Biggest surprise
1. VR Gaming. While it's very hard to get into VR gaming especially here hp etc bringing forth decent headsets at a good price is great. Playing Pavlov, alyx or star wars squadron is like the first time I played wolfenstein. Pavlov is cs 1.6 so many fun game modes.
The future is still 15 to 20 years away. But there is an ecosystem. Also the games are not riddles with mtx.
2. Ff 14 - this game took up a ton of my time in 2021. I'd request all to play through heavensward the first expansion. It's free to play and the amount of stuff given out is mid blowing. Heavensward is one of the best ff games I've played. Sadly it's locked behind a 50 hr grind.
3. Halo Infinite - fps goty for me. The m$ stuff right now is noise since the gameplay is so good.
4. Re Village was such a fun romp I'm glad I got a chance to play this at launch.
Disappointments
1. Most games that released this year - Seemed to be an absolutely dry year stacked jn favor for the next year.
2. Evolution of ovetall game design philosophies - we don't call them nazi anymore syndrome. I think the current discourse is preventing the release of polarizing and divisive games. For ex manhunt, bully would not exist today ever. Instead every game story veering towards selling cartoonish skins.
3. Gaming journalism- quality has dipped heavily here. All I see is posturing and pandering. It's not long before halo is knocked on for not representing the marginalized.