Prans Dunn
Surreal yet well-crafted, The Eternal Cylinder is easily one of the most unique games of the year.
Dying Light 2 Stay Human lives up to the expectations by delivering an engaging gameplay in a detailed open world complimented by the series’ characteristic parkour mechanic that neatly blends in the exploration and combat.
ANNO: Mutationem is a gorgeous-looking, original indie title that, while bearing issues with the narrative design, is a display of promising potential for developer ThinkingStars.
With Ghostwire: Tokyo, Tango Gameworks delivers an original title with a captivating supernatural twist on Tokyo inspired by Japanese folklore.
The premise of Trolley Problem, Inc. might sound problematic to some but if you indulge in its dark humour as much as the game does, you’ll find in it an original little indie game apt for a party night to judge you and your friends' moral standards.
With its original narrative blend of sci-fi and surreal while mixing up gameplay mechanics, Norco delivers a memorable narrative-driven experience.
With its adorable 2.5 aesthetics and lighthearted plot, Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising offers a quick fix and a promising outlook for what’s to come with Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes.
As far as “walking sims” are concerned, Eternal Threads stands out with its time-manipulating narrative Rubik’s cube mechanic that adds a welcome layer of challenge and delivers an interesting approach to plot progression.
Visually, Trek to Yomi is a memorable ode to samurai movies while it plays it safe on the gameplay side.
With its gameplay mechanics that are woven into the narrative, Vampire: The Masquerade – Swansong brings a fresh take on the narrative-driven games genre with its vampire detective title, even if the overall execution could have used some more polishing.
With its well-executed TTRPG-inspired mechanic and an intricate narrative that fleshes out its universe, Citizen Sleeper brings a fresh outlook on the cyberpunk genre in video games.
As a horror-themed game driven by your decision, The Quarry delivers a memorable experience with a cinematic look and feel, even if it often leans too much on tropes and cringe for its own good.
As developer Bleakmill’s debut title, Industria offers an interesting premise for a surreal game that warrants a sequel.
Stray is a purr-fect cat game that doubles as a well executed, memorable platformer.
Lost in Play is easily the indie darling of Summer 2022.
South of the Circle offers a cinematic, narrative-driven experience that stands out with its minimalist visuals and captivating storytelling technique.
Beyond the persisting post-launch bugs, Cult of the Lamb delivers an original indie title that masterfully blends Rogue-like mechanics and cult management in addictive bouts.
Circus Electrique originally blends circus management and turn-based combat but stumbles in its execution.
While mostly a passive experience devoid of traditional gameplay, We Are OFK delivers the backstory of the titular band in an original visual novel-esque style.
While Sunday Gold stands out with its novel mix of gameplay and stylish presentation, it wears down its novelty by the overuse of the mechanics that makes it stand out in the first place.