GAME OF THE YEAR 2021
APEX LEGENDS
Nat Clayton, features producer: Apex Legendshas always been good. But for those first few years it felt like Respawn was still figuring out how to run an ongoing battle royale. But in 2021 the studio nailed it. Season 9 is the clear standout, bringing us not only a strong new character in Valkyrie, but a new Arenas game mode – a distinctly Respawn take on Counter-Strikethat lets you immediately get into a fair fight. Arenas proved that Apexhas legs beyond battle royale, cementing the game as not just a good BR, but one of the best team shooters around.
EACH NEW MAP MANAGES TO BRING ITS OWN PERSONALITY
But it also feels like Apexis just so much more confident this year, both as a game and as a world. Respawn’s storytelling has gone into overdrive, bringing in community artists, and animators to help flesh out the world, while leaning fully into voice lines and BR downtime to bring the game’s cast to life. Apex is a soap opera now, and every new season escalates the drama between our sci-fi buds.
The game’s latest season, Escape, has only reinvigorated my excitement for the game after a somewhat lacklustre tenth season. Like Olympus, Storm Point is a gorgeous reimagining of what an Apex map can look like, and Ash is a strong initiator who managed to be more than mere Titanfall 2 nostalgia. But at the end of the day, Apex is still the best and only shooter for punting yourself down a hill at 400mph as a floating Scottish lass. What more could you ever ask for?
Phil Savage, UK editor-in-chief: There’s a lot of personality in Apex’s maps, and – as each gets tweaked and upgraded over its seasons and through Town Takeover events – plenty of history too. King’s Canyon has covered its vast empty spaces with new attractions, and World’s Edge is breaking apart at the seams. Despite this, each new map manages to bring its own personality. The most recent, Storm Point, feels like a strong reaction to earlier maps, with more clearly defined routes that funnel players into conflict in interesting ways.
The strength of third year is that there’s always something new to learn. But the enduring appeal of a whole is that it’s built on such an enjoyable foundation. Try sliding into a teamfight, SMGs
