As we seemingly say every year at this point, it’s been an amazing year for games. While a few high-profile titles slipped to 2023, which is always to be expected, there were still a load of experiences we truly loved.
While we’ve hosted the SG Awards in the past, and may do so again in the future, this year we decided to simply focus on our favorite games. Several of our contributors offered their thoughts on their favorite games of 2022, which represent a broader swath of titles than you would typically find in an awards show. These are in no particular order, and we simply hope you enjoy. And in that vein, be sure to let us know what your favorite games of the year were!
Ains : Editor-in-Chief
Patrick : Lead Editor
Steve : Senior Editor and Contributor
Eric : Senior Contributor
Nate : Senior Contributor
Elliot : Video Editor and Contributor
Zach : Contributor
Alex : Contributor
Bryan : Contributor
“For me, Elden Ring is a generational experience. It’s the type of game that only comes around every few years and changes your perspective of what video games can be. After a near 100 hour review playthrough, and an additional 300+ hours spent in its stunning world, it is a runaway for my favorite game of the year. What made it exceedingly special for me was its ability to throw the player in a vast, mysterious world and simply allowing them to discover it in any way they see fit. It hearkens back to an age when we would play a new game to simply enjoy it and figure out what the developer had created. And in this case, FromSoftware created something truly magical.
In an age when more and more games are bloated with tutorials, guides, hints, and hand-holding, Elden Ring entrusted players to use the tools given to them to simply “figure it out.” And in doing so, Elden Ring created a sense of exploration and discovery that is entirely unmatched. And it all takes place in an open-world that leaves you entirely awestruck. I could go on and on about the brilliance of Elden Ring for days. Simply put, it’s easily my favorite game of 2022 and now one of my favorite games of all-time.”
Ains
“Elden Ring was in development for so long that I had written it off as a game I would likely never play. This attitude carried forth even when the first trailers of the game started trickling out. But even as I kept trying to avoid it, I couldn’t. Everyone was talking about it! Each new trailer brought forth new rumors and theories among every circle of people that were even remotely gamers. The fever was on in a way that would make Donkey Kong and Pac-Man red with jealousy if they weren’t also talking about Elden Ring.
I knew I had to at least try it out. It was FromSoftware’s latest, after all, and there was no hotter developer. The fact that our overlord, Ains, had an early copy that permanently branded a smile to his face didn’t help the anticipation, either. All of the signs were pointing to Elden Ring being something truly special. But even that hype dimmed in comparison to actually playing it.
Adventure? Excitement? An Elden Lord craves much these things. And Elden Ring delivers them in spades with a world as captivating as every other element of the game. Even calling it a game seems a large disservice, in much the same way as calling Star Wars a movie. Elden Ring is an experience, a riveting and tense adventure that absorbs you into its world.
And the irony of the solemn solace that’s experienced within the Lands Between is that Elden Ring is very much the old-school, social experience that pervaded the pre-release. Whether through social websites, playgrounds at school, around water coolers at work, or within small gatherings of friends, gamers shared in the Elden Ring experience far beyond the scope of the game itself. It demands our attention, and rightfully so. As a game that we continue experiencing even when the power is off, the best game of 2022, and perhaps of many years prior or to come, is Elden Ring. And that’s something that we should never write off.”
Patrick
“What else can be said about “Elden Ring” that hasn’t been said before? All the superlative praise it’s gotten throughout 2022 is well earned. I believe the level of intriguing exploration and innumerable customization makes Elden Ring one of the greatest open world games ever, if not the best ever. The level of authored discovery brings back a level of magic to open world games that has been missing for a while, and while some parts of it may test your true patience (in classic Soulsborne style, I almost was driven to quit at times), the feeling of overcoming insurmountable odds remains unmatched in gaming. A brutally difficult final boss keeps it from being my absolute favorite game of 2022, but the experience overall will stick with me long after 2022’s curtain call.”
Alex
“Elden Ring was my first FromSoftware game, and is a game of quality you only see every two or three years. Surely its difficulty is a trademark, and many will find that daunting. But Elden Ring single-handedly creates a rewarding experience that is confidence boosting, leaving you desperate to keep playing to prove that you can best the challenge before you. With vibrant, beautiful, and grotesque environmental storytelling, Elden Ring can turn the casual RPG enjoyer into a full-fledged Elden Lord. This game, like very few others, will keep me coming back to play it for years to come with my only regret that I can only play Elden Ring for the first time once.”
