By Arven Say goodbye to your social life when you boot these games up for the first time
The Covid-19 pandemic has most of the population suffering from the social distancing blues but gamers have mostly been rejoicing at not being forced to go out. It’s business as usual for gamers all over the world as they just play the nights away whether solo or with friends. Unlike most other industries, the gaming industry has been flourishing with high sales and buzz all around. Here are some of the most popular games in the United States in 2021 so far in no particular order:
Resident Evil Village
Resident Evil goes backs to its scarier roots after dabbling with a more action driven experience with another installment in their storied franchise. Players once again take the role of Ethan Winters who was the protagonist in 2017’s Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. With more experience in his belt, Ethan explores and tries to find the root of all evil in the titular Village. Scares are as abundant as the action as Ethan goes toe to toe with werewolves, vampires, and other oddities. It was definitely a great change of pace for the series that was basically walking dead with their attachment to the zombie trope.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
Mass Effect Legendary Edition Launch
Commander Shepherd had a legendary journey in the Mass Effect series and it’s an experience worth revisiting. He or she (depending on who you choose to play as) returns with a revamped trilogy with improved graphics and mechanics all around. This sci-fi RPG shooter takes you on an epic adventure around the universe with memorable characters of different races and planets with varying flora and fauna. Touted to be one of fan-favorite developer BioWare’s greatest masterpieces, Mass Effect which was first released back in 2007 for the PC, PS3, and the Xbox 360 has withstood the test of time roughly 14 years later. To quote Commander Shepherd non verbatimly, ‘I’m Commander Shepherd and this is my favorite game of 2021’
Call of Duty Warzone
Call of Duty: Warzone actually released in 2020 but continues to be one of the most popular games today. The ultra fast paced Battle Royale from Blizzard-Activision constantly gets huge updates for content and balance. Duking it out with up to 200 players in absolute chaos with modern weaponry and vehicular warfare is a core reason why the game has maintained popularity over the last year. Plus it’s a free to play game with microtransactions on so you can easily squad up with your friends and go for that win.
VALORANT
VALORANT came in at full octane mid last-year and is now one of the most popular competitive squad-based shooters today. Combining the flashy abilities of Overwatch and the precise gunplay of Counter Strike was a match made in heaven for Riot’s VALORANT formula. The player base has been constantly on the rise with it being equally popular to both male and female gamers. Riot is also shaping VALORANT to be the next great esport with its lofty funding for tournaments in the Americas all the way to Asia.
Genshin Impact
Genshin Impact was a storm that shocked a lot of people last year. Its beautiful cel-shaded anime style graphics, enthralling music, and action-packed gameplay won the heart of many gamers last year and not just the weebs. While it is a gacha game at heart, Mihoyo managed to revolutionize the genre with Genshin Impact. As it nears its first anniversary, Genshin Impact continues to be a powerhouse in both console and mobile even in the west. Mihoyo plans to continue Genshin Impact support for at least five more years so expect your journeys in Teyvat to be long and memorable.
*Thumbnail image from Livemint.com
