My top 10 games of 2021

[@SkillUp]

Try GeForce Now for free and lock in your permanent Founders discount by hitting this link: bit.ly/GeForceNOW5. Thanks to GeForce Now Powered by Pentanet for sponsoring the video.

[@-Scrapper-]

outer wilds

[@alexeibeniuk770]

your channel is the best on the platform bruz

[@marsfab8019]

Well it is 'your' list! If you feel like destiny 2 should be in there, you do you!

[@Ersb99]

that detiny copium tho, great video bro.

[@interstellar_student]

So looking at the founders discount...I'm not seeing a discount compared to just getting it through the normal website. It's 215 USD if I do the annual, best price through that link, compared to getting the same membership through the core website, 50 USD f/ 6 months (100 USD annually). Am I missing something, besides the locked in rate, which is higher....

[@Icipher353]

The moral of the story: Find someone who loves you as much as SkillUp loves The Outer Wilds.

[@mattwithoutfear]

Were it so easy

[@chickengenius4202]

I tried that game. Couldn’t get into it

[@alexterieur8813]

I did fortunately

[@urberts.2531]

Its so good!

[@theshoguun4967]

@@chickengenius4202 reviewers just rant about how amazing the game is without articulating why. Same thing happened with Nier Automata

[@feduckil9238]

Nominating Outer Wilds a game of the year 3 years straight is extremely based. I’m a subscriber now.

[@joppiseni3710]

Cant blame him man, its just so damn good, too bad it has replay value only for those with dementia or every 2 years when you forget most of the story

[@erichall090909]

@@joppiseni3710 it is incredible. I played it and the expansion last year and I still think about it nearly every day

[@StewNWT]

I can't agree. I genuinely don't get the appeal

[@feduckil9238]

@@StewNWT and that’s okay. Everyone has different tastes. Outer Wilds is beloved for the feeling of wanderlust and mystery it so potently delivers. It creates an experience that you can only get in a video game and that’s why it’s unique. But if that’s not you cup of tea, I can’t blame you for not enjoying the game.

[@InfiniteDarkMass]

@@joppiseni3710 You know how people say "I wish I could forget everything and play this game for the first time all over again"? In most games you could forget bits of the story, or the conversations or other interactions, but when you replay them a few years later you will enjoy them just the same, or even more. The problem with Outer Wilds is, that some of the discoveries you make are so impactful you might never really forget them. And as long as you remember even a tiny connection, it is basically a part of the game skipped, a clue you don't have to look for. I'm afraid it will be impossible to ever experience it as if it is the first time again, but I'm already starting to feel curious about how will it feel to try replaying it in 5, maybe even 10 years. Maybe then I will forget enough. = )

[@David-io4sg]

I genuinely think that for anyone who has finished Outer Wilds just hearing that music immediately gets across your point that it should be Game the Year every year.

[@joki1829]

Instant goosebumps

[@11bravo1789]

Would you perform felacio on the entire Outer Wilds dev crew if the allowed you to?

[@josha5933]

It immediately fills me with dread about the 10 hours I spent with it making seemingly no progress

[@erichall090909]

@@josha5933 you found nothing in 10 hours? Absolutely nothing? Did you sit in space for 10 hours?

[@mattygee79]

Outer Wilds fell flat for me. Too much reading and not enough gameplay. Everyone else thinks it’s the greatest thing ever though 🤷🏻

[@dylantucker5559]

I'm kicking myself for not having played outer wilds sooner, but I can now say, in 2022, that I have finished the game. The feeling I had while playing was the same feeling I get when reading good sci-fi. It inspired me, made me think long after I put the controller down, and occasionally terrified me. Thank you for gushing about this game for 3 years straight, if you didn't, I likely would not have played the game. Time to play the DLC.

[@moth_la]

Same same, just finished it yesterday. I'm 2/3 through Ghost of Tsushima this video caught my eye and wondered why for 3 years running it was #1. Still processing it, but buying the DLC today. Ghost will have to wait.

[@mattjhann]

I played it, got to a certain point, got stuck, frustrated, then due to how the game is portrayed was reluctant to look up a walkthrough and get past the part I was stuck on. So there it lies, uninstalled and never played again, tainted with annoyance despite my enjoyment of it.

[@CnutLongsword]

Same here. Skillup finally convinced me to play this game. After finishing it, I ended up buying the dlc and continuing. I’ve also recommended it to everyone I know. Just a unique game that does so much right.

[@johnboylan3832]

It is shite, mate.

[@sd4830]

My favorite part was *every* single third party character was Lesb ian. It got to the point I was texting buddies, "did you also notice this" 😂

[@Tongue2Flagpole25]

I'm continually impressed by how clearly and eloquently you're able to express yourself in your reviews, even - and especially - of the games you seem to have the most trouble reviewing. Bravo, sir.

[@Filsoh]

Yes you stole my words, i subscribed after 10 min of listening to him because some videos bore me after that, but this narrator made it even more fun and with the music and the video editing, just amazing

[@Tongue2Flagpole25]

@@Filsoh Shout out to the editor, especially.

[@fristiejuice6013]

second that

[@malafis3789]

Man, when that Outer Wilds music kicked in so many emotions immediately stirred inside me. I haven't played it since 2019 and the music still has such a powerful effect, instantly throwing me into a barrage of memories from experiencing the world. For me, this fully reinforces the best game ever made idea. Hats off to Austin for that editing. Well played, sir.

