The Best PlayStation Games of 2021

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – January 4, 2022

Which PS5 and PS4 games impressed professional reviewers the most during the past year? We rank the best-reviewed PlayStation titles released between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 by Metascore. Games must have at least 7 reviews from professional critics to be eligible for inclusion. If a game appears on both PlayStation platforms, only the version receiving the higher quantity of critic reviews (typically the PS5 version) is eligible for inclusion. (All scores listed here are from January 2, 2022.)

9 of 14 photo by Kluge Interactive

89 Synth Riders (PS4)

(#5) Not unlike 2019's Beat Saber, this VR rhythm game combines music and fitness into a freestyle dance competition that you can play on your own or with up to nine others in cross-platform online multiplayer (or local pass-the-headset party mode). Riders comes with 56 licensed songs and offers many more through DLC.

“Despite appearing as a knock-off of other popular dance-rhythm action games, Synth Riders earns its place alongside the cream of the VR crop as an essential PSVR experience. With a wealth of varied and pulsating tunes, hugely enjoyable gameplay mechanics and a stunning visual art direction, it overcomes its minor flaw of a lack of challenge or campaign mode. If you own a PSVR and don’t mind embarrassing yourself as you throw shapes, you absolutely need this in your library.” —Finger Guns

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