The Most Popular PlayStation Games In The 2021 Calendar Year

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Popular Playstation Games and DLCs Releasing in 2021

By Joe Burgett - August 12, 2021

The 2020 COVID Pandemic did not just affect random people like us. Rather, it affected everyone. In the video game world, any missed time could mean a lot of problems. Games are already having to make deadlines with “crunch” times being horrific for most to deal with regularly. This has caused some delays but a lot of studios are starting to take on the “add as we go” model. This allows them to create live services where updates will be released for free or at a reduced price. That means some of the most popular PlayStation games of 2021 might have a lot more to offer than normal.

Developers can put out a relatively unfinished game but then send the remainder of it to you later. At the same time, they can also expand upon things too. It takes years to properly put a big game together, so any game you play in 2021 will likely have been in development since 2018 or 2019 at the latest. 2020 made things move slower but as people were able to work from home, studios were able to get back on schedule. PlayStation is set to see a lot of interesting content in 2021, so let’s dive into the games we can expect for the console or those that have already been released!

Popular Playstation Games and DLCs Releasing in 2021 — *The cover art for Life Is Strange: True Colors. Photo Credit: Wikipedia/Square Enix*

Life Is Strange: True Colors

Developers: Square Enix (Deck Nine)
Release Date: September 10, 2021

You can never seemingly go wrong with Square Enix, but they have become so large that they have now bought up several smaller studios to farm out some of their games. The Deck Nine studio is in charge of Life is Strange: True Colors. Of course, Life is Strange has become a major series by this point. This is the fifth installment of the series, and the third in the mainline universe. We know, it’s kind of complicated. The most important thing to know is that it takes place right after Life is Strange 2.

Returning in its graphic novel appearance, True Colors is set to live up to its name as new engines have allowed Deck Nine to make the world come alive. Combined with a third-person view, you’ll play as Alex Chen. She is an Asian-American woman who grew up in the foster system, with a troubled childhood. She reunites with her brother after 8 years, only for him to die mysteriously. Using her empathic powers, she must track down who is responsible. It’s clear to see why it’s one of the most popular Playstation games of the year. Although, it will also appear on several other platforms too.

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Biomutant

Developers: THQ Nordic (Experiment 101)
Release Date: May 25, 2021

Biomutant was released back in May for the PS4, Windows, and Xbox One. An expected PS5 version is in development but no release date has been given. For those who have played it, Biomutant is said to be relatively fun. It currently has around a 75% audience score, which isn’t bad for an Action RPG. Plus, this game has a story you need to pay close attention to. The game uses branching storylines, where each decision you make will decide how your specific story unfolds. Our main plot revolves around the “tree of life.”

It is affected by a natural disaster and poisonous oil beneath the soil ends up polluting it. The five roots of this tree, which offer life to the entire world, are also under extreme threat. Five creatures threaten to kill the tree before it repairs itself while six tribes further complicate the story. Three want to heal the tree and bring balance while the other three want to use it to attain more territory and power. You can decide where you fall in this system and align with any tribe you wish while also taking out the others. Plus, you can decide the fate of the tree without tribe alignment.

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Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts 2

Developer: CI Games
Release Date: June 4, 2021 (August 24, 2021, for PS5)

The highly anticipated sequel to Sniper Ghost Warrior Contracts, this game is exactly what everyone assumes. It is a sniper game, and one of the most accurate ever made. Military snipers helped in the original development of the game and many since have played the series. While you might not have to sit around watching for a target for days like some snipers, the actual mechanics of shooting are as accurate as they can get in a video game.

Of course, while the game likes to focus on a headshot concept sometimes, this is the most unrealistic part. Real snipers will tell you that they focus on the best shot possible, and the head is not always the best. If you hit, it’s a kill shot each time but the best shot might often be the chest. Of course, things can always get crazy on you and that might require more than just sniping which this game also flows into. Overall, it’s a lot of fun. Making it one of the most popular Playstation games to play.

