- It was a big year for games, even as the industry continues to face a lot of upheaval. But before I get into that, first thing's first: I finally got a PS5 this year! As 2022 wore on, it finally became not-impossible to get Sony's next-generation console - which was great news for those of us eager to play proper versions of this year's big new games like Horizon: Forbidden West and God of War: Ragnarok. It was nice to finally be part of the conversation when it came to PS5, and the console - along with a new OLED TV - also finally allowed me to experience 4K gaming and TV/movie watching, which was pretty sweet (I'm still reeling from watching Top Gun: Maverick on a 4K disc - wow!). It will be interesting to see if Sony, now that its latest console is more widely available following pandemic-era shortages, will once again assert dominance over the gaming market like it did during the PS2 era.
Sony may have a bit of a fight on its hands though to stay at the top. This year, Microsoft continued to buy up major developers - and while we've yet to see many fruits of all these new teams under the XBOX banner - major games like Bethesda's Skyrim-in-space epic Starfield, (potentially) coming out next year, are going to push some gamers to make the leap. Of course, with the current popularity of the Steamdeck console and its ability to bring high-end PC gaming to the masses, it may ultimately be a moot point for Microsoft. Nintendo, meanwhile, is facing an aging but still popular Switch console. Thanks to the continued wave of great indie games that play well on Switch - as well as Nintendo's first party lineup of exclusive games still being relatively strong - the Switch is in surprisingly solid shape even in 2022. And of course, a new Legend of Zelda game - the long awaited Breath of the Wild sequel - is set for 2023. So there's at least something left in that Switch tank. But when will Nintendo unveil a new console? Certainly, one of the big questions for the games industry going into 2023. As for Sony, they continue to thrive thanks to a combination of great third party games as well as their own in-house lineup of killer apps. Sony dropped a knockout one-two punch in 2022 of new God of War and Horizon games, and 2023 looks to be another big year - with Spider-Man 2, among other big exclusives. I've long been Team Playstation due to Sony's continued commitment to publishing great single-player adventure games - my videogame bread and butter - so we'll see if I start getting any console envy for XBOX in 2023.
Of course, one of the biggest games of 2022 was From Software's Elden Ring. It's been fascinating to see the gradual growth in popularity of the "Soulsbourne" series of games - that began with the Demon's Soul / Dark Souls franchise, and then continued with other From Software games like Bloodbourne and Sekiro. These games tend to be long, opaque, and extremely challenging - so I've been intimidated in terms of really trying to get into them. I gave Bloodbourne a try years ago, but just couldn't devote the time to really try to master it, and gave up in frustration. Still, I got caught up this year in the Elden Ring hype. Not only did the game incredible reviews, but it had a world created in part by Game of Thrones' George RR Martin. How could I pass it up? I'm still in the very early stages of the game, but I think I'm starting to "get it" and am eager to play more. We'll see if I am eventually able to fully jump onboard the bandwagon.
More naturally my speed are narrative based games, and 2022 saw some really cool ones. Immortality revived the mostly dormant "interactive movie" genre with an uber-compelling supernatural mystery - where the key to solving it was wading through hundreds of clips from old movies, interviews, and footage to discern what really happened to a disappeared actress. I also loved "the cat game," Stray, which saw you play as a cat as you explore a gorgeously-realized post-apocalyptic cyberpunk world. Then there's The Case of the Golden Idol - a brilliantly conceived mystery game that makes you feel like a regular Benoit Blanc. It's really cool to see the kinds of original, highly-imaginative interactive experiences that games - including the better-than-ever indie games space - are now providing.
Finally, in recent years I talked about how much games helped me deal with the pandemic. Even though I was stuck indoors, I was able to experience all kinds of interactive adventures. This year, games helped me again in a similar way. As I've mentioned in previous posts, the second half of 2022 saw me dealing with various health issues related to Long COVID. There were long stretches where doing much of anything would make me dizzy or lightheaded, and it was difficult for me to go out, see friends, etc. Luckily, videogames didn't seem to trigger my symptoms, and once again, they were a great escape and a great way to manage my anxiety. A lot of my gaming time this past year was taken up by finally finishing one of last year's top games, Psychonauts 2. That game's premise - exploring the insides of people's minds and ridding them of toxicity - proved especially resonant this past year.
I may struggle to find time to play all the games I'd like these days, but I remain passionate about games as a medium. A shout-out, as always, to the fine folks at the Triple Click podcast - who always keep me feeling plugged-in and excited about the latest and greatest industry goings-on. In any case, I still enjoy trying to spread that passion to others, so here are my picks for 2022.
