Happy New Year, everyone!
Before I mentally move into 2023, there’s one last thing for me to do. Write about my favorite games, and rank them for fun!
In my last post of the year and time to run down the best of what turned out to be a busy 12 months across the spectrum of games, even if the AAA calendar was more sparse than usual. Don’t let anyone tell you that the industry had an off year. Mid-tier and indie devs picked up the slack, and launched several memorable experiences. Plus, PlayStation Studios had a great run.
This is probably the most diverse, experimental list in the seven (!) years I’ve been posting them here. There’s everything from sprawling open words, heartfelt mythological journeys, spooky point-and-click titles, immersive full motion video interactions and gorgeous, cutesy adventures. Almost all platforms are represented, from mobile and web to traditional consoles.
For context, I played roughly 50 games in 2022. Check below for which ones made my prestigious Top 10, then a set of five amazing honorable mentions. Toast your glasses to gaming!
Dom’s Top 10 Games of the Year 2022
10. Tinykin (Splashteam Devs, tinyBuild)
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC.
Admittedly I didn’t have Tinykin on my radar coming into the year, and boy am I glad I played this 3D platformer with its distinct visual styling, smart progression elements and cute creature collecting. Splashteam crafted a beautiful, realized setting and knocked the character dialogue out of the park.
9. Card Shark (Nerial, Devolver Digital)
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC.
I have a feeling the historical “cheating simulator” Card Shark won’t be on many year-end lists, which is quite disappointing considering how excellent its artwork, mechanics and writing proved to be. Shuffle those in with a great tutorial system and an on-the-run story with plenty of twists and turns, and developer Nerial loaded up the deck with plenty of aces here.
8. Citizen Sleeper (Jump Over the Age, Fellow Traveller)
Platforms: Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC.
Dabbling in everything from consciousness and artificial intelligence to capitalism and community, Citizen Sleeper expertly captures the desolation of existing within a scary society and navigating one’s course with limited resources. Its introduction of randomness via dice rolls eerily echoes the crapshoot that is life, and the game’s constant ticking clocks combined with fragile relationships make its decisions as affecting as any across gaming in 2022.
7. Wordle (Josh Wardle)
Platforms: Web Browser.
The internet set ablaze in January when Wordle skyrocketed in popularity, filling up social media feeds everywhere with intriguing blocks and competitive spirit. Considering I’m still playing Josh Wardle’s wonderful love-letter to his partner Palak Shah all these months later reinforces the brilliance of its “one chance per day” setup, a clever way to express how every single choice counts when trying for consistency in one’s ongoing existence.
6. A Plague Tale: Requiem (Asobo Studio, Focus Entertainment)
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC.
The sequel to 2019’s masterpiece A Plague Tale: Innocence intensifies the plight of brother and sister Hugo and Amicia, pushing its stealth gameplay into new avenues and continuing the stellar narrative navigation throughout the dark times of 14th century France. It’s a technical showpiece, shoving thousands of rats and heaps of prowling guards into most levels, plus shows what perfect pacing can do for the arc of adventure, culminating in a teary, shocking conclusion.
5. High on Life (Squanch Games)
Platforms: Xbox, PC.
Justin Roiland and Squanch Games snuck High on Life in during December, wrapping up 2022 with the industry’s most ludicrous, hilarious release. The first-person shooter-comedy redefines the medium’s boundaries, featuring a suite of talking weapons played by incredible actors, nifty platforming, chunky mechanics, vulgar writing and even a few in-game movies, resulting in one of Xbox’s most eccentric, exceptional and popular titles of the year.
4. Immortality (Half Mermaid, Netflix)
Platforms: Xbox, PC, Android, iOS.
Sam Barlow and Half Mermaid’s entries into the interactive gaming space ingeniously utilize full motion video and awesome acting to tell stories that most games can’t, and Immortality is the team’s magnum opus. It’s a set of film clips and behind-the-scenes glimpses that present as one thing then quickly turn into something extraordinary, peeling back layers as it progresses, to the point where it’s difficult to talk about why it works so well without completely spoiling the story. Suffice to say this master class of design firmly lands among my favorites of 2022.