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Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart

Developer: Insomniac Games
Release Date: June 11, 2021

Who isn’t a Ratchet & Clank fan? These two have been great exclusives to the Playstation for decades now. When the PS5 was set to come out, Sony Interactive knew they needed something exclusive that could be promised to those who bought the console within the first year. Ratchet & Clank delivered, gaining wild praise from PS5 players who were stunned by its beautiful visuals, improved combat, and overall advancements since the last game.

Metacritic gave it an 88/100 while IGN offered a 9/10. Game Informer, Gamespot, and Gamesradar+ gave it no less than a 9/10 too. This alone should make it one of the most popular Playstation games of 2021. We should not be shocked, as the impressive Insomniac Games studio was behind this game. As of this past July, it has sold a little over one million copies which could improve by the Fall period.

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Cyberpunk 2077 (Next-Gen Relaunch & DLC)

Developer: CD Projekt Red
Release Date: December 10, 2020 (Reluaunch Fall 2021)

Cyberpunk 2077 originally came out in late 2020 to be ready for the launch of the newer consoles. Of course, it was also released on the previous generation’s consoles too. While it was praised for how well it looked on the next-gen consoles, it was a buggy mess on the PS4 and Xbox One. It became such a problem that Sony removed it from the Playstation Store from December 2020 to June 2021. This was an odd miss for CD Projekt Red, who had previously put together the brilliant Witcher series of games.

The very team in charge of this game put together The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt! The narrative was what we expected from this team but the downplay of bugs was horrific by a team fans thought they could trust. Now, the plan is to do a relaunch with most if not ALL major bugs removed. The developers are also supposed to be releasing a free DLC sometime this year as well to make up for their blunders. The assumption is that the team does not want to make the same mistakes twice, which is why Cyberpunk has become one of the most popular Playstation games to look forward to in 2021.

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Bloodborne (Remaster)

Developer: FromSoftware
Release Date: March 2015 (Remaster For PS5 – Late 2021)

While the actual Bloodborne game has been out since around the Spring of 2015, there is a plan to re-release the game for the Playstation 5 in a remastered form. Some have expected a second game to come about, and FromSoftware hasn’t technically ruled this out. But since they are busy with many other intellectual properties, a second installment is unlikely at this point. Yet they never ruled out remastering the original Bloodborne game.

This has been one of the most popular Playstation games ever made. It’s also an exclusive, as it was published by Sony Computer Entertainment. Exclusives do not often make as much money for studios as a game released for most systems, such as their Sekiro & Dark Souls games. Yet a remastered Bloodborne would certainly net a huge profit, especially as the PS5 system becomes more available for people to purchase this holiday season.

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Marvel’s Avengers (DLC Content)

Developer: Square Enix (Crystal Dynamics)
Release Date: September 4, 2020 (DLCs Coming Spring & Fall 2021)

When Marvel’s Avengers came out in 2020, it seemed to do pretty well with some fans and fail with others. Some seemed to expect it to be much more than it ever could be, such as a superhero version of Final Fantasy. While it was made by Square Enix, they could not make it exactly like a Final Fantasy game. The real issue was that it became repetitive, with similar maps and tasks after the main story. Plus, delays on promised releases (likely due to Pandemic issues) only made players even more upset. For example, the Hawkeye and Kate Bishop DLCs were delayed and Spider-Man was promised to Playstation players.

He has yet to arrive as a playable character so far. Square promised that none of the DLC content after the purchase of the original game will cost players a penny. While there are some microtransactions, it’s only involving costumes or level increases. All of which you can earn by playing. Hawkeye’s mode was released in the Spring along with the Red Room Takeover. Cosmic Cube, Wasteland Patrol, and War for Wakanda will all be out by Fall 2021. All of this content has made it one of the most popular Playstation games to keep an eye on in 2021. Plus, Spider-Man is still coming…likely by Wintertime.

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LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

Developer: Traveller’s Tales
Release Date: TBA

Yeah, we’re discussing a LEGO game here! We aren’t afraid to say we love them. Of course, there is none better for our site to discuss than the LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga game. TT Games has been killing it with these games, with LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens getting huge buzz by fans. The plan for the Skywalker Saga is to adapt all nine of the film entries involving the Skywalker clan in some way. Usually, with these titles, you’re forced to go through a linear story. However, TT Games is not going with that method this time around. You’ll be able to start from any of the nine entries that you’d like.