[@c4sualcycl0ps48]

Go and play Echoes

[@jonpopeadventures]

Same! Am now listening to the outer wilds Spotify album. I don't think there's a soundtrack in my game history that stands out like this game. Oh and same as comment above, the dlc is incredible and adds loads to the main story

[@BlueNip]

Think outer wilds is one of those games that as soon as I here that music I my eyes tear up.

[@alexanderhs1617]

I came here to see if anyone else felt this way, as soon as that music started I had a visceral reaction

[@ZedAmadeus]

The soundtrack for the DLC is fucking incredible too. There are new tracks on here that rival the emotional impact/nostalgia I feel for my favourites in the base game, I highly recommend it. You can play Outer Wilds and have a complete experience, obviously, but after playing Echoes, I can say with confidence that I believe it is an essential/unmissable part of the game. And some of those reveals, GODDAMN. There are very few pieces of media with reveals so awe-inspiring that they become... just, paralysing, man.

[@Throkers]

I knew it was coming of course, but hearing the outer wilds music start to build up at the end of the Valheim discussion gave me goosebumps.

[@Void6-]

I checked the video out skipping through the games, I read the comments then I got back to the last part of Valheim and it still gave me goosebumps.

[@Zemeni1]

I immediately started tearing up when I heard the soundtrack begin playing. Outer Wilds is such a beautiful masterpiece

[@kirbeeez6131]

It’s incredible the emotions that song evokes.

[@JustSirRichard]

Same here. The first play through of Outer Wilds is such an incredible experience. It stays with you.

[@Bricky]

Outer Wilds DLC GOTY A man after my own heart

[@aSoreEd]

I still hate myself for being too scared to push through and just watching your playthrough instead. Gonna have to wait ten years to forget everything before I can play it properly now.

[@Knightbloo]

TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 Intro Ad 0:13 Intro 0:23 #10 Metroid Dread 2:55 #9 Halo Infinite 5:55 #8 Sable 8:56 #7 Destiny 2 14:00 #6 Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy 17:11 #5 Returnal 19:47 #4 Psychonauts 2 22:54 #3 It Takes 2 25:46 #2 Valheim 30:03 #1 The Outer Wilds 34:04 Outro Ad

[@tlofrank5689]

thank you

[@sleepwellmychild]

OKAY SKILL UP. I just got paid. I just bought Outer Wilds. You convinced me, congrats.

[@srayce1_]

I really love how much love you bring to Outer Wilds. You always handle talking about it with respect while still conveying just how unbelievable it is. It truly is, in my opinion, the best game ever made and one of the most compelling stories ever told. Echos was so so good and I’m just glad to see someone of your stature continuing to shine a light on a game that so many could miss.

[@cruzanassassin]

@@Peanut83176 I really love how much u love him loving him love the Outer Wilds

[@antomanifesto]

@@Peanut83176 I really love how much you really love how much srayce1_ really loves how much SkillUp really loves Outer Wilds

[@AussieZeKieL]

@@cruzanassassin I really love how much you love him loving him love him loving love him loving outer wilds

[@rhandyrhoads12]

I really love how much AntoManifesto loves how Dj Genius and The Cursed Peanut love how much srayce_1 really loves SkillUp loving Outer Wilds

[@macgivor]

Man having played outer wilds I don't understand the hype... The whole time I played it I kept thinking this is so predictable and pretty boring... When is the interesting bit going to start (but it never did :(. ). I wanted to like it but it just wasn't interesting to play

[@Rushodian]

Hey Ralph, there's a full VR mod for Outer Wilds. They've implemented full interaction with vr controllers and it's actually awe inspiring.

[@internisus]

Oh, wow. I wonder if I should play it this way for my first time.

[@alexanderulv3886]

@@internisus the answer is yes

[@SimplyMavAgain]

@@internisus Genuine recommendation: no. Outer Wilds is such a well crafted experience as it is, and it's going to be pretty overwhelming and awe inspiring experience already. Doing all that in VR for your first playthough would be too much, I think. I did play with the mod a few times to revisit all my favorite locations in VR and it's a great way to reexperience the game and reawaken some of that awe you had the first time around, but I would leave it at that: A way to re-experience the game.

[@rarewhiteape]

I played it in VR for my first time and it was wonderful. I actually stopped playing it because I had to move house and don’t have the space to set up my VR area, and don’t want to continue playing on a flat screen because it would be less impressive. You should absolutely play it that way if you have the hardware.

[@harissales9257]

@@SimplyMavAgain Everything looks so BIG 😳

[@JaydevRaol]

As a long-time viewer, I was expecting your #1 to be what it is, so I am glad that you didn't disappoint. You convey your love and passion for that game so well, and that too without spoiling anything. It's commendable. And to Ralph even if you turn it into a Dunkey Super Mario Bros 2 meme, and make it your GOTY every year it will still be worth it because it will keep reminding people how awesome that game is.

[@iulixMAXgames]

Most of the games on this list are average at best nothing special this is a really bad year of gaming!!!!!!!!!!!

[@jeanbouchard5324]

I recently realised that Outer Wilds had such a big impact on my gaming life that since completing it, I've been trying to recreate the sense of awe this game provided me by only playing puzzle type/exploration games the last year. I've since completed, The deep sea, Sable, The Witness and Inscryption to name a few.

