Best Of 2022 In Gaming
Speaking for myself, and this isn’t a hot take; video games are on fire lately. The pandemic put a huge damper on the industry the past few years, but they’ve more than prevailed and are just not stopping lately with incredible title after title releasing nonstop.
This was a really good year for “me” games; ones that felt like they were tailor made for myself and the type of games I’m into. It’s probably not hard to figure out what those types are when reading these entries, basically if you give me some good action and story I’m a happy guy.
There were a few from this year I still haven’t gotten to yet but am very interested in:
Evil West looks exactly like my type of weird, over-the-top supernatural action game with cowboys and demons; I’ll probably check this one out when it’s cheaper.
As well, The Callisto Protocol looked exactly up my alley and I was very much looking forward to it, but disappointing reviews and a few gameplay gripes have me wanting to wait for a sale for that as well. It looks incredible though and part of me is expecting to still enjoy it, despite some pretty bad word-of-mouth.
I’m going to divide the rest into two sections:
- Games not released in 2022 that I played and loved this year
- Games released in 2022 that I loved, ranked
I find ranking games a little unfair when some of these legitimately could be my favorite depending on when you ask me, and what exactly makes some games deserve to be placed higher than others? But it’s usually more fun to read things like this when they’re ranked, and to be fair, the game I’ve placed as #1 is without question my favorite of the year. But I’ll get to the non-2022 games first.
Non-2022 Games I Loved This Year
Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics
This might be the most perfect game to have permanently downloaded onto a Nintendo Switch; honestly the console should just come with this game already on it, fuck it. There is no reason to not always want to boot this up and play one of the dozens of addicting games on here, full of classic table and card games we’ve all played for our entire lives, as well as regional ones I’ve never heard of but now love (Mancala anyone?). Playing this alone, or with others is a joy and on a console you can bring on a trip and enjoy in the back of a car, on an airplane, this is essential for having a few quick games with a pal or just enjoying alone. Honestly just one of the best little things to ever release on a video game console, the presentation, look, sound of it is immaculate and it’s never-ending fun. Can you tell I love this one?
Inscryption
“Rogue” style games have been a tough sell for me; I sometimes need a constant sense of progression and, more importantly, the ability to save my progress for me to enjoy a game. Inscryption is punishing, has a learning curve, can be confusing and frustrating, but pays off insanely by being one of the most memorable and refreshing games I’ve ever played. It’s the perfect example of something that needs to be played to understand. A simple card game with an ever-expanding repertoire of game mechanics, twists and turns, and it just gets weirder and weirder. It’s both freaky and funny and begs you to push on, uncovering it’s bizarre and nightmarish secrets.
Returnal
Much like Inscryption, this “roguelite” is an experience that punishes you for failing, but begs you to keep going. Progress can be wiped away in an instant, but you’re back and ready for another go in seconds. What sold Returnal for me though was the absolutely incredible fast-paced gameplay. The main character Selene zips around the environment, dodging enemies and firing off attacks and it feels incredible with the Playstation 5 DualSense controller. All of the haptic and trigger functions immerse you in the game; the gameplay might be one of the best “feeling” I’ve ever felt, it’s so responsive and smooth. Add in a sci-fi mystery with some creepy elements on top of fierce and furious action and it’s an instant recipe for success.
Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice
One of the central things I’d heard about this title was the sound design, and how it should absolutely be played with headphones. This is how I played it, and it definitely should be experienced that way. It’s essentially a part of the game design and narrative, having voices swirling around in your head. The lead character Senua suffers from psychosis and I’ve never seen anything like this done in a video game before; it’s hugely affecting and hits hard. It’s a perfect length (I love a good short game), with a central linear path, puzzle solving and bulky combat. It doesn’t overstay its welcome, yet has so much to say and express. Not to mention it’s five-years-old and stills looks incredible.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
A highly imaginative playable cartoon that controls like a platformer from the 90’s/00’s and has tons of explosive gun combat; of course this is going to be a blast. A gorgeous cornucopia of colors, beautiful action and humorous weird little characters bopping from one set piece to the next. Kids would love this but it has so much for adults to enjoy, it’s an ingenious game and just a fun as hell time.
Death’s Door
So many games get compared to The Legend Of Zelda but you can easily see why with Death’s Door (and exactly how perfect Zelda laid the foundation for games like this decades ago). It’s a slash-and-dodge adventure with magic, puzzles, dungeons, secrets and bosses. Elements of FromSoftware’s ever-popular are titles sprinkled throughout but this game is much more subdued, quiet and solemn. The main character is a little crow and you run around interacting with quirky little characters while ethereal and restrained orchestral tunes ease you through the world. I really enjoyed every moment with this game and it’s almost a perfect title for this type of indie adventure genre.