Each of the entries or “episodes” will have five story missions, offering the opportunity to play on 45 different levels! This will include maps for Naboo, Tatooine, Kashyyyk, Mustafar, Yavin 4, Hoth, Dagobah, Jakku, Endor, Starkiller Base, and many more. You’ll also be able to have full open-world exploration on Star Destroyers as well as the Death Star! The exact release date has not been given but it’s expected by Fall 2021. You can see easily why this is one of the most popular PlayStation games that people are looking forward to playing.

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FIFA 22

Developer: Electronic Arts
Release Date: September 27, 2021

FIFA is, of course, a soccer game. It actually ranks as the most popular game on the planet and is one of the most purchased game titles annually. This is why EA likes to put a lot of time and effort into making it special. While they seem to not give a darn about the MLS or the many American tournaments we have, they do put special attention onto the rest. FIFA 22 will be changing things up a bit with brand new career mode material.

Beginning on FIFA 21, Electronic Arts decided to start changing things up in the career mode. A lot of those changes are back with a few more. Yet gameplay was their biggest focus, as they added “hypermotion technology” to try and replicate exactly what you see on the pitch each match by players. New leagues will also be added to this game, including the England National League, Indian Super League, Liga Cyprus, Polish 5th Division, and Brasileirão Série B. This is not even covering all the new teams added.

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Dying Light 2: Stay Human

Developer: Techland
Release Date: December 7, 2021

Obviously, the sequel to the original Dying Light from 2015, the highly anticipated second installment from Techland will be available in December 2021. This will be for all consoles available right now, including both the PS4 and PS5. Dying Light 2 is going to be a lot like the first game, an open world, first-person, action-role playing game set in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. The cool thing is that this game will be set 20 years after the events of the first Dying Light game.

The protagonist will be Aiden Caldwell, voiced by Jonah Scott. You might know him from his several voice-acting roles from things like One Punch Man, Elder Scrolls Online, and Final Fantasy VII Remake. Caldwell will have various parkour skills, a lot like an Assassin’s Creed character. They have given him over 3,000 parkour animations too! You’ll also be able to use normal weapons like guns, crossbows, and spears. The footage from this game already has people excited, and it’s one of the most popular Playstation games people are planning to buy this holiday season.

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Mass Effect Legendary Edition

Developer: BioWare
Release Date: May 14, 2021

Mass Effect has been hit-and-miss as a franchise. While some games are beloved, others left a lot to be desired. However, the original three were usually well-liked by fans. A remastered version of the original trilogy came out back in May, which many fans were happy to see. BioWare and Electronic Arts did not just want to release the Legendary Edition as just a remastered version though. They also wanted to go back and fix glaring problems the others had too.

This includes several different technical and gameplay adjustments, on top of the visual enhancement work. Due to the original Mass Effect coming out in 2007, it was in need of major improvements. Overall, BioWare put in a lot of time with it graphically but they also improved combat mechanics, vehicle handling, as well as its loading times. Abstraction Games and Blind Squirrel Games both helped BioWare with everything. It seems to have worked out incredibly well for the series.

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It Takes Two

Developer: Hazelight Studios
Release Date: March 26, 2021

Well, this game came out of nowhere to grab our attention. It Takes Two might have been published by Electronic Arts, but it was developed by Hazelight Studios. The only other game credited to this studio was A Way Out. Of course, that game sold over one million copies in less than two weeks back in 2018. Yet no one really knew much about It Takes Two, other than knowing it was an action-adventure game that is mostly co-op. The most popular Playstation games, or those for any console, tend to be those that grab you in one of two ways.

It has to be a blast to play and/or the story needs to be awesome. Hazelight meshed both. The game is about a married couple, Cody and May, who are planning a divorce. One day, they are arguing and then tell their daughter, Rose, about the divorce. She goes out to the family shed with hand-made dolls that look like her parents and play-acts with them to repair her parent’s marriage. However, a tear lands on one of the dolls, and now the parents now find themselves in the bodies of these dolls! They must fix their relationship in an attempt to reach Rose and return to their human forms.

