My gaming resolution for 2022 was to play more new releases, and I’m excited to say that for the first time since writing at The Punished Backlog, my Game of the Year list actually includes games of said year. So, without further ado, here’s my spoiler-free list of my favorite games of 2022.
Before I get into my top 10…
Games I Started But Didn’t Finish (and Quick Thoughts as to Why)
- Elden Ring: I gave this game 20 hours and was delighted by the player messages and the freedom to explore with a guidance-less map, but I didn’t enjoy the grindy combat, the graphics, or the lack of a pause feature (people have messy lives, please respect my time). I’m happy for the people who love Elden Ring. Maybe I’ll try it again next year, but if I’m going to go to another RPG on my backlog, I’ll probably try that new Witcher 3 update.
- Tunic: This fox is hella cute but I felt both the world exploration and the combat were a drag.
- Neon White: Addicting movement and gameplay, but story didn’t excite me enough to play scores of puzzle speed-running levels.
10. Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon Forbidden West was my Biggest Gaming Disappointment of 2022. I truly loved the world, journey, and characters of Guerilla’s 2017 release Horizon Zero Dawn, and had high expectations for the sequel. Forbidden West didn’t just miss them, it hurtled past them with a few major story missteps.
That being said, it is a beautiful game with fun robot dinosaurs to kill. Ashly Burch continues to nail the voice acting for Aloy. I’m rooting for the ragtag bunch to save the world, and I’m still going to play whatever Horizon 3 is called, but next time, I’ll manage my hopes. If you want a big blockbuster open map action adventure game, Horizon Forbidden West is a perfectly fine choice, but stay tuned for my number one pick.
9. Pentiment
I was equal parts frustrated and delighted with Obsidian’s illuminated-manuscript-sim slash murder mystery before I experienced a game-breaking bug. I was curious enough about the ending that I watched the remaining seven hours on a YouTube playthrough. As a result, I still feel good about it being in my top 10, albeit toward the bottom.
While Pentiment doesn’t do anything new in terms of mystery game genre mechanics, it’s a largely successful experiment from a big studio trying something new. The 2D visuals are gorgeous, and conversation choices reign supreme in this engaging, historically authentic story. If you have a capable PC or actually own an Xbox Series X/S, and you have an overwhelming amount of patience for diligently checking locations multiple times for clues to solve a medieval church murder, then you may enjoy Pentiment.
8. Stray
Stray is the best orange cat exploring a dystopian robot city simulator I’ve ever played, but its story has multiple weak stumbling points. I wrote a longer review here about my feelings. The game still makes my top 10 list though because it’s gorgeous and, again, YOU GET TO BE A CAT THAT RIDES IN A BUCKET. I loved curling up in books, finding presents for my robot friends, and scampering up fire escapes. If you love cats, you have to play Stray.
7. NORCO
I just turned in a final for a PhD-level course about disaster narratives regarding New Orleans. My citations included this year’s new documentary Katrina Babies, BeMike’s StudioBe, a piece from Bloomberg CityLab analyzing the city’s working conditions, and NORCO. I could distinctly recognize certain roads, bayous, and neighborhoods in this magical realism/sci-fi version of New Orleans.
NORCO, named for a specific impoverished parish in New Orleans, is a click-and-point narrative adventure. It is an unsettling but beautiful piece of content. NORCO may not capture my reality of living there (I did not have a robot nanny) but it did articulate many truths with complex themes of religion, climate change, eco terrorism, drugs, socioeconomic status, job disparities, and more. You can beat the game in a single weekend. If you want a wondrous and strange story-driven point-and-click adventure game, check out NORCO.
6. Disney Dreamlight Valley
After a difficult day earlier this fall, I had a lovely evening with my friends. I gardened for fresh vegetables with Wall-E and fished with Mickey Mouse so I could cook a meal with Remy to make dinner for Moana. Disney Dreamlight Valley is as adorable as it sounds.
Dreamlight Valley could have settled for passable gameplay and still would’ve sold tons of copies on branding alone, but I’m happy to share that it’s an extremely well-designed game. It emphasizes an ease of joy in its gameplay with straightforward controls and patient time mechanics. The depth of Disney’s worldbuilding and dedication to its art and music is sure to comfort you. My mom is even playing it! If your soul is in need of soothing, play Disney Dreamlight Valley.
5. Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Pokémon Scarlet is just OK so far. The best part of it is getting to explore in co-op with a friend, though I wish it went all the way and let friends battle gyms or the new Team Rocket equivalent together. Perhaps it’s unfair to start a best-of mini-blurb talking about a game to talk about a different game from the same series, but every time I play Pokémon Scarlet, I’m reminded of things I loved about Pokémon Legends: Arceus.
Arceus’s willingness to break the mold delighted me, and what’s more, it surprised me. I’ve felt bored by Pokémon’s formula over the last several years. Arceus empowered players to create different strategies to capture Pokémon (an area where Scarlet/Violet treads backward). It has an actual plot. There’s a variety of satisfying side-quests, an easily navigable map, and a welcoming freedom of expression (read: not being stuck in my stupid Scarlet orange school uniform). Pokémon Legends: Arceus is easily the best Pokémon game of the year, and one of the strongest adventures of 2022.
4. Immortality
I have never played anything like Immortality before, and, frankly, I’m not sure I would want to play anything like it again. This full-motion video game by Sam Barlow (of Her Story fame) and Co. features gorgeous cinematography, excellent acting by actors being actors, and a genuine sense of intrigue and mystery. I think it has a few pitfalls that, to explain, I’d have to give away absolutely everything about this intriguing game, and I really don’t want to do that.
The mesmerizing magic of Immortality is in the player’s journey of discovery. If you want an arthouse game with R-rated content that will make you deep dive into Reddit after finishing it, try Immortality.
3. Citizen Sleeper
Citizen Sleeper does so many things right. This indie narrative perfectly articulates the pervasive loneliness of the pandemic and transforms it into the story of a robot refugee on the edge of the universe. The gameplay cycle is excellently done, a rogue-lite that combines a D&D dice checkpoint system to keep the story ever moving forward. The cyberpunk art is fantastic. I adore the side characters in this game, and spent hours and hours on the space station to see each storyline through. If you want a story-driven game that is highly replayable and made with love, try Citizen Sleeper.
2. Marvel Snap
I’ve never been into deck-building games before, but once I tried Marvel Snap, I was hooked. I’ve bought every season pass and it’s been worth it every time. David was one of the first people I knew to talk about how good this game was, and he correctly predicted that it would blow up. (Which is no small feat. Most branded mobile games suck.) Cards have unique powers, and rotating locations keep each match exciting. The only thing I wish developer Second Dinner would do is add some lore to the card library.
If you want to be distracted for minutes (or hours) and want to feel a rush of pride when you absolutely nail a card combination of superheroes and villains, it’s time to play Marvel Snap.
1. God of War Ragnarök
God of War Ragnarök is the best game I’ve played this year, by far. I was consistently impressed by the amount of meticulous care that has been put into every aspect of the experience.
Especially as compared to Horizon Forbidden West, I see Ragnarök as the gold standard for what we should now expect (or, realistically, at least want) from AAA sequels. Every character in this game is better written (especially all the women) than the first one. Dialogue—both in cutscenes and in passing—is funnier, sharper, and more natural. Combat, still good. Worldbuilding, richer. There’s superb voice acting from both returning actors in Christopher Judge as Kratos and Sunny Suljic as Atreus, as well as new characters with Laya DeLeon Hayes as Angrboda and Richard Schiff as Odin.
I’ll concede that there’s nothing innovative in the combat (and, if I had to complain about anything, there’s too many combos that I just didn’t need), but it’s still fun as hell. It’s also helped by some of the most detailed and thoughtful accessibility settings I’ve ever seen in a video game. Some of the battles have epic set-pieces, so even if the actual fighting can be a bit button-mashy, there’s still delight in landing a combo on a larger-than-god enemy.
As a writing graduate student, I am always analyzing narratives, whether I want to think critically about them or not. While playing Ragnarök, I often thought, “Wow, this is really well-paced” or “This is such a smooth and natural feeling segue into a side quest.” The levels are deftly crafted, quests merging and overlapping, creating a sense of exploration and curiosity that I found absent in 2018’s blockbuster.
God of War Ragnarök‘s engaging, well-balanced action gave me joy and its nuanced story gave me hope, and that’s why it’s my 2022 Game of the Year.
It’s been a tough few years for everyone in our world and in the Nine Realms. Seeing how Kratos and son Atreus evolved during Fimbulwinter, a parallel to our quarantine and pandemic isolation, was inspiring, touching, and cathartic. We are all on our own journeys, and each day has opportunities for us to try again. As one character says:
“We are not who we were. We must be better.”
