AGDQ 2021 came to a close over the weekend and while it was yet another online-only event, we still got to see plenty of top-tier speedruns, along with a few world records for some categories as well. Here are our picks for the best speedruns we saw during AGDQ 2021 over the last week.
Silent Hill 3
Best Speedruns AGDQ 2021
If you’ve seen any of Punchy’s runs before, you probably already know what to expect from this one. Punchy is best known for being energetic and charismatic during his runs, properly explaining the various speed techniques he makes use of in the game, while also injecting humor in between to keep things entertaining.
Silent Hill and Resident Evil speedruns are always fun to watch, and the Extra new game category for Silent Hill 3 is no different. Punchy is deft with controlling and maneuvering Heather through the tight corridors and weird camera angles, and it’s always fun to see both character and runner dressed up in fun costumes.
Mirror’s Edge
Best Speedruns AGDQ 2021
The original Mirror’s Edge was released back in 2009 and while it doesn’t seem to be a game that’s commonly run at GDQ events, the inbounds showcase at this year’s event was nothing short of impressive.
In large games like Mirror’s Edge, it’s not uncommon to see speedrunners often make use of out-of-bounds glitches to get around quicker and access areas they’re not supposed to reach just yet.
But with the inbounds run, we get to see the runner actually speed through the game within its confines. Runner Hekigan makes use of important speed techniques like the wall run, along with some slide glitches to make movement just that little bit faster so that he can beat the game in under an hour.
The Legend of Zelda: Majora’s Mask
Best Speedruns AGDQ 2021
Yes, Majora’s Mask has been run at GDQ events a ton of times, but if you’re looking for something fresh and different, don’t miss out on ClaireLynnd’s run of the game this year.
A few new tricks for the Any% category have been discovered, allowing runners to beat the game insanely quickly. And yes, this run clocked in under 30 minutes, which is seriously impressive when you consider how long the previous runs were.
Claire makes use of a new glitch called stale reference manipulation, which allows her to mess with the game code to essentially skip the entire game. While that might not sound all that interesting or fun to watch, this run is still a fascinating showcase of how far Majora’s Mask speedruns have come and how players have discovered so many new ways to break the game.
Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots
Best Speedruns AGDQ 2021
We’ve seen a ton of Metal Gear runs at past GDQ events, but Metal Gear Solid 4 in particular is a very rare run, likely due to how long it can be.
JaguarKing ran the game on Extreme difficulty on a fresh file, and the run clocks in at around two hours, which isn’t terribly long, but it’s still fairly lengthy due to the fact that there are a few gameplay sections that just require you to go slowly which can’t be skipped.
Even so, this MGS4 run ends up being one of the comfier runs to watch thanks to JaguarKing’s upbeat attitude and positivity. This run feels like pure efficiency with how quick and precise the runner is with menu-ing and enemy takedowns, and the RNG elements keep it exciting as well.
Diablo III
Best Speedruns AGDQ 2021
One of the world record runs we got to see during AGDQ 2021, this Diablo III three-player co-op speedrun will likely appeal to hardcore fans of the game just with how insanely in-sync all three players are with each other. While Diablo III isn’t necessarily a tough game in and of itself, it’s extremely challenging to actually beat quickly.
This co-op run is brilliant just because they’re able to keep explaining the mechanics and speed techniques they’re implementing in the run, while also knowing exactly what each person needs to do without even communicating with each other.
The level of teamwork here is pretty insane, and them getting a world record for the three-player category and beating the four-player co-op world record is just the cherry on top.
Sonic Mania
Best Speedruns AGDQ 2021
Speedrunner Argick completely crushes it during his Sonic Mania speedrun, showing off a seriously impressive familiarity with the game, along with how well he can pull off precise jumps in every level.
It’s a testament to how much time he’s spent practicing the game, as he can literally speed through every level at a blazing space, while also describing and explaining exactly what he’s doing.
Truly, it’s really Argick’s hype commentary and energy that makes this run so enjoyable to watch. If you want a high energy run that will keep your attention the whole way, this is a good one to check out.
Hades
Best Speedruns AGDQ 2021
The Hades speedrun was a bonus game incentive that got met very quickly when it got announced. While I personally would’ve much preferred to see a fresh file sword run, those aren’t considered to be very marathon-safe especially with how little control runners have over the RNG.
That being said, the three-weapon is simply an impressive showcase of how quickly the game can be beaten if you know exactly what you’re doing.
Vorime is tasked with making quick decisions when choosing boons during the run, and doing his best to nudge the RNG in his favor so that he can make the run go faster.
The run features a total of three clears in succession with three different weapons, along with Pact of Punishment modifiers that can make the game more unforgiving, but also allow the runner to get a faster clear time.
F.E.A.R
Best Speedruns AGDQ 2021
F.E.A.R is one of the horror game speedruns we got to see at AGDQ 2021 and it’s a pretty chill run over all.
Ran by Maxylobes, who’s probably best known for running Devil May Cry and a few Resident Evil games, the F.E.A.R run is actually pretty chill overall but it’s still an entertaining one to watch if you’re a fan of weird glitches and exploits.
Maxylobes speeds through the game with a running glitch that lets him move at the same fast pace no matter what he’s doing, even while he’s crouching, and he also makes use of some funny-looking out-of-bounds glitches and wall exploits that let him just phase through levels.
The commentary and explanations are concise and on point, making this a fun and easy one to watch.
Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions
Best Speedruns AGDQ 2021
Not a very popular run, but Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions looks incredibly smooth and quick at the hands of runner Jaxler.
Not only is his commentary informative and concise, he also makes use of fascinating techniques such as the dive kick and web slings that help him get around faster.
Every move in the run feels extremely calculated as well, and it truly feels like there are little to no wasted button inputs here, which just goes to show how well Jaxler knows the game. It’s always great to see a runner so passionate about the game they’re running, and it really shows through here.
Just Cause 3
Best Speedruns AGDQ 2021
This year’s Just Cause 3 speedrun is nothing short of chaotic fun, and while it might not be the most technically impressive run at the event, the humor and upbeat energy of the runner and the couch more than makes up for it.
True to the nature of Just Cause itself, the speed tech in this run are mostly goofy and funny, with runner PMCTrilogy immediately showing off a silly-looking car jump from one road to another in order to help save time.
In fact, the run goes by so fast that if you blink, you might actually miss some of the funniest tricks in the game.
And those are our picks for the best runs we saw at AGDQ 2021 this year. Think we missed a really good run that should’ve made the list? Let us know in the comments down below.
Published: Jan 11, 2021 10:07 am