[@AninoNiKugi]

Kinda the same for me. I've been playing indies and similar games. I've played Edith Finch, Obra Dinn Forgotten City. The Witness is in my queue 😄

[@soylentgreenb]

For me, that special game was ultima underworld way back in the day. Doesn't look so special now, but in 1992 it was like finding rabbit fossils in Precambrian rock; it was like aliens made a game for the 386. It just suddenly appeared, there wasn't really any leading up to it; they had just quietly iterated behind closed doors to make this unique thing that was a decade ahead of its time easily. A typical RPG before UUW you had a party of characters, if it was "3D" you moved in discrete steps in the cardinal 90-degree directions and everything was made of boxes; it was instantly clear what was an enemy. Ultima underworld is the first immersive game that isn't a space sim (e.g. Elite) where you really play as you, first person perspective textured 3D world with rudimentary lighting, with sloped floors, sloped walls, swimming, an automap you can take notes on, you can turn any angle, most "monsters" you can talk to and befriend as a faction and then the enemy faction will hate you. Almost any obstacle had multiple different solutions, steal the key, murder everyone and take the key, do a quest to get the key, find an alternate route. It accidentally invented stealth because of the way visibility systems and enemy hearing worked. Most games felt piss-puddle deep after playing ultima underworld. The immersive sim genre that it started never really got that many pure immersive sim games, System shock, Deus Ex, Thief; but a lot of games took inspiration and elements such as Half-life and the elder scrolls series.

[@dss1095]

Try out Infra for a puzzle game

[@bzztbzztboy]

What's the deep sea?

[@jeanbouchard5324]

@@bzztbzztboy I made a mistake, it's actually called The call of the sea

[@imbarossa1720]

valheim will forever be one of the most epic experiences ive ever had in my 30 yrs of gaming. i discovered i was addicted to building massive buidings..that was fun

[@Longshlong99]

Helped me reconnect with my friends during the pandemic

[@Donsconsin]

Props to you. I wasn't able to get anything done with how Janky the building mechanics are in that game.

[@lazybones69]

@@Donsconsin They aren't janky at all, they just require some actual thought.

[@gnarkilleptic4871]

Yeah. My problem was that my friends only wanted to explore and progress the boss's while all I wanted to do was build lol

[@reapersasmr5483]

​​@@Donsconsin same it's pretty bad .. after reading the comments I am laughing my butt off by this one guys comment it's not junky just requires thought , cause thought controls how it feels to build or how nothing will line up or how it over or under shoots the pieces below it .. but if you put in enough thought it will work

[@jossland1628]

You perfectly captured my feelings towards Destiny 2. Love the gameplay and world, can't stand how Bungie presents it and cuts it up.

[@kenpachi2607]

Yes, yes and yes!

[@mlogli5638]

I agree. Just recently came back to the Game since a friend wanted to give it a try. But the new player experience is horrible.

[@uwu_VII]

It sounds weird but I loved the world of destiny back in D1 way more than I do right now. Due to the lack of presentation of the world and story it felt like it could be anything, we were left to our imagination Now that Bungie have started to actually present the story in game through dialogue and cutscenes I really am not that into it anymore. Their presentation of the story and world is just so bland and lifeless, to me atleast

[@chrisbridston3438]

Outriders was the one that pissed me off the most .. Destiny 2 PS5 is a good looking game .. but def took a dirt nap after Halo Infinite ! Even if u hate that game .. it’s still EONS better than Destiny 2 and it’s expanded content

[@spacechannelfiver]

I really enjoy Destiny 2, the best implementation of floaty shooters based on using a controller with great graphics. I fire it up everynow and again, play a weekend or two and then completely ignore it for half a year until i'm in the mood to play it again. The gameplay is 👌but just dont want to play the same game everyday.

[@calibratedape7044]

This part about modern lazy open world design and map markers was spot on.

[@gustavohuehue7460]

I love when he talks about it because i don't really see many people talking about how flawed most of modern open worlds are.

[@JaydevRaol]

Yeah

[@teratoma.]

@@gustavohuehue7460 there are niche communities that often mention that, but yeah its not a mainstream opinion (yet)

[@TheHutt0326]

Exactly. Maps you used to learn them and it would feel natural getting around. Now I try to avoid markers and some maps are so disjointed that its impossible to get around without a marker or checking the map every couple minutes.

[@gnoclaude7945]

Outward nailed open world design. You get a static map that doesn't show where you are. You have to look for landmarks and figure it out yourself. Loved it.

[@drsubtracto]

That final transition to the Outer Wilds soundtrack brought a tear to my eyes. That game just deserves all the love in the universe.

[@laurin1494]

same lol, literally cried

[@quinnarnold8733]

Glad I'm not the only one. The moment the main theme started and I realized he was gonna be talking about it, I immediately said "Oh no, I'm gonna cry!" Something about that game, its hard to even pin down exactly why it makes me so emotional.

[@theDaNi0]

10. Metroid Dread 9. Halo Infinite 2:57 8. Sable 5:55 7. Destiny 2 8:55 6. Guardians of the Galaxy 14:00 5. Returnal 17:13 4. Psychonauts 2 19:50 3. It Takes Two 22:32 2. Valheim 25:47 1. Outer Wilds - Echoes of the Eye 30:00

[@fallinghurts]

Randomly decided to watch this and I gotta say, you’re probably the most well spoken creator that covers such a wide variety of content in the gaming space. Huge inspiration man

[@johnc8383]

Honestly if I Outer Wilds wasn't your game of the year I would have been shocked. No words can convey how spectacular it is to experience, and afterward watch your friends experience it too. I think it is perfectly viable as a Game of the Year winner, let alone Decade, or Century

[@CafeCreativeYT]

I thought everyone was insane not including echoes of the eye anywhere. But we all knew deep down skill up would adore it.

