The Best Video Games Of 2022

 

For years, I’ve started my “Best Video Games Of [insert year here]” lists by lamenting how it was a terrible year for games, but that there were some bright spots. Not this year. 2022 was easily the best year for games — well, the kind of games I like, anyway — in maybe 10 years.

Here, in the order I played them, are my favorite games of 2022.

 

 

Horizon Forbidden West

Developer: Guerilla Games

Publisher: Sony

Systems: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4

Like Horizon Zero Dawn, this sci-fi sequel was a seamless and cohesive mix of elements both mechanical and narrative from different sources. Getting to be like Lara Croft’s great, great, great (etc.) granddaughter as she makes her way through a post-apocalyptic version of Ghost Of Tsushima was just as effortlessly fun in this sequel as it was the first time.

SCORE: 9.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

Puzzle Quest 3

Developer, Publisher: 505 Games

Systems: iOS, Android, PC

Though not the most puzzling of puzzle games, or the most fantastic of fantasy games, this match-3 puzzle game won me over by giving you only a few seconds to move whatever gems you were going to move, and by allowing you to move in ways you don’t normally get to.

SCORE: 8.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

Ghostwire: Tokyo

Developer: Tango Gameworks

Publisher: Bethesda Softworks

Systems: PlayStation 5, PC

A rather unique first-person open world action / adventure shooter, this puts a different spin on the mechanics of similar games by swapping guns for elemental projectiles, spirits for soldiers, and a risk / reward mechanic that can pay off nicely if it doesn’t get you killed first.

SCORE: 8.5/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands

Developer: Gearbox Software

Publisher: 2K Games

Systems: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC

While this may not go as far as I would’ve liked, by giving Borderlands‘ basic mechanics some improvements, as well as a fantasy makeover, this Dungeons & Dragons-y version managed to put a fresh feeling on what’s normally a sci-fi, first-person shooter / role-playing game.

SCORE: 8.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

Trek To Yomi

Developer: Flying Wild Hog

Publisher: Devolver Digital

Systems: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC

It would be really easy to think of this hack & slash samurai action game as just a 2D side-scrolling version of Ghosts Of Tsushima. And you should. Both boast deep combat, cinematic visuals, and an effortlessly fun appeal that will keep you engaged until you have your revenge.

SCORE: 8.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

Sniper Elite 5

Developer: Rebellion Developments

Publisher: Rebellion Developments

Systems: Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC

Admittedly, this isn’t as much of an improvement over Sniper Elite 4 as that game was over Sniper Elite III. But no matter; this third-person stealth action’s gameplay — which makes it feel like The Last Of Us: Part II but with Nazis instead of zombies — is still so fresh that this is as compelling and effortlessly engaging as, well, Sniper Elite 4.

SCORE: 9.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

Diablo Immortal

Developer, Publisher: Blizzard Entertainment

Systems: iOS, Android, PC

Despite having some limitations due to being on a tablet and not a TV, this third-person fantasy adventure game was still as addictive and epic as Diablo III, and even added a couple new mechanics I hope they bring over to Diablo IV.

SCORE: 8.5/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

Outriders: Worldslayer

Developer: People Can Fly

Publisher: Square Enix

Systems: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

Normally I wouldn’t include an expansion on this list. But I had so much fun with this one — as much as I did with the original sci-fi first-person shooter — that I felt I had to include it as well.

SCORE: 9.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

Stray

Developer: BlueTwelve Studio

Publisher: Annapurna Interactive

Systems: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC

While this got less interesting as it got more sci-fi (and if you knew me, you’d know how weird it was for me to think this), this cat exploration game still managed to be engaging by being clever in how you have to navigate the game’s less crowded Cyberpunk 2077-like city.

SCORE: 8.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

Rollerdrome

Developer: Roll7

Publisher: Private Division

Systems: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC

Though its difficulty may be a deal-breaker for some (and usually would for me), I actually embraced the challenge of this acrobatic third-person shooter / bloodsport when I realized this was a lot more fun when played in short bursts. Well, unless you turn on the infinite ammo and invincibility cheats and go full John Wick on their asses — that’s fun, too.

SCORE: 8.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

Metal: Hellsinger

Developer: The Outsiders

Publisher: Funcom

Systems: Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PC

It’s a total Doom clone and a rhythm game with metal music…but it’s also a really, really good Doom clone, and you can basically ignore the rhythm and turn off the music. Either way, it’s an exciting and challenging first-person shooter.

SCORE: 8.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

Prodeus

Developer: Bounding Box Software

Publisher: Humble Games

Systems: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, PC

Much like Metal: Hellsinger, this was also a great Doom clone, one that felt more like an homage than a rip-off thanks to its fun guns, relentless enemies, and really old school visuals that fully embraced that era’s lack of detail.

SCORE: 8.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II

Developer: Infinity Ward

Publisher: Activision

Systems: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

While it takes a while to get going, the campaign ultimately course corrects by taking some interesting chances, including becoming briefly like Dead Space 2 and then Battlefield Hardline. It also has the usual solid multiplayer, which compensates somewhat for its thin co-op mode.

SCORE: 8.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

God Of War: Ragnarok

Developer: Sony Santa Monica

Publisher: Sony

Systems: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4

As exceptional as the previous game in this series, this once again has Kratos & Son wandering the realms of Norse mythology, kicking the crap out of anyone who gets in their way, while scrounging around for any necessary puzzle pieces and treasure chests…which, of course, will make it easier for them to wander to other realms and kick the crap out of everyone there.

SCORE: 9.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

The Callisto Protocol

Developer: Striking Distance Studios

Publisher: Krafton

Systems: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series  X/S, Xbox One, PC

Made by some of the people behind Dead Space, and intended to be something of a spiritual successor, this third-person survival horror game manages to pull that off, and in spades, by creating a similarly tense, atmospheric, and freaky vibe, but with melee combat instead of gunplay (sort of), a gravity glove instead of a freeze ray, and other small but significant augmentations.

SCORE: 8.5/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

Terror Of Hemasaurus

Developer: Loren Lemcke

Publisher: Digerati

Systems: PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, Switch

Much like The Callisto Protocol, this arcade action game is rather similar to another favorite of mine — in this case, the mid-’80s monster mash game Rampage — but also distinguished itself by adding new elements, like the ability to kick cars into buildings or do a cannonball onto the pavement with shocking results.

SCORE: 8.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

High On Life

Developer / Publisher: Squanch Games

Systems: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC

While it’s not a Rick & Morty game, it might as well be because this sci-fi first-person shooter — which is made by the game studio co-founded by Morty co-creator and voice actor Justin Roiland — is as weird and off-the-cuff and filthy and funny and ultimately effortlessly engaging as the best episodes of the show.

SCORE: 8.5/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

 

Honorable Mentions:

 

GRID Legends (Electronic Arts; Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC)

Sure, it’s a rather generic a racing game, but as generic racing games go, this one still managed to be engaging thanks to its smooth controls, nicely twisted tracks, and good variety of racing vehicles and events.

SCORE: 7.5/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

Kirby And The Forgotten Land (Nintendo; Switch)

Despite having annoying and unavoidable music, and not being the “Kirby Meets Fallout” that I stupidly hoped for, this third-person platformer still managed to hold my attention by being equal parts inventive and odd.

 

Saints Row (Deep Silver; Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC)

I get why people were disappointed by this reboot. They’re not wrong. But as someone who went into it expecting very little, I actually had fun once I realized it was a deeply flawed, low-rent third-person shooter. Well, until it finally overstayed its welcome.

 

Ghost Song (Humble Games; Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC, Switch)

Though far from perfect — those checkpoints? ooof! — I still had a lot of fun with how this sci-fi side-scrolling Metroidvania game injected some new school aspects into this old school shooter.

SCORE: 7.5/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

Bayonetta 3 (Nintendo; Switch)

Like the first one, this third-person hack & slash and shoot action game is neither as mind-blowing nor as misogynist as some people have made it out to be, but it is as much fun. It’s just too bad the story was just as inane.

SCORE: 7.5/10 (Click here to read my full review.)

 

The Last Of Us, Part I (Sony; PlayStation 5)

Though it’s only a slight upgrade, and thus unessential if you’ve already played it, this third-person stealth action shooter is still as inventive and nerve-wracking as it was when it originally came out nearly 10 years ago.

 

Evil West (Focus Entertainment; PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC)

Ain’t much for the Old West, even when there are vampires involved. But this low-rent, From Dusk ’til Dawn-ish, God Of War-esque third-person shooter / puncher was still rather entertaining.

 

 

And that’s a wrap on 2022. Here’s hoping 2023 is just as good…or even better.