The Best Media I Consumed This Year (2021)

Well it's the end of the year and you know what that means: Lists of things that were good this year. Instead of simply choosing games and movies or shows strictly from this year, I'm instead going to compile a list of the best stuff that I just happened to enjoy for the first time this year.

Let's jump right in with the games.

Halo Infinite:

Coming out swingin' with one the best games from this year, Halo Infinite is about as close to the quality of Halo 2 and 3 that we've gotten since they were released. A big, explosive sci-fi action game that balances Halo's classic action set pieces with its heartfelt character moments better than most, if not all, of the intervening titles since 3. Having already played through it once, I cannot wait to go back for another round on higher difficulties.

Hades:

Yeah, I played a toooooooon of Hades this year, and it's still just as good as ever. A fast paced action rogue-like that will punish and reward you in equal measure, buoyed by stellar voice acting, gorgeous visuals, and an addictive gameplay loop. If you haven't tried this game yet...just do, it's fantastic.

Dark Souls (Remastered):

Yes, believe it or not, I had never done a complete playthrough of the first Dark Souls game before this year, and man I'm glad I finally did. Even playing through this game 11 years after its initial release, clunky controls and all, you can see why it was able to cultivate such a devoted fanbase. This game grabs you tight and doesn't let go, assuming you have the patience to stick with it till the end, and I promise it's worth the struggle; the end-game boss fights are truly not to be missed.

Destiny 2:

Here's one you may not have been expecting. Since Bungie split with Activision, Destiny has just been getting better and better. There have still been a few bumps in the road, but overall, the game is at an all time high in terms of story and gameplay, and if you haven't taken the time to check it out, I highly recommend it (the base game is 100% free). An absolute blast to play with friends.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition:

And now one that won't be a surprise at all: The Mass Effect remaster is the shit. A well done beautification of my favorite trilogy of games ever, I'm pretty sure I played through this one at least twice this year alone. This is what all remasters should look to for guidance, this is the bar now.

As for the non-game media...

Dune:

I mean, obviously. I wouldn't shut up about this one for two weeks after I saw it. Dune is everything a sci-fi epic should be; gorgeous, well acted, imaginative, and gripping. Denis Villeneuve is a master, and I'm very much looking forward to part two.

Arcane:

This one probably won't come as a surprise. Arcane is good as hell; not content to just be the best video game adaptation to date, it's also just great TV. I'm concerned that people will sleep on this one because it's a 3D animated show, something typically associated with children's programming, but it's a surprisingly deep, and surprisingly dark show. It comes with my highest possible recommendation.

The Matrix: Resurrections:

Ok this one has me feeling like I'm going crazy. I keep seeing so many middling/negative reviews for this, and I feel like everyone else must have watched a different film. It's definitely the best Matrix film since at least the second one, and I'd posit that it's even better (definitely not as good as the first but, few action movies are). The action was great, the acting was great, the effects certainly weren't bad by Hollywood standards, and the uncompromising meta humor about how Lana Wichowski was essentially forced to make this movie is hilarious, even if it seems like it may have also been a source of great stress for the director. What really sells this one though is, get ready, the love story. It's super cheesy and romantic and I kinda love that about it? It's weird to describe a Matrix movie as "feel good" but honestly that's the vibe I got. It's grown with its audience. Clearly something Lana put a lot of heart into, and a hilariously unsubtle piece of work, I can't help but love it.

Spiderman: No Way Home:

I'll be honest, I wasn't going to put this on the list because everyone already knows how good it is, but I can't overlook how nice it is to get both this and the Matrix in the same year (same month even) and have both of them do nostalgia so well. Yeah sure, they're both studio cash ins on our nostalgia, but at least they gave the projects to people who made good movies out of them. Peter's story is great, Willem Dafoe seems to be gunning for "best Marvel villain", the new status quo the movie sets up is exciting, and the fan service is a hoot.

And there you have it. Here's to another year of great media to get us through whatever the hell else the universe wants to throw at us. Cheers!