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These are my picks for best video games of 2022. Tell me yours! [1]

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Date: 2022-12-08

As Dusk Falls, Developer: Interior/Night available on XBOX One, XBOX Series X/S, PC

This is a game that will frequently be overlooked when we come to game of the year awards. But As Dusk Falls, a game that focuses on a decision tree to build a story delves into some deep ideas. A character who deals with PTSD, a mystery about a family in trouble, a corrupt police department, a run from the past, and characters who seek redemption — or not, depending on your choices. As Dusk Falls offers a myriad of outcomes based on what happens in each situation and the game is built in a way to make sure anyone can participate. You don’t need fast trigger fingers or the need to perform wild combos. Instead, what you need is the ability to think through how you would react in a situation. The game offers one of the best modes for disabled gamers in any game within recent memory.

Horizon Forbidden West, Developer: Sony, available on Sony Playstation 4, Playstation 4 Pro, Playstation 5

Horizon Zero Dawn was a game that lit up the Playstation and surprised a lot of us. Guerilla Games hadn’t been associated with something as massive or quality as Zero Dawn. The way in which you could play Zero Dawn was thrilling to a lot of players who desire a true single-player campaign game with a strong story, and Zero Dawn had everything we were looking for in a single-player campaign. When Sony promised a follow-up of Forbidden West, players put this on the top of the list of titles they were waiting for, and the return of Alloy did not let many of us down. I don’t consider Forbidden West as strong as Zero Dawn. Zero Dawn, to me, has more replay value and the added DLC continues to benefit. There are some moments within Forbidden West that do not work quite as well, from a story standpoint, as Zero Dawn. Still when it works Forbidden west went beyond my expectation and some of the moments in this game that come very late in the story mode are incredible. I wish in New Game+ that some changes were possible, but all in all, the game is beautiful, the storyline is fun, and the acting is exceptional.

Tunic Developer: Finji, available on Nintendo, XBOX One, XBox One Series X/S, Playstation 4, Playstation 4 Pro, Playstation 5, PC, Steamdeck

Tunic reminds me of my early gaming experiences with a Nintendo NES and Legend of Zelda. The best way to think about the game is simple: screw around and find out what happens. The game lets you figure out what you should do and you will quickly discover what you shouldn’t do. The options to save are limited, and the bad guys? Far tougher than you expect. The game features cool-looking figures, and light upbeat music that reminds me of gaming when I was young even though the graphics are high definition enough, and the playthrough is a blast. I hate when gamer online magazines tell you hours you should expect to complete a game. Gameplay could range between 20 to 40 hours based on how you solve puzzles and how you want to play the puzzles. If you get stuck you can try another puzzle and come back to where you were, or you can stay and think about it. How you play is up to you.

Powerwash Simulator, Developer: FuturLab, available on XBOX One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

There are no major enemies. No voice over. The campaign is a pretty calm trek to build up the kind of equipment you have and to push back on… dirt. Yes, actual dirt. You encounter scene after scene of dirty equipment, and using your handy power washer and set of tools you are able to clean them up. This is a routine task for many home owners, but the way the game sets this up is almost zen in it’s calming ability to make you feel at home with blasting things clean and enjoying the end results. Some of the options that are in the game will make you laugh, but the fact that the game doesn’t overplay it’s own hand is what makes it work.

Immortality, Developer Sam Burrow, Available on XBOX One, Xbox One Series X/S, PC

Imagine a popular female French superstar one day disappearing. Marissa Marcel is that star, who doesn’t just disappear from the public eye, but in the context of the story disappears from memory. Presented as a full motion adventure game that harkens back to the old Sierra On-Line Phantasmagoria (let’s see who gets that reference), Immortality is an absolute brain-twisting film that rivals films put out by David Lynch, and the way the story is told is such that leaves you, the player, feeling both successful in diving into a deep puzzle and uncomfortable in what you may find. This game is not built for kids, definitely designed for adults, but it is a doozie that will leave you talking and shows that gaming is for more than just kids.



God of War: Ragnarok, Santa Monica Studios, available on Playstation 4, Playstation 4 Pro, Playstation 5

When God of War came out for the Playstation 4, the game changed the way I thought about the entire series. The entire storyline was exceptional, borrowing heavily from games that had moved into a more direct story mode and creating a narrative full of fantastic action and actual emotional depth. Sony had hit a home run with God of War, and this game more than almost any other was one of the most awaited games for the new Sony platform. God of War Ragnarok lives up to every bit of the promise the game offers. Many fans are going to spend a lot of time arguing if this is one of the best games of the generation along with games of the year. Now, I have a few problems with the game, minor nitpicks, but the newest update — version 3.0, released recently and available for download now — fixes most issues users had out of the box, especially with hidden bosses.