[@noisecrime]

OuterWilds DLC being number one is well deserved. After so many decades of playing games and becoming bored with most of the standard genres no other games come close to the level of enjoyment I got from both The Outer Wilds and its DLC.

[@ivebeenrobbed]

I used to think it was a big ShillUp meme until I actually played Outer Wilds. When the sun expands and consumes the earth, Outer Wilds will still be the best game ever made.

[@njsteere]

I never would have played it, you convinced me, and Outer Wilds is HANDILY in my top 5 games of all time. Absolutely superb game, it amazed me, frightened me, and made me cry manly tears. Thank you Skill Up.

[@ryansefton9890]

Echoes of the eye blew all expectations away from me. It effected me more than any piece of entertainment has this year and I'll honestly never forget all the emotions that game made me feel. The thing I adore most about the dlc is it answered that one question I had throughout the base game that never got answered there, and it did it in a completely unexpected way. Truly exceptional. People say breath of the wild is the best open world game but I'm like haha okay bud

[@CasepbX]

I played Valheim with some friends back in Feb. We had lots of fun exploring the world and building a town. We eventually moved on though, but I'm sure one day we will go back.

[@kevinmlfc]

Same, we got stuck on the swamp boss, lost all our gear and moved on lol

[@WatchingFromWork6636]

It was fun for about a week, then it got uninstalled. I think a lot of games suffer from offering early access to early and people shelve them after a very short time and never play them again always forgetting these games should in theory improve. I know I am guilty of this myself.

[@NatanStarke]

For me valheim is just weak its like a worse subnautica or dont starve. Whats the thing you think makes the game good? In your opinion, not judging i just wanna hear from ppl who liked it.

[@DeeeCee]

You might be the only mainstream creator that represents destiny to the mainstream gaming audience. I seriously appreciate that and I’m sure plenty of others in the community do as well

[@markmurex6559]

Yes and yes.

[@ladyopheliagames]

Great video overall, but special respect at 34:04-- I appreciate it when a KZbinr doesn't subject viewers to ads that may not apply to them if they don't live in the same area. And it was so polite as well. As if to say, "it's OK to leave" even though you knew if we have watched this far, we were going to commit to the end anyway. Lol. Nice touch.

[@KingSulley]

Honestly, two skillup videos in two days is better than most of my Christmas presents this year.

[@thelegendofrosetyler]

It takes two was amazing, I roped my bf into playing with me and it never failed to surprise me on all the creative mechanics/puzzles. I also tried destiny this year since it went free to play and the intro was decent though I wasn't entirely hooked and was kinda disappointed when it brought me into the huge main area and said "now buy all the expansions."

[@s-ebbyy841]

I like to think of destiny as free too try instead of free too play

[@thelegendofrosetyler]

@@s-ebbyy841 Yeah, I get they made previous arrangements and need to get money somewhere. A friend of mine that use to play Destiny 1 suggested it, I wasn't sure what to expect and I heard to much hype about it from both them and skillup so I don't know maybe I expected a little much for them, now that they finally have a bit of freedom.

[@michael-4231]

the outer wilds is my personal goty as well the dlc was just so good, the ending bits made me cry

[@Solanum1087]

Outer Wilds, 3 years in a row baby. Maybe we are trapped in a time loop.

[@erichall090909]

I’m ok with this haha

[@quietwulf]

You know, I’ve been following your stuff for a while man, and it’s taken me a while to really put my finger on what makes your content so great. I think I finally get it. Its love man. You love gaming. Not “a” game, not a “genre”. You love games the way only the very best critics can. Thanks for a wonderful year of content man. Wishing you all the best in 2022

[@wickedpixelated1428]

Dude! Just now realizing SkillUp isn't in the Million subs. Like seriously your content has improved so much over the years and I appreciate your opinions. Being able to talk about how Halo and Metroid had glaring faults, but still make your top 10.

[@gu3z185]

He didn't mention Metroid having glaring faults, he just mentioned that he thought it stuck too close to the format. Halo DOES have glaring faults in the sense that they tried to do something without pulling it off right. Everything Dread does it does perfectly, IMO. (Just had to defend my franchise)

[@Knowingspy]

I think you said in the wrap-up that this year wasn't an amazing year for defining video games, comparing it to other years. But it still feels like a miracle that despite this pandemic I have played loads of great games that I'll treasure. It's probably been my go-to medium this year and I feel pretty fortunate to have visited a pretty rich variety of worlds to explore when this one was going to pot. A good few of those games were because of your recommendations and I can only really give heartfelt thanks! Hopefully 2022 is so much better in the gaming sphere and out!

[@WinnieBlue]

The fact you posted on Sydney/Melbourne New Year time made me happy. Happy 2022 Ralph, hope everything goes well for you!

[@1982Obsidian]

I got chills when the Outer Wilds theme started playing... Echoes of the Eye was probably the best value and most packed and story adding DLC I've seen in decades.

[@raresmacovei8382]

Hearts of Stone / Blood and Wine

[@Alepap.]

I literally laughed when i saw it for 11 something euros on Steam on release. I don't thing any game ever in existence has more value for money than Echoes of the Eye.

