The Best Upcoming Single-Player Video Games Of 2021

There are a ton of video games out that requires multiplayer. Battle royales and team-based titles are a big hit, but it doesn’t mean that there are not some other great single-player focused titles for players to look forward to playing. 2020 was hit with the dreaded covid health pandemic outbreak and it pushed a lot of developers into working remotely which ultimately cost several games to get pushed back. As a result, we’re expecting 2021 to be filled with some great titles well worth picking up.

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#9 Hitman 3

• Developer: IO Interactive 
• Publisher: IO Interactive 
• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, XBO, XSX/S
• Release: January 20, 2021
• Co-op: N/A
• Competitive Multiplayer: N/A

The final installment to the Hitman World of Assassination trilogy will finally come out in 2021. Hitman 3 is slated to release in January of next year although details on just what we can expect have yet to be laid out. With that said, players can still expect a stealth third-person title. You’ll be taking on the role of Agent 47 as he’s tasked with taking out various contract criminal targets across different locations around the world. Just as before, you’ll have control over how to carry out these hits as you explore the level and potential exit strategies for when you finally take the kill. One element that will be unique for players this time around is that there will be VR support on the PlayStation VR headset. 

#8 Tales of Arise

• Developer: Bandai Namco Studios
• Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
• Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
• Release: TBA
• Co-op: TBA
• Competitive Multiplayer: TBA

The long-running Tales series is going to receive another installment. Tales of Arise is currently being developed in hopes of revitalizing the series which may help appeal more towards a Western audience. This will still be an action RPG title if you’re familiar with the game and as a result, you’ll find that the Linear Motion Battle System will be intact.

In the narrative, we know that the game will focus on two worlds, Dahna and Rena. Rena is an advanced world that is filled with magic and technology while Dahna has been repressed into a medieval state. As a result, Rena has been using those that inhabit Dahna as slaves. So far we know that the protagonists are going to be a man named Alphen who is from Dahna and a woman named Shionne from Rena. Both find themselves traveling together in a new dark adventure.

#7 Hogwarts Legacy

• Developer: Avalanche Software
• Publisher: Portkey Games
• Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, XBO, XSX/S
• Release: 2021
• Co-op: N/A
• Competitive Multiplayer: N/A

There have been several rumors over the past year that we would be receiving some kind of an RPG based in the Harry Potter universe. It wouldn’t be until September of 2020 that we got the official reveal of Hogwarts Legacy. This is an action RPG where players get to step into the world crafted up by author J.K. Rowling, although she is not directly involved in this video game development. Likewise, you shouldn’t expect to see familiar characters in both the novel or cinematic Harry Potter universe. Instead, this game is set to take place in the late 1800s where you get a letter of acceptance into Hogwarts.

We don’t know too much about the game quite yet. It looks like this will be an open-world kind of experience where you’ll have different locations to explore outside of just Hogwarts. Players will learn magical spells, potions, the combatant with sinister foes, and tame some magical beasts. Being developed by Avalanche Software, this game is set to release sometime in 2021.

#6 Elden Ring

• Developer: FromSoftware
• Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
• Platforms: PC, PS4, XBO
• Release: TBA
• Co-op: N/A
• Competitive Multiplayer: N/A

FromSoftware is a pretty well-known video game development studio. These are the folks that brought out the Souls series and each new video game they bring out has a massive fan base ready to pick up a copy. Currently, the studio is preparing to bring out a brand new video game called Elden Ring. It’s a title that will continue to play on some dark fantasy elements with gameplay centered around being an action RPG.

Likewise, we know that the studio is also getting some help from author George R.R. Martin, the man behind the A Song of Ice and Fire novel series. This legendary author is helping flesh out the lore and background details for the game setting. While we’re still waiting to get a premise of the title and some gameplay footage, it does look like the studio is wanting to make the title set in an open world with new gameplay mechanics such as horseback riding. Other than that, we’re left waiting to hear more about the game from the development studio.

#5 Fable

• Developer: Playground Games
• Publisher: Xbox Game Studios
• Platforms: PC, XSX/S
• Release: TBA
• Co-op: N/A
• Competitive Multiplayer: N/A

The Fable series was prominent from 2004 through 2010 where we got three mainline installments to this RPG series and since then there have been very few titles released attached to the IP franchise. Still, fans suspected that Microsoft wouldn’t keep this game on ice forever and finally during a July Xbox Series X event we got the announcement of a Fable reboot being in the works. Now, no real information was shared for players outside of the announcement trailer which really only offered a look into a fantasy world.

Still, this reboot does have an interesting development team working on the title. Playground Games is developing this game and if you’re not familiar with the studio by name then you might be familiar with their line of video games. These are the folks that brought out the Forza Horizon series. It looks like Microsoft found that the studio can capture some gorgeous landscapes and environment details that they offered the studio to make an RPG reboot of Fable which is a drastic change-up from the racing titles that they are known for. We’re uncertain if this game will make its way out into the marketplace in 2021, but we’re certainly keeping tabs on the title.

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