Stray, developer: Annapurna, available on Playstation 4, Playstation 4 Pro, Playstation 5 and PC (Steam)

Imagine playing a game as a stray cat. Now, imagine all the fun you can get up to, and the trouble that might come from it. Take it one step further: is there any protagonist in any game you would work harder to protect than yourself as a stray cat? Yep. This is a game that really might surprise a lot of people, but Stray is a simple idea of you as a cat roaming around a dystopian bleak robot filled future. The game has a special charm, and if it appeals to you it is a home run.

Elden Ring, developer: FromSoftware, available on Xbox One, Xbox One Series X/S, Playstation 4, Playstation 4 Pro, Playstation 5, PC

You cannot discuss game of the year without discussing Elden Ring. One of the most perfectly balanced games to hit any platform this year, Elden Ring established itself as the game to be challenged by anyone early in the year and it held onto that all year long, with many gamers telling anyone who would listen that you haven’t had a great gaming experience this year unless you've taken time to play Elden Ring. The deep gameplay, the hours of adventure, and the complex mechanics offer players a challenge and a story that is interesting to follow. If you want to feel like you managed to get your money’s worth, Elden Ring absolutely delivers. Can you take the crown?

Splatoon 3, Nintendo Switch

When you want to game on the go and you need more than Wordle on a phone something like Splatoon is an absolute homerun. Splatoon 3, the latest edition of the game is much the same but it feels fresh with you continuing to battle punk teenagers spray painting your area to hold onto control as you lay down your colors and control the playing field. The Splatoon series dates back to Nintendo’s WiiU, a console that I still have packed in a box somewhere, but the game’s power is that it manages to find something that is so easy to enjoy and throw it right into your hands, allowing your paint gun to get everyone else dirty.

Pentiment, Obsidian/Bethesda/Microsoft, Available on XBOX One, Xbox One X/S, PC

So, I said there may be a few extra words I have to throw into this story. Here I go. Pentiment is not going to get mentioned in a lot of game-of-the-year competitions. It doesn’t fit into the way people like to think of big AAA titles getting attention. It won’t be nominated or considered. Still, this game is one of the must-play titles this year. It is a game that absolutely hits a home run in ever category. It is accessible to every level of player, it is detailed and well crafted, the storyline works in every moment, the choices are detailed and well thought out and the way in which the game plays is so well designed that the characters have weight that isn’t often present in games. This game has replay value and re-watch value, as watching others play through the game and judging the way they play can make you rethink your own process. What other game would have a “What would Socrates do?” as a character option? This game is so incredibly good, in my opinion, because it defies expectations of what a game should be and it forms something unexpected. Gaming that brings in new gamers and invites new experiences are what push the boundaries of successful platform and PC gaming.

A final thought

Finally, I know many are looking for Christmas gifts. I would recommend any of the titles on this list, obviously. My eleventh almost title, Plague: A Requiem Tale came close but I couldn’t find room for it, however, there is a way around that problem. It is rare that I would praise a company for a generalized policy, but Microsoft has truly changed the way to look at the gaming industry in the last two years with their GamePass and GamePass Ultimate. Gamepass, available on XBOX, Xbox One X/S allows gamers to download a ton of games at nothing but a monthly subscription. This service has opened the gates for gamers to have a lot of day-one experiences with great titles that otherwise would run $60 to $70 dollars. I have saved a ton of money this year trying games and deciding whether or not I like them. More importantly, I try games that I otherwise would not try, often independent games that are smaller in design from studios that won’t be pitching major marketing campaigns. I doubt I would have found a title like Pentiment without the fact it was a day one on Microsoft Game Pass. While Sony offers Playstation Plus now in multiple tiers, the Playstation Plus value is questionable in comparison, in my humble opinion, as they offer far more “timed demos” and less full option games on day one, and the tiers are not as priced to value. As someone who roots for both consoles, I’m enjoying the season, and let’s bring on some StarField next year!

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[1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2022/12/8/2140723/-These-are-my-picks-for-best-video-games-of-2022-Tell-me-yours

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