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xb-squaredx · 1 year

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B-Squared’s Top 10 Games of 2022!

It’s that time again! Where I chase trends and rank games that I played this year on an arbitrary scale that is purely subjective! This year had some real strong releases…most of which I didn’t really play for one reason or another. There are just too many games, and not enough time (or money) to get to them all! Some of the more talked about games this year unfortunately passed me by, so this list might look different from yours and that’s OK! Now, of the games I DID play this year, I liked most of them and have some things to say, so let’s dive into the 10 games I liked the most this year.

#10 - FIRE EMBLEM WARRIORS: THREE HOPES

This year was filled with rumors of the next major Fire Emblem game being revealed, and while that DID happen eventually, few were prepared for another Warriors spin-off, this time centering on the cast and setting of Three Houses. Three Hopes pulls double duty as both a second attempt at a Fire Emblem Warriors game, as well as a reinterpretation of the overall plot for Three Houses. An alternate take on events with a new protagonist in Shez, Three Hopes was a fun action-packed romp through the lands of Fodlan, with tons of fanservice for those that loved the most recent Fire Emblem game. With a large cast of playable characters, three distinct stories to choose from, and an interesting blend of the hack-and-slash action Tecmo Koei is known for alongside the RPG and more character-driven elements of Three Houses, Three Hopes was a welcome surprise for this year before Fire Emblem Engage graces us in early 2023.

#9 - MULTIVERSUS

When leaks spoiled that a Warner Bros. platform fighter was in development with QUITE the odd selection of characters in late 2021, I didn’t think much of it. Slowly but surely as more was shown however, MultiVersus became quite the surprise fighting game hit for 2022. Despite a lot of high-quality titles out this year, like King of Fighters XV or DNF Duel, it was MultiVersus that made a huge splash with some impressive player numbers in the opening weeks. A team-based platform fighter, the game manages to carve out its own niche in the increasingly crowded platform fighter subgenre, and alongside that the potential cast for this game insures there’s something for everyone. From classic Looney Tunes, to the cast of Game of Thrones, or even LeBron James himself, you’d be forgiven for thinking that such a mash-up wouldn’t work. Instead, the strong art direction manages to make every fighter feel like they could actually exist in the same world without it being TOO jarring, and it helps that the developers are going all-out with some really interesting movesets to make sure each character is true to their respective texts. Velma supports allies by looking for clues and calling the cops…er…Mystery Machine to take away foes, while the Iron Giant’s moveset is mostly just him having fun or eating some scrap metal, only to bring out his combat mode to save his ally. The sole issue the game really has is the free-to-play business model that encourages grinding out countless matches for meager returns, and charging exorbitant prices for various cosmetic items. Despite all of that, MultiVersus is a game I sunk a lot of time into this year and makes a case that fighting games can go free-to-play and still manage to do quite well for themselves.

#8 - MARIO + RABBIDS: SPARKS OF HOPE

Probably the craziest release of 2017 was a Mario and Rabbids spin-off from Ubisoft that, for whatever reason, was a tactical RPG. Despite the odd premise and gameplay shift, Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle was a surprisingly good time and seemed to sell rather well. With that in mind, a sequel seemed like a smart decision, and so here we have Sparks of Hope. A space-faring adventure with Mario and company, this is one of those sequels that does just about everything bigger and better. Levels are more expansive and fun to explore, the roster of playable characters grows, and the story is just a bit darker. Combat has been made a bit snappier while maintaining the strategic freedom that made the first game so great and the end result is a content packed romp that was pretty hard to put down. Having a playable Bowser is always a good sign that a Mario spinoff is gonna be great, but what’s most surprising to me is that Ubisoft has found a way to make the Rabbids less irritating…and maybe even kinda cute? This two-game streak has somehow managed the impossible: they got me to tolerate the Rabbids. With Rayman DLC in 2023, the fun is only just beginning for this inspired crossover.

