The best stories from Polygon 2021

And the end of 2021 is just around the corner. It was someone else, let’s say Interesting Year, and we hope we could give you a respite from … * gestures on everything * … in the multitude of stories and videos we have sent out into the world. From the deepest secrets of Lord of the Rings to the magic of playing games on an old TV (and everything in between) we’ve got you covered. Thank you, as always, for accompanying us on this wild journey we call Polygon. We look forward to continuing to serve you in 2022!

The year of the ring

An orc from Lord of the Rings full of hearts

To mark the 20th anniversary of the debut of these enduring film classics, we explore every aspect of Peter Jackson’s trilogy, from JRR Tolkien’s source material to the best scenes and moments, along with the enduring influence of The Companions of the Ring, The two Towers, and the return of the King to modern pop culture. Read the stories

Playing on my old television connects me to the present

by Jordan Starkweather

Illustration of vintage CRT game screens of various shapes and sizes and colors

CRTs may be large, but they offer something that a flat panel TV will never offer. Read the story

Breakups, Porn, and Bakas: The Legend of the Barnes & Noble Manga Section

by Ana Diaz

A young man browsing a manga in the Barnes and Noble manga section

What if we kissed in the Barnes & Noble manga section? Read the story

Instructions for the first 15 seconds of each game

by Patrick Gilli

When you start a video game, you will see a number of logos and things that you may not recognize. Welcome to the exciting world of middleware! Watch the video

D & D’s Drizzt books are based on racist tropes. RA Salvatore wants to change that

by Charlie Hall

Zeitlos a Forgotten Realms: Drizzt Bookcover of RA Salvatore

“If the drow are portrayed as evil, that has to go …” Read the story

She pioneered video games in the 1980s. Nobody can find them today

by Patricia Hernandez

Illustration of a tragic computer woman on a green background looking at a question mark

Finding Ban Tran. Read the story

Netflix has a troubling problem with its biracial characters

by Petrana Radulovic

Georgia does Ginny's hair in Ginny & Georgia

It keeps removing colored parents from their coming-of-age stories. Read the story

The origin of Noob Saibot

by Michael McWhertor

Mortal Kombat’s secret ninja was even a secret to the man it was named after. Read the story

Image of the character Shrek from hundreds of images of Shrek

A collection of stories about the ogre himself, 20 years after it was first created. Read the stories

My living room has three televisions and is the harbinger of human evolution

by Ryan Gilliam

Abstract illustration inspired by digital screens in shades of lime green, sage and gray

What is the best TV for your living room based on size and wall availability? The answer is not one television, but three. Read the story

A little oral story of Willy Wonka’s gross chocolate flow scene

by Matt Patches

Augustus Gloop plunges into the Chocolate River at Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

“That scene probably wasn’t OSHA approved.” Read the story

It took me two years and 300 hours to complete Sekiro. to defeat

by James Bareham

a collage of different scenes from the video game Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice

I don’t consider myself a player. When I first announced to some veteran player friends that I was going to play Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, most of them suggested that I stay away from it. I didn’t listen to her. Read the story

An investigation into the lack of kisses in the Marvel Cinematic Universe

by Joshua Rivera

The Avengers are surrounded ..... by kiss emoji

Do the superheroes know that there are many reasons to kiss? We should tell them. Read the story

Why Assassin’s Creed Unity can’t rebuild Notre-Dame Cathedral

by Simone de Rochefort

Our perception of historical accuracy requires a major realignment. Read the story

Street Fighter: The Movie: The Game: An Oral Lore

by Matt Leone

Our Street Fighter story continues with a look back at the time when Capcom copied the copycats. Read the story

On the Neopets black market

by Nicole Carpenter

Black market players want you to know that they are not boogeymen. Read the story

MiSTer 101: A classic gaming device to rule them all

by Christopher Grant

Illustration of a game controller, cables and a MiSTer FPGA console

If playing the games from your youth just as you remembered them is important to you, look no further. Read the story

The big twist on Deathloop is undeserved and half-baked

by Maddy Myers

Art showing the hero of deathloop running away from a time vortex

The main characters of Death loop, Julianna and Colt, spend the game swapping balls and making jokes. Your chemistry was my favorite part of the game – up Death loopThe big turn and the sad ending left me cold. Read the story