Games Coming to Xbox Consoles in 2021 You Should Add to Your Backlog
Jan. 21 2021, Published 6:06 p.m. ET
2020 was a huge year for gaming. Whether you're a seasoned gamer who was finally able to tackle some of the titles on your backlog, or if you dusted off an old console for the first time in a long time, people turned to video games like never before in the past year.
Luckily, 2020 also brought with it some new consoles, including the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S. These are just a few of our favorite titles slated for a 2021 release on both current and last-gen Xbox consoles.
'The Medium'
Release date: Jan. 28
In this psychological horror title, you'll play as a medium who is trying to uncover the secrets of an abandoned communist resort, exploring two realities simultaneously to piece together what really happened. This terrifying title promises to be so much more than your average horror game.
'Scorn'
Release date: TBD
If you've loved the gameplay and tone of Dark Souls, you'll want to check out Scorn. In this first-person horror adventure, you'll be quite literally thrown into this dream-like world, though it's really more like a nightmare. The storyline is non-linear to match the open-world aspect of the game, letting players choose how the plot unfolds to understand this environment.
'The Gunk'
Release date: TBD
In this new title from Image & Form Games, players explore an eerily beautiful alien planet taken over by a goop-like parasite suffocating its gorgeous flora and fauna. You'll play as a scavenger looking for resources to sell who is tasked with saving a whole planet instead.
'The Ascent'
Release date: TBD
While Cyberpunk 2077 might've been considered a flop to many, it was the pioneer of an era of new cyberpunk titles coming in the next year — including The Ascent. When the corporation that owns everyone suddenly dissolves, everything is left in chaos; in this RPG, it's up to you to determine what really happened.
'Halo Infinite'
Release date: TBD
Xbox players have been waiting a long time for this title. Master Chief returns with a new campaign in what Xbox is calling the franchise's "most ambitious Halo game ever made." Halo Infinite offers the biggest world to date while continuing the storyline — one even casual Halo fans will be able to enjoy.
'Dead Static Drive'
Release date: TBD
Dead Static Drive is like if GTA were a horror game. Navigate through the deadly creatures along Route 666 in this top-down driving title that promises to be a thrilling intersection of survival gameplay and emotional choices.
'Lake'
Release date: TBD
Yes, first-person shooters and action adventure games are fun and all, but we would be remiss if we didn't include at least one wholesome game on this list. Lake sounds like if a Hallmark movie were a choose-your-own-adventure video game with amazing graphics. Play as 40-something Meredith Weiss on a short trip home, and form relationships with the locals while you're there.
'The Artful Escape'
Release date: TBD
Truthfully, you should play this game for the trippy and vibrant art style alone. Follow teenage guitar prodigy Francis as he goes on a journey with his electric guitar to solidify his stage persona. This title is expected to release for both the Xbox Series X and S, as well as the Xbox One.
'Warhammer 40K: Darktide'
Release date: TBD
If you like killing monsters with your friends, this is a title for you. From the same developers who brought you the rest of the Warhammer titles, Warhammer 40K: Darktide allows you to play with up to four people as you smash and destroy enemies.
'Stalker 2'
Release date: TBD
A sequel to the original Stalker game, this title takes place in a world where the Chernobyl incident ended very differently. It's a shooter-survival game where you have to navigate mutants in a post-nuclear world that compares to the legacy of Fallout.