#7 - POKEMON SCARLET/VIOLET

The Pokémon franchise has had its fair share of ups and downs lately, but even so a new generation is definitely still something worth celebrating. Pokémon Scarlet and Pokémon Violet are themselves very interesting games when looked at in comparison to what’s come before them. The franchise’s first full-blown open world adventure, players are given newfound freedom to explore the world and progress the story in whatever order they desire. On that note, I wasn’t really ready for the story to stand out as much as it did. Surprisingly heartfelt with some really sweet moments, the cast of Scarlet and Violet feel well-realized; more so than the casts in most Pokémon games. The Paldea region is a ton of fun to explore, with some great new Pokémon to capture as well. I would do anything for my adorable Tinkaton. That being said, this entry was mired by a number of damning technical issues that were inescapable and really dulled my enjoyment. While there is hope these issues might be addressed in future patches, it is my hope that future Pokémon games can launch in a better state. After the release of Sword and Shield, the future of the franchise seemed in question, but after 2022 I have faith the series is on the right track and we’re on the cusp of a brand new era for the franchise where it can really shine bright.

#6 - MONSTER HUNTER RISE: SUNBREAK

Now this one might be cheating a bit. The Sunbreak expansion for Monster Hunter Rise might not technically be a FULL game, but it has more than enough content to count in my book. Building on the systems in the base game, Sunbreak delivers on a more challenging adventure for hunters to tackle. Set in a more European-inspired locale, it was a blast taking on not only the base game’s roster of monsters with new tricks up their sleeves, but the brand new monsters inspired by classic European folklore. From the lupine Lunagaron, to the bulky Garangolm, and the vampiric Malzeno leading the pack, it was great to lose countless hours in a blink in the pursuit of just one more hunt. And of course there have been tons of free updates since launch to further tide hunters over lasting well into 2023 as well, so really what more could you ask for? Well you know besides cross-play or cross-progression? If nothing else, the expansion gave me an excuse to jump back into Rise’s world, swinging around like I’m Spider-Man with the Wirebugs and learning a whole new assortment of powerful Silkbind techniques. With Rise heading to other consoles in 2023 as well, players that still haven’t experienced it won’t have many excuses left.

#5 - BAYONETTA 3

You might have noticed my extensive review of Bayonetta 3 from a bit ago, so I’ll try not to retread things too much, and if you want to hear more of my thoughts, you know where to go. A game that was over five years in the making from its initial teaser, it was definitely one of the most anticipated titles for me this year. Platinumgames blends their over-the-top spectacle with deep and satisfying combat as they attempt to move their most well-known franchise forward, and despite stumbling on some things, they still came out swinging. The scale of some of these setpieces are out of this world, and even in normal combat the ability to summon and fight alongside a gigantic demon at virtually any time definitely gives Bayo’s latest romp a distinct identity all its own. The music might also be the strongest in the entire series, which is honestly kind of saying something. I can’t get the various battle themes out of my head, alongside the operatic piece “Fertile Rondo,” from what might be the game’s signature scene. While some didn’t quite like the focus on demon summoning, and uh…well the story has its own controversies to untangle, there’s no doubt that Platinum brought out all the stops for this one and after so long I’m glad it’s finally here. We have an honest-to-God Bayonetta spin-off in March 2023 to look forward to as well, so we won’t have to wait too long to see everyone’s favorite umbran witch.

