17 Best NEW Top-Down Games of 2021

There are a ton of new and exciting games coming out this year. While things got shifted around due to covid, that hasn’t halted all of the anticipated video games that were planned for 2021. For instance, there are quite a few upcoming top-down video games we think that you should be keeping an eye on. In this list, we are going to highlight the best new top-down games that are releasing or slated to release within this calendar year. Of course, with that said, these titles are not particularly ranked in any order right now. We’re hopeful that all of these games can make their way out into the marketplace within the 2021 calendar year but for now, only time will tell.

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#17 Garden Story

Platform : PC, NS

Release Date : August 11, 2021

Genre : Adventure

Garden Story throws players into a world of a living town made up of a garden. With different fruits and vegetables roaming around the grove. Here you’re given the task of being a guardian who will go through the various daily tasks of defending and restoring the garden grove from different rot moving into the area. You’ll clear out thickets, repair fencing, and slowly unlock the mysteries of the garden predecessors. Being a game that’s rated E from the ESRB, it’s a game suitable for all ages. Likewise, the game developers had made it so that anyone can join in to the game with whatever time you care to spend in Garden Story. With so much content packed into this game, there’s something to do whether you’re playing for just a few minutes or if you plan to spend several hours in this game.

#16 Rustler

Platform : PC, X/S, PS4, PS5, XBO, NS

Release Date : February 18, 2021

Genre : Adventure

Rustler is a quirky game that you can describe rather easily. It’s a Grand Theft Auto type of game that’s set in medieval times. Here you’re able to create chaos, go on a murderous rampage, fight off knights, hide from the authorities, partake in tournaments, witch-hunts, among other oddity inquisitions. It’s a game that’s made to make players laugh at the ridiculousness that comes from the gameplay. Set up to be an old-school top-down game, players will roam the world and start their own unique adventure. As you can imagine, this is a Mature rated game, but if you want something unique and odd all at the same time, you might want to give Rustler a try. Fortunately, it’s available right now and can be picked up across PC and console platforms alike.

#15 Cartel Tycoon

Platform : PC

Release Date : March 18, 2021

Genre : Strategy

Cartel Tycoon is an early access strategy game where players are going through an old 1980s venture. Here you’re a drug kingpin where goal is to grow an empire. Obtain cocaine, grow a small operation, and distribute it to the world. However, the more you make, the more you’re able to grow your operation. Soon you’ll have a massive empire. Although, it’s not an easy job keeping an empire going strong. Other cartels are looking to take over, and then there are the authorities. Soon, your small little operation has become a massive point of interest in the likes of DEA, Army, and the CIA. Can you go through the cracks of law enforcement and remain a massive force to reckon with? As mentioned, since this is an early access title, the developers will continue working on the project as they aim for a full launch.

#14 STORY OF SEASONS: Pioneers of Olive Town

Platform : PC, NS

Release Date : March 23, 2021

Genre : Strategy

Story of Seasons is a franchise that was initially called Harvest Moon. The latest installment puts players into Pioneers of Olive Town, and if you played past games, you know the overall goal here. This is a farming simulator game where you’re normally tossed into an old, dilapidated farm to turn things around. You’ll maintain the farm, tend the crops, pull weeds, lay down new seeds, take care of livestock, and participate in the local town events. Eventually, you’ll even settle down and get married. That’s very much the same situation here with this game. It’s more of a casual and relaxing game to play as you attempt to establish a functioning farm.

#13 Solasta: Crown of the Magister

Platform : PC

Release Date : May 27, 2021

Genre : Strategy

Solastia: Crown of the Magister is a tactical turn-based RPG. This is your typical dungeon crawling game as well, where you’re venturing into long-lost and forgotten dungeons that will help unearth some ancient artifacts. Players will have a few different heroes to pick from, each with its own unique attributes. From there, it’s a party of heroes venturing into the depths to uncover treasure, fight off monsters, and tackle a new adventure. Although, you’ll come across some truly sinister evil that dwells in the foreign lands. However, there should be plenty of flexibility in how you would like to play. The game environment could be taken advantage of. Use high ground toward your advantage, evade traps, and squeeze through passageways that are far too small for a large foe to break through.

