5 best PlayStation games of 2021

PlayStation is often considered to be a market leader when speaking of console gaming. The PlayStation 5 was launched last year, and while it has had several titles like Demon Souls and Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart showcase its might, it is yet to have a console-seller title like God of War or Spider-Man.

2021 was a relatively silent year for PlayStation Studios, other than Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, there wasn’t any true first-party title, however, PlayStation certainly expanded its reach with numerous stellar acquisitions, including long-time collaborators like Housemarque and Bluepoint Games, as well as Nixxes who are known for PC ports.

Note: This article reflects the writer's opinion.

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Best games released on PlayStation 4 and 5 in 2021

While 2021 wasn’t as exciting for PlayStation as past or possibly upcoming years, the platform had quite a few strong offerings from both first-party and third-party publishers.

• Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
• Returnal
• Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut
• FIFA 22
• Call of Duty: Vanguard

With that being said, let’s take a closer look at each of the titles individually.

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5) Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

• Developer / Publisher: Insomniac, Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Release date: June 11, 2021
• Genre: Platformer, third-person shooter

The sixteenth installment of PlayStation's iconic franchise brings back the legendary Lombax and Robotic duo for another adventure across different dimensions.

Aside from an exciting adventure and fun mechanics, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart showcases the full power of the PlayStation 5 with the instantaneous teleportation in-game. The game is a must-play for any adventure-platformer fan.

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4) Returnal

• Developer / Publisher: Housemarque, Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Release date: April 30, 2021
• Genre: Roguelike, Third-person shooter

Returnal was the surprise hit of 2021, with an interesting sci-fi premise and a dark undertone. Players take on the role of Selene, a space pilot, equipped with a suit and armed with high-tech weapons.

The character has been stranded on the alien planet Atropos and is stuck in a time loop. Returnal’s interpretation of the rogue-like genre mix comes with sci-fi elements, and the psychological thriller is a must-try for any fan of the genre.

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3) Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut

• Developer / Publisher: Sucker Punch Production, Sony Interactive Entertainment
• Release date: August 20, 2021
• Genre: Action-adventure

While Ghost of Tsushima wasn’t released in 2021, the Director’s Cut bundles in the most definitive version of the title came out with the Iki Island Expansion and other DLCs.

Players take on the role of a disgraced samurai named Jin Sakai, who takes becomes 'Ghost' in order to save his homeland of Tsushima from the Mongol inversion. The title is an unmissable experience for fans of the Samurai and action-adventure genres.

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2) FIFA 22

• Developer / Publisher: Electronic Arts, EA Sports
• Release date: October 1, 2021
• Genre: Sports

The latest iteration of the annual football franchise refines the gameplay to deliver the most definitive football experience yet. FIFA 22 introduces new mechanics such as Hypermotion and fluid animation to refine the experience. The game is certainly worth trying for fans of the sport, as well as for casual audiences.

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1) Call of Duty: Vanguard

• Developer / Publisher: Sledgehammer Games, Activision
• Release date: November 5, 2021
• Genre: first-person military shooter

Call of Duty Vanguard, built on the same engine as Modern Warfare, takes the series back to its roots of Second World War era settings. With a period-accurate arsenal, expanded gunsmiths, and over 16 multiplayer maps at launch, Call of Duty: Vanguard offers a lot for players to jump right into. While not as good as Modern warfare, it is certainly an improvement over Black Ops Cold War, and is a must-try for any first-person shooter fan.