Top 10 Worst Games of 2021 (So Far)

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today, we’re counting down our picks for the Top 10 Worst Games of 2021 So Far!

For this list, we’re looking at the absolute worst games that have been released in 2021 so far. Have any of these games let you down? What’s the worst game you’ve played this year? Let us know in the comments below.

It’s always a shame when a game has a good idea but falls victim to so many other shortcomings. Such is the case with “Demon Skin”, a side-scrolling action game that utilizes a combat system akin to “For Honor”. While it’s interesting to see parries incorporated into stances like Ubisoft’s online multiplayer service, “Demon Skin” seems to have forgotten about keeping things exciting. Enemies are incredibly easy to read, attack speeds are painfully slow, and hits lack any feeling of impact. Not sure if you can call yourself “a brutal hack & slash with a challenging combat system” when it's so flat and simple.

Once upon a time, the “Harvest Moon” franchise was a respected franchise that brought a charming atmosphere and allowed us to relax through farming, fishing, and more. Ever since “Stardew Valley” reinvigorated public interest in the life sim genre, it feels as though “Harvest Moon”, the series that would inspire the indie hit, has desperately been playing catch-up while trying to cash-in. “One World” is yet another shred of evidence of that. You’ll find a game with dull visuals, terrible quest design, and worse, a world so empty that it makes “Fallout 76” look like a bustling metropolis. If we had to ask “One World” one question, it’d be “where’s the love?”

When making a roguelike, it’s crucial that you refine and flesh out two things - your mechanics and your combat system. This is what defined recent roguelikes “Dead Cells”, “Curse of the Dead Gods”, and “Hades”. “PixelJunk Raiders” seems to have forgotten both of those aspects as the entire experience is a drag. The combat is very middle of the road and does nothing interesting, and much of your time will be spent wandering around just to find something to do. There are just other roguelikes we’d rather play, ones that present unique concepts and respect our time a bit more. Also, it doesn’t help that the game was released exclusively on Stadia.

As cool as it sounds to be able to play “Doom” in VR, 2017’s “DOOM VFR” was another instance of things sounding good on paper and nothing beyond. We simply can’t move at an immense speed like the Slayer! So, maybe the more decelerated “DOOM 3” will make for a better VR experience? Well, not when the game forgets that VR controls do not equate to gamepad and keyboard controls. There are simply too many moments where things get overwhelming, and the claustrophobic level design gives very little room to strafe and avoid attacks. Really, this should have just been a part of an update for the newer ports of “DOOM 3” rather than a standalone release.

If you’re into turn-based strategy games like “Empire of Sin” or the “XCOM” games, you probably didn’t mind the simplistic nature of “Arkham Horror: Mother’s Embrace”. However, those expecting the same level of challenge as the aforementioned games were greatly disappointed. Not only does “Arkham Horror” fail to utilize its own concepts well, but it suffers from an overly simplistic structure. The voice acting and writing is abysmal, the puzzles are monotonously easy, and it does not do the board game franchise justice. Even for the inexperienced, we’d recommend other turn-based strategy games.

When we heard of a “Crazy Taxi” successor that had SEGA’s blessing, we had to jump on board. “Taxi Chaos” had so much potential up until we finally got our hands on it. Sure, the controls and gameplay were like “Crazy Taxi”, but what it lacked was the humor, attitude, and scenery. The entire game takes place in one generic location, which makes memorizing the map pretty difficult. As for the dialogue, you’re likely to hear the same few jokes over and over again even when picking up different characters. With no replay value and a lean amount of content, “Taxi Chaos” really squandered its potential. We’re hoping a much-improved sequel is in the works or that SEGA revitalizes their legendary driving game.

Riddle me this - what does “I Saw Black Clouds” have in common with “Life of Black Tiger” and “Flowers Are Dead”? If you answered “dumb titles”, you’re not necessarily wrong. However, “I Saw Black Clouds” manages to rain on its own parade with a plethora of issues. It’s one thing to put something out with a poorly edited story. It’s another to launch that messy editing together with terrible optimization. To make things worse, the path to the multiple endings is just as unclear, meaning you have to make incredibly specific choices. Isn’t “player choice” supposed to NOT be fixated on specific conditions?

Unless you’re familiar with the “Werewolf: The Apocalypse” franchise or have been craving for a lycan power fantasy, then this game may not be for you. “Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood” feels like a game that should have come out two generations ago with its lifeless visuals, stiff animations, archaic design choices, and an experience that is forgettable at best. Given how long developer Cyanide Studios has been making games, one would hope they would have knocked one out of the park by now. Alas, “Werewolf” is yet another average title in the studio’s average catalog of averageness.

A “Fortnite” artstyle, obnoxious characters, annoying commentators… These are just a few issues that can be found with a quick look at “Destruction AllStars”. However, the bigger problems make themselves known as soon as you start playing! One will notice unbalanced gameplay with character abilities and vehicles, uninteresting level design, and single-player campaigns locked behind a premium currency, which you’ll have to pay for EVERY CHARACTER! Needless to say, this was not a great way to kick off the first year of the PS5, especially now that the game needs bots just to fill servers. Considering its status as a PlayStation exclusive, we have to ask why Sony didn’t have Lucid Games just make a new “Twisted Metal”. Well, there’s a MojoPlays video about that!

When hearing about a new IP from the creator of a legendary franchise, it's understandable for some folks to get incredibly excited. In the case of “Balan Wonderworld”, that excitement quickly led to disappointment and resentment. The game is bloated with so many costume abilities that it ends up dismissing any and all regard for a decent gameplay loop, level design, and diverse mechanics. What we got were awkwardly mo-capped animations, vibrantly lifeless worlds, and a whopping SIX BUTTONS that do the exact same thing!! And yes, we have a video about how bad the game is over on MojoPlays.