2022 was a year in which it was easier to count the video games that were delayed out of 2022 than it was to count the games that managed to still get released in 2022. Weird year, and yet one still full of wonderful experiences that made me laugh, scream, and cheer.Every year, I wonder how I’m gonna cobble together 10 games that impacted me enough to spit out a few thousand words on them, and every year, I’m forced to come up with increasingly ridiculous excuses to remove games from that list in order to make the list fit.
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In other words, apologies to Immortality (Game That I Removed For Made Up Ethical Reasons Because Something Had to Go) and Citizen Sleeper (Game That Was Taken Off Solely Because Norco Was Already On There), two very excellent video games from 2022 that I’m happy got plenty of appreciation and consideration on our game of the year podcast.I even managed to sneak a game from 2011 on here. Who am I, Rob Zacny?
10. Crankin’s Time Travel Adventure
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9. The Quarry
8. Tunic
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7. Return to Monkey Island
6. Norco
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5. Iron Lung
4. Elden Ring
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3. Metal Hellsinger
2. Minecraft
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1. Neon White
Games That Were on This List And Got Cut
- God of War Ragnarok: It feels weird putting games I haven’t finished on these lists, but Ragnarok is a big, dumb, enjoyable spectacle that I look forward to crying to over break.
- Steam Deck: The Switch I always wanted, and a genuine revolution in how I play games.
- Scorn: An absolute chore to play, an absolute marvel to look at. A truly disgusting game.
- Immortality: UI of the year, for sure. I wanna see if I can get my wife to actually try this.
- Citizen Sleeper: A game that had me (me!) role-playing. That’s an award all its own.
- King's Field IV: The Ancient City: I know, we need to finish this, but in the hours I did spend with it, it was truly cool to see how the FromSoft-y stuff FromSoft was doing pre-Souls.
- Below the Ocean: Neat lil’ puzzle game that lasts exactly as long as it needs to.
- GhostWire: Tokyo: Gorgeous idea of a video game, at least.
- PowerWash Simulator: An opportunity to spend hours talking with Rob? That’s a good time.
- Rollerdrome: A tragedy it didn’t make the list, and only because Neon White nudged it off. Neither game had a story worth caring about, but both had me white knuckling while playing.
- Stray: Very cute cat in a very cool environment in pursuit of a story worth caring about.
- Tinykin: Barely remember what happened playing this, but enjoyed every minute. Delightful.
- Signalis: Absolutely would’ve been high on this list had I actually finished it. I’ll get there, one gross hole at a time.