#12 Stronghold: Warlords 

Platform : PC

Release Date : March 9, 2021

Genre : City Builder

Stronghold: Warlords might be a familiar franchise for you. This is an RTS series, and this year we have the Stronghold: Warlords installment. In the game, we’re going through a campaign based around China in the 3rd Century BC. This campaign will take players to the 1200 year where we’ll face the Mongol invasion. As you can imagine, the game is all about securing your nation, making the necessary upgrades, fortifications, and decisions to see the area prosper. Currently, the game is available, but the reception has been mixed with this installment. However, that doesn’t mean the studio is not working on a series of updates to keep players logging in regularly. In the past, we’ve seen updates come out to bring out fixes, new maps, and even a brand new AI lord.

#11 Mini Motorways

Platform : PC, NS

Release Date : September 19, 2021

Genre : Strategy

Mini Motorways is a strategy game. In this title, players are working to create roadways for a town. It starts off simple, with players connecting a road from one building to the next. However, as the town grows in size, you’ll have to decide how to place roadways to avoid traffic carefully. You’ll work with a variety of different pieces to allow cars to flow around with ease. Although, the bigger the town and more clustered the buildings should create a tough challenge in crafting up the roads. You’ll have limited pieces, which may mean reworking the roads you have placed down already to complete the levels.

#10 Circuit Superstars

Platform : PC, PS4, NS, XBO

Release Date : October 12, 2021

Genre : Racing

Circuit Superstars is a racing game, but it’s a top-down racer. You’ll race around with different types of cars and try to come out on top. Although it might take a bit of getting used to being a top-down racer, some tracks heavily rely on drifting around corners, and then there are also the pits to help get your car to continue a race. This is also a relatively new release when writing this description, and so far, the reception has been great. Players find this to be an enjoyable racing game with some easy-to-grasp mechanics and some challenging races. Whether you enjoy racing games or not, it’s a different kind of take than what we typically see with racing games these days and one we think you should check into.

#9 Black Skylands

Platform : PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch 
Release Date : July 9, 2021
Genre : Adventure, Shooter 

Black Skylands is a game available through early access on steam. In this title, we’re given a skypunk experience where humanity has taken to the skies in their different flying boat rigs as you battle for your survival against a host of bandits. Here we’re stepping into the role of Eva, who is seeking revenge when bandits took down her father’s life. Now Eva is forced into rebuilding a vessel, exploring for new loot, and making the necessary upgrades to their ship to ensure that it’s a powerful force to reckon with. Meanwhile, there is a ton of on-foot action with players also given an assortment of weapons that can be further customized and buffed up.

#8 Synthetik 2

Platform : PC
Release Date : November 11, 2021 
Genre : Shooter Video Game, Indie game, Early Access 

If you enjoyed Synthetik: Legion Rising, then you want to keep an eye out for the upcoming sequel, Synthetik 2. We haven’t seen a ton of this game quite yet, and the teaser trailer only had some alpha gameplay footage, but again this is a game that follows the first Synthetik, which was quite the top-down hit shooter in 2018. Currently, the game is planned to hit early access in November, where we can again expect some high-tech battles and a slew of weapons. We know that there is a ton of focus on the gunplay in this title, with weapons being varied and problematic if you’re not careful. So far, we’re told that weapons can overheat or jam, while recoil may play a role in just how you move around in this game to set up shots.

#7 Xenosis: Alien infection

Platform : PC, PS4, Xbox One, Switch 
Release Date : Q4 2021 
Genre : Action 

Xenosis: Alien Infection is slated to hit the marketplace at the end of this year, which might appeal to players interested in games like Dead Space or movies such as Alien. In this game, we’re tossed into the future where mankind has sent out a ship to mine a mineral-rich planet near the end of our solar system. With a journey that would have taken several years, to begin with, something caused the ship to be lost. Fifty years passed by, and while the ship was deemed to be destroyed and never seen again, players happened to stumble upon it. Players board the ship for a quick payday because the data loot inside would be worth enough money for a lifetime of needs and wants. However, it’s here that we discover that something else is on this ship with you now locked inside with it. As you explore, players will need to manage their vital signs, such as oxygen, and ensure that they have enough firepower to deal with the alien threat roaming around this ship. The more players dig into this ship, the more answers to what happened all those years ago will unravel.

