Deciding which game was the most outstanding of a whole year has always been something extremely complex, because with so many options that fortunately we have, there is simply no argument that is enough to make an absolutely and totally correct decision. 2021 was no exception, because throughout all its months, we had one or more games that raised their hands so that on these dates they were being remembered as one of the great experiences we enjoy. After a long discussion and of course, the voting process that you could enjoy in our Atomix Podcast special, we came to the determination that thanks to its incredible game mechanics, impressive control, unparalleled level design and great audiovisual presentation among many other attributes, this proposal ended up winning our hearts to become the Game of the Year for Atomix.
Of course, we await your comments about it and of course, for you to tell us what your own Game of the Year was and why.
And the winner is…
Metroid Dread!
One of the most interesting things about the environment is that you never know where it is going to move, far from it, the way or speed with which it will do it. Almost every couple of years, we hear of a new trend that is dominating and that many times leaves such a deep mark that it becomes a new standard to never really go out of style. In the mid-eighties when the industry was finally beginning to take root, Nintendo decided that the next step in its creative growth process should be a game that combined the best aspects of Super Mario Bros. and The Legend of Zelda. which, had already proven that their formulas worked in every sense. By the way, they opted for a look & feel that was much more absorbable by the western market, and that could compete with the run & gun that were beginning to gain traction at the time. In short, that is how the concept of Metroid was born, one that not even Nintendo itself anticipated would give life to an entire genre that would become one of the most influential in history.
Yes, the name of Samus and company is no small thing. You just have to look at the obsession that the independent scene has for its way of design to realize that Metroid left a mark that will hardly be erased and that most likely, it will only continue to evolve in more and better ideas. All of this has become a double-edged sword for anything that wants to be done with the franchise these days, more after interesting, but strange experiments like the one in Metroid Other M, called into question the vision of the series for the future. With an enormous responsibility on his shoulders, Yoshio Sakamoto decided that the Spaniards of Mercury Steam would be in charge of continuing with the imposing legacy, this of course, after the study demonstrated its worth and above all understanding of the saga, with what it did a few years ago in Metroid: Samus Returns for the 3DS.
Despite the above, the doubt was, because being one of the most influential series in history, the number of games and ideas that have come out in recent years could be too much even for Nintendo if we talk about a Metroid in 2D brand new. The first glimpses of Metroid Dread at least made it clear that the bet was on a safe and proven way and that in effect, we would be delivered the long-awaited Metroid 5 that we had been waiting for so long since the days of the Game Boy Advance. The day finally came and after controlling Samus for a second on the surface of ZDR, you knew that something truly special had been created. Of course, by that time we couldn’t imagine the kind of adventure that awaited us, one that undoubtedly features the best boss fights in the entire franchise, as well as several of the most exciting escape sequences we’ve ever had to enjoy. Not to mention its impressive level design that confirmed who is still the king within the so-called Metroidvania.
We repeat, the choice was not at all simple and in the end, everything came down to a matter of feelings, because it is important to remember that being a form of artistic expression, video games are just about that, to convey feelings, and go Metroid Dread is a roller coaster of these, in which you go from tension and fear to escape an EMMI, to all the rush and adrenaline to defeat a tough boss. It takes a lot of work to find real flaws in this Switch exclusive, and for all these reasons, it ends up becoming the game that rises with our Game of the Year title.