Zach
“Elden Ring was a very weird game for me. Everything I saw before its release looked like a game that I would absolutely love. It looked like an upgraded, new “Skyrim”, with a huge variety of loot and enemies, and a huge map with tons of secrets to explore. The flip-side was the trepidation I had with any souls-like game. I had dabbled into Bloodborne, Demon’s Souls, and Dark Souls 1-3, but never got too far into any of them. The difficulty always ended up winning.
When I first started Elden Ring, it felt like more of the same after the tutorial. I think we all got baited by that very first tree sentinel and kudos to the veterans that could beat him immediately. Honestly the only thing that kept me going in Elden Ring was the fact that I paid for it. Had it been a Gamepass game it would’ve been a lot easier to just uninstall it and move along. I have to say that I’m ecstatic that it didn’t come to that. I tinkered with a lot of the classes and settled on maining a pure mage build. In the 60-80 hours that I played I fell in love with the beauty of the world and the game. While I usually had an ally or NPC to help on the major bosses, I never felt there was anything that was insurmountable and I could pinpoint my errors to why I died. Nothing felt unfair and there was constant growth as I delved deeper into the world. I still haven’t “finished” the game yet, but I can say with confidence that Elden Ring isn’t just one of the best games of 2022, but one of the best games of all-time. I have recently re-installed the game on my Series X and will either try to finish my mage’s journey or restart with a more melee focused tarnished.”
Nate
“Elden Ring simply landed with an earth shattering blow that not only changed how souls fans viewed souls games, but has surely impacted how many games will be crafted in the future. The sheer openness and agency that this game provides is simply unparalleled for games of this magnitude and will act as a North star for future developers to point to when arguing against publisher demands and focus group data that push for games to include more hand-holding. The removal of player choice and agency from many big-budget, AAA experiences was one of the greatest pitfalls of modern gaming, and Elden Ring has dealt it a crushing blow. Its vast world felt endless while at the same time feeling overwhelmingly dense with things to battle and discover. This game is quite simply a masterpiece.”
Eric
“A clear favourite this year, and by far my game of the year, Elden Ring is such a sublime experience. With over 130 hours in a single playthrough and an incalculable amount of deaths, I can say for sure that this game is one of the greatest video games ever created. Its gorgeous yet terrifying vistas, the sense of loneliness, exploration, and wonder that constantly feeds the desire to return to The Lands Between, and the incredible level and world design, all work together to create something beautiful, mysterious, and unforgettable. There aren’t enough superlatives to convey my love for this game, and it even made it hard to play anything else after rolling credits. The combat is sublime, and From Software’s ability to throw challenge after challenge and have you learn, grow, die and repeat is something at which they continue to excel. Elden Ring is firmly placed in my top-10 all time games and is one I’ll not soon forget.”
Elliot
“My personal surprise hit of the year, Vampire Survivors was a game that sprung up on me last minute. Not only does this game deliver a really unique and fun experience, it has a lot of depth to it the further you advance through it. Now that it is on mobile devices, I can now slay monsters on my commute, at home, and in the office while my manager writes me up for playing too much Vampire Survivors on company time.”
Steve
“I first experienced Vampire Survivors while watching a Twitch stream of the early access version. The game looked fun, but seemingly shallow. When the game was officially released in 2022, many of the early access content creators took another look at it. The 1.0 release added such an enormous amount of content that the game was barely recognizable. It’s an uncommon event when a game brings out that FOMO feeling in me, but Vampire Survivors was pulling at my core, begging me to play it. But I couldn’t. I watched streamers high-end gaming rigs barely be able to chug through the final few minutes of the game, and I knew my 6-year-old laptop would have no chance. Saying I was excited is an understatement when I learned Vampire Survivors was not only announced for the Xbox but as a Game Pass title.