#6 Action Commando Series

Platforms: PC

Release Date: May 27, 2021

Genre: Twin Stick Shooter

A few games go overlooked, and it’s not surprising by just how many titles get tossed into the mix regularly. However, one title that came out in May of this year, along with a sequel, is the series Action Commando. In this game, players are a time-traveling spartan more solid that’s used for some of the most extreme hostile situations. In the first game, players are taking out a cultist group taking in bystanders and consuming them for a ritual. As mentioned, a sequel also came out where we are dealing with another cultist group to take control of Saturn and use technology to control the minds of those living on Earth.

#5 The Last Stand: Aftermath

Platform : PC
Release Date : November 16, 2021 
Genre : Action, Adventure, Indie 

Similar to our previous point, Dead Estate, The Last Stand: Aftermath also has roots as a browser game. This is a standalone single-player game where players are enduring the zombie apocalypse. Not much of humanity is left, and while you’re dying as an infected, you still have a bit of life left in you. Players will scavenge the area for new resources and make upgrades to make survival a bit easier. However, you’ll need to be careful as there is still countless undead that will attempt to sink their teeth into you even though you’re already infected. Eventually, you’ll die off, and another survivor will take your place. Armed with the various unlocks you’ve acquired from the past life, you’ll pick back up and continue your search around the dangerous post-apocalyptic world.

#4 12 Minutes   

Platform : PC, XBO, X/S
Release Date : August 19, 2021
Genre : Adventure

12 Minutes is an interesting game. This is a time loop game where players are stuck in a narrative that plays out for twelve minutes total. In the title, the players take the role of a man who come home from work to their apartment and wife. Although, you soon discover a cop bursting into the door arresting your wife for murder. You have twelve minutes and infinite loops to try and get to the bottom of things. The adventure game is more of a point-and-click with plenty of puzzles to solve, items to interact with, and quite a few conversations to partake in. Soon, you’ll have all the necessary information to execute a playthrough to break out of the loop and solve the mystery.

#3 Weird West

Platform : PC
Release Date : 2021 
Genre : Action role-playing game, Indie game, Adventure game, Shooter Video Game, Simulation Video Game

Weird West is a game that might spark some interest from fans by the developers alone. The co-creators behind Dishonored and Prey crafted this title. Within Weird West, we’re given a new take on the old wild West. Set to follow a variety of characters with their storylines and agendas, this game is a bit different because we’re following a western where fantasy creatures also roam the world. We’ve heard this a lot from various games, but apparently, we can expect plenty of events around the world to change the choices players make. There’s no release date outside of a 2021 launch window for Weird West quite yet, so this is a title to keep an eye out for when it does make its way into the market sometime later this year.

#2 Last Ops

Platform : PC 
Release Date : 2021 
Genre : Role-playing game, Action game, Indie game, Adventure 

Lastly, one other game we think you should keep an eye out for is Last Ops. This game has a unique visual style with low poly graphics, which I like with its dark atmospheric level designs. Within the game narrative, players are sent into a research station that has gone dark. It’s here that something went array, and now you’re dealing with a variety of hostile enemies. What’s a bit interesting here is that the game also has some elements to Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3. If you recall those games, there’s the threat of being hunted by a boss, which you will also potentially deal with in Last Ops. There are different bosses that players could avoid and run away from, but that doesn’t mean they may not pop up later. At the moment, we don’t have a release date for this project, and if you haven’t already had this title on your radar, then this is one you might want to keep tabs on.

#1 The Ascent

Platform : PC, XSX|S, Xbox One 
Release Date : 29 July 2021
Genre : Action role-playing 

The Ascent is an action RPG cyberpunk title. Within the game, your world is controlled by a megacorporation. You work in an area that is home to all kinds of creatures from all over the galaxy. But something suddenly changes. A big catastrophic event causes the corporation to shut down, and now you’re free. But, of course, this also means chaos and uncertainty of what’s going on or what started this mass mayhem to begin with. So players are forced into taking up arms and venturing through the world in search of answers. There are some RPG attributes to your character as well, so as you progress, there will be opportunities to make different upgrades to your character and cyberware.