3. Norco (Geography of Robots, Raw Fury)
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, PC.
Starting off my Top 3 is Norco, an adventure set in a supernatural, Southern techno-industrial town that starts as a daughter’s return to her hometown and blossoms into a thrilling search for family, faith, religion and closure. It’s hard to pin down this bizarre game mainly because it’s so unique, always moving in unexpected ways while including robot helpers and cultlike societies, shady characters and folklore galore. Navigation is easy across its user interface, a stark contrast to figuring out where it’s going, and the player can land on a variety of endings depending on how they choose to steer the plot, all of it transformative and downright miraculous.
2. God of War Ragnarök (Santa Monica Studio, Sony Interactive Entertainment)
Platforms: PlayStation.
I’m not sure God of War Ragnarök tops its 2018 predecessor, which totally revamped the series, however its story progression, character movement, mechanical prowess and area design made it come darn near close. It’s a rich take on Norse mythology and the introduction of new characters, notably Richard Schiff’s depiction of Odin, force plenty of rivalries and team-ups that serve as the underpinnings for a sweeping arc.
Its open zone approach entices exploration while it pulls on heartstrings and allows a new perspective other than Kratos by occasionally swapping to control of his now teenage son Atreus, a clever dichotomy that fits mechanically and narratively. Not to mention the art direction and scenery design mesh with solid performance to showcase the PlayStation 5’s power, resulting in a fitting conclusion to this latest God of War saga while simultaneously opening doors to future epics.
1. Elden Ring (FromSoftware, Bandai Namco Entertainment)
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, PC.
If you’ve followed me on social media at any point since Elden Ring launched back in February, its position as the year’s best comes as no surprise. FromSoftware has been building to this masterpiece for years, successfully delivering the ideal of traditional soulslike action role-playing within an spacious, ominous open world that boasts some of gaming’s most spectacular art design and general vibes to date. The Lands Between is one of the most realized, enchanting settings ever, providing the backdrop for the player’s rise as Tarnished in this foreign kingdom.
What makes Elden Ring stand out from everything that’s come before is how it’s simultaneously more accessible and just as rewarding as any challenging game in FromSoftware’s portfolio. The introduction of a fast travel system, offering of a speedy mount in Torrent and a plethora of summons available, both non-playable character and human alike, mean there’s rarely a place where players bump up against something that halts progression. That doesn’t mean there aren’t tricky encounters, there’s plenty, it’s just that the team provides more tools to deal with them or take a break when something isn’t going well.
Then it produces an incredible feeling that around every corner, there’s something worthwhile to find. My two favorite parts of Elden Ring both revolved around moments where possibilities seemed endless, and were equally as jaw-dropping. First was stepping into its second main area of Liurnia, overlooking a shallow lake in the middle with a magic academy to my right and rolling hills to my left. I knew the next dozen or so hours would take me to every nook and cranny. Then there’s the famous descent into Siofra River, a seemingly endless elevator ride deep into an underground expanse full of supernatural specters under a ceiling of stars.
These kinds of awe-inspiring moments captured the essence and potential of Elden Ring, a game so massive that I couldn’t believe just how much was on its map. This doesn’t even get into it’s underlying lore, cast of characters, expansive world-building and narrative that forms the ultimate fate of The Lands Between. My time with Elden Ring was the most special I had all year, and it’s one of the single best games I’ve played in my life. It’s beyond worthy of 2022’s Game of the Year.
Honorable Mentions
As Dusk Falls (INTERIOR/NIGHT, Xbox Game Studios)
Platforms: Xbox, PC.
Dying Light 2: Stay Human (Techland)
Platforms: PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, PC.
Horizon Forbidden West (Guerilla Games, Sony Interaction Entertainment)
Platforms: PlayStation.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land (Nintendo)
Platforms: Nintendo Switch.
Marvel Snap (Second Dinner, Nuverse)
Platforms: PC, Android, iOS.
There we have it. What a list!
And with that, 2022 Year-in-Review here at Working Casual comes to a bittersweet end. Thanks to everyone for making it another awesome year at the site and on social media. Switch back over to the megapost for all things year-end.
All the best to you in 2023!
Sources: Media Sites.
-Dom