Vampire Survivors will not win anything because of its graphics, storyline, or next-generation polish. What Vampire Survivors brings to the table is pure, unadulterated fun. The dopamine injection into the brain goes from a nice slow drip up to a firehouse blasting your insular cortex. I cannot recall a game that I’ve played as an adult that is so enjoyable I just want to keep playing ALL. THE. TIME. The developers of Vampire Survivors were also nice enough to announce a mobile version of the game so I can keep my portable happy maker in my pocket. We need more games like Vampire Survivors – games that don’t worry about being an epic story or having groundbreaking lighting technology. Let’s just have fun with video games again.”
Nate
“Another sequel that goes above and beyond the scope of what Zero Dawn gave us back on the PlayStation 4. Wide open spaces, dense jungles, and fields of mechanical monsters aiming to kill you. Forbidden West took what worked in Zero Dawn, changed a bit of it up, and made a thoroughly enjoyable combat system. Now that we have some additional content on the way, I need to fight through the machinery again to prepare for the next oncoming threat!”
Steve
“There are many things I loved about Horizon: Forbidden West, but the one that sticks with me is the character development afforded to Aloy in this, her second adventure. Earnest and heroic though she was in Zero Dawn, I didn’t find her particularly likable, as she flat-out refused to appreciate the company and assistance of those around her. But seeing the warrior’s respect she shared with Kotallo, the comfort and tough love she gave to Beta, and the quick friendship she struck up with Alva all brought a smile to my face. I was legitimately overjoyed hearing her ask Alva when she would see her again, a monumental step for a character who seemed not to need or want the company of anyone in the first game. The huge battles, amazing new locales, and improved combat were all important, but the kinder and friendlier Aloy was the most enjoyable part of this journey.”
Bryan
“I’ll always feel bad about Guerrilla Games’ unfortunate timing of releasing their open-world games around the same time as industry-shaking all time greats. But sucky timing shouldn’t come at the expense of praising their accomplishments, especially with a much improved sequel like “Horizon: Forbidden West”. It improves on everything “Horizon: Zero Dawn” did, providing one of the best open world games in the pre-”Elden Ring” template, while showcasing the power of the PlayStation 5. While I may have not connected with Aloy’s story like the previous game’s more personal tale, the bonkers sci-fi tale it weaves was still fascinating, and I can’t wait to see how Guerilla Games continues to shape this massively underappreciated franchise for the next entry.”
Alex
“As someone who remembers playing a lot of “TMNT: Turtles in Time” back in the day, I can’t think of a more pitch perfect recreation of old school beat-em ups than “TMNT Shredder’s Revenge.” Developer Tribute Games’ wild reverence to the arcade masterpieces can be seen and felt from the jump. How they are able to mix their button-mashy origins with a little bit more skill provided me some of the most non-stop fun I had with a game this year. The fact it’s one of the few games I could play via couch co-op with my family at a time where couch co-op is going to the wayside is a massive plus as well. I can’t wait to see them take on another arcade beat-em up classic. Maybe X-Men?”
Alex
“TMNT Shredder’s Revenge is an easy one for me. It practically perfected the classic beat-em-up formula from the arcade titles I grew up with. My friends and I spent several nights just going through the game, smashing The Foot, and having a ton of laughs along the way. I can only hope Tribute Games is afforded other licenses to create more games in the same vein.”
Ains
“When I first heard about Shredder’s Revenge being in development, my childhood flashed before my eyes. All of those memories of taking down the foot clan in the arcades and at home made me excited for the possibilities. After noticing that Dotemu was involved, straight off of their success with the amazing Streets of Rage 4, I was even more elated. But what if they messed it all up?
Thankfully, instead of missing the mark, Shredder’s Revenge became not only a worthy successor to the original TMNT and Turtles in Time arcade games, but it actually surpassed them. The music is incredible and nostalgic; the animations, full of all sorts of little touches, and even wall splats, are delivered with attentive love and care; and the gameplay feels tight and full of tools that encourage creativity and style. There are plenty of stages that will plaster a smile on any Ninja Turtle-lovers face, and there are plenty of secrets and unlockables to boot.
Being that it is an “old-school” game, some gamers might be apprehensive to place Shredder’s Revenge alongside the triple-A heavy hitters, seeing it as little more than a quality love-letter to a time gone by. But as the one who penned the review for Seasoned Gaming, I was all too happy to nunchuck-smash a proper, perfect score to one of the greatest games available in 2022. It’s that good, and the only proof one needs is to fire up a pizza-powered play session before inevitably confessing, “I love being a Turtle!”