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Returnal

Developer: Housemarque
Release Date: April 30, 2021

Returnal was released in April 2021 as a PlayStation 5 exclusive. Developed by Housemarque, it was obviously published by Sony Interactive Entertainment. This is a third-person shooter but set in the psychological horror genre. All within a futuristic science fiction setting. It’s a lot but this game is epic! You control Selene Vassos, an ASTRA Corporation explorer who attempts to land on the off-limits planet of Atropos. This was done against the orders of her commanding officer. Yet Vassos must investigate something she calls the “white shadow” signal.

However, her ship has suffered incredible damage as she crashlands on the planet. Now, unable to contact ASTRA, she must explore the planet. On it, she discovers her own corpses throughout the planet. Every time she dies, she loops back to the moment she crashes. However, she cannot learn patterns from this, as the planet changes every time she dies too. She must fight hostile aliens and scavenge leftover tech as she continues investigating. This game is a thriller that has been getting top marks from critics worldwide. That makes Returnal one of the most popular PlayStation games of 2021 so far.

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Final Fantasy VII Remake (Next-Gen)

Developer: Square Enix
Release Date: April 10, 2020 (June 10, 2021, For PS5)

Final Fantasy VII Remake originally came out for the Playstation 4 in the Spring of 2020. However, it was released for the Playstation 5 in June 2021. As the title references, this is a true remake of the Final Fantasy VII game from 1997. This is the first of the remakes for the title as well, but more will be coming. Part 2 of the Final Fantasy VII Remake will come out likely within the next year or so. Developed by Square Enix, the game is set in the dystopian cyberpunk metropolis known as Midgar.

As the player, we control Cloud Strife. He works for an eco-terrorist group called AVALANCHE that is trying to stop the powerful megacorporation known as Shina. They are using the planet’s life essence as an energy source, which is obviously not a good thing and must be stopped soon to save the world. Like the original game, this game is all about your real-time action and strategy where everything you do will matter in a role-playing environment.

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Red Dead Redemption 2 (Updates/Online Content)

Developer: Rockstar Studios
Release Date: October 28, 2018 (2021 PS5 & Xbox Series X)

The story revolving around Red Dead Redemption 2 was phenomenal. But this world was massive and developed with the intent to be used for many other adventures besides those you had with Arthur Morgan & John Marsden. This game is set in the Old West, and that is a perfect place to have an open-world environment that could be expanded online. Keep in mind, this game is made by Rockstar Studios. This is the same developer behind Grand Theft Auto.

You’ve noticed how they have milked Grand Theft Auto 5 until nothing is left, and the same is being done with RDR2. In July, they added the Blood Money Summer update with numerous tasks available. That includes multi-stage robberies, shakedowns, debt collections, etc. In August, you’ll be able to take on new Cornwell Contracts, Sovrano Opportunity Mission, Three-Part Saloons Contract Mission, etc. Oh yeah, and it’s coming to next-generation consoles in 2021 too.

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MLB The Show 2021

Developer: San Diego Studio
Release Date: April 20, 2021

MLB The Show has been a PlayStation exclusive for the entire life of the franchise until 2021. While it was still released on the PS4 & PS5 in April 2021, MLB The Show 2021 was also released on the Xbox One & Xbox Series X. To be on Xbox was a first for the franchise and players have absolutely loved it. The Show deserved to be available on multiple consoles for years and the fact that the game now has such an opportunity is awesome.

Developed by San Diego Studio and published by Sony, this is the best baseball franchise that has ever been. While it involves all the teams from Major League Baseball, it also involves all their farm teams or AA & AAA teams. You can control those teams too! The Show always gives you a tremendous experience as a Manager & GM as well. A complete game, it’s often one of the most popular PlayStation games each year. Now, it will be able to do this on Xbox consoles too.

