Game of the Year 2021
Second Runner-Up: Returnal
Senior Editor Alex Gibson: Housemarque had reached something of a crisis point following the launch of Matterfall in 2017, which fused together two different genres in clever fashion but was ultimately plagued by the same issue that thwarted the developer’s best titles for years: it simply didn’t find a foothold in the market.
Having briefly flirted with the idea of pivoting toward a multiplayer battle royale title, the Finnish studio was given a chance by Sony to create something more within its own wheelhouse, but this time, on a AAA scale as a PS5 launch title with Returnal.
In hindsight, Returnal was a big roll of the dice for the studio, a proof of concept that its knack for designing superb, gameplay-centric titles could be made to appeal to a mainstream audience under the more forgiving conditions of a console launch window release. Well, if it was a control test then Returnal passed with flying colors. It isn’t just one of the best launch window games ever but among the best PlayStation exclusives of all time.
Typical of Housemarque, Returnal places a strong focus on challenging gameplay that feels absolutely brilliant to control. The shooting mechanics are unlike anything else we played this year; more or less a third-person equivalent of Nex Machina, one of the studios’ most acclaimed arcade titles. With the action now on a 3D plane, however, there’s a new element of verticality to dodging the hails of incoming alien firepower, as well as precision required to shoot back with all manner of upgradeable weapons. The boss fights proved some of the trickiest, but ultimately rewarding, moments of gameplay this year.
Of course, Returnal incorporates more than just gameplay; in a first for Housemarque, it’s also a story-driven, cinematic experience brought to life with terrific acting and cutting-edge visuals. The coming together of these new elements and the studio’s signature gameplay is something Housemarque fans have been yearning to see for years, and by all accounts, we’re expecting plenty more moving forward after the success of Returnal. Bring it on!
