2021年度十佳游戏出炉！

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The gaming industry was perfectly positioned to thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic. With each new variant of the coronavirus, many of us are stuck inside, often alone. Why not use the time to explore other worlds?

新冠肺炎疫情大流行期间，游戏行业大享红利生意兴隆。冠状病毒不断出现新变种，许多人因此经常独自一人被困在家中。为什么不利用这段时间去探索其他世界呢?

If 2021 was a breaking point for the big companies, it was a year of innovation for smaller indie developers. Here are TIME’s favorite games of the year.

如果说2021年是大公司的转折点，那么对于小型独立开发者来说便是创新之年。以下是《时代》杂志发布的今年最受欢迎的游戏。

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Perhaps the first video game ever created that could double as relationship therapy, It Takes Two centers on a couple on the brink of divorce who suddenly find themselves trapped inside the bodies of their daughters’ toys. They must work together to traverse their home and return to their bodies. The game must be played cooperatively: If one character is given the hammer, the other must hold the nails. There are dozens of different games within this Mario-like adventure. And while the metaphors about fixing a marriage can be a bit ham-fisted in the creators’ efforts to achieve Pixar-level poignancy, there’s always some new and exciting challenge around the corner to suck you back into the game. —Eliana Dockterman

这也许是有史以来第一个可以兼作关系治疗的电子游戏。它讲述了一对处于离婚边缘的夫妇突然发现自己被困在女儿玩具的身体里。他们必须一起工作，穿越回他们的家，回到他们的身体。游戏必须合作进行: 如果一个角色拿到锤子，另一个角色就必须拿着钉子。在这个马里奥式的冒险游戏中有许多不同的游戏。虽然关于修复婚姻的隐喻对于创造者来说可能有点笨拙，但总会有一些新的、令人兴奋的挑战将你吸引回游戏中。—Eliana Dockterman

Available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Playstation 5, Playstation 4, PC

可在Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Playstation 5, Playstation 4, PC获得

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A desert landscape that stretches for miles. Beautiful sunsets over craggy mountains and cliffs. A really sick speeder bike. In Sable, the vibes are as important as the mission. The charming story follows a young woman, the titular Sable, as she begins a rite of passage that sets her out to explore the world on her own. If you’re looking for an open world full of monsters to slay and enemies to shoot, look elsewhere. Sable‘s stress-free story is a breath of fresh air when every other game’s attempt to raise the stakes usually means an even bigger gun. Its charming comic-like visuals influenced by artists like Moebius allow Sable to craft a world all its own, one full of life and depth in the not-so-empty sandy seas. —Patrick Lucas Austin

绵延数英里的沙漠景观。在崎岖的山脉和悬崖上欣赏美丽的日落。一辆超棒的超速自行车。在《沙贝》中，游戏氛围和任务一样重要。这个迷人的故事讲述了一个叫沙贝的年轻女子，通过独自探索世界开启了人生的新阶段。如果你正在寻找一个充满怪物和敌人射击的开放世界，那这并不是你想找的游戏。当其他游戏都在试图提高赌注，通常是指更大的枪时，沙贝的无压力故事就是一股清流。受莫比乌斯等艺术家的影响，其迷人的漫画般的视觉效果让《沙贝》能够在不那么空寂的沙海中创造出一个完全属于自己的游戏世界，一个充满活力和深度的世界。—Patrick Lucas Austin

Available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

可在 Xbox Series X|S、Xbox One、PC 上获得

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This elegant and bloody game centers on Colt Vann, an assassin tasked with eliminating eight targets on an island. As the name might suggest, every time Colt fails his mission, he’s sent back to the beginning of his day. Return to different parts of the island at different times of day, and a window that was previously closed might be open. You might overhear a piece of gossip essential to your mission in the afternoon that you couldn’t hear in the morning. Deathloop is a game that rewards careful exploration and observation—the final chapter of the story is rather thin if you haven’t ransacked the island for diaries and audio recordings to fill in the story. But the stunning and stylish art direction makes up for any small lapses on plotting. —Eliana Dockterman

这个优雅又血腥的游戏以柯尔特·范为中心，他是一名刺客，负责消灭岛上的八个目标。顾名思义，每当柯尔特的任务失败时，他都会会回到一天的开始。在一天中的不同时间返回岛屿的不同部分，以前关闭的窗户可能会打开。你可能会在下午无意中听到一段对你的任务至关重要的八卦，而你早上却听不到。《死亡循环》是一款奖励仔细探索和观察的游戏—如果你没有洗劫岛屿以寻找日记和录音来填充故事，那么故事的最后一章就相当单薄。但令人惊叹、时尚的艺术指导弥补了情节上的任何小失误。—Eliana Dockterman