Patrick
“Dead Space was my first horror experience that gave me terror when I first played it. Once the IP died, it left a hole that’s laid dormant for nine years. Callisto was the first title to re-fill that space. Developed by the same masterful creator of the original Dead Space, Callisto Protocol features sci-fi environments, grotesque and macabre creatures, cheeky jump scares, and a linear story that starts simple and grows like a crescendo to an explosive and compelling end. Callisto is flawed, yes, but its level and audio design is unmatched. If you love Horror the way I do, I am sure that the introduction to this dark and grim world will leave you reeling for more, with a satisfying urge to crush more biophages with your baton and GRP your way to a sequel. Callisto was my most anticipated game of 2022, and in my personal opinion, it lived up to my expectations and is my favorite Horror related release of this year.”
Zach
“Callisto Protocol was one of my most anticipated titles of the year. While it didn’t live up to my admittedly sky-high expectations, I had a lot of fun with it. It presented a fantastic horror atmosphere with excellent sound design that set the tone throughout. While it won’t win any awards, it also told a story that built well throughout and sets the foundation for the IP in the future. Perhaps most notably for me, it had an intangible quality that kept bringing me back right through the ending. For a first outing, Striking Distance Studios created a game I really enjoyed.”
Ains
“We were promised with “The Callisto Protocol” a game that could go back to the kind of survival horror action game “Dead Space” used to deliver, and it’s exactly what we got, just with a different vibe. If you were expecting the game to just be literally “Dead Space”, it’s easy to feel slightly disappointed as this game is something else. The game’s focus on its crunchy melee combat provides a nice contrast to other survival horror games, and while it can get pretty unforgiving at times, the trial and error leading to success provides the classic thrills and frills I always associate with old school survival horror games. Now that the survival horror genre is seeing some of its greatest years, I hope “The Callisto Protocol” keeps growing into a legit contender to stand with the greats, specially with such a promising start.”
Alex
“This was actually the first Kirby game I had ever played and will go down as one of the most memorable experiences of my life for the simple fact that it is the first game I ever pre-ordered, booted up day one, and completed the entire thing in co-op with my daughter. It’s the first game I had ever seen her show excitement to play, and it brings a smile to my face just thinking about her reaction to it.
The game itself is a very fun family experience especially if played with young children. The co-op mode allows the person playing Kirby (my daughter) to be the focal point, while player two (me) can play as a lowly Waddle Dee and take care of all the pesky boss battles and platforming that is tricky for a five-year old. This, of course, was all while seeing the utter joy in her eyes and being reminded of what gaming is supposed to be. The trademark Nintendo “New Donk City” aesthetic is also really well done here making it one of the nicest looking switch releases. I’ll remember this game forever.”
Eric
“In any other year God of War Ragnarok would win Game of the Year. Where Elden Ring boldly treks forward In opposition to how action adventure games were, God of War is perhaps the finest encapsulation we have ever seen of how action adventure games are. The presentation is at the peak of our industry and its ensemble cast is one of the best we have seen. Capped off by one of the best character arcs I have ever experienced in gaming with Kratos, the God of War story is simply one I will always remember. On top of this the Combat is a stark improvement over the original, with many more options to customize your build. Overall it’s an excellent and well crafted experience.”
Eric
“Big budget, incredibly highly anticipated, and the follow up to a game that sits high in my top 10 of all time, Ragnarok was bound to be a blockbuster. Although at this stage I still haven’t completed it, and I have my qualms with the pacing and sometimes the puzzle solving, I cannot get past just how much of a joy this game is to play and to look at. Incredible performances by Christopher Judge and Danielle Bisutti in particular really bring these phenomenal characters to life. The team at Santa Monica Studio are top of the industry for triple-A storytelling and direction. As difficult as a sequel can be to live up to the success of the first, Ragnarok nails it with improvements to gameplay, interesting changes to the worlds you explore, and a host of exciting surprises of which I’m sure I’ve yet to see the last.”
Elliot
“A game that entered my life at the perfect time definitely deserves to be mentioned. Encompassing two games into a single package, Ragnarok gave me everything I wanted out of a sequel to one of my favorite games of all time. An enthralling story, great characters, and combat that makes you feel like a god.”
Steve
“As someone who considers 2018’s “God of War” his second favorite game of all time, I was skeptical that “God of War Ragnarok” could meet or surpass my expectations. I was hoping it’d be more of a game I absolutely loved and nothing more. I was surprised when I found a game more epic than the one before, with much improved combat, and even stronger emotional resonance. Kratos’ and Atreus journey about setting down their own path and defying fate kept me glued to the screen, and the level of emotional catharsis the game’s most emotional moments delivered for me touched my heart in ways I never expected a “God of War” game to ever make me feel. Even with some pacing issues more obvious than the previous game, the strengths and emotional pull of “God of War: Ragnarok”, and its incredible highs, makes it my favorite game of 2022.”
Alex
“After you get over the fact that developer Ben Esposito’s follow up to the magnificent Donut County does not contain any Donuts, you are left with what is essentially Titanfall 2’s Gauntlet Run: The Game. However, this moniker sells Neon White short as on top of the breakneck “Shoot-Kour” gameplay you are also given some beautiful artwork and compelling characters. Sprinkle in one of the year’s best soundtracks from electronic punk band Machine Girl and you have yourself quite possibly the year’s shiniest hidden gem.”
Eric
“One of the most unique but also enjoyable experiences for me this year, Pentiment took a simple design feature and used it to tell a memorable story that sat with me long after finishing it. Its commentary on life, the passing of time, aging, and family was something you don’t often get in games but really resonated with me. When combined with the incredible art direction and historical setting, I truly enjoyed my time with Pentiment.”
Ains
“As a huge fan of A Plague Tale Innocence, I was incredibly excited for Requiem’s release this year. With an apparently bigger budget, and an expanded story, this could mean some great things. Although the game maybe doesn’t take as many risks as it could with its storytelling, I really love this game and the world in which its set. Amicia de Rune is such a wonderful protagonist. Her anger, fury, and complete one-mindedness to protect her little brother is a powerful performance and brutal at times.
Requiem is violent and bloody in its gameplay, with some excellent stealth and a constant fear of failure, and the level design is hugely expanded from the original game in a way that really blew me away. One of the best looking games of 2022, Asobo really impressed me with their art direction and graphical fidelity, and Olivier Deriviere’s score was a huge highlight as well after his stellar work on the original title.”
Elliot
“I enjoyed Plague Tale Innocence and always felt that with a few improvements the sequel could be something special. Asobo executed exactly that, and it resulted in one of my top games of the year. Requiem has broader level design, a story that builds further upon Innocence, new combat mechanics, and it all culminates in an absolutely wild ride. Add to that a beautiful soundtrack, some of the best sound direction I’ve ever heard in a game, and a touching ending, and you have an experience I won’t soon forget.”
Ains
“The most unabashedly fun game I have played all year, “Evil West” hearkens back to the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 era of wild ideas existing in-between the big AAA bangers and the experimental indie. The game’s Steampunk/Wild Wild West style mixed with Van Helsing provided a unique hook to unleash some bloody vampire fun. The game’s fun mix and match of third-person shooter and God of War style combat never ceased to be a frolicking good time even when it dared to kick your ass. The bloody mayhem of using your Tesla-included gauntlet, pulling vampires up close and personal, blasting them with a shotgun, and sticking them with a grenade that creates an electricity tornado can’t be beat. I really hope Focus Home Interactive and Flying Wild Hog finds success and give us a sequel!”
Alex
“Five years into its lifespan, “Destiny 2” may no longer be the bright and shiny, and some elements like its current seasonal model need some refreshing. But amidst some malaise, when it comes to the big content, “Destiny 2: The Witch Queen” saw Bungie deliver Destiny’s most stellar campaign, getting close to rivaling some of their best campaign design since the “Halo” days. With the introduction of the scalable “Legendary” difficulty, the campaign pushed the boundaries of Destiny’s stellar combat and reward loop, and it provided such a nice proof of concept to where Bungie can take its design chops for the future of their ongoing live-service shooter. The rest of the game needs now to catch up to the stellar quality of its campaign which is something I can recommend even to non-Destiny fans.”
