Hades and the same here .

Best game I played for the first time this year is either Tales of Berseria or The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV. Best game overall that I played this year is Trails in the sky SC.

I have basically been playing one game in 2021. That game is Age of Empires 2 Definitive Edition.

439 hours so far.

I think Trials Fusion, largely thanks to the user made tracks.

The last of us 2. I finished that a month ago on ps5. I started on ps4 and stopped early in Seattle to wait for ps5 upgrades, which delivered 100%.

The last of us 2 is the complete experience for me. Very satisfying gameplay, always varied, with one amazing set piece after the other. The world never gets repetitive, every location feels unique. I love the 'twist' mid way, very well done. I love how it plays with your feelings towards the characters and the sense of dread knowing what it will eventually has to lead to.

The open world area is perfection. Not too big, no repetition at all, feels just right. The linear areas all have many paths through them and can feel as big and free as an open world. It's a pretty long game as well, looks incredible from start to finish with top notch animation and dialog. Great pacing, great thought provoking story, so many emotions, a masterpiece imo.

The attention to detail and environmental story telling is second to none.

Shame of you for not playing Metroid Dread. I'm starting to think you don't like Metroidvania anymore....

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OT: Still Metroid Dread. I played it twice, once for me, another for Veknoid.

Best game I played for the first time this year was Nier: Automata. Also up there for me were Metroid Dread, Ori and the Will of the Wisps, and Tetris Effect: Connected.

Resident Evil Revelations.

Star Wars Jedi : Fallen Order on PC. I only got around to it this year and I loved it. Second was the original Dead Space on PC. Once again, I slept on it in the day and it really holds up!
A special mention goes to Slay the Spire and Transistor - both played on Switch and both excellent.

I was saying all year it was Returnal, but I changed my mind today, I got death stranding director cut and its not only the best game I've played this year, maybe last 3 years. Its something different, gripping story, great music, great setting.