[@acinixys]

For me, the best thing about games like Sable and Valheim (sometimes) is their chill factor. Not many games are purposely build with calmness in mind, its all explosions and guns and ramping cars over helicopters. I appreciate games that let you sit back and just have an experience.

[@nebokerc]

the first 4 minutes of your video perfectly explain why Nintendo's games keep getting high review scores in media despite being mostly iterative instead of innovative.

[@julianpischler9378]

I'm arranging 'Timber Hearth' from Outer Wilds to play on Bass right now as I watch, and it's #1 on your list. Hopefully 2022 is full of surprises as weird and nice as this one. Great video as always Ralph, all the best to you and Austin for 2022👍

[@undeadbydawn6257]

I expected Echoes to be your GOTY, and am very happy you did not disappoint

[@JaydevRaol]

Same :)

[@erichall090909]

Ya god damn right

[@OutplayedChad]

OMG SPOILERS!! jk

[@iulixMAXgames]

Most of the games on this list are average at best nothing special this is a really bad year of gaming!!!!!!!!!!!

[@kepler6873]

He did comment on the reveal trailer he had an excuse to make it GOTY again lol

[@bestsnowboarderuknow]

I'm so glad we're on the same page about the outer wilds. IMO, greatest game ever. I got shivers down my spine when that music kicked in.

[@Ospif1]

I played Outer Wilds in VR this year and it was something pretty special. I hope more people get to experience it that way.

[@henryzelman4541]

I would probably have a heart attack in dark bramble or during Echoes of the Eye lmao

[@michallagiewka3100]

Never seen, any of your vids before. THIS must be best list of best 2021 games I have watched. Thank you. You have new subscriber.

[@crazy-acid-trip9765]

Keep up the great work . Can’t miss an episode. Saved me a lot of money and time and found amazing gems and got a great library from your channel

[@wesleylang172]

I honestly get a bit teary when I hear that bloody outerwilds tune. Such a special game.

[@erichall090909]

Fucking same

[@ryo-kai8587]

Congratulations on making through another crazy year-and on the unexpected success of This Week in Videogames. Ralph, you're still the best at this. Happy New Year, and here's to another one filled with your mellifluous, insightful prose and Austin's precise timing :D

[@hass9510]

outer wilds echoes of the eye was utterly magnificent. Outer wilds is probably the best game i've ever played and i can't explain it. It's truly, truly special.

[@Kulzar]

I just played Outer Wilds for the first time during the weekend, and so for me it's definitely a game of the year. It took me a few hours to get into the gameplay, but once I started unraveling the clues I just could not stop myself. Especially after I realized where the story was going. I can't stop thinking about the entire experience even a week later. After having played Deathloop, Outer Wilds, and The Forgotten City back to back in just a few weeks, I now definitely agree with your assessment of Deathloop. The time loop in Deathloop really gets tedious in a way Outer Wilds and Forgotten City don't.

[@immortalzealot9725]

Outer Wilds is my favorite of the 8th gen along with Slay the Spire and Disco Elysium. But damn, Outer Wilds pacing in the first part is atrocious. The hide and go seek. The crappy RC flyer. The horrific zero G room. I understand why a kazillion people put it down before the game even started.

[@sirjoey3137]

@@immortalzealot9725 Wait did you play it or did you not? What you just described was the optional tutorial on the home planet.

[@immortalzealot9725]

@@sirjoey3137 What I'm saying is the optional tutorial is sh*t. The rest of the game is great. Most will play the tutorial and get scared off - its happened to a couple of people I've recommended the game to.

[@XPSGames]

Man I watched your videos religiously this year. You're the best reviewer and gaming news commentator on KZbin right now and I really hope you keep going. Lots of love coming from a Brazilian fan :)

[@XPSGames]

@Vitor Repinaldo Uma pessoa de bom gosto haha feliz 2022 chará!

[@maheshBasavaraju]

I totally agree with the outer wilds as the game of the year. No other game made me feel like this game made me feel

[@TheDutLinx]

Just realized I haven’t commented here before. I love this channel so goddamn much! I’ve taken many of your recommendations and always enjoyed them immensely. Thank you Ralph and Austin for the amazing, passionate work! Have a great break and a wonderful 2022!

[@SuperHns]

Bro I had THAT EXACT same feeling playing ValHeim with one of my best friends!!! Like WoW back in 2005 you had no idea where you go, etc.

[@callumbraithwaite7238]

It's a real shame to see Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart seemingly drop off the face of the earth with these end of year lists. What's even more perplexing is that Ralph gave the game a Strongly Recommend and was very lavish with his praise in his review, and then Halo Infinite received a fairy tepid Recommend with a lot of caveats and yet the latter is #9 and R&C is nowhere to be found... what happened here?

[@blade6965]

technically impressive but not memorable,that's probably why

[@ryanheemann3819]

He said at the beginning he was really prioritizing innovation. RA is technically impressive, polished, and a great action platformer, but it makes small evolutions more than innovations.

[@acrossthepond3844]

It wasn't good

[@Dontreadthis0]

I really hope one day outer wilds will get thr industry wide recognition it deserves

[@SerLaama]

I thought it was okay, looter shooters are kinda passé... Btw it's called Outer *Worlds...

