These live games, also known as service, concentrate on improving their player base over time by enticing new content releases and balance updates rather than aiming for the usual gigantic day one audience. While some games were criticized for their discontent and derogatory behavior, others have accumulated amazing experiences and demonstrated their faithful dedication. Here’s the team for the top 10 live services games of 2021.
Apex Legends
Apex Legends has undergone a quite different kind of evolution over the last year (the most recent of the year was actually called Evolution). The game has gone from being one of many online battle royales to the imposing adventure thanks to new characters like Ash, whose lore reflects Apex more deeply than ever at Titanfall. This game already had an unprecedented update in 2021 with the addition of Arenas, which brings up lesser Valorant-style games. After new legends and new modes, developer Respawn demonstrated its commitment to the game by introducing a new Battlerool map in Storm Point, two new maps for Arenas, new weapons including the All-new bow and an ammo category and numerous events for each season with their own cosmetics and unlockable items. Nothing seems to make us nervous by opening up a new season battle pass and checking out what new skins and fresh treats you will get in the future. Even though the game has been hit by some rough patches this year, with long server and connections issues, that’s simple to imagine. In 2021, Apex Legends proved it will be a battle royale juggernaut many years to come.
Final Fantasy XIV will be in full force.
Final Fantasy XIV was slow yet when the hit was released in the first half of last week. But the hard part was that it didn’t stop it from hitting it big; the dedicated community was ready to acknowledge the arrival of new players finally ready to leave their old game behind. Between the fights, the agriculture, and the industry, the denizens of Eorzea and more have always made their own content. They turned player housing, not only into a planning and design business opportunity, but also into cabaret clubs, theaters, makeshift concerts and safe shelters for people who can express and be themselves safely. They have created viral videos and comedic personas like Mr. Face and even made magazines to showcase its work in a particular city. Even though it has been difficult for years, Final Fantasy XIV has laid the foundation of an entire game so that it lets all players make some fun in absence of big updates. Between the typical and endgame content farm of any MMOs there are chocobo breeding and racing, card tournaments, tiny minions MOBA, dangerous dungeon crawls, meme-fueled classes like Blue Mage, and expeditions into countries like Eureka which turn the typical rules of combat into those of the same age. And then a huge appreciation for the look like a big man, is that there is an official magazine dedicated to how players dress their avatars. In a year that has seen a lot of big tech preparing their version of the metaverse, we all know gaming has had them for decades and Final Fantasy XIV continues to be one of the best.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
It’s been a strange year for animal crossing: new Horizons. The hot simulator was all the rage when it was released in 2020 due to its launch and the social lockdowns were full. Nintendo had a great success and put on its own push for the momentum with post-launch content. That didn’t all happen as the players hoped. This game got slow updates, particularly as the holidays began to start repeating. In 2021, New Horizons was successful as a live service game. The game was in fact updated in November so it added tons of content to the game. Its 2.0 update brought several new features that allowed me to return to my island. Even New Horizons real secret weapon proved its paypal disapointment. Happy home Paradiseis a great addition to the game and a must-own for players interested in taking advantage of Animal Crossing to improve their game’s life. The design-focused side game is one of the most pleasurable things I’ve done in New Horizons and has made me think about how I like to decorate. Even though I’m not likely to have missed two years, Happy Home Paradise is the exact excuse I needed to get back in. Giovanni Colantonio, the creator of the game.
Duty: Warzone.
Call of Duty: Warzone is a fun game full of memorable moments. Moments like being one of the last teams alive, making an expertly planned play, or even something simple as an effective call-out enumerate all come to mind. The odds are unimpressed against you, but that’s precisely why it’s so good to come out at the top. Warzone is demanding and complex. There are many weapons and attachments to choose from, each with different stats and quirks. This gives players some enviable abilities to gain, with an underlying sense of creativity and variation always at the forefront. In 2021, developer Raven Software won back the community as its efforts became full to solve the game’s largest problems, and to give greater communication with its player base. This turn was one of the brightest moments of Warzone’s life cycle, where a bright future was illustrated by the wheel-wheeled Raven. Warzone isn’t the easiest and easiest game to play, especially because it’s overabundance of unlockables and complicated mechanics, but once it’s clicked, it’s very fun and there’s nothing like that.
Genshin Impact
Genshin Invasion began in the so-called “Bath of the Wild” clone, but grew into something bigger. Players realized that its complex combat system, the great cast of characters, and the gacha mechanic helped it to a dissuade it from its inspiration. The developer Mihoyo built out a lot of games from September 2020. Over 15 characters merged in the roster last year, including Aloy, from the Forbidden West. Mihoyo introduced areas like Dragonspine and Inazuma, and celebrated these additions by special events to promote its passion for players. Players can explore continents endlessly, experiment with characters and equipment and build even a hideout in their pocket. For example, simple additions like fishing holes helped expand the opportunity a player could find in Teyvat. It feels like there’s always something to do (although maximum level players might be tempted to divert). Genshin Impact remains an enjoyable experience for casual and hardcore players despite its grind-heavy gameplay and questionable PR stunts (like the Elon Musk fiasco). I agree that a huge amount of money takes to make the game more enjoyable. The view is pretty, but you still want to have a view.
