Mike's Mid-2021 Video Game Awards Extravaganza!!!

Hey! We made it halfway through what could be one of the last years we have left on this planet so it's time to celebrate the one thing that hasn't totally ruined my pathetic life yet: VIDEO GAMES! That's right, in a futile attempt to curb the seemingly never-ending stress, depression, and anxiety I experience on a daily basis, I decided to look back at the last six months of this gaming year and make up some totally arbitrary awards to give out to the video games (and gaming-related stuff) that helped me escape this nightmare.

Some of these games will probably end up on my (hopefully more normal) end of the year 'best of' list and some might not. But for now, they can bask in the glory of knowing that I, random white man on the internet, got some much-needed reprieve from them. So HERE WE GO!

Best Level From a Game I Totally Forgot Came Out
Dartmoor - Hitman III

Did you love 'Knives Out'? So did IOI!

Hitman III burst onto the gaming scene way back in January, so I kinda have a bit of an excuse for forgetting this game even existed. When thinking about giving out an award for "Best Level", my mind almost immediately went to House Beneviento from Resident Evil Village (more on that later, though). And while that dollhouse of horrors was arguably the best part of RE8, when I got to thinking (and actually remembered which games came out in 2021) I realized there was no way I could not give this to the Dartmoor level from Agent 47's newest adventure. Hitman's levels are some of the best designed in all of gaming, and this sprawling mansion in the English countryside is among the series' best. There's only one main target in Death in the Family, but what sets this apart is how it lets you partake in a twisting murder mystery. You find clues, interrogate witnesses, and can come to multiple different conclusions, all branching the mission off in various directions, all with that trademark Hitman sense of humor.

Most Sickeningly Adorable Next-Gen Console I Bought This Year
Xbox Series S

I can't believe this little fella runs Forza so well

Man, those next-gen video game consoles are super hard to find, huh? The fact that I managed to get a PS5 last year is nothing short of a miracle, and having set aside some money for one of Microsoft's shiny new machines a while ago, it was only a matter of time, patience, and fighting off the urge to buy one from scalpers that I got one for myself. And to my surprise, the one I settled for was not the super giant and powerful Series X, but its smaller, less-powerful baby brother, the Series S. So why did I sacrifice 4K and better GPU for 1440p and 60fps? Well, for one, it was the only one I could find in stock anywhere and at retail price. But thinking about it, I'm a pretty simple man when it comes to gaming and don't need a whole lot. I've got a PS5, so I already have that giant, powerful box sitting in my entertainment center. Plus, my time spent on Xbox systems has waned over the last few years, despite Game Pass constantly calling me. All I really wanna play on there is some Halo and some Forza, and the Series S allows me to do that without breaking the bank. Sure the games don't look as good as they do on PC or the Series X, but personally I'll take a better, faster frame rate over resolution any day. The Series S is a neat little technological marvel and, paired with Game Pass, is quite possibly the best deal in gaming right now. Plus, LOOK AT IT! IT'S SO DAMN CUTE AND TINY!

Most Gleefully Stupid Video Game of the Year (So Far)

Chivalry 2

This photo is pretty misleading in that it shows no stupid stuff

At first glace, first-person medieval melee combat game Chivalry 2 looks pretty serious. The combat is simple but pretty deep, and takes a bit of practice to get really good at. Its lore is surprising grounded, and the variety of objective-based matches have you raiding villages and castles and causing all sorts of mayhem. But that's about where the seriousness stops. Chivalry 2 is a really dumb game that knows it's a really dumb game. It's essentially the video game equivalent of the scene from Monty Python and the Holy Grail where Lancelot rushes the wedding party and kills pretty much everyone. It has a dedicated 'battlecry' button that lets you scream at any point during the match. Heads and body parts fly on a near-constant basis. Players run around with barrels and jump around on fire. You'll hear various characters yell "OI I'VE LOST ME GOOD ARM" and start randomly dancing around a pile of dead bodies. The moment I knew I loved this game was when I decapitated a dude, picked up his head, threw it at another guy, and instantly killed him with it. It's rare that a game doesn't pretend to be anything that it isn't, and Chivalry 2 is one hell of a good, dumb time.

Best Roller Coaster Ride

Resident Evil Village

Pictured Above: SPOOKY ATMOSPHERE

This was a shoo-in for Dumbest Game of 2021 before Chivalry 2 came along (heck, Ethan Winters alone is dumber than anything else in gaming this year) so it'll just have to settle for being the most constantly thrilling and entertaining one instead. You'll be kind of disappointed if you come into RE8 looking for the same kind of scare-fest that RE7 provided, and though the first half of the game certainly makes it seem like it will be (especially in the previously mentioned House Beneviento section) the remainder of Village just gets real action-y and real stupid. Not that it's a bad thing, though; RE8 is a fast-paced action/horror romp that's wonderfully paced and features some of the best set piece moments in the entire series. In all honesty Village is the perfect way to celebrate the franchise's 25th anniversary, as it covers just about all of the bases that previous game in the series have. It's got towering unkillable enemies that constantly pursue you, well-earned scares, inventory management, lots of shooting, and big, over-the-top action moments. So for me, Resident Evil Village is just pure, non-stop entertainment and one of 2021's best games.

Game of the Year 2021 (If The World Ended Right Now)
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart

What I wouldn't do for a good R&C cartoon

As a fan of the Ratchet & Clank games dating all the way back to the original on the PS2, Rift Apart was a game I was really looking forward to and most definitely not disappointed by. By just looking a the game in motion you'll realize just how much a technical showcase this is for the PS5 and probably wonder what kind of witchcraft they're practicing over there at Insomniac Games. Underneath the next-gen shininess and incredible graphical detail lies the best, most fine-tuned Ratchet & Clank game ever made. It doesn't do anything revolutionary from a gameplay perspective, but it's a near-perfect slice of good ol- fashioned gaming pie. The story is surprisingly engaging, and though I still miss the borderline adult humor of the original games, it's still by far the funniest game Insomniac has written in a while. The best kinds of games are the ones that capture my attention and don't let go until credits roll, and Rift Apart was one of those for me. It's stunning to look at and even better to play, and is both the best PS5 game to date and my favorite game of 2021 so far.

Most Anticipated Game for the Rest of 2021

Deathloop

Still can't get over how cool the art is for this game

Coming from one of my all-time favorite developers, Deathloop is a PS5 exclusive action/shooter where you play as a secret agent trapped in a time loop, and if that doesn't get you excited I don't know what will. Based on what I've seen from previews, Deathloop's got that trademark Arkane look and feel but with some cool new twists. On paper Deathloop may look like a rougelike, as you have to kill eight targets within a single run in order to finally break the loop you're stuck in, or else be forced to start over and over and over until you do. But you're not given a strict time limit and have almost unlimited freedom in order to complete your mission. Plus is has a multiplayer element that lets another player invade your game as a rival assassin who's main mission is to stop you. Deathloop has been on my radar ever since it was revealed at E3 a few years ago and I've only gotten more and more excited for it the more I hear about it. It's got 'Mike Game' written all over it and I can't wait to play it when it comes out in September.

Just for fun, some of the other games I'm excited to play the rest of this year are: Forza Horizon 5, Halo Infinite, Solar Ash, Battlefield 2042, Metroid Dread, Advance Wars 1+2 Re-Boot Camp, Psychonauts 2, Back 4 Blood, and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy.