2022 games were very, very good
Great games abound in a year wholly superior to 2021 - and they had more soul as well
Every year, when I take a look back at the games I’ve played, I want to feel something. 2020, given the ardors of the pandemic, the openness and vibrant worlds were what made me fall in love with the likes of Ghost of Tsushima. Last year, my favorite games were quirky nibbles of comfort food, with Deltarune and Pokemon Xenoverse taking the crown. Pandemic production cycles hampered AAA releases, so these more niche fangames took the cake.
This year, my games diet was balanced, and I was able to find a little bit of light in every title I consumed. My big takeaway, though, is that 2022 was good, and I’m hopeful for 2023 on the horizon.
Feedback Loops Fun
14. Neon White
Neon White was written by a 12-year-old trying to be as edgy as possible (aka me in middle school) but the actual combat loop is fun as heck. It’s a simple premise - get from Point A to Point B as fast as possible, using cards to boost you along the way. For me, the biggest drawback is the hardware - on PC or a non-Switch console, I think Neon White could have staying power, but the flimsy Switch buttons made it a little less playable for me. That, along with a little repetition in terms of level types, made me drop it after a few days of playing.
13. Cult of the Lamb
Animal Crossing meets Cthulu. I really enjoyed Cult of the Lamb, beating the entire title. It’s a simple fusion of concepts with a fairly addictive gameplay loop buffeted by maintenance of a small town in the background. My biggest qualm with the title is simply a matter of taste - games revolving around maintenance of a physical space tend to draw out for me, and the constant need to shovel excrement got grating after a while. Also, some game-breaking bugs prevented me from having a frictionless experience with the title. Still, I bought this for a friend’s birthday and he became immediately enthralled with it, so I’ll consider it a net win.
12. F1 Manager
F1 Manager is what it is, and I enjoyed the time I spent with it. I’m a diehard Alphatauri supporter (go Pierre and Yuki!) and I decided to try and bring my boys to the podium. I succeeded exactly one time and then, after a while, the lengthy races began to sap my desire to play the game any further. I still boot up F1 Manager on occasion to mess around, but the lack of ability to simulate + make any real progress without spending hours micromanaging limits its appeal to me.
Room to Build for Future Games
11. Final Fantasy XV
Hot take: I actually loved the FFXV setting more than the typical high fantasy fare we get from these games. The slightly modern twist and the relatable bonds between the core friendgroup kept me going, even as some elements of traversal were pretty grindy. The battle system was pristine, and I was able to see how FF7R built on what worked. This game was free to play on PS+, and I’m happy I invested time into completing it. It was glitchy and buggy and felt unfinished, but it’s made me optimistic for FFXVI (even if we’re going back to a boring fantasy setting.)
10. Pokemon Legends: Arceus
When I got my Nintendo Switch year-in-review, I was pleasantly surprised that I spent more time with Legends: Arceus than Pokemon Violet. Arceus was a departure from typical Pokemon titles and the capture mechanic was definitely innovative and fun. The story was messy and I absolutely detested the way it handled battles, but as a beta version of an open world Pokemon game, it was fun enough. I didn’t play any postgame, although I’ve heard that the final battle is one of the most difficult in Pokemon’s history. I’m hopeful that Game Freak will learn from this and apply the catching mechanics to future games.
Amazing Bits but Imperfect on the Whole
9. Horizon: Forbidden West
15 hours into Horizon: Forbidden West, I was ready to become a stan of the title. Unfortunately, this game was the most impacted by the pandemic of anything that I’ve played in the past two years.
I’m going to spoil a bit, but it’s worth it.
It is very clear that H:FW’s staff wrote and coded all the Tenakth elements of the game before the pandemic and the remainder of the game while in the throes of isolation. The Tenakth are some of the most fascinating characters in any game I’ve played in the past few years - they are the answer to the question “what if a society worshipped M*A*S*H characters as divine figures?” I was enthralled by the entire arc, because I don’t think games have evaluated propaganda in such an interesting, obtuse way — normally propaganda analyses in games are way more on the nose. Kotallo, the one-armed warrior, also has significantly better chemistry with Aloy than any other character in the game. I was ready to crown this series Fallout level.
After the Tenakth missions, the rest of the story fell flat for me. There are some interesting ideas for twists in the late game but, on the whole, I thought Guerrilla Games could have pushed boundaries further. Some frustrating mechanics (having to manually pick up every item, for instance) compounded my lack of engagement. By the end, I was rushing to finish and move onto whatever was next in my backlog.
Who knows what the initial vision was for H:FW. My guess is that the pandemic resulted in this product being shipped, and that’s incredibly disappointing. I’m still open-minded for the next title in the series, though, because I can see the core of REALLY cool ideas here. I just hope they focus on the most interesting concepts and have the support to build them out in the future.
8. Pokemon Violet
Last year, my game of the year was Pokemon Xenoverse, a free to play Pokemon fangame that I said was the best Pokemon game in the past ten years.
