The last few weeks of the year are the most exciting time for many people, for various reasons. Some people love the Christmas spirit, while others are super excited about all the Black Friday sales. For most gamers, however, it’s the Game Awards and any potential announcements that spark curiosity.
As every year, The Game Awards 2022 returns in December and showcases some of the best games of the past twelve months. Some will win awards, while others will receive praise. However, only one will receive the highest recognition and become Game of the Year. Unfortunately, it won’t be one of those games, all of which missed the nominations list despite their good scores.
10/10 LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is Lego’s attempt to recreate the cult classic Star Wars Skywalker Saga for one. The game was released in April 2022 and is available on platforms such as Windows, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5.
Like other LEGO games, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a solo/co-op experience that showcases the story of all three Skywalker trilogies. Therefore, the game is divided into 9 episodes and 45 unique levels. It’s a complete package full of explorable planets, iconic locations and cool game mechanics.
9/10 Pokemon Legends: Arceus
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is one of the latest action role-playing games in the long-running Pokémon series. The title was released in January 2022 and showcased iconic creatures such as Rowlet, Cyndaquil, Oshawott and more. Upon release, the game became an instant hit, with over 10 million sales and positive reviews.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus has an exceptional time travel story and allows players to truly feel the grandeur of the Hisui region. It offers full 3D visuals, a revamped combat system, Zelda-style exploration, the ability to ride creatures and more.
8/10 Tunic
Players saw many action-adventure games in 2022, such as Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and more. However, not many came close to the nostalgic feel and Zelda-esque game design of it Tunic. The Finji title came out in March for PC and Xbox, and in September for PlayStation and Nintendo Switch.
Tunic features a classic isometric display game design, where players maneuver like the good old Zelda games. But this time they do it as a cute fox who explores a world full of secrets, uncovers powers and defeats cruel monsters.
7/10 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles games are usually hit or miss as they always try to experiment with the general formula. But, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge going back to the roots. It gives players the ultimate nostalgia trip with classic arcade style and 16-bit graphics.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge came out in June 2022 on all major platforms, and in November on PlayStation 5. Within months, it became one of the highest-rated action beat ’em ups of the year, featuring both solo and co-op modes.
6/10 Neon white
Neon white is a fast-paced first-person shooter with puzzle design elements and anime aesthetics. The game is one of the highest rated Annapurna Interactive titles in 2022, with other releases such as A Memoir Blue Stray, Hohokum, Hindsight, and Open roads. The game has a solid 90 out of 100 on Metacritic.
Neon white stands out for its amazing art direction and speedrun-style gameplay mechanics. It features a story about a demon slayer assassin in the sky, who parks around and takes down monsters in the fastest possible time.
5/10 NORCO
Norco is an adventure game from a lesser-known developer, Geography of Robots. It is an indie title from a Swedish video game publisher Raw Fury, known for other games such as Sable, Townscaper, Call of the Sea, and more.
Norco is a point-and-click, story-rich adventure title with elements of investigation. It’s a game set in an alternate universe, where players explore a “surreal and twisted South Louisiana” while solving the mystery of their missing brother. From the visuals to the atmosphere, this game is truly unique. Maybe that’s why it sits at 88 on Metacritic.
4/10 Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is the latest entry in the long-running Kirby series. The Nintendo exclusive came out in March and quickly became known as Kirby Odyssey among gamers who felt it shared many elements from the other iconic game, Super Mario Odyssey.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is mostly a single player adventure platform game that has a full 3D world where players can explore the mysterious world full of unique structures. Gameplay-wise, this game really takes the concept of Kirby and his shape-shifting abilities to a new level, which explains why this Switch title has an 85 on the Meta.
3/10 Total War: WARHAMMER III
Total War: WARHAMMER 3 is the latest title in the legendary Total War series, which has over 19 games in total. Like many other games in the series, the latest entry is a PC exclusive and only available on Linux, macOS and Microsoft Windows.
Total War: WARHAMMER 3 is a turn-based strategy game with elements of real-time tactics and large battles. It is the conclusion of the ongoing trilogy and one of the highest rated games in the franchise, with an 86/100 Metascore.
2/10 Sonic Frontiers
Sonic Frontiers has divided players into two sections. One side hates it, while the other thinks it’s the best Sonic game in years. The Sega title was released in November 2022 and has a metascore of 80/100. The user score is even better, with 8.6/10 on Metacritic and 10/10 on Steam.
Sonic Frontiers is the true revitalized 3D implementation of the character, similar to what Nintendo did for Mario i Super Mario 64. Therefore, it is highly experimental, which explains the huge difference between the assessment results.
1/10 Bayonetta 3
Just when people were beginning to think that the classic hack-and-slash era was gone, PlatinumGames released Bayonetta 3. The latest entry in the popular Nintendo series came out in October and was an instant hit with gamers. In terms of score, the action-adventure title became one of the year’s best-reviewed titles on Switch.
Bayonetta 3 is an epic must-play experience on Nintendo’s console and certainly one of the last major exclusives before The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. The game packs everything from an engaging story to timeless combat and dozens of stunning weapon designs that can make the most overpowered anime weapons look like toys.
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