Given that Microsoft studios have given up publishing titles exclusively for Xbox consoles, games that have only appeared in the Microsoft ecosystem (Xbox, PC, Game Pass consoles) have been considered for this category, while for PlayStation and Nintendo have kept the rule of selecting truly exclusive titles, available only on these consoles (PS4 and / or PS5, respectively Nintendo Switch).
PLAYSTATION
🏆 RETURNAL
(Housemarque / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
PlayStation 5
When we got to the end of the year and drew the line, Returnal is the exclusive PlayStation 5 game we spent the most time on in 2021. And that's because, despite the high difficulty for much of the audience, the creation of from Housemarque had the arguments that convinced us to stay, along with Selene, on the ruthless planet Atropos: excellent control, mysterious story, atmosphere and oppressive graphics, but also probably the best implementations of the exclusive functions of the PS5 console: 3D rendered sound in headphones, along with haptic feedback and resistive triggers characteristic of the DualSense controller.
🥈 RATCHET & CLANK: RIFT APART
(Insomniac Games / Sony Interactive Entertainment)
PlayStation 5
Those who, for various reasons, could not enjoy Returnal found their "relief" in Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. The new episode of the long-lived series points to the chapters that matter, offering a thrilling adventure, with nice characters, excellently interpreted, as well as a graphic presentation of big days. The cute protagonists Ratchet and Clank, along with their older or newer friends, have reached the fourth consecutive generation of PlayStation consoles (PS2, PS3, PS4, PS5) and show no signs of retiring too soon.
MICROSOFT
🏆 FORCE HORIZON 5
(Playground Games / Xbox Game Studios)
Xbox Series / Xbox One / PC
Since the release of the first game in the Horizon subseries, the English studio Playground Games has worked like a Swiss watch for Microsoft, launching new Forza Horizon titles at regular intervals, each better than the previous ones. And Forza Horizon 5 is no exception to this rule, bringing together in one package the best ideas from previous games, as well as news specially designed to enrich the open world racing experience characteristic of the series. Thus, although the series started from the more serious Motorsport titles, in time it became synonymous with the arcade competitions in the Forza Horizon games.
🥈 HALO INFINITE
(343 Industries / Xbox Game Studios)
Xbox Series / Xbox One / PC
Halo 5: Guardians was not exactly to the liking of the fans, and 343 Industries used this feedback to turn Halo Infinite into an experience worthy of the series' fame. And for the most part, they succeeded: the basic formula of the second level of the first Halo was extended, turning Infinite into the first open world title of the series, but keeping its originality, without borrowing many elements from other shooters of this type. Moreover, in addition to the substantial campaign, Halo Infinite also includes a multiplayer component available for free to all who wish, without the need to buy the single player portion or a Game Pass subscription.
🥈 SUPER MARIO 3D WORLD + BOWSER’S FURY
(Nintendo)
Nintendo Switch
Nostalgia still plays an important role in the choices we make when it comes to gaming, and Nintendo is well aware of this. Thus, the Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury package includes something older, the adaptation of the excellent Super Mario 3D World (originally released on WiiU) for Nintendo Switch, as well as a completely new experience - Bowser's Fury -, a kind of experiment related to could point to a possible future for the Mario series.
Image Sources:
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury - Full Game Walkthrough
YouTube Sources:
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart - Announcement Trailer | PS5
Forza Horizon 5 - Official Launch Trailer