After the release of Scarlet/Violet, it saddens me to say that this is still the case.
There are definitely positives. The introduction of Tera Types totally changes the calculus of the game and being able to catch Pokemon with unique third types was always thrilling to me. I found a ground-type Growlithe and a fire-type Kirlia, and both of them ended up being key team members. Team Star and Operation Starfall were fun villains. The Way Home is a daring storyline and I generally liked the side characters. The ideas here were, generally, good.
But - open world Pokemon cannot work unless the game scales correctly, and this game did not. I ended up fighting gyms out of order and battled against level 20 Pokemon for my sixth badge and level 15 Pokemon for my seventh. Additionally, the gyms and cities this generation were incredibly boring. Paldea, in general, was a tedious region to explore, and all of the gym leaders were boring. I found Galar way more interesting, both in terms of people and places.
Generally, I enjoyed the game and I’ll still be a Day 1 purchaser for future titles, but Pokemon Xenoverse clears, which is disappointing.
7. Elden Ring
Whew boy. This is the big one.
Elden Ring is very good. I enjoyed my time with it and completed a decent bit of the story (although not the entire thing). I get all the positives - the world building is fantastic, the monsters in the game are wonderfully designed. However, my perspective was changed after playing a game later on this list - I really think that if Elden Ring had more savepoints in boss battles, it would be a perfect game. They should do that.
Accessibility in gaming is a net good thing, and given how unforgiven Elden Ring is, it doesn’t allow for a great deal of experimentation in terms of play style. The customizability is nice in theory but in practice my patience ended before I could try every possible iteration of a given build. This game forces the player to be conservative with their approach or else they have to go back to the start of a given level. I literally cheesed multiple sections in Elden Ring just to get to a Site of Grace near a key spawnpoint, avoiding enemies using glitches and misplaced hitboxes. A better designed game wouldn’t allow for that to happen.
Elden Ring is very good and I understand why people enjoy it. I just had a better time (and actually completed) the games ranked above it.
If Only This Game Wasn’t Rushed
6. Digimon Survive
The best monster collection game I played this year was Digimon Survive, a game that got caught up in development hell and I had to beat twice in order to truly appreciate - but once I did, it was wholly worth it.
Digimon Survive, assuredly, could have been more polished. The game switched developers a year before it was released, and any game where one must, guaranteed, play it twice to get the best ending is naturally going to get grating after a while. However, this also was THE quintessential Digimon experience leveled up for a more adult audience. The cast was interesting, their partner Digimon were engaging, and the True Ending’s story culminated wonderfully. Gameplay was fun and, as a visual novel fan, I wasn’t put off or surprised by the storytelling structure. It’s a very good game.
Even though the game had to be played twice for full completion, the twists in my first playthrough were still surprising and overall enriching to my experience, even if after a bit they felt slightly unearned. My second playthrough allowed for me to get to know characters who were previously peripheral, and it felt like a dramatically different experience.
I think Digimon Survive could have been better, but if more games like this are what we are due, I’m wholly positive about what’s in the future for this franchise. This was my version of NEO: TWEWY from last year - a fundamentally flawed game that I happened to love a lot because the nostalgia and anime moments hit harder than the mistakes. In a world where shot-for-shot remakes abound, Digimon Survive sought to totally switch up the formula, and I respect it.
Beautiful But Short
5. Opus: Echo of Starsong
Opus: Echo of Starsong is short, sweet, and sad. In a future version of our own world, we follow an old astronaut’s memories as he remembers his travels with a mysterious songstress throughout the stars. This game is a must play. It’s moody and beautiful and a bit slow, but it goes down smoothly. The ending is triumphant, the side stories within space are worth the price of admission, and Jun and Eda’s dynamic is fabulous. Opus is not complicated nor philosophical, it is simply Art, and for that, it deserves to exist and be played.
Games of the Year (That Were Actually Released This Year)
4. Triangle Strategy
(note: I didn’t end up writing this, but also, YES)
I don’t get the Triangle Strategy hate. I’ve seen it in the aether but I personally felt like it was a game that vastly exceeded my expectations, especially after playing the demo and feeling underwhelmed.
Triangle Strategy follows Serenoa, the sword of House Wolfort, as he and his comrades navigate political intrigue in an unforgiving world. Throughout the game, you engage in TRPG style battles, and also have to make difficult decisions via majority vote. It’s basically “Feudal Democracy Simulator.”
I’m actually going to start here with some of the negatives before I talk about this game’s many successes. First of all, the voice acting is bad - there’s no way around it. Lines are delivered statically and it feels like actors are reading a script. Additionally, some of the battling felt repetitive after a while, especially when going down the normal story path.
However…in so many other ways, this game is a triumphant success. It told a story of political resistance to uplift the scapegoated in society, and the True Ending feels fulfilling in a way few game stories are able to execute.
