The Geekly Grind Presents - The Best of 2022 [Video Games]
By: Mithrandiel
The days are long and the months are short, or something like that.
It’s that time again! The year is rapidly coming to an end and we are left scratching our heads looking back on an incredible year of comics & video games, and somehow needing to distinguish those titles that really stood out to us.
I’ll be revisiting my top 5 in each category, starting with video games.
5 - Chained Echoes
Maybe it’s recency bias - so sue me! This beautiful 16-bit RPG successfully captured that childhood feeling of waking up early on a Sunday morning to forge through a couple more hours of game-time. With lush environments, an addictive combat system, a stellar soundtrack and well-paced narrative, Chained Echoes checked all the boxes and effectively transported me back to that “golden age” of gaming, and was one of the best games of 2022 as a result.
4 - Horizon Zero Dawn: Forbidden West
As a big fan of the IP, I was thrilled to see more added to Aloy’s journey. While the game didn’t quite stick the landing, it still provided a vibrant and broad world to explore, really showcasing what the PS5 is capable of, all while preserving much of the combat and narrative tone that made the first game so iconic. It was some of the most fun I had with video games this year, and therefore earned spot #4 on this list.
3 - God of War: Ragnarok
Alongside Horizon Zero Dawn, God of War is one of the modern pillars of Playstation-exclusive properties. After the 2018 game was a resounding success, fans eagerly awaited the sequel, and it finally arrived a few weeks ago to critical acclaim. Embracing the mantra if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, Ragnarok delivered more of what players loved from the 2018 entry, expanding the story of Kratos and Atreus in a brutal, emotionally affective fashion. With crisp combat, great character design and amazing music, God of War Ragnarok is my pick for 3rd best game of 2022.
2 - Xenoblade Chronicles 3
I’m a sucker for JRPGs, it’s true. Thankfully for me, directors Koh Kojima and Genki Yokota made sure I was properly fed with Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Not directly tied to the previous entries, XC3 allowed players to jump in and enjoy the highly addictive hybrid combat system, as well as the stellar soundtrack (arguably the best of the year in my opinion) and extremely strong narrative. The all-around richness of this game secured it’s #2 spot for the year.
1 - Elden Ring
Arise, Tarnished!
While I wanted to avoid any sweeping generalizations, especially for a best of the year piece, I’m firmly of the belief that Elden Ring is a once-in-a-gaming-generation experience. Set aside its impact on popular culture, the sheer scale of this open-world game, as well as the rich options in gameplay and builds and stunningly deep lore all contributed to making Elden Ring not only the game of the year, but arguably one of the most impactful gaming experiences of the last 5-10 years. While the difficulty curve is steep, and the game certainly doesn’t hold your hand narratively, the fact that I could play the game for 4-6 hours and not make any substantive narrative progress while still having thoroughly enjoyed my time in that world speaks volumes.
As a result, Elden Ring is definitely my pick for #1 this year.
What about you all? What games did you enjoy this year? Feel free to leave comments below, or join us on our Discord!