Available on Playstation 5, PC

可在 Playstation 5， PC 上获得

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The Master Chief is back. Halo Infinite adds yet another chapter to the iconic character’s storyline, setting him on a new ring world in this sci-fi shooter. The stakes, high as ever, now take place in an open-world setting, where you can run, drive, fly or swing through enemy lines and help your fellow marines turn the tide of war. A new grappling hook, along with a plethora of weapons to choose from, make every enemy encounter feel different, new and exciting. —Patrick Lucas Austin

士官长回来了。《光环无限》为这个标志性角色的故事情节增添了另一个篇章，将他置于这个科幻射击游戏中的新环形世界。 游戏的赌注和以往一样高，而现在在开放世界的背景下进行。在那里你可以奔跑、驾车、飞行或摇摆着穿过敌人的防线，帮助你的海军陆战队同伴扭转战局。一个新的爪钩、大量的武器选择，每一次的敌对都让人感到不同、新奇和刺激。—Patrick Lucas Austin

Available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

可在Xbox X系列、Xbox One、PC上获得

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In this game, you play as Selene, an obstinate interstellar scout who crash lands on a gorgeously-rendered planet. As she makes her way across the planet—shooting at many-tentacled monsters as she goes—Selene will inevitably die, die and die again. She even discovers old corpses of herself. Returnal can be an arduous experience. A single run can take several hours. The innovations in the gameplay, like the controller rattling as the rain hits Selene’s helmet, are unsettlingly, delightfully realistic. Small, smart design touches and the mystery at the story’s center compelled me forward. And the designers have thankfully remedied the checkpoint problem, which means anyone can play this eerie game filled with intriguing horrors. —Eliana Dockterman

在这款游戏中，你将扮演塞琳娜，一个固执的星际侦察员，她降落在一个华丽的星球上。在她穿越这个星球的过程中——边走边射杀多触角的怪物——塞琳娜将不可避免、周而复始地经历死亡。她甚至发现了自己的旧尸体。玩《回归》可能是一个艰苦的经历，一场比赛可能需要几个小时。游戏中的创新，如雨点打在塞琳娜的头盔上时控制器的响声，有令人不安但高兴的现实感。小而精巧的设计和核心故事的神秘感促使人继续玩下去。值得庆幸的是，设计者已经解决了检查点的问题，这意味着所有人都可以玩这个阴森恐怖的游戏，其中充满了引人入胜的可怕情节。—Eliana Dockterman

Available on Playstation 5

可在Playstation 5上获得

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The final game in the “World of Assassination” trilogy is perhaps its best yet. As Agent 47 you once again infiltrate the hallowed halls to take out your targets. The game rewards inventiveness: You aim to stage any kill as an accident rather than a murder, a mandate that challenges patience and creativity. The creators strike the right tone with gallows humor and some fun, bizarre scenarios. (You could, if you really wanted to, murder someone by hitting them with a fish.)

《杀手3》作为刺杀世界三部曲中的终章，可能是其最好的作品。作为47号特工，你再次潜入那的神圣大厅干掉你的目标。这款游戏奖励玩家的创造性: 你的目标是将任何杀戮都安排成意外而不是谋杀，这是一项挑战耐心和创造力的任务。游戏开发者们用黑色幽默和一些有趣、怪异的场景来达到合适的游戏基调。(如果你真的想，你可以用一条鱼来杀人。）  

Available on Nintendo Switch, Stadia, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Playstation 5, Playstation 4, PC

可在Nintendo Switch、Stadia、 Xbox Series X|S、Xbox One、Playstation 5、Playstation 4、PC端上获得

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On its surface, Chicory is an adorable game about a little dog with a paintbrush. The pup is the #1 fan of a rabbit named Chicory, an artist who wields a magic paintbrush. When Chicory vanishes, so does all the color from the world. It’s up to you to restore pigment and joy to this game. The world is your coloring book: render trees magenta, houses aqua, and solve puzzles with your brushstrokes. In conversations with other woodland creatures, you find every character struggles with imposter syndrome, anxiety and other various mental health issues. Through these conversations and encouragements to express yourself artistically, no matter what others may think, the story gently teaches you to be kind to yourself and others. —Eliana Dockterman

从表面上看，神笔狗良是一个可爱的游戏，是关于一只拥有了画笔的小狗的故事。这只小狗是一只名叫Chicory的兔子的忠实粉丝，Chicory是一位挥舞着魔法画笔的艺术家。然而，Chicory 失踪了，这片土地上所有的色彩也和她一起消失了。现在需要由你这个 Chicory 的头号粉丝来拿起她的画笔，找回游戏世界的色彩和乐趣。世界就是你的画册：把树涂成绛红色、把房子涂成浅绿色，用你的笔触解决难题。在与其他林地生物的对话中，你还会发现每个角色都在与冒名顶替综合症、焦虑和其他各种心理健康问题作斗争。通过这些对话和鼓励，用艺术的方式来表达自己，不用管别人怎么想。这个故事温柔地让你明白：你要善待自己和他人。—Eliana Dockterman

Available on Playstation 5, Playstation 4, PC

可在Playstation 5、Playstation 4和PC端上使用

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Forza’s Horizon series of open-world racing games have been refining the genre for years, and with Forza Horizon 5, they may have finallynailed it. Set in Mexico, Forza Horizon 5 puts you in the driver seat at the Horizon Festival, which spans the entirety of the game’s expansive open world. Its vibrant landscapes and arcade racing sensibilities, combined with the Forza series’ expertise in the racing simulator genre, make it one of the most enjoyable games on the Xbox, hands down. Modern day supercars, vintage classics and experimental vehicles are all up for grabs, ready to be driven through all manner of terrain.