Serenoa and his retinue all feel distinct, and their characterizations + abilities on the battlefield complement each other in a fulfilling way. I thought I would love Roland and detest the idealistic Federica, but both ended up becoming some of my favorite characters in the game. Even the taciturn Benedict proved himself by the end of my playthrough. Sharpshooter Rudolph, icemage Corentin, and assassin Anna were other favorites. The game’s music is wonderful and its art design is inspired, a true level up from Octopath Traveler.
But the real reason I loved Triangle Strategy comes in the spoiler section.
At the end of Triangle Strategy, Serenoa is given the option to break that cycle and free the Roselle, at the behest of his Rosellan wife Federica, from the oppressive nation of Hyzante. Committing to that choice was the most fulfilling decision I made in any game this year…until I realized it was not the true ending.
The true ending was even better, as the game let me speed through most of the earlier battles via New Game+ and, finally, get to a secret mission where it is up to the player to split up their war forces into three groups in order to win the game. The NECESSITY to have all warriors leveled up while also giving agency to the player in terms of how to split up their forces for that final battle elegantly balanced strategy and creativity and was an inspired choice. I loved the end of Triangle Strategy and for much of the year it was my number one game.
That changed in November, though.
3. God of War: Ragnarok
On October 31, 2022, I had never played a single God of War series game. Lots of excuses for this, mainly a lack of time and fear the games weren’t for me. Those were bad excuses.
By November 15th, 2022, I had played and completed two God of War games. And Ragnarok was absolutely fantastic, filling a special place in my heart.
GOW: Ragnarok, at its core, is a story about self-discovery and letting go. Kratos has to led his son, Atreus, sprout on his own. Freya has to move past the death of her (clearly crazed) son, Baldur. Atreus also has to come to terms with his newly found godhood and balance his love for his father with his curiosity to understand his place in the world.
Ragnarok is my Game of the Year (that actually came out this year) because it is an almost perfect mix of story, characters, and combat. The Draupnir Spear is a welcome addition and the Blades of Chaos still feel wonderful to swing. The new characters in Ragnarok are fantastic. Angrboda and Thrud inject new life from an ally perspective, and Thor and Odin are fantastic antagonists. My personal favorite new character, Heimdall, talks SO much shit. He’s wonderful, and beating the stuffing out of him feels earned and great.
So…why isn’t this game number one for me? It was close. From a technical standpoint, I thought the story meandered a bit as opposed to its previous installment. I also was not a big fan of the sidequests, many of which were achievable but led to minimal gains.
If I’m being honest, though, the top two games just hit me harder.
It Took 3 Years But It Is Now Perfection
2. Cyberpunk 2077
There are certain games, and worlds, that stick with you over time. Night City is that for me, glitches and all.
I first played Cyberpunk 2077 in 2020 and, despite the issues, I enjoyed it. Modern and neo-future settings always vibe with me more than fantastical ones, and I really liked exploring Night City. The main story was decent, but the characters shone, and although it was not a top 5 game for me in 2020, I decided to replay it this past winter. I’m so happy I did.
It has been a banner year for Cyberpunk between cleaning up many of the game’s major issues and Cyberpunk: Edgerunners, a Studio Trigger anime on Netflix that absolutely ruled. Replaying the game, I managed to regain my appreciation for the deep worldbuilding and characterization that went into its construction, while also discovering some of the most fascinating sidequests I’ve ever executed in a video game.
In Cyberpunk 2077, you can crucify a criminal on live television. You can help a vending machine gain sapience. You can track down a kidnapper who is abducting teenage boys and pumping them full of HGH. You can discover a brainwashing missing being deployed against a progressive politician. You can free prostitutes from a brothel and wrestle control of it from the mob. There are hundreds more things to do. The main storyline is fine, but the sidequests and relationships are where this game shines. River and Judy and Jefferson Peralez and so many more characters could carry games on their own.
More Night City content is coming (with Idris Elba!), and I cannot wait. This is the game series that, to me, is the next generation’s Fallout. I hope CDPR ships a better product in the future, but I’m optimistic. There is no cooler setting in gaming than Night City, and no game has better sidequests than Cyberpunk 2077.
The Best Game I Played This Year
1. God of War (2018)
On October 31, 2022, I had yet to play either of the new line God of War games. Within a month, I had completed both. While Ragnarok was incredible, there were two things that set the original God of War apart in my mind, granting it the crown.
THE SHRINE PUZZLES. I loved how unique the shrine puzzles felt in the original God of War and was pretty miffed, honestly, that they were discontinued in Ragnarok. They offered a slightly different element to gameplay that kept things fresh and, generally, were a good mix of being difficult but not impossible. The deletion of the shrine puzzles in Ragnarok was unfortunate.
THE STORY TIGHTNESS. God of War was such a concise, wonderful story about a father and son scattering their beloved’s ashes. I do not feel that a single beat was out of place. Even Atreus being annoying made sense in context - and you feel for him by the end.
Ragnarok was a great sequel to an even better game. I’m just happy I was able to play it this year. Better late than never.