Exactly one year ago I asked what everyone’s favourite games of 2021 were but I’m now asking you what your favourite games of 2022 are. How novel.
Last year I said this:
I’m interested in hearing about the games that were your close seconds, games that came out this year that you have bought but yet to play, or even games that you’re looking forward to that have yet to come out.
Perhaps we all have different definitions of what a GOTY game is, or should be. Perhaps you just consider it to be “the best” or perhaps take a more nuanced approach and consider cultural impact, technical achievement and other factors.
I’d also be interested in hearing what you think counts. Would a port or staggered multiplatform release of a game from last year count (e.g. Yakuza: Like a Dragon)? Does Shin Megami Tensei 3’s HD gloss-only remaster count? What about Ace Attorney Chronicles being rejigged, upgraded, and released for the first time in English? Or Nier 1.4’s not-remake, not-remaster?
This year, my only real personal boundary is that there’s something different about a rereleased game but that I would look on more favourably to games that have more treatment done.
I must admit that I’ve not played many games from this year but of the ones that I have, I’ve enjoyed, in no order:
- Splatoon 3
- Stranger of Paradise
- Little Noah
- Mothmen 1966
- Pocky and Rocky Reshrined
- The Centennial Case: A Shijima Story
- LiveALive remake
- Xenoblade 3
- Soul Hackers 2
Of those the only one that fell flat for me was the final act / final sequence of Xenoblade 3, which spectacularly nose-dived with its painful mess of narrative closure (and its atrocious final boss). All the rest I had a real good time with.
The only game that came out this year that I really didn’t enjoy was Trek to Yomi but at least that was mercifully brief.
Games that came out this year that I’d like to play:
- Most of Square Enix’s output but particularly Dragon Quest Treasures and Star Ocean
- Kirby
- King of Fighters XV once I have the opportunity to give SNK as little money as possible
- That new Turtles game
- Bayonetta 3
- The collection of old Turtles game
- I’ll add more as I remember them
What’ve you all enjoyed from this year?