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Resident Evil Village

Developer: Capcom
Release Date: May 7, 2021

Resident Evil games have been coming out for several years. While some are better than others, we can always rely on Capcom to give us something worth talking about for each installment. The series has slowly begun opening up their worlds more rather than just being a linear world. Resident Evil Village expands on this greatly by giving players an explorable village in Eastern Europe. It has been described as something straight out of Victorian Era London.

The world is one of the largest that the series has ever offered too. In the game, players will control Ethan Winters. He is a father searching for his kidnapped daughter. However, he ends up encountering series star, Chris Redfield. Both enter a village filled with mutant creatures. As a sequel to Resident Evil 7: Biohazard, the game will pull from that story. However, you will not need to play Biohazard to understand this installment.

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Ghost of Tsushima (Director’s Cut)

Developer: Sucker Punch Productions
Release Date: July 17, 2020 (April 20, 2021, For PS5)

Ghost of Tsushima came out in the summer of 2020 and took the world by storm. We heard and saw something about this game for several years beforehand. Yet when proper footage was shown at E3 in 2019, we were all hooked. Set in feudal Japan in 1274, Khotun Khan has landed on the island of Tsushima with his Mongolian invasion fleet. Jin Sakai and his uncle, Lord Shimura, join the island’s army to stop them. The battle ends in disaster with most of the army killed and Shimura captured.

Assumed dead by the Mongolians after being thrown off a bridge by Khotun, Sakai must save his uncle and his home. Highly rated, the Director’s Cut of this game is going to be out August 20, 2021, for Playstation 5. The Director’s Cut adds in an explorable area not available in the base game, Iki Island. It will offer an entirely new chapter in this story. Combined with this is “Legends” and Rivals mode. This will allow the Ghosts to compete against each other in team-based activities. This has made the game yet again one of the most popular Playstation games to play right now.

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Hitman 3

Developer: IO Interactive
Release Date: January 20, 2021

Hitman has always been a compelling series of games, yet Hitman 3 looked to expand the series even more. The game just squeaked into 2021 by releasing on January 20th. To some, the title might be confusing. This is the eighth Hitman video game, so why is it called Hitman 3? It is technically part of the “World of Assassination” Trilogy that IO Interactive wanted to make. It will be the conclusion of the story that started in the first Hitman from this series in 2016.

That means Hitman, Hitman 2, & Hitman 3 are all separate from the other versions of the game. In Hitman 3, Agent 47 is back yet again. He as well as some of his allies are hunting down the leaders of Providence. This is an alliance of powerful corporate executives and industrialists that control a lot of global political, military, and economic interests. Agent 47 must put a stop to their control by any means necessary. You can easily see why it’s one of the most popular PlayStation games, right?

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Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla (DLC Content)

Developer: Ubisoft
Release Date: November 10, 2020 (DLCs All Through 2021)

Ever since Assassin’s Creed: Origins, Ubisoft has released a new AC title every other year. Due to Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla coming out in 2020, this means we are not expected to see a full new AC title until 2022. In spite of this, Ubisoft will still be delivering a ton of AC content in 2021 and into 2022. For the first time ever, they are adding major new DLCs that involve almost completely new maps. None of this copy and paste design stuff the company is known for.

This was proven when they released “The Wrath of the Druids” expansion in the Spring of 2021. Going into Ireland, we saw a massive expansive map that was very different from the English environment of the normal game. Next was the release of the “Seige of Paris,” obviously taking place in France. It was released on August 12th to high critical acclaim. This is on top of the River Raid missions Ubisoft added in along with the Mastery Challenge, Ostara Festival, Legend of Beowolf mission, and more.

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No Man’s Sky (Frontiers Expansion)

Developer: Hello Games
Release Date: August 7, 2016 (Updates and Expansions Annually, One Expected In Fall 2021)

When Hello Games first introduced No Man’s Sky in 2016, the world was excited. It was a Playstation exclusive and could become a new major franchise. You could go to planets throughout an expansive universe, filled with life as well as major mysteries to uncover. Yet when it came out, it was nothing like what we all assumed. This caused the game to tank, with gamers voicing their displeasure heavily. The Hello Games team then got back to work to deliver the game they promised fans.

