So, with a view of doing more blog posts on this blog, I’m bringing back an easy form of content. My top video games of 2022. I’d previously done in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, but then took a bit of a break. Well, it’s back!
I’ve played a solid amount of games this year. Not as many as the pandemic years, because I stopped my Twitch channel for a couple of months and it’s been sparodic since it’s return. But thankfully using my Twitter list I’m able to remember what I played and beat.
There is one rule. It must have been released in 2022. It can be a compilation or a collection or a remake, but it need to have had it’s first release within the year of 2022. Which made it incredibly tough as the vast majority of the games I played weren’t released in 2022. Nevertheless, he persisted and I think I’ve a list. In true clickbait style – number one will shock you (seriously, it’s been panned)!
Games I Enjoyed Playing in 2022
With that said, I’ve played a lot of games for the first time that weren’t released in 2022, so I wanted to highlight those games and just share some thoughts on them.
- Ironically Day of the Tentacle (PC) was probably my favourite game I played this year. Funny, clever and accessible. Well worth checking out this Lucasarts classic if you’ve never played it before.
- The Wolf Among Us (PC) had probably the second best story of a game I played this year. It was a game that changed and moved me, and well written characters actually made me change the way I did things made it well worth hunting out and playing. From an alcoholic social worker to a badass cop, in a fascinating story.
- To The Moon (PC) was the game that had the best story I played this year. An emotional journey that looked at life, death and medical ethics that made me bawl my eyes out at the end. Well worth the 4 hours it takes for you to complete it.
- Vanquish (Xbox 360)* is probably not known for its story, but a shooty shooty bang bang game in the vein of Bayonetta. Cheesy 80’s dialog and the hardcore shooting action that became my pick up and play game for a good wee while in the late summer.
- Pocky and Rocky (SNES) – Switch Remastered Version Here* was another find that I really enjoyed sinking time into this year. A fun little shooting game that got a serious high score challenge on the Retro Asylum Game Club, which was excellent to play along with. Tough as old boots, mind.
- Milkmaid of the Milky Way (PC) is a fun Lucasarts style game that I discovered this year. Well worth hunting out if you like that sort of thing. It took me about 2 hours to complete and was not “click everything on everything”, which is nice.
- Miles and Kilo (PC) was a long time in 3rd place, until I realised it was released a few years back. If you like Wonder Boy for the arcade, this will scratch that itch.
Honourable Mentions
- I was drawn to Kleebuu Craves Fruit Salad (PC), which is one of those weird twitchy platformers. Cute, but unsettling at the same time. And less than an hour long. So yes, worth playing.
- Not a game as such but the Atari 50: the Anniversary Celebration (Switch)* is well worth it if you like your retro games. I’ve been playing a few games this month (Tempest 2000 where have you been all my life). But the real joy is in the documentary. Turns out people did a lot of drugs in the 1980’s. Who knew!?!?!
- Finally, bit of a selfish one and it won’t get anybody interested who isn’t but Cricket 22 (Xbox One)* is a fun little simulation and scratches my cricket itch. It doesn’t fill the gap of how I would do a cricket video game, but it comes close-ish. Just please don’t expect FIFA.
My Top Video Games of 2022
3. Trombone Champ (PC)
This was probably the toughest to pick. It’s a shallow game with very little replay-ability, however as no game has had me guffawing like a loon than Trombone Champ. It’s DDR with a mouse, making you play the trombone to pieces of classical music. The first time playing Hava Nagalia on the trombone I couldn’t breathe for a good 30 seconds after I finished.
It’s daft, it’s graphics aren’t great, there’s very little to it, but it was the game that got me over a bout of depression and gave me the confidence to start streaming again, so – for that alone – it’s wonderful.
Plus there’s a hacking community around it, and the video of Liz Truss’ resignation speech being set to trombones is joyous.
Trombone Champ is only available on Steam
2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge (Xbox One)
And this is the first of this year’s picks chosen by nostalgia.
Shredder’s Revenge was a love letter to those who grew up with the heroes-in-a-half-shell in the late 80’s and early 90’s, and was more of the same but better. Published by the same talented group of people who rebooted Streets of Rage 4 so successfully, this game takes Turtles in Time from the SNES, gives it a bit of longevity, brings it bang up to date with progressiveness that makes your average Daily Mail reader blush (April O’Neill is no longer the damsel in distress, but a badass reporter working alongside the Turtles, Splinter & Casey Jones) and wraps it into a neat package.
It’s side scrolling beat-em-up action, which is seeing a nice little bout of resurgence. But the beauty of this game is it takes away some of the things that sucked about it (ever drained the last of your energy by doing a power move? Yeah, no, that doesn’t happen now), and feeds the nostalgic elements.
References to the TV show with cameo appearances, the NES & SNES games (the world map and “Big Apple 3pm” levels are the most obvious), and even Street Fighter with some special moves, Tribute Games gave me a heck of a nostalgia inhalation that is well worth your time.
Oh and the soundtrack is banging too.
This would probably be my number one game, without caveats. Check it out.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredders Revenge is available on Steam, Xbox, Playstation & Nintendo Switch
1. Overwatch 2 (Xbox One)
I really didn’t want to put this top. I really didn’t.
Overwatch – since it’s launch in 2016 (my game of the year then) – has been steadily getting worse. The game became a hive of toxicity and just not fun, and the constant tinkering for balance kept you on your toes. After one too many smashed egos with my main (ya girl Brigitte) I put it down.
Overwatch 2 has been panned. It’s gone from a loot box model to a game pass model, and made the base game free to play. You’ve dropped one character – so it’s teams of 5v5 rather than teams of 6v6, and also the launch was ridiculously slow.
It’s still toxic, and can be not fun at times, as you grind through the levels to get a Genji skin that looks cool but you never play as him. It’s not without its problems.
And yet, outside of Mario Kart, no game I have had more fun with is Overwatch 2 this year.
I dunno, maybe nostalgia, maybe just how much it rocked my world, how much it kept me sane during lockdown, a pick up and play on your lunch break adventure that overall was fun. I’ve been able to get the band of us back together and play. It has been a great way to catch up with mates.
It’s still roughly the same game, and familiarity may not be to everybody’s tastes, but if you were a fan of Overwatch 1, and dropped off it because of the community, maybe dip back in again?
Though try with your friends first.
Overwatch 2 is available on PC, Xbox, Playstation and Nintendo Switch
So those were my top video games of 2022. Have I got any glaring omissions? Or have you picked up any based on my recommendations? Please leave your thoughts in the comments!
* I have placed a few affiliate links in here which are highlighted with wee asterisks.