Welcome to my personal Game-of-the-Year list 2021. I list my Top-3 games in the categories Best Game of the Year, Best Immersion, Best Story, Best Graphics, Best Artdesign, Best Sound and Best Music. In addition the Top-3 games per Genre are listed further below. I took into account all games I played in 2021, so you will also see games released in previous years. For those I added the release-year in brackets .

Best Game of the Year

The best games overall in 2021 from my perspective

Game of the Year (1st)
Ghost of Tsushima

1. Ghost of Tsushima (2020)














Game of the Year (2nd)
Metroid Dread







2. Metroid Dread


















Game of the Year (3rd)
The Forgotten City







3. The Forgotten City



















Best Immersion





Here are the top 3 games that were drawing me in most into their world in 2021.









Best Immersion (1st)
Nier Replicant







1. Nier Replicant


















Best Immersion (2nd)
Disco Elysium







2. Disco Elysium


















Best Immersion (3rd)
Metroid Dread







3. Metroid Dread



















Best Story





The games that impressed me most in 2021 in terms of their narrative,  emotional story and credible characters.









Best Story  (1st)
The Forgotten City







1. The Forgotten City


















Best Story (2nd)
Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War







2. Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War (2020)


















Best Story (3rd)
Nier Replicant







3. Nier Replicant



















Best Graphics





The three games with the most stunning visuals pushing forward for next generation graphics.









Best Graphics (1st)
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart







1. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart


















Best Graphics (2nd)
Resident Evil: Village







2. Resident Evil: Village


















Best Graphics (3rd)
Guardians of the Galaxy







3. Guardians of the Galaxy



















Best Artdesign





My top 3 games of 2021 having the most unique, special and visually atracting artstyle .









Best Artdesign (1st)
Mundaun







1. Mundaun


















Best Artdesign (2nd)
Metroid Dread







2. Metroid Dread


















Best Artdesign (3rd)
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart







3. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart



















Best Sound





The best games of 2021 in terms of audio quality, sound effects and voice activing.









Best Sound (1st)
Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart







1. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart













Best Sound (2nd)
Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War







2. Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War (2020)













Best Sound (3rd)
Astros Playroom







3. Astros Playroom (2020)














Best Music





Here are the top 3 games that were drawing me in most into their world in 2021.









Best Music (1st)
Nier Replicant







1. Nier Replicant













Best Music (2nd)
Guardians of the Galaxy







2. Guardians of the Galaxy













Best Music (3rd)
Death`s Door







3. Death`s Door














Best Action Adventure Game









Best Action Adventure
Ghost of Tsushima







1. Ghost of Tsushima (2020)














2. It takes Two
3. Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart










Best Adventure Game









Best Adventure Game
The Forgotten City







1. The Forgotten City














2. Mundaun
3. Chicken Police (2020)










Best Plattformer









Best Adventure Game
Metroid Dread







1. Metroid Dead














2. Astros Playroom (2020)
3. Horace (2020)










Best Roleplay Game









Best Role Play Game
Nier Replicant







1. Nier Replicant









2. Disco Elysium
3. –










Best Strategy Game









Best Strategy Game
Pikmin 3 Deluxe







1. Pikmin 3 Deluxe (2020)














Best Music/Rhythm/Party Game









Best Music Game
Fall Guys







1. Fall Guys (2020)














Best Fighting / Beat em Up Game









Best Fighting Game/ Beat em Up
Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown







1. Virtua Fighter 5: Ultimate Showdown














Best Racing Game









Best Racing Game
F1 2021







1. F1 2021














Best Shooter Game









Best Shooter
Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War







1. Cold of Duty Black Ops: Cold War (2020)









2. Doom Eternal: Ancient Goods, Part 2
3. –










Best Puzzle Game









Best Puzzle Game
The Room







1. The Room (2018)









2. Luna: Shadow Dust (2020)










References:
Image material linked from giant bomb (www.giantbomb.com)