Bugsnax
I dismissed this game when I first heard of it; it did not look like my type of game and I judged far too quickly. But this extremely bizarre adventure is one of the most charming and fun games I’ve played in a long time; it rewards experimenting and exploration in it’s whimsical landscapes full of critters made of food. Half of the fun is encountering these creatures and seeing how the developers incorporated insects with food: there’s a dung beetle made of a hamburger called a “bunger”. How is that not amazing? What really surprised me was the depth of topics this game handled through relationships and experiences with the characters you meet; it goes deeper and more emotional than most wild and wacky-looking games like this would. Not to mention there’s some very dark and zany moments here that I was not expecting. I’d almost call this a must-play just to experience its unique setting and creatures; there’s so much to do and see. Fuck Pokémon, give me more Bugsnax.
Favorite Games of 2022, Ranked
7. Midnight Fight Express
Earlier this year I watched the first season of Gangs Of London, a television series with action scenes directed by Gareth Evans of The Raid films. It’s a melodramatic drama with bone-crunching and blood-soaked fight sequences, and this is essentially the indie game equivalent to that (minus the melodrama). Lovers of classic beat-em-ups like Streets Of Rage and Final Fight will be right at home here, but there’s also some modern elements popularized by the Batman Arkham games, like a designated counter button.
It’s over-the-top, gets extremely silly and dumb in many spots, and just doesn’t care. There’s tons of levels to bash your way through and even some really fun costume unlockables. It was also primarily developed by one person! Gotta give the guy some kudos.
6. Rollerdrome
A game that controls like the Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series but with slo-mo gun action is the definition of a “me” game. It’s crystal clear there’s inspiration from the film Rollerball (even the font and title screen music is reminiscent of the 1975 movie), with it’s futuristic society and interest in violent spectator sports the main basis of the storyline here, although it’s tucked behind what matters most: ultra fun gameplay.
Going for the high score in a level, trying to eliminate all the enemies all the while pulling off highly-skilled tricks to keep your ammo count up (tricks here replenish your guns) is a glorious ballet of stunts and maneuvers; you will find yourself forgetting to blink or even breathe as you fight for your life in these hectic deathmatch stages. As addictive and fun as it gets.
5. Sifu
I’ve mentioned above my thoughts on “rogue” games (they are seriously everywhere nowadays) so admittedly I was a bit disappointed when I heard Sifu would be like this; the initial trailer had me thinking this was a more so classic story-mode game. This is where I was slightly wrong though; there’s a story, it’s fantastic, and there is some saved progression. The only roguelite elements here are some lost progress on upgrades, and the fact that you age a year at every death; reach 70 years old and your next death is your last. It makes every combat encounter matter, and any missed attack could spell disaster.
Sifu is a martial arts action masterpiece, relying less on over-the-top spectacle and chaos like Midnight Fight Express (although there are some really inventive sequences here) and more on calculated, whip-snap fighting in branching levels full of fun environments for kicking foes around in. The combat system is immaculate; pulling off a flawless block on a targeted attack towards your legs feels godlike. You’ll replay levels over and over, getting better at runs and collecting items to further the story and unlock alternate paths. It’s a game for action purists but also players who will take each death as a lesson learned and leap back into the fray ready to go again.
4. Stray
There’s no surprise why this game made a big impression; it makes me wonder how playing as a cat hasn’t been done already so many times. A very thoughtful, meaningful title with calm exploration mixed with tense and thrilling sequences, this was an incredible game start to finish. It’s a short game, but makes an impact in those several hours you’ll spend with it. Climbing through neon-lit city streets with the nimble and steadyfooted movements of a cat was exciting, discovering secrets and solving puzzles for sentient robots. The world-building and characters you meet make the journey, the really awesome score that soothed and pulsed underneath, and that ending got me good.
I loved Stray to pieces, not just because of that damn cute cat but because of everything else it does so well. But yeah, it does a cute cat very well too.
3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
Doesn’t take much for a bit of nostalgia to get me going; I loved the Turtles as a kid, and they still rule. How could you not find this wacky shit entertaining? Cool dudes with samurai weapons, weird-ass villains and just so much pizza. Turtles In Time for Super Nintendo was the essential “move right and press the attack button” beat-em-up that was a blast all the way through, and then Shredder’s Revenge comes along decades later and does more of the same but bigger, better, more advanced and more robust. It’s brimming with hilarious action and dumb fun to be had.
