Capcom Fighting Collection sets the new standard all compilation games should be held to. There are a ton of games, though some may complain too many of them are Darkstalkers, accompanied by a suit of wonderful art and music. To top it all off is the fantastic online play and great visual and auditory presentation wrapping it up.
While it's not quite what I had hoped for, Sonic Origins is one of the best ways to play Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic CD, Sonic 2, and Sonic 3 & Knuckles. The sprite art looks fantastic in widescreen and extras like animated cutscenes bookending each game are a delight.
Spike Chunsoft has done it again with AI: THE SOMNIUM FILES nirvanA Initiative. They tell an incredible murder mystery that's a ton of fun to figure out, all while solving brain-bending puzzles and talking to a colorful cast of endearing characters. There are a lot of performance issues and bugs, but those are nitpicks compared to just the sheer joy of diving into people's minds to solve the case.
Neon White is a ballet of bullets and death that always leaves you wanting just one more run. There are a ton of levels and powers to master, along with a witty and sincere story at the center. One of 2022's best games.
Mario Strikers: Battle League presents a shockingly deep take on Soccer held up by some incredibly charming and expressive character animations. Sadly there's not much to see outside of the core loop, and can quickly wear out its welcome as things start to feel too repetitive.
The Quarry is a tense horror adventure with incredibly likable characters and some effective scares. The central mystery is fun to figure out, and the game doesn't take itself too seriously. While there are a few hiccups, you can either work around them or ignore them as they're not so major as to detract from the overall experience. This is Supermassive's best work yet.
Card Shark is unlike any game you've played before. As a card game where you don't actually play cards, learning and executing various methods of cheating is a ton of fun. The historical setting contributes to the conspiracy central to the story, while adding its own colorful cast of enjoyable characters in the gorgeous setting of 18th century France.
Vampire: The Masquerade - Swansong is a fantastic, yet very messy game. It lacks some desperately needed polish and refining, but the core is so fun and engaging you can put the problems to the side for a time. They'll rear their head pretty frequently, but pushing past them is well worth the rewards.
Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising packs a ton of fun into a small package. The combat has surprising depth, even if the game starts out unbearably slow, and the few areas you explore are fun to revisit and discover all the nooks and crannies. The town building aspect fits perfectly into the gameplay loop, and makes for an addicting experience.
Syberia - The World Before is a captivating story of turmoil in the face of fashism. With compelling characters and fascinating logic puzzles, newcomers and returning players alike will have a blast with this adventure.
Nintendo Switch Sports has moments of fun, but they're buried under forced, inaccurate motion controls and lacking minigames. Only 2 and a half of the six sports on offer here are really fun or engaging, character customization is shockingly sparse, and the novelty wears off in minutes. This feels more like a cheap imitation of Wii Sports, which was free, than anything close to worth the price of entry.
Bugsnax's The Isle of BIGsnax is a great reason to revisit Snacktooth. Whether you're a seasoned journalist or catching your first Strabby on a new platform, you really can't go wrong with this delightful adventure.
Vampire the Masquerade: Bloodlines - Heartless Lullaby feels less like a full game and more like a short proof of concept. It'll be interesting to see what this free game evolves into, if anything, but if you're into the World of Darkness it's worth taking a look.
Anuchard presents some interesting concepts, but is executed sloppily. While combat is extremely simple, level design is lackluster, and most puzzles are too easy, the final hour or so holds a lot of promise.
Road 96 is a politically charged piece of interactive art. Its themes of opposing fascism are depressingly relevant and conveyed through charming and funny characters. While the voice acting leaves a lot to be desired, this is a trip well worth taking over and over.
ANNO: Mutationem had a lot of promise, but ended up spread far too thin. Both the exploration and combat lack any sort of depth, the story is nonsensical, and the sprite work looks ugly in motion.
Moss Book II is a game very deserving of your attention. Its novel use of VR as a medium is fascinating and helps to tell a heartfelt story with you and the adorable Quill at its center. It's bigger and better than the first in many ways, but is greatly held back by small yet consistent and progress blocking bugs.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land is an excellent first foray into 3D for the pink puffball. There's so much to see and do on this adorable adventure it's hard to focus on just one thing for long, and it'll keep fans new and old entertained for some time.
Stranger of Paradise is a good game, but it had the potential to be a great game. Its self seriousness backfires to a genuinely endearing degree, but also leaves the story poorly fleshed out and possibly hard to follow. The combat may be fun, fluid, and visceral, but issues with the PC version should make players look to other platforms.
Tiny Tina's Wonderlands presents a fresh take on Borderlands, retaining the core of the series while adding some fun new twists both in its setting and gameplay.