Alex
“Destiny is always going to hold a special place in my heart even if I don’t spend all my life playing it. Here, Bungie did an amazing job with creating this haunted world, pulling us deeper into one of the richest narratives to come from a games as a service title. Destiny has evolved from a game into a lifestyle that people identify with. The Witch Queen solidifies itself as an ever important step in the fight against the mysterious Hive and those that provide it power.”
Steve
“After two lackluster expansions, Blizzard came back swinging hard with Dragonflight. This latest expansion is a return to form for the team, going back to basics by removing large grinds for borrowed power and putting the focus on gear and doing what you want. Blizzard gave the players the reigns, giving us the ability to fly dragons around the new environments with blazing fast speeds that feels so good that I hope it sticks around forever. I cannot talk about the best games of the year without mentioning this amazing step towards the right direction.”
Steve
“Blizzard Entertainment, or perhaps more specifically the World of Warcraft franchise as a whole, is one massive tanker ship of an IP. An IP that has long since found itself in rough waters. With the release of WoW Classic in 2019, and monumental success that followed, a north star was placed firmly in the sky to guide the troubled MMO home. However, a ship that big takes a long time to change course. After Three years of promising updates, World of Warcraft: Dragonflight finally sees the S.S Azeroth break the storm and chart a course to back to the game that changed the world of MMOs nearly twenty years ago.
The restrictive, template class design is gone in favor of a robust and varied talent system giving players much more agency. The dreaded “Borrowed Power” systems that had plagued the game for the past six years are gone in favor of doubling down on things that made the old game great including improved factions, improved professions, and rewarding exploration. Dragon-riding is such a fantastic feature that makes traversal incredibly fun which is great due to the Dragon Isles being one of the most beautiful continents we’ve ever seen. There are many more great additions, however the most important thing is that it shows that no matter how off course a game may stray, it can go home again…even without a Temporal Discombobulator.”
Eric
“I really love decision-based narrative games and As Dusk Falls was such a stellar example of this genre. Its unique art style and the gripping story of family, mistakes, and regret had me on the edge of my seat throughout its relatively short yet perfectly paced play time. There aren’t many games that I immediately go back to after completion to see the other side of a decision, or to see how paths can actually branch, but As Dusk Falls was one of those games. Completing two playthroughs, with almost entirely different endings, character deaths, and learning brand new information that was missed in the first run, really gave me a greater love for this title. The performances by all the characters were excellent, and the way it’s presented in a hand painted style really allowed nuance to shine through. I’m a sucker for a game with a flow chart at the end of an episode, and they nailed the ‘what if?’ hook that made me go back to it a second time round.”
Elliot
“I would be willing to bet that I play more mobile games than the average gamer. I do tend to stay away from the standard-fare F2P offerings but there are a few gems to be found. I tried out Marvel Snap with the expectation that I would play for a few days during the introductory period where free mobile games try to set their hooks in you and then ultimately move along. Marvel Snap would not allow itself to be ignored. The quick matches and non-punishing escape system truly make it the perfect design for mobile games. Snap’s progression is very fast in the beginning and slows down as you advance in collector’s level, but it never feels stagnant. The myriad of different locations and deck possibilities keep each match feeling fresh and I’ve personally never felt like I was purely over-matched because someone paid their way to a win with better cards.
Mobile games also need to be forgiving if real life needs some attention and Snap allows you to escape from a match if you must leave or if your loss is imminent. Losing one or two cubes is almost meaningless as it’s very easy to earn four or eight back in your next match. Of course, there’s monetization in Snap and it can provide access to higher level cards earlier, but everything in the game is obtainable for free other than some cosmetic variants. Right now Snap is as close to perfection as a free mobile game can be in my opinion. It will be interesting to see if the team can maintain the pace and interest through season events and new characters.”
Nate
“Saying I don’t play mobile games is no understatement. I think the last mobile game I played even briefly was Angry Birds on my iphone 4. Yeah. I was recommended Marvel Snap by my Bitcast cohosts along with an excellent review by Eric and sure enough, it stuck. It’s an incredibly well-designed game with quick matches, mechanics that vary every match to keep things fresh, and an engaging progression model. For a free-to-play game, it’s also very generous. This was one of the biggest surprises of 2022 to me and I highly recommend it to anyone!”