[@MaitreMechant]

@@SerLaama bruh... there are 2 games outer wilds AND the outer worlds (which is not really a looter shooter but a RPG first and foremost)

[@ogrimzyz8643]

@@SerLaama no

[@wyldeman7]

@@SerLaama nice try. 7/10

[@xayofoolx]

@@SerLaama 🤡

[@dso4594]

So I’m not a big gamer. I still play Baldurs Gate (the first one) and the Civilization 3 and I will probably never play any of the games you mention but I have to say I love these videos. As a journalist the thing I love the most not ignoring the sound and video editing that is stellar, is the writing. You my man, are a writer. The way you express yourself, the way you talk about the games and present new and exciting perspectives… man, there is something poetic in that. Thank you and happy new year.

[@DroneCorpse]

Ralph is a critic, not a journalist.

[@thrace_bot1012]

Those Valeheim and Outer Wilds segments of the video truly reminded me of why I don't merely enjoy your work as an "entertainer", but rather admire it as the craft of a master wordsmith and explorer of this electronic artform. The concurrently trendy cynicism in this subsection of the internet often reminds me of Anton Ego's monologue at the end of Ratatouille - "..the bitter truth we critics must face, is that in the grand scheme of things, the average piece of junk is probably more meaningful than our criticism designating it so." But you not only excel as a critic, but rather go above and beyond that. You're truly an artist in your field of work, and I don't believe I'll ever find another as good as you. That line at 33:28 really sealed it for me.

[@onizuka2147]

Hey Skill Up, long time follower (since The Division). I do not comment much but thanks for the quality content you provide us, I really appreciate it. Keep up the great work and I wish you an awesome new year.

[@justinpaglia616]

I also never played Psychonauts 1 and really didn’t have a desire to play the 2nd, but figured I’d give it a shot cause of GamePass. So glad I did… it’s an absolutely phenomenal game. Every aspect is amazing.

[@Frankzoar]

I highly recommend the original.

[@Waves2299]

This is also how jt went for me

[@Lectwar6]

this was my experience. never played the original. fell in love with number 2 in mere minutes.

[@theshepard22]

The first was one of my absolute favorites while I had a PS2 and one of the most memorable of all the games I've played, if not the most memorable. A remake would be neat but it's also not half bad graphics either! Love getting into the second as well.👍🌟👅

[@BurningBlood517]

Honestly, I'm genuinely surprised you didn't include Endwalker on this list, especially since Shadowbringers was your number 2 on your 2019 list.

[@Legend-ft9rh]

Don't think he played it since he told he couldn't get in that much

[@RyuDaBurninator]

Outer Wilds Stan gonna Stan for Outer Wilds...🤣

[@erichall090909]

It deserves the Stan

[@adrielb1327]

Valheim is wonderful… and might have also sparked the inspiration to put me on the career path of architecture so it kinda literally changed my life.

[@JainaSoloB312]

That's awesome!!💜

[@fiammaorsmth9840]

I hope you succeed in your endeavors

[@SirThaHerpderpderp]

Lol thats funny and beautifull at the same time

[@ivanasukjadic1423]

You can only do architecture if you have immense passion for it. It's not a job that one can just do for the money (it's also not a well paying job)

[@erazafinance]

hey Ralph, I dont know if you have played it, but the witness gives the same deep emotions you are talking about in outer wilds, i almost cry every time I think on that game's brilliance, will play outer wilds next since I dont get those kind of emotions in gaming in forever

[@Deamon383]

The destiny 2 part was absolutely spot on! So glad to have this in there

[@jjrilla___2664]

He summed it up perfectly. I find taking a break and not being concerned with max level and playing other games makes me enjoy destiny more. I got bored of running the same strikes and grinding. Didn’t finish season of lost story line. Still don’t have an eyasluna even though I ran the dungeon at least twice a week. Still haven’t gone flawless. Still bought witch queen 😂

[@iLLHouseGames]

Outer Wilds is the best designed game of all time. You should seriously play through Inscryption if you haven't yet, a serious top contender for GOTY (but play ALL the way through it or you could potentially miss what makes it so special)

[@mainemailaccounthzpc7882]

Valheim is a truly special game and Im glad there are still games in 2021 that challenge our senses of exploration instead of hamfisting big bright map markers when they are not needed. Let us make our own stories. And as for Destiny 2, I agree that it is an excellent game but it is an excellent game with a greedy developer.

[@jtggardner]

I am SO PLEASED to see Valheim near the top of your list! It is absolutely astounding how good that game is. I spent literally hundreds of hours in it (all solo because that's me), and am looking forward to returning to it in maybe a year's time when it's been more substantially added to. Outer Wilds is now on my wishlist btw 🙃

[@ItsMrAssholeToYou]

Ralph, you are the single finest reviewer on the internet. Not _games_ reviewer--reviewer.

[@KenoxProductions]

1:17 Irrelevant, but I'm currently on my first playthrough of Hollow Knight and I'm just shocked at how good the game is. The interconnected world, the bosses, soundtrack, art/animation style, lore and the absolute bargain the game is at its price point. So much content.

[@lordsysop]

Amazing game but requires so much focus. Bouncing back and fourth leaves me lost

[@superhooch]

It's a special game

[@braytechexoscience2790]

It's my personal favourite game of all time - I'm glad to see more people experiencing just how great it is

[@michaelcowan2853]

Skill Up endeavors to make his reviews as much a piece of art as the games he loves. I appreciate that so much.