They heavily delivered on that by adding free updates and expansions for the community, even all-new modes and ways to play. You once could never run across friends, but now you could. There was a first-person and third-person viewership added in and most recently a virtual reality expansion. Thus far, they have added 17 completely free expansions as of 2021. The latest is called No Man’s Sky: Frontiers and promises to add something big to our sci-fi adventure in 2021.

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Riders Republic

Developer: Ubisoft
Release Date: October 28, 2021

The best thing to relate this game to is a video game called Steep as it’s pretty much a sequel to it. Both come from Ubisoft Annecy and focus on extreme sports. Steep focused on winter sports like skiing, snowboarding, etc. Riders Republic will focus on both plus the addition of mountain biking, wingsuit flying (with and without rocket), and more. You can sort of relate it to the original Tony Hawk’s Skateboarding games. It’s an expansive open world, taking place at seven different American National Parks. This includes Yosemite Valley, Bryce Canyon, Zion, and Mammoth Mountain.

The story is simple enough for career mode, you use your own player and help them get real-world sponsors. Along with taking part in the “Riders Ridge Invitational.” This involves all the sports available to you. As you play, you will unlock new items and opportunities. Beyond that competition, you’ll also get to take part in the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup, Red Bull Rampage, and even the X Games. Since Steep had the Olympics added later, this very well could come to the Riders Republic eventually too. It’s not hard to see why it’s one of the most popular Playstation games people want in 2021.

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Outriders

Developer: People Can Fly
Release Date: April 1, 2021

The Outriders video game has already begun to make waves in the gaming industry, and it has only been out since April 2021 if you can believe it. The game was published by Square Enix but it was developed by the team at People Can Fly. Before this game, that very team worked on the Painkiller and Bulletstorm games, along with a few Gears of War games too. Thus far, Outriders has been getting generally positive reviews too. Usually, 7/10 to 9/10 scores are offered by reviewers.

This is a role-playing game, forcing you to create your own player at the start of the game. The game is a third-person shooter, so you’ll see them a lot. You will also have to pick between four classes, each with its own abilities. Tricksters manipulate time, Pyromancers manipulate fire, Devastators unleash seismic attacks, and Technomancers use turrets on top of other devices. Of course, you’ll have a skill tree where you can upgrade your player. The game is a lot of fun, making it one of the more popular PlayStation games for people this year so far.

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Far Cry 6

Developer: Ubisoft
Release Date: October 7, 2021

Far Cry games tend to always give you an incredible story. Sure, they’re usually all in first-person where you’re surrounded by an amazing open world. Yet the stories within these games always hook you. Ubisoft has also been trying to find great actors to add to the cast of these games each time. They managed to hit hard by adding Giancarlo Esposito as the main antagonist of Far Cry 6, “El Presidente” Anton Castillo. Few people can play the villain better than this man.

The story takes place on the fictional Caribbean island of Yara. It is ruled by Anton Castillo, a fascist dictator who has full control over the island. He is trying to get his son, Diego, to follow in his footsteps. Yet he’s not so sure this is right for him, but his father insists. You take on the role of a freedom fighter named Dani Rojas (gender decided by player), a former Yaran Armed Forces soldier now turned guerrilla soldier. Rojas and co. attempt to restore the nation back to its former glory.

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Horizon Forbidden West

Developer: Guerilla Games
Release Date: Late 2021

When Horizon: Zero Dawn came out in 2017, no one really expected it to hit as hard as it did. We should have known better, as Guerilla Games already showed us their skills with the Killzone titles. Horizon quickly became a major favorite, and still ranks as one of the most popular PlayStation games to play. Now the sequel to this game is coming, called Horizon Forbidden West. In this game, the impressive Aloy is back. The young huntress of the Nora Tribe will be sent on a major quest.

She will have to tackle the arcane frontier known as “the Forbidden West” to track down the source of a mysterious plague that has been killing all it has infected. Her journey will be difficult as she travels hostile regions with very dangerous enemies, deadly machines, and horrific storms. The ecosystem for the game will be expanded upon even more, as we will see lush valleys, snowy mountains, tropical beaches, and more. Plus, you’ll see ruined cities above ground and below the water!

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