Ains
“Fortnite is popular, yes, we all know it is. I’m mentioning it on my list simply because 2022 was a year when I really jumped into the Fortnite frenzy. One of the biggest improvements for Fortnite came recently. Season 4 launched and was headlined by their completely overhauled graphics engine. I’ve enjoyed Fortnite with random players, other adult friends, and even my 5-year-old son. We’ve managed a handful of duos wins and just sharing the excitement and bonding time with him is amazing. 2022 also introduced the no-build version of the game back in March. Building was one of the main reasons that I never wanted to play Fortnite in the past. Collecting materials felt like a slog and the skill needed to build while shooting and dodging was simply beyond my comprehension. Fortnite isn’t going away and I’m happy about that. The Video Game Awards have a best ongoing game award every year, and I decided to do the same with my personal list.”
Nate
““Sonic Frontiers” is legitimately the most surprising game I played all year. Leading up to it, I expected the game to be terrible which would have been par for the course for 3D Sonic games as the past two decades has trained us. That’s without mentioning the calls by the fanbase to delay it after the first gameplay showing. Clashing with Sega’s insistence it wouldn’t be delayed felt like a train-wreck waiting to happen. So color me surprised to eventually get my hands on it and finding that, after two decades, Sega finally figured out how to make Sonic feel good to play in 3D. The sense of speed as seen in videos doesn’t properly convey how good the game feels to play. Eventually upgrading Sonic’s speed and chaining his movements as you go through the open world is one of this year’s most fun traversal mechanics. Even with some typical Sonic issues still hovering over the game like a Sword of Damocles (atrocious pop in, fidgety camera to name a few), it finally feels like Sega found the best template to lead the Blue Hedgehog into a path of true greatness. The bones feel sturdy enough, it’s time to clean up the meat!”
Alex
“Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is the biggest game of the year. There’s no surprise there. But while the campaign and multiplayer are generally well-regarded, it’s all about Warzone 2.0 for me. Warzone 2 is a modern marvel of technical achievement. It features an impossibly big map, 150 players, and a range of vehicles that creates one of the most chaotic sandboxes in all of gaming. And it does it all with crossplay, cross-progression, and an interesting unlock and battle pass system, and more. Where Battlefield 2042 failed in providing a larger-scale war, Warzone 2.0 succeeds. When combined with the more tactical matches including looting and movement priority, it’s one of my favorite experiences of the year which I’ll be playing well into 2023.”
Ains
“As the “Call of Duty” franchise finally moves on from its relentless annualization, I can’t imagine a stronger entry to tide fans over more than Infinity Ward’s “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2”. While I didn’t fully love the campaign (though it had some great moments), the thing people come to the franchise for is the strongest it’s been in years. I’ve lost sleep to the “just one more match” mentality of its competitive multiplayer. The Spec Ops is finally good again after missing the mark with the 2019 game (and gets continuously added to). And all the changes to Warzone and its new DMZ mode have been really nice to dabble in here and there. After having been the “campaign guy” over close to a decade, “Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2” has got me back!”
Alex
“This is a game that I’m sure many haven’t played, but I cannot recommend it enough. Citizen Sleeper is a dialogue and prose-heavy narrative RPG with elements of table-top gaming and dice rolls, but it is so much more than just that. Set on a space station in a sombre future, and playing as a cybernetic humanoid who is looked down upon as sub-human, the stories that unfold in Citizen Sleeper are so emotive and beautiful, and are so superbly written, that I was entranced from the very beginning. To choose between eating and basic survival rather than progressing important missions with time running out, to helping a father and daughter find their freedom over making money to hopefully win yours, this game causes you to stop and think about every choice that comes your way. The music so beautifully captivates the sense of desolation for your character, and the stunning character artwork turns text into moments of real emotion in such a simple way. Play Citizen Sleeper, that’s all I can ask.”
Elliot
“Chained Echoes is the late comer to the 2022 GOTY party having been released on December 8th . I wish I had the time to finish this gem of a game before writing this, but the time I’ve spent in Chained Echoes has been nothing but nostalgic and spectacular. I am an unabashed fan of the Super Nintendo and specifically the incredible library of JRPGs that call the SNES home (FFIV, FFVI, Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, and Illusion of Gaia to name a few). Chained Echoes fits right there alongside those games and is an incredible entry to the pantheon of JRPG greats. Mechanically, the game is flawless. Battles are quick and you recover your health and skill points are recovered after each one. The game offers a customizable class system and a grid of side quests and tasks to earn additional rewards.