#4 - SPLATOON 3

This was a year of hotly-anticipated third entries in ongoing Nintendo franchises, and perhaps the biggest of them was the launch of Splatoon 3. An absolute smash-hit of a series, particularly in Japan, the squid kids (and octarians) return for messier, inky battles alongside the signature “fresh” attitude that has set this series apart from every other core Nintendo title. While there was a lot of whining and gnashing of teeth over whether this game needed to even exist, or if it was different enough from past entries, Splatoon 3 delivered on a content-rich, highly polished multiplayer shooter, and most critics have been rather silent after its record breaking opening in Japan. With new weapon types, tweaked mechanics and a story mode that goes surprisingly hard, it’s a game I find myself coming back to and playing months after release. I’ve played more of Splatoon 3 in the first few months of its life than I put into about the entirety of Splatoon 2, just as an example of how much it gripped me. While the core of the series remains the same, the progression systems and constant stream of rewards has kept me coming back, and there’s only more in store down the line. With two years of planned free updates with a paid single-player expansion on the horizon, it’s pretty clear Splatoon 3 is going to be in my rotation of games for a good long while. Now if only they could fix the matchmaking…

#3 - POKEMON LEGENDS ARCEUS

It’s rare to get TWO Pokémon games in a year, and while Scarlet and Violet will undoubtedly get more attention as they kicked off a new generation, for my money I was much more impressed and satisfied with Pokémon Legends: Arceus overall. Releasing right at the START of this year, it’s been a constant in my mind, as an ambitious new direction for the series that I hope continues in some form going forward. Taking place in the distant past of the Sinnoh region, players are confronted with wild, aggressive Pokémon at every turn in a world where Pokémon Trainers are not yet a common occurrence. With the game having far more focus on catching and cataloging the Pokémon available in the region, this is really the first game in a long time where I felt compelled to “catch ‘em all.” Adding to all of this, Arceus’ revamped battles and streamlined approaches to teaching moves and buffing up stats on Pokémon resulted in a game with a far quicker pace that was a breath of fresh air in a series long accused of becoming stagnant. Admittedly, a lot of these changes came at the cost of what many consider to be core elements of the series. There were no gyms, barely any trainers to fight, and many of the design decisions likely wouldn’t work in a more traditional game without extensive rebalancing. The fact that this game largely drops any multiplayer component is pretty telling in that regard, and for those reasons I can understand why many would prefer something like Scarlet and Violet over this one. That said, the technical issues found in the generation 9 games weren’t nearly as present in Arceus and on top of that despite the environments being far simpler and smaller than the open world counterpart, I found navigation and exploring to be FAR smoother in this particular title which helped push it over the edge for me. I hope future Pokémon titles can blend the best of both attempts to create something truly special moving forward, but what we have now is a solid foundation that I really hope is built on.

#2 - KIRBY AND THE FORGOTTEN LAND

Everyone knows Kirby is a pretty consistently good series, but to see a Kirby game ranking this high should tell you this is something special. Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the pink puffball’s first fully 3D mainline adventure, which is noteworthy enough on its own, but the fact that their first attempt feels more polished than most other platformers well into their 3D era is what elevates this further and nearly made it my game of the year. Kirby finds himself in a strange new world, the ruins of a bygone civilization dotting the various levels he travels through. That alone helps to give the game a lot more personality. You aren’t just going through a generic desert or beach level; it’s the ruins of an old mall that was beaten down by the elements, or .a flooded city barely glimpsed beneath the sparkling waters. While levels aren’t as open as some might like, they’re designed well, with plenty of hidden goodies to find if players are savvy enough. Adapting Kirby’s array of Copy Abilities into a fully 3D space was clearly a tough one, and while I do wish we had more powers available, the ones chosen feel great to control. Being able to evolve abilities into stronger forms is a nice bonus, and tying this all together is some surprisingly solid boss fights. Kirby games aren’t typically too challenging to get through, and sure this is no replacement for the Devil May Cry or Bayonetta games, but this is a great introduction to the genre for younger players. The fights are filled with some great spectacle and surprising depth, not to mention…you trigger slow motion if you perfectly time a dodge so…need I say more? I mean, I will. Hal Laboratory really knocked it out of the park here; the game looks amazing, the soundtrack is a real standout (even amongst other Kirby games) and compared to the somewhat lacking Star Allies this felt like a fully-formed game that left me almost completely satisfied afterward. The level design to rival the best platformers in the genre, a soundtrack that feels like it belongs in some epic RPG, with some combat and boss fights that make it feel like baby’s first Bayonetta…part of me still finds it odd to rate a Kirby game so highly but Forgotten Land is anything BUT forgettable and shouldn’t be missed.

