The 20 Best Video Games of 2021 So Far

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – July 7, 2021

Which games impressed professional reviewers the most during the first half of the year? Above, we rank the best-reviewed videogames released between January 1, 2021 and June 30, 2021 by Metascore. Games must have at least 7 reviews from professional critics to be eligible for inclusion.

Note that ...

If a game was released on multiple platforms, we included only the version receiving the largest total number of reviews (usually, but not always, the PS5 or PS4 version).

Multi-game compilations and newly released ports of games released in prior years on other platforms are excluded, unless they are substantially different from the prior release(s) (for example, an HD remaster of a previous-gen game that also adds some new content).

16 of 21 photo by IO Interactive

87 #5 (tie): Hitman 3

Released early in 2021 for virtually every platform (though the PC version is an Epic exclusive for now), the latest in the third-person stealth series concludes the "World of Assassination" reboot trilogy that began with 2016's Hitman. This time, your playable assassin Agent 47 heads to a variety of new locations including Berlin, Dubai, and Chongqing, though all locations from the previous two games can also be played within the new game. Critics love the game's flexibility, replayability, and satisfying storytelling.

“Taken individually, Hitman 3 feels like great value, with plenty of variety and lots to do. When taken as a whole, the World of Assassination trilogy is hands-down one of the best and most complete-feeling trilogies in video game history. It’s a fitting finale for 47 – at least for now – and it has naturally left me thrilled to see what IO does with James Bond or whatever else comes next. It might only be January – but I can pretty much guarantee this will end the year as one of my 2021 favourites.” —VG247

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