While I’ve only completed about 25-30% of the game, there’s nothing I could foresee happening that would negatively impact my opinion of this title. What makes Chained Echoes even more amazing is that it was developed by a single person. It baffles me that someone can code, write, and create sprites for an entire game and have it turn out amazing. The only portions of the game that Matthias Linda didn’t do himself was the musical score and some of the background graphics. It’s also Deck13’s second SNES-styled JRPG to grace consoles. The other, Crosscode, is equally worthy of praise. Chained Echoes is my current obsession and I truly hope this game doesn’t fly under the radar.”
Nate
“One of the most captivating experiences I have ever had with a video game, and a stunning example of what just one person can do with unlimited creative freedom. On its surface the game presents itself as an exceptionally atmospheric Escape Room / Card Game / Rogue Lite Hybrid. But once you dig a bit deeper it evolves into one of the most surreal and immersive narratives I’ve experienced. While this surreal narrative is likely more than enough for the game to be a success, the sheer depth and ingenuity of the card game at hand is what pushes it over the top for me. There really is nothing else quite like Inscryption.”
Eric
“Immortality is seemingly a title that has been largely overlooked. And that’s despite being recognized across the industry, including The Game Awards, for notable awards such as Best Performance and even Game of the Year. Sadly, it may be the combination of mystery and FMV mechanics that have limited its visibility, but that certainly shouldn’t detract from what I’m told is a brilliant experience.
While I’m still early as of this writing, it’s clear that Manon Gage gives a superb performance. The sense of mystery and knowing there is more to the story than meets the eye is intriguing, and I’m excited to continue unraveling the yarn over the coming weeks.”
Ains
“Back-to-back mobile game mentions in a GOTY discussion, unheard of I know. Super Auto Pets (SAP) is another game that looks too simple to warrant any sort of meaningful discussion. You create a team of emoji animals and every round you fight against another team of emoji animals. It sounds silly, it looks silly, but believe me when I say that this game has depth and tactics that will surprise players.
SAP is an asynchronous auto-battler where you must manage limited funds each round to build your team. Animals will create synergies with each other and your team must have a theme to succeed. If SAP has any faults, it’s that your success is tied directly to the randomness of your shop, and the randomness of the teams that you are forced to fight against. This is another game that is perfect for the mobile platform since it saves to the server every time you fight or access the shop. SAP has also had multiple major updates to increase the number of animals and there’s a weekly pack of animals that rotates so you can experience new interactions that aren’t available in the regular packs.”
Nate
“I mean comon, it’s me and it’s Halo. 2022 was certainly a year for Halo Infinite. After a extraordinary launch, the mood around Halo Infinite soured and it became clear that 343 Industries was not well-prepared for live-service management. That followed with continued turbulence for months and leadership changes at one of Xbox’s premiere studios.
All of that said, Halo Infinite is ending 2022 on a high note. The team(s) at 343i have sped up fixes and releases, and quite a lot of content was delivered in the latter half of the year. Combine that with fun free events, a very successful year for the Halo Championship Series, and the incredible new Forge/custom game suite, and Halo Infinite is entering 2023 on much more stable ground.”
Ains
“Yes, a lot of the discourse surrounding “The Last of Us: Part 1” this year has been beaten to death at this point. Yes, here is a remake of a game that received a remaster already in 2014. Yes, here is a remake being priced at $69.99 without it’s multiplayer mode thus questioning the value. And yes, this is one of the best things I played in 2022 because the work Naughty Dog did to update their most acclaimed masterpiece is one that’s actually going underappreciated.
Despite what people may think about the Remastered version of 2014, there are aspects about it gameplay wise that don’t hold up (specially the messy melee combat, which is way more fluid in the remake). “The Last of Us: Part II” towered over the original when it came to overall look and fluidity, and a lot of those elements got added to “Part 1” which you can feel it in how it plays even with the lack of Part II’s dodge and prone mechanics. Considering the divisive nature of Part II’s overall narrative, “The Last of Us: Part 1” gave me the chance to play the better narrative with the latter game’s beauty and fluidity, and going forward this is how I will always re-experience Naughty Dog’s magnum opus.”
Alex
