Joseph’s Top Games of 2022

As 2022 was one of the busiest years of my life, I was moving often, dealing with new responsibilities, and gaming intermittently. It could be frustrating to leave off playing Elden Ring in the middle of challenging a tough boss only to return rusty and demotivated weeks later, but ultimately, I am happy with my gaming experiences this year as I got to sample a lot of titles, mostly on my Switch, which I can conveniently tote around with me as I travel often for work. In no particular order except the top 3…

Sonic Frontiers

It’s better than expected, but not a classic. Seems that’s the best we can hope for from Sega, who seem to be put on tight deadlines by their parent company, Sammy. This time they nonetheless succeeded, at least conceptually, in delivering an epic-feeling open-world experience to the beloved franchise. The game feels rushed as usual with the final two islands disappointing, but the concept shines through, and I hope they build upon what they’ve established here. 

Mario Kart Tour

I’m no stranger to Mario Kart Tour, as I gave the open beta mixed reviews when it first dropped. I played it a bit upon release, too, but found the monetization and emphasis on random rolls a bit stifling. But in fall 2022, I decided to give the game a third shot and subbed for a couple of months to try out the Battle mode. Unfortunately, the mode was stuck in beta for the first month, but Nintendo really delivered by giving their players some credit as an apology. The change in monetization is also significant, as you can save up and purchase featured drivers, karts, gliders, etc. rather than relying on roulette Pipe blasting each time. Though Tour still requires a lot of grinding to stay truly competitive, it is fun, features a lot of tracks, and handles surprisingly well on mobile. 

Nintendo Switch Sports

Although this belated spiritual successor to Wii Sports released with fewer than expected games, they were all well-realized, and the promise of new modes and especially the free soccer and golf updates were enticing. Streamers like Northernlion gave the game a chance, proving over time that it is both fun and skill-based. Nintendo finally delivered Golf in December 2022, but I have yet to fire up my system and try it out. 

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe

This new release with hilarious additional content was the first time I had gotten to play The Stanley Parable, and the game did not disappoint, as it was a memorable experience full of surprises and laughs. I really enjoyed playing this fourth wall-breaking experiment, but I got equal enjoyment out of watching streamers and YouTubers fight against the ever-exasperated narrator. 

Multiversus

It’s funny to think about how hyped everyone was for Multiversus. There was a lot of initial speculation about this platform fighter with a star-studded roster and a focus on 2v2 matches. But despite a free to play model, a relatively strong launch, and a wide variety of characters, Multiversus didn’t make much of a splash, which is a shame, as it’s a decent fighting game, albeit one with heavily imbalanced characters that have pronounced strengths and weaknesses, and perhaps a bit too much emphasis on aerials. 

Pokemon Legends Arceus

This game gets a mention because it was an honest attempt to shake up the core Pokemon formula in order to make it work in a more open-world format with action and exploration being emphasized. And while neither Arceus nor Scarlet/Violet were entirely successful in the technical departments, they delivered on the formula, with some neat ideas and challenges that break the series’ norms. 

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

I’m sorry to say that I wanted to give this game a chance, but videogamedunkey kinda ruined it for me. After sampling the first five hours, I decided to postpone finishing this title, saving the remainder of the experience for a rainy day. Personally, I preferred the lowkey characters and otherworldly, low-gravity setting of Xenoblade Chronicles X, and even the original Xenoblade Chronicles. If the experience was a little less drawn-out, not as needlessly complicated, and better localized, I might have had a full review out already. In any case, my lengthy backlog is good company. 

Catherine Full Body

This is the definitive release of the emotionally-charged psychological horror story wrapped around an intense block-climbing puzzle game. It also features several new challenges and multiplayer modes. Highly recommended for fans of puzzle games and visual novels. 

Record of Lodoss War: Deedlit in Wonder Labyrinth

Actually released in 2021, this overlooked Metroidvania is Castlevania in all but name. Fans of the Record of Lodoss War series (like me) will get a kick out of playing the bombshell elf, Deedlit, and wielding a variety of spells and weapons as you explore a deadly labyrinth. It’s not quite Symphony of the Night levels of quality, but Mizuno fans will find a lot to like, as the game is filled with Easter eggs for longtime fans. 

Front Mission 1st

This remake of the original Front Mission title on the SNES, later ported to the PS1, has archaic menus and tedious, RNG-heavy tactical combat, but the story and setting were interesting enough that I still really enjoyed my time with it. 

Triangle Strategy

Square-Enix’s 2D-HD experiment has delivered mixed results, with Octopath Traveler featuring excellent combat but somewhat lackluster short stories, while Triangle Strategy has the opposite problem - this game’s narrative is so lengthy and its characters talk so much that I often would fall asleep before I got to the battlefield. It’s understandable as alliances and key decision-making are crucial to seeing the game’s many paths and endings, but sometimes you do get railroaded into paths, which makes the player feel as if they’re not much in control. In any case, the game may not be Final Fantasy Tactics, but it does capture the same epic feel.

The Top 3

Little Witch Nobeta

I really enjoyed Taiwanese developer Pupuya Games’ magical corridor shooter soulslike, which delivered on the action, exploration, and boss fights, providing the player with fun tools and awesome spells without sacrificing the claustrophobia and atmosphere of a dark, magical castle and creepy enemies. This was one of the most fun and addicting games I played this year.

Bayonetta 3

My second-favorite title of 2022 also featured magical witches. While it was definitely worth the wait, the reach of Platinum Games’ ambitious finale to the Bayonetta trilogy exceeds its grasp, and even with environmental puzzle challenges, it often feels stretched thin between dueling concepts rather than a tightly-curated experience like the first two entries. Nevertheless, if you enjoyed the first two games, you’re bound to find a lot to love here. This is my second favorite release of the 2022 games I’ve played. 

Elden Ring

How else could I top off this list? FromSoftware released the best game this year, and for most of us, it wasn’t even close. (It’s also got a sweet witch waifu. Gotta love Japanese devs!). Elden Ring’s success stunned complacent western developers into realizing that things like streamlined maps and a focus on handholding can sometimes be immersion-breaking and make gameplay feel like a chore, and on the other hand, for many seasoned gamers, we’re more drawn to the challenge of exploration and the constant threat of getting potentially wrecked by superior enemies or winding up in some far-flung region where every enemy can one-shot you in search of rare items. Add in a Spirit Ashes system to balance out difficult encounters and you have a game that can appeal to players of all skill levels. I’m over a hundred hours into this behemoth of a game and yet, I can’t wait for the DLC. That’s the mark of something special.

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