[@alexterieur8813]

I highly recommend the channel eurothug4000 if you like videos about videogames that are pieces of art themselves

[@Partiton3]

*me holding back tears as outwrwilds got GOTY again* "no, you're crying"

[@andrewryan1946]

I had the biggest damn grin on my face when the Outer Wilds theme started playing. Thank you for giving this the attention it needs. I’m so happy you continue to love this truly one of a kind experience. See you Traveller, some time, some place…

[@Sen_Kanashimi]

Man I teared up as soon as that outer wilds guitar started fading in

[@Kait0s]

Everyone that wants to play Outer Wilds for the first time after this video, now it’s the best time to do it, this Thursday (January 6th 2022) the game will be added to Gamepass on Xbox, PC and XCloud, so if you don’t want to commit to a full purchase you can just get the 1$ for 3 months deal or whatever that microsoft has for new users. It really is a gem, there is no other game like it out there.

[@gdoumit]

Great list, but I think Ratchet and Clank Rift Apart deserved at least an honorable mention.

[@lordsysop]

Yeh what's the deal with that?? It is the same game but better. Wasn't much exclusives ps5 games can't put the only two on the list I guess

[@nfc14g]

22:32 I was literally just wondering how much you ruminate to arrive at these perfectly scripted videos and I got my answer. It shows in every video just how much time you spend on them and we are lucky to have someone that first has the broad range of gaming knowledge to be able to do so, but second the ability to articulate it into something that always strikes the right balance of seriousness and comedy with a well defined statement. My KZbin channel of the year 2021 without question. Thanks for all the top quality content and long may it continue

[@nusoul]

Returnal certainly was amazing, and while I wasn't as enthralled by the cryptic sci-fi story it ended up telling, I really loved the worldbuilding, gameplay, and audio design as well. It felt like Housemarque's take on an incredibly dark third person Metroid rogue-lite in many ways to me, and for that I loved it. The bosses were pretty damn incredible as well. Amazing how after 20 years of playing games, I can still find myself surprised by the sheer spectacle of boss encounters.

[@Lucy-xg9rm]

Returnal blew me away.. amazing experience

[@Jeremy-mg9tl]

When you climb the tower following the sound of music, which starts to form and become clearer and louder, to then get to the top with the boss playing the organ. Chills bro

[@arunjako]

Man that is the most on point explanation of Destiny 2 I've ever seen

[@bugattibeefcake]

I've become a different type of gamer over the years, gravitating much towards easy to pick up and put down multiplayer experiences rather than anything immersive and single player based. FFXIV is the closest to a long, epic single player story game that I've played in a scary amount of time. I think playing it is opening me up once more to the wonders of a good story that I can really sink my teeth into because I've been lacking that for a while. That being said, I've gone through a bit of The Outer Wilds with a friend and together we just got caught spending hours exploring, suggesting different places to go or things to do. Means that while some of the magic moments have been spoiled, I know that experiencing everything myself alone will definitely have a profound impact on me as it has others. Maybe I'll make 2022 the year where I finally tackle the games that changed people's lives and have them change mine too. Thank you Skill Up for being yourself and helping inspire this, absolutely in part to how eloquently you display your love for this medium. It really does mean a lot to so many of us.

[@UNSCPILOT]

I've been finding myself falling the other way, becoming bored with pick up and play multiplayer largely, seeking out new and old single player games to experience their stories, for the last month I've been playing the 2D Metroid games including AM2R (much to Nintendo's horror) on a little retro gaming handheld from Ambernic (RG351MP), or playing VR games because it's such an entirely different way to expiriance gaming, even on a cheap "Windows Mixed Reality" headset like mine. Course, my bias might be influenced by my iffy internet connection, slower playstyle, and my my sometimes questionable reaction time that requires more practice to overcome

[@lcoyle1998]

Sable is definitely my game of the year. Only games that remotely competed were Death's Door, Alba: A Wildlife Adventure, and Narita Boy. This was the year where major AAA releases just bored me and the indie scene was all I really cared about. Please check these games out, they definitely don't get the love they deserve

[@simonc371]

Sable is amazing, and that sound track! Definitely a under looked gem,

[@Aussiehalotiger41]

I feel echoes of the eye is on par with the base game, but I fully agree that it’s story impacted me personally a lot, something the base game did , I had 0 expectations, and they blew me away again

[@benschmitt7035]

for me the main game hit me on an existential level, the DLC hit me on a much more personal one

[@bsparks]

Love how you include criticism even on your goty list, like these are my favorite games but that doesn't mean they don't have their flaws. For me in Psychonauts 2, I agree with everything about the writing and design, I just felt too bombarded by cutscenes throughout playing. It was like 5 minutes of gameplay for every 10 minutes of cutscene, and often the gameplay was just too easy and simplistic for me to even say I enjoyed it. But I felt the characters and the aesthetics of the levels and story were absolutely fantastic.

[@crimsonarrow1884]

So happy to see OW:EOTE on here. The fact we got to have that fresh Outer Wilds experience again was really special. Brilliant, polished and considered game design - a deserving #1.

[@crazyman2188]

ok with how many times you have recommended outer wilds and how many people praise it I just have to check this game out. I bought it and will be playing it tomorrow and if it gives me anywhere close to the exploration feeling I had with subnautica or breath of the wild it may go down as one of my favorite games ever. wish me luck and hopefully I remember to take breaks lol. keep up the good work shill up and thanks for a great 2021 see ya next year!

[@damonrowsell2393]

Since I’ve played them, I’ve always considered Outer Wilds, Subnautica, and Breath of the Wild to be the Holy Trinity of open world exploration games. Subnautica is survival, Breath of the Wild is action, and Outer Wilds is mystery. so I wholeheartedly believe you’ll love it!

