace Attorney is a game made by Capcom that follows the cases of a lawyer called Phoenix Wright. You participate in a number of court cases, collecting evidence and then presenting it in court. There is an eclectic cast of characters that are so much fun to meet and interact with and the over-the-top courtroom drama is fantastic fun. I become far too involved, going so far as to slam my hand and shout ‘objection’ (or mumble because I don’t want to make too much noise but, rest assured, my inner voice is screaming it!) along with Phoenix.

Ace Attorney is a mixture of visual novel and point and click. There is a lot of reading. In fact, the game is essentially just reading and moving the cursor around different areas to look for evidence that can be used in court. Most of the gameplay occurs inside your head. Thinking about how each piece of evidence can be used in court, which character to talk to next, and whether or not you should present a piece of evidence to a certain character (in court or outside of court when looking for clues). I enjoy experiencing the characters of the game and thinking about how I can use the evidence to prove my point in court. The music is great too. (Also, because the first game originally released on the Game Boy Advance, you get awesome throwbacks such as the judge not knowing what a digital camera is!)

Thank you to my flatmate for introducing me to these games. I cannot believe I haven’t played them before!

Josh’s Pick: Death’s Door

I’ve managed to play quite a variety of games so far this year, with a healthy mixture of new releases, retro classics, and games that have somehow alluded me when they first came out. This question is a pretty tricky one, and depending on the day I might have a different answer. In this very moment, the game that cannot escape my mind is Death’s Door from two-person team development team Acid Nerve, and published by Devolver Digital. Death’s Door was released just shy of two weeks ago, and I immediately picked it up at launch and could not put it down.

The world that Acid Nerve has created is filled with characters that are incredibly charming (even the bosses), and the dungeon design harkens back to the days of classic Legend of Zelda, with some engaging puzzles that give you a decent challenge but don’t stump you for hours on end. Even though I was able to roll credits on the game in a weekend, I found myself coming back to Death’s Door to explore every nook and cranny to try and reach that 100% completion mark. I had high expectations going into Death’s Door, but the game still managed to blow me away and take the top spot on my game of the year list for 2021 so far.

Justin’s Pick: Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

When I think of this question, it’s an easy choice for me. Not only do I have something to play on my fancy new console, it just so happens to come in the form of my favourite PlayStation franchise.

Even better, Ratchet & Clank is just what I needed right now. Ever since his debut on the PS2, Ratchet has been a lovable character and I’ve loved going on adventures with him and seeing the amazing worlds the minds at Insomniac come up with. So during these long pandemic nights it was nice to be able to sit back and get absorbed into a game that took me far away with some old friends. It’s upbeat, and colourful, and it’s just a joy to play.

Rift Apart shows that Ratchet & Clank is good as it’s ever been.You don’t always need a game that’s new and innovative; sometimes all you want is something that’s the same thing you love but polished to perfection.

And there you have it, four of the games that have stood out among the pack for us in 2021. What are some of your favourite games so far this year? Let us know in the comment section below!