You just beat the ever-loving shit out of the Foot Clan as the Turtles, April O’Neil, Splinter, or even Casey Jones in colorful levels exploding with detail, brawl with some of the best baddies and that’s all there is to it. All killer and no filler. The day I stop liking the Turtles, roll me over and bury me, I’m dead.
2. God Of War Ragnarök
Triple-A blockbuster gaming has been in full force the past few years. Companies like Naughty Dog and Rockstar put out the video game equivalent of what Hollywood constitutes as Academy Award nominated films. Ever since God Of War (2018), Santa Monica Studios are up there with the others, and with God Of War Ragnarök they’re close to pushing past the competition. Ragnarök is video game royalty; its acting and voice work is top tier, its story more engaging than anything else, and the production values behind everything is just top of the line. Close camera angles, single-shot cinematography, the delivery of lines and the focus on facial expessions (and the goddamn detail), it’s jaw-dropping work.
Ragnarök features an ensemble cast of characters who all have their moments to wow, who suffer from the consequences of their own actions and fight to reverse decisions that they shouldn’t have made. The protagonists, sidekicks, villains, everyone here lights up the screen when they’re featured. I couldn’t get enough of Thor and Odin, villainous yet empathetic, caring yet ruthless. Brok and Sindri, brothers in blood and helpers at hand, much smarter than either of them let on. Freya, who struggles with letting go yet is fueled by her furious mission to press on. Mimir, the voice of reason and encouragement and quite possibly one of my favorite characters in all of video games. And of course Kratos and Atreus, who’s relationship and emotional struggles explode into territories I was not expecting.
You add this cocktail of immaculate game presentation and characters into one of the best gameplay systems in any action/adventure game and you’re drinking pretty damn good. I can’t praise the combat enough, which just keeps building and building as the game goes on; you’ll be switching between weapons and combos at ease, pulling off attacks and parries that are so cinematic they look like a cut scene but, no, it’s the player that is choosing every move you see flourish on screen. Encounters feel massive and weighty, like you are a force of nature tearing through hordes of amazingly-designed enemies and bosses, while also facing challenging threats you need to tactically prepare for.
I really can’t stress how perfect and well-made this game is, how engaging and well thought out every story beat is, and that’s not even mentioning the wealth of expansive side quests and activities to do throughout. There’s just a ton here to soak up and cut through.
In any other year, this would without a doubt be my #1 pick. If only if it wasn’t for…
1. Elden Ring
Yeah, it could not be anything else. A staggering achievement in the art of video games. No other game has felt this blisteringly open, this dauntingly expansive, this feverishly addicting, and yet be one of the most frustratingly rewarding games to play. You will be punished in Elden Ring, and you will be punished repeatedly. But you’ll also be punished for not exploring, getting stronger and discovering all that there is to find. The magic of FromSoftware’s games is that you will be killed several times from everything imaginable in their games, but when you do succeed, you feel like you just did the impossible. You build your character up, equip your weapons, go forth, and hang on for the ride.
It’s mind melting at how much is in this game, from the massive world to explore, to items to find and upgrade, enemies and bosses to challenge, and it keeps going and going. There isn’t a single moment when you’re not floored by the world design, enemy variety and number of weapons and spells to use (along with varieties of each). Bosses in this game are like something out of a fantasy/horror lover’s dream. Battles are theatrical clashes to the death, where you feel every part of your body tense as you fight for your life. The music crashes and booms overtop, a choir of voices bellow and cry as an orchestra sweeps across the fight, engulfing you in the chaos.
The main questline just barely points you in a direction, but largely you’re just let loose to go anywhere. Most times you won’t even know where to go or what to do to even further the main story, you just pick a direction and move there. Entire areas of the game may pass you by, only for you to stumble upon by mistake. And that’s not to mention the mind-blowing large areas that feel like a whole other game completely, tucked away and hidden. I have well over 100 hours in the game and I’ve still not beaten the final boss, as I reached that point but decided to go off elsewhere and explore (I also decided to give the game a rest as I had played it exclusively for months and decided to give some other games a shot; I will return, and I will beat that boss!).
Elden Ring grabs you and pulls you in so tightly you feel like you may never get let go again. It is unquestionably one of the best video games ever made and towers over other games in a way not many others can. It looks down upon its brethren and laughs.
