2022 was easily the best year for games in, well, I can’t remember how long (as you can see from my companion piece, “The Best Video Games Of 2022“). But that doesn’t mean there weren’t some real pieces of shit as well.
Here, in the order I suffered through them, are my most hated (and most disappointed by) games of 2022.
CrossfireX
Developer: Remedy Entertainment / Smilegate Entertainment
Publisher: Smilegate Entertainment
Systems: Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One
I can be rather forgiving when it comes to Call Of Duty rip-offs. And when single-player campaigns clearly only exist to get you to play the game’s multiplayer. But the single-player campaign of this modern military first-person shooter is so generic, such a blatant C.O.D. rip-off, and has such stifled controls that — no joke — it took longer to download than it did for me to grow bored with it.
Redout 2
Developer: 34BigThings
Publisher: Saber Interactive
Systems: Xbox Series X / S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch
I hate it when one stupid (and easily avoidable) mistake ruins an otherwise good game. Which is why this futuristic racing game is on this list and not my Best Games Of The Year one. Specifically, its tutorials are so tough, so exacting, so lacking in any wiggle room (or difficulty options), and thus so frustrating, that you might quit the game before you even get to the races (something I would’ve done were I not reviewing it for someone).
Puzzle Adventure: Ghost Town
Developer / Publisher: Pixel Federation Games
Systems: iOS, Android
It’s funny, some people got super mad about the mobile version of Diablo because they thought it was greedy. They should’ve played this adventurous puzzle game, which constantly ran ads, pressured you to watch other ones, and even had icon ads on screen when you played.
Nerf: Superblast
Developer / Publisher: Nitro Games
Systems: iOS, Android
When oh when will people learn that first-person shooters don’t work on mobile devices…or learn how to make first-person shooter controls work on mobile devices.
Gungrave G.O.R.E.
Developer: Iggymob
Publisher: Prime Matter
Systems: Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC
I can forgive a game for having an idiotic story. Or being super stupid. Or even for being a bit redundant if you know that’s what’s coming. But when you have awkward and dated controls, and they ruin what could’ve been a fun but dumb shooter, well, that deserves no forgiveness.
Need For Speed Unbound
Developer: Criterion Games
Publisher: Electronic Arts
Systems: Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, PC
Not so much bad as it was blah, this street racing game was rather basic, even when it was trying to be different. A risk / reward system with the cops and your cash? Seen it. Running from the cops? Too easy, since you tell me where the cops are. And the graffiti-inspired animated visuals? Looks more like a tween’s notebook.
Score: 6.0/10 (Click here to read my full review.)
Dishonorable Mentions:
Dying Light 2: Stay Human (Square Enix; Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Switch, PC)
As if having to use the right bumper to jump wasn’t bad enough, this first-person, post-apocalyptic hack & slash game committed the ultimate sin: it was just kind of dull.
Dolemen (Massive Work Studio; Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC)
Normally I don’t ding games in a genre or style I don’t enjoy — like, say, games that are intentionally super difficult — but my dislike of this third-person action game wasn’t because it was intentionally hard, it’s because it was also intentionally hard thanks to its really crap controls.
Scorn (Keppler Interactive; Xbox Series X/S, PC)
I know the point of this sci-fi survival horror was not to spell everything out. But by not spelling anything out, I quickly lost interest.
And that’s a wrap on the crap of 2022. Here’s hoping 2023 has fewer bad games, and fewer disappointing ones.