DANNY'S BEST GAMES OF THE YEAR:
1.) Horizon: Forbidden West
- To me, the promise of a new Horizon game was my system-seller for the PS5 - and when I finally got the new console this year, I made a point to purchase the bundle with Horizon: Forbidden West packed in. While it was always going to be hard to top the novelty of the first game's wild post-post-apocalyptic premise, this sequel makes up for a perhaps overly-familiar plot with the sheer wonder of its world and the pure awesomeness of its combat-based gameplay. The game looks amazing on the PS5 - pushing the boundaries of open-world game graphics with incredibly-rendered landscapes. I love the verticality and wide-open nature of the gameplay (as opposed to the more grounded gameplay of, say, God of War). And the combat improves upon the first game to feel smoother, cleaner, and crunchier. It was a pleasure to play as Aloy again, and I'm excited to play a lot more of this one in the year ahead.
2.) God of War: Ragnarok
- Even though I was a huge fan of the original God of War games, I loved the way that Sony evolved the franchise for the modern era. The combat became weightier, the story became much more textured, and the world much more immersive. Now, this new sequel gives us more of what made the previous God of War one of the defining console games of the last ten years - and that's pretty much what we all wanted. The combat once again feels great, the story again features great stuff from Game Award-winning voice actor Christopher Judge as Kratos, and the eye-popping visuals are absolutely second to none. Triple-A gaming at its finest.
3.) Elden Ring
- As I said above, I'm still trying to level myself up so I can give Elden Ring a real go of it. But even in my novice state, I can still appreciate the massive achievement that is this game. From Software doesn't handhold, and that makes the sense of discovery and mystery something truly special and unique.
4.) Stray
- I had a lot of fun exploring the broken-down, hauntingly derelict cities of Stray. Somehow, playing as an incredibly life-like cat - but wandering through a city devoid of other organic lifeforms - proved an extremely potent combo. A wonderful showpiece game, this one is a great game to show non-gamers - the perfect example of what videogames, at their most creative, can be.
5.) Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
- If, like me, you grew up on the classic beat-'em-up arcade games put out by Konami - then this new, retro-styled TMNT game was a slice of nostalgic 90's heaven. It looks and plays exactly as you'd hope it would, but with plenty of modern upgrades and conveniences. So grab a buddy and relive your childhood - this one is undoubtedly "cowabunga!"-worthy.
6.) The Case of the Golden Idol
- I discovered this PC mystery game thanks to the enthusiastic recommendation of Triple Click, and I've really enjoyed the time I've spent with it. The game creates the illusion of being a master detective, by having you solve mysteries in a sort of Mad Libs style - piecing together who did what, how they did it, and why. It's simple yet brilliant.
7.) Kirby and the Forgotten Land
- Believe it or not, this was my first-ever Kirby game - but I really enjoyed my first foray into one of Nintendo's most storied franchises. The game is a 3D platformer in classic Nintendo style, and, as you might expect, it's incredibly creative, whimsical, and fun. In this one, Kirby can swallow up all kinds of enemies - taking on their various powers/abilities as he does - which leads to constantly shifting gameplay elements. It's a breezy, delightful game.
8.) Immortality
- I still remember, as a kid, how cool it seemed when games began incorporating the then-new technology of "full-motion video" in order to create interactive movie experiences. That genre sort of fizzled, and was seen as a near-forgotten relic of the 90's. But lately, it's making a comeback, with games like Immortal telling interactive stories in really cool and interesting ways. This one's got an awesomely creepy and mysterious atmosphere and really sucks you in. More like this, please.
9.) Rollerdome
- This game's striking, minimalist art style immediately grabbed me - as did its futuristic setting and Rollerball-like premise of Tony Hawk meets Twisted Metal. Skating around in an arena while engaged in fast-paced death matches is a lot of fun, and the unique aesthetic and vibe only adds to the experience.
10.) Perfect Tides
- Perfect Tides is a late addition to my list - a game I dove into after seeing it pop up on others' Best of the Year rankings. I'm glad I gave it a try - this is a classic, retro-styled point and click adventure game (which I love), but with a unique narrative and setting. This game sees you play as a 16 year old girl circa the year 2000 - who lives in an isolated island community - and it's got a heavy vibe of Millennial nostalgia for the Y2K era. With interesting characters as well as humor mixed with real emotional weight, this is a unique indie game that I definitely recommend.
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