One of the coolest new trends introduced to more games in 2021 than in years past was accessible options. This does not include accessibility features like colorblind modes. Those options are excellent as well and deserve their own set of praises. Accessible options refer instead to features, often in the menu, that cater to more casual or younger audiences.
This may include an invincibility mode so that there are mostly no barriers holding players back. Some gamers are looking for a good story but are troubled by the difficulty. That’s why these options are so grand. These games are the outstanding entries from 2021 and hopefully, 2022 will get even more games with features like these.
10 Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy has the widest set of sliding scales from 2021. Players can choose difficulty levels that change these meters to a preset level. However, players can then adjust these meters at will. For example, the amount of damage received and given can be adjusted.
The cooldown time for abilities can also be tweaked. It was a good idea to allow Marvel fans the opportunity to play the game for the story without the worry of being held back by skill level.
9 Ruined King: A League Of Legends Story
Ruined King: A League of Legends Story doesn’t have traditional accessible options like invincibility. There are difficulty levels that can help adjust the skill level to the player’s liking. Story mode should be highlighted specifically though. In this option, players can go to the menu and skip a battle once it starts. This works on bosses and all rewards are kept. That is a nice feature to have in an otherwise traditional turn-based RPG.
8 Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon
Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon hit the 2021 gaming scene at the very last second. It has a host of options for gamers that aren’t accustomed to puzzle games or roguelikes. The default mode has players enter Game Over whenever they reach zero hearts.
There is a way to increase health in the options and extra lives can be established too. There are several other things players can adjust such as how much damage they do.
7 Axiom Verge 2
Axiom Verge 2 is the long-awaited Metroidvania sequel. It has two settings in it that will help players out. They are called damage multipliers, located in the options menu. There is one for enemies to do more damage to the player and one to have the hero do more damage to enemies.
For example, players can reduce the enemy’s side to zero, thus negating all damage done to the hero. The default for both meters is at one and they can be increased or decreased at any time.
6 Dodgeball Academia
Dodgeball Academia is a combination of a sports game with an action RPG. This game has a similar setting to Axiom Verge 2’s meters, albeit to a larger degree. There are no traditional difficulty settings in the game, but there is a damage reducer and multiplier in its place. Both of these meters can be reduced to zero at the lowest or 400% at the highest. One ball could destroy even the toughest boss or vice versa.
5 Psychonauts 2
There are a few options in the menu for Psychonauts 2 to make the journey less hectic for casual gamers. Players can turn off fall damage, which can always be a pain in games. Turning on Narrative Combat will increase Raz’s punching and telekinetic powers.
Battles cannot be completely skipped though. There is also an invincibility setting to make sure Raz cannot die. Overall, it is a good platformer from all sides.
4 Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart has a plethora of accessibility options for disabled gamers including many shader settings. There are also assist options like the difficulty setting of Rookie Explorer. This will prevent the player from dying in combat which it lists specifically in the description. It’s explaining that players can still fall off of ledges and die.
There is another setting that assists with that called off-screen ledge guard. It’s not 100% effective, but the more help the better.
3 Flynn Son Of Crimson
Flynn Son of Crimson is a small but good indie action platformer. It has the traditional difficulty settings of easy, normal, and hard. This should help make the game as simple or as challenging as players demand. If the easy setting is still making the game too tricky to navigate, then there is an extra helper. Players can turn off damage in the menu. Like most invincibility settings, falling off a ledge while platforming is still bad.
2 Skul: The Hero Slayer
Skul: The Hero Slayer is another indie action platformer but this has roguelike elements as well. It’s a brutal one too that has quite the grind if players wish to increase their skeleton hero’s stats. There are no straight difficulty options that are standard for roguelikes.
However, there is a setting called Rookie Mode. This will increase defense by 50%. That resistance will stack with other boons as well. It is a permanent reduction unless it is clicked off again.
1 Unsighted
Unsighted is a top-down action RPG. It has a lot of features under the Explorer Mode section of the menu. Players can reduce the time that their android bodies break down. Every robot in the game has a set life span that ticks down in real-time. This life can be extended through rare items.
This setting in the menu can make that part of the game almost nonexistent. Combat can also be set to be more forgiving, or there is even an invincibility setting. Finally, the stamina meter can be increased. Playing the game on co-op should also make things easier.