多年来，极限竞速系列一直在完善开放世界赛车游戏这一类型，随着《极限竞速：地平线5》的推出，标志着他们可能最终敲定完成。该游戏以墨西哥为背景，让你坐上了地平线嘉年华的驾驶座，这个嘉年华横跨了整个游戏广阔的开放世界。其充满活力生动的风景和街机赛车感，再加上极限竞速系列里赛车模拟十分专业，使其成为Xbox上最有趣的游戏之一。现代超级跑车、古典经典车型和实验性车辆都是抢手货，它们已经准备就绪，随时可以在各种地形中行驶。

Available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC

可在Xbox X｜S系列，Xbox One 和PC端上获得

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Can I interest you in a life-or-death game that’s probably rigged against you? No? Well Inscryption doesn’t care. Inscryption puts you at the mercy of a cabin-dwelling, mask-wearing weirdo shrouded in darkness.

你会对一个与自己生死攸关并有可能对自己不利的游戏感兴趣吗？不会？《邪恶冥刻》并不在乎，它将你置身于黑暗的小屋，与戴着面具的怪人相伴。

The only thing you have to keep you alive is a rulebook, your wits, and…a talking playing card. A decidedly 90s aesthetic, haunting imagery and turn-based gameplay imbue it with a certain nostalgic charm that plays with the story itself. As you play, you can explore both the map narrating your journey as well as the cabin in which you’re trapped, and hopefully find a way out before your eventual demise. —Patrick Lucas Austin

你唯一保命的方法是依靠一本规则手册、你的智慧和......一张会说话的扑克牌。90年代美学、萦绕于心的意象和回合制的游戏玩法为它注入了某种怀旧的魅力，与故事本身相辅相成。在游戏中，你可以同时探索与旅程相关的地图和被困的小屋，以希望能够绝处逢生。—Patrick Lucas Austin

Available on PC

可以在PC端上获得

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After more than a decade without a proper Metroid game, Samas returned in a big way with this year’s Metroid: Dread, a 2D side-scroller for the Nintendo Switch that sees our hero stalked by artifically intelligent killer robots on the mysterious planet ZDR.

在十多年没有真正的密特罗德游戏后，萨姆斯带着今年的《密特罗德5》高调回归，这是任天堂Switch的2D侧滚筒游戏：英雄在神秘的星球ZDR上被人工智能杀手机器人跟踪。

 Dread, which longtime Metroid producer Yoshio Sakamoto has been cooking up on and off for nearly two decades, is often legit scary—thought not quite on the level as something like an Alien: Isolation—and a delightful return to form for a classic and beloved franchise. —Alex Fitzpatrick

《密特罗德》的长期制作人坂本贺勇已经陆续酝酿了近二十年，它往往是正统的恐怖游戏——不像《异形:隔离》那样恐怖——是经典并深受喜爱的拥有特许经营品牌的愉快回归。——Alex Fitzpatrick

Available on Nintendo Switch

可在Nintendo Switch上获得

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traverse

v. 穿过;横过;横越;横渡 adj. 横断的

I traversed the narrow pedestrian bridge. 

我走过狭窄的人行天桥。

ham-fisted adj.笨手笨脚的

At present their responses are often ham-fisted. 

目前来看，它们的应对方式往往并不高明。

turn the tide of war 扭转战局

But science can turn the tide of war. 

不过科学家确实可以扭转战争。

obstinate adj.固执的;棘手的;难以去除的

He can be very obstinate when he wants to be! 

他的犟劲儿一上来，简直执拗得要命！

gallows humor 黑色幽默;绞架幽默

But psychologists say that gallows humor can be an important way to relieve stress. 

但心理学家们认为，黑色幽默可能成为一种重要的解压方式。

imposter syndrome 骗子综合征;冒充者综合征

The Imposter Syndrome meant that sufferers opted out of important career opportunities, to their financial and personal detriment. 

“冒名顶替综合症”意味着，患者会选择放弃重要的职业机遇，从而对他们的财务和个人造成伤害。

franchise  n.特许;获特许权的商业机构  vt.授予(或出售)特许经销权(或经营权)

They operate franchises in London and Paris. 

他们在伦敦和巴黎经营专卖店。

原文链接：

https://time.com/6126797/best-video-games-2021/

编译 | 毛彦文 陈俞彣 章鑫依 王柯琪 陈莲旖

排版 | 陈莲旖