[@teeghee34]

Come back to this comment and tell us how you feel after!

[@Alepap.]

If you liked Subnautica i'm pretty sure you'll like Outer Wilds. Subnautica is the closest i've felt to playing outer wilds.

[@AninoNiKugi]

Just make sure the hype won't affect your opinion with it. Sometimes when you hear so much praise of something, you try to find reasons to not like them 😅 I think many people who didn't like Outer Wilds are kind of like that.

[@phronkiephunkles1637]

Really wanna hear what you think my dude, let us know :0

[@k1ng617]

Valheim definitely best game I've played this year. Co-op was awesome and I spent plenty of time solo just building up my castle.

[@redrooster303]

We all knew what number 1 was gonna be, especially after his not so subtle hints. Really got to play it after all the praise it gets, it's just finding the right time to start as is a long game.

[@erichall090909]

It’s not that long. 40 or so hours. Less if your intuitive and overly logical.

[@SystemBD]

Outer Wilds is not really that long of a game (10-20 hours depending of how deep you want to go). The optional "tutorial" section might require you an hour or so, but after that, you literally can stop at any time. Literally, the "save data" is not in the game, but in your real-life head.

[@pierce_grossman]

I can't even describe how happy I am to relive the Outer Wilds again. Generally I tend to have troubles conveying my thoughts when speaking about it. An absolute phenomenon of a game.

[@erichall090909]

Phenomenon is right

[@iHaveTheDocuments]

I'm trying to get into it but you just feel lost in it. Can't figure out what I'm supposed to be doing.

[@elipetrou9308]

@@iHaveTheDocuments just go somewhere, find something. Follow the sounds on the scanner thing. Games these days lead you by the hand, this game makes you do it yourself. It seems overwhelming but there’s a lot to find

[@MightyManotaur22]

I've just gotta say. I've been watching your videos a ton lately and you've really inspired me to get back into creating video game content. I used to run a website/podcast/yt channel and just fell off of it when I had kids and lost a lot of freetime. (Or maybe I just used that as an excuse because I wasn't finding a ton of success with it.) But watching your videos and hearing how you so eloquently capture your feelings on these games, it's just really inspiring to me. Congrats on all the success and you've officially forced my hand. I'm gonna play Outer Wilds, lol.

[@DannyStuart]

Outer wilds. Man. Not a day goes by i don't think about that game. As you say, its design philosophy is so exportable. It's so good because it rewards player creativity and inventiveness - it's a monumental shift in design philosophy but it also just makes so much damn sense. I can't wait for more studios to learn from mobius and hope to see loads of smart games driven by inquisitiveness.

[@PikaLink91]

As a PS5 owner Returnal was a great game, that I initially wrote off because it was rogue like. Great gameplay and graphics, great sound design, amazing haptic feedback, and while it sucked to lose hours of progress upon death, I always had that “just one more time” mentality.

[@davidh.8798]

Your content this year has been exceptional. Keep up the good work.

[@targaryenforlife9685]

Thank you thank you THANK YOU for talking about destiny 2's paying customer relationship! I loved that game, and have payed them a lot of $ in the past, but their continual screwing of the paying customer has turned me off for good. You have said everything I've been wanting to say about that game much better than I could have. Thank you for talking about it.

[@YukDuck]

Same here. It's all ultra confusing and annoying.

[@erichall090909]

I quit because of the forever horrible technical state. The nonstop game breaking bugs and glitches just wore on my too much

[@targaryenforlife9685]

Just bought the outer wilds archeological edition. Really looking forward to it

[@bernardo_olafson]

Thanks for putting Outer Wilds on my radar. Seems indeed like an experience right up my alley...

[@MrPutts-ri8my]

So glad to see Outer Wilds here. Literally the best game I've ever played, and it goes so viciously under the radar.

[@sanctumknight3945]

Hearing the outer wilds music gives me such a powerful emotional response.

[@jacobself1920]

Another reminder that Outer Wilds is one of the best pieces of art and fiction ever made

[@erichall090909]

Best media experience ever made

[@TheCocomunges]

Could you imagine a world where destiny had its own “try destiny’s free trial you can reach up to level 40 and play all the way up to shadowkeep”(play on words of FF XIV’s trial which gives 2 expansions for free)… *sigh* I’ll keep dreaming. So hard to recommend this game

[@807D14M0ND5]

Doesn't it have exactly that?

[@TheCocomunges]

@@807D14M0ND5 No, the free trials sucks horribly. You cant access any expansions and they just end up sunsettign what would be a great free experience that would still incentivize people to buy more recent expansions. Like Red War. FF XIV doesnt just delete old content, they made it free. Imagine if D2 Y1 and Forsaken were the New Light experience

[@markmurex6559]

@@TheCocomunges I disagree. I played as a free-to-play player for a year and a half without paying Bungie a cent. I had fun, and I grew over that time to a point where I was willing and ready to spend money. I was missing out on Strikes tho, and I really love those when I feel up for that. The truth is that all the exotics are not needed, and you only need to wear one outfit per character that you like. If you respect your own time, you won't waste any of it.....even if it feels like something is making you- that's when you should stop.

[@ForgeofAule]

I was worried when I didn't see Outer Wilds, but then I heard the music while I was looking away and realized how dumb I was for not knowing it would be number 1