#1 - XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 3

Watching the Xenoblade series grow over the years has been a great experience. From the original Wii title that I lucked into getting, having no idea how rare it would become, to the ambitious if destined to flop Wii U title, Shulk appearing in Smash Bros. and the Switch era’s solidification of the brand as a core, if niche, series…it’s just great to see developer Monolith Soft continue to top themselves. Rumors abounded for quite a bit before its unveiling, but when the February Nintendo Direct closed with the proper reveal the surprise was still palpable. Xenoblade 3 quickly shot up to be one of my most anticipated games of this year, and after it launched in July I knew very early on this was going to be my Game of the Year.

Set in a world stuck in an endless war, six young soldiers, once sworn enemies, must learn to work together to set the world to rights. Xenoblade 3 tackles the horrors of constant fighting, the fragility of life, the fear of leaving an impact before you’re gone, but it also highlights the value of life, and makes seemingly mundane things we take for granted feel like miracles. It is a game that, even in the depths of a perpetual nightmare, never once loses hope for a better tomorrow. With how dark the world seems nowadays, I found this story really resonated with me; it’s the kind of story that I felt I needed to hear, gripped by my own indecision and fear of the unknown. Watching Noah, Mio and the rest of the group grow and come together was a heartwarming, and occasionally heartbreaking, journey and I came away loving the entire team. Monolith Soft crafted a gorgeous world that builds off of the previous mainline Xenoblade games, but still manages to stand on its own by delivering a character-focused narrative that had me gripped from the first moment. On the gameplay side of things, for as complex and at times overwhelming as the Xenoblade games can get at points, 3 is the most streamlined and approachable game in the series. The class system was a lot of fun to mess around with, and combined with some really gripping sidequests and optional party members to add to the group, it stands out as the first Xenoblade game where I did absolutely everything in it. I couldn’t put it down for the longest time, and by the end I felt sad that the journey was over. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 really feels like Monolith Soft firing on all cylinders; we have gorgeous vistas in a strong anime-influenced art style that pushes the limits of the Switch’s hardware, a powerful, memorable soundtrack with songs that still give me chills to this day. Seriously, The Weight of Life is also my Song of the Year. Taking the best elements from every previous entry, 3 feels like the most consistent game in the franchise. While there are aspects in the other games I might prefer over 3 in general, the entire package is the best it has ever been for Monolith Soft. We still have more to look forward to in 2023, with extra quests and costumes in the expansion pass, on top of a new story that, judging by 2’s DLC, will be a full game on its own. The entirety of the Switch era has really shown Monolith Soft has become the backbone for modern Nintendo; from their support teams assisting on first-party entries like the Splatoon series, Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing: New Horizons, to the continued success of Xenoblade… I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us next time. It’s likely to be another GOTY contender.

And that will do it for my Game of the Year discussions for this year. Obviously a lot of BIG games weren’t in this list, and I’m sure if I had gotten to them things would have shuffled a fair bit. I sadly missed out on Sony’s prestige titles like Horizon: Forbidden West or God of War: Ragnarök. Despite being surrounded by discussion on Elden Ring, I didn’t get around to it and might not for quite a while. There are even several smaller titles that caught by eye, like Neon White, Freedom Planet 2 or Stray that I’ll attempt to get to in the near future but ultimately…there are just too many games and not enough time. Gamers are spoiled for choice these days, and that makes me happy to see the industry still delivering some real solid hits. For as bad as things can get, I always have a game within reach to entertain me and occasionally hit me in such a way that it stays with me long after finishing it, and really I can’t ask for much more than that. Here’s to a great year in gaming, and here’s hoping 2023 can continue to deliver!

-B

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