it’s clear after playing through the expansion that CDPR has been listening to its fans. With Phantom Liberty, they have finally delivered the much-demanded experience players have asked for since launch. I’ll gladly say that Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty, alongside the 2.0 update, might be one of the best gaming experiences I’ve played all year, and looking back, there’ve been tons of amazing games this year.
Regardless if FFXVI is your first Final Fantasy game or you’re returning to the series, Square Enix’s latest game in the franchise lives up to the hype. Forget about JRPG’s or how action-RPGs nowadays need an open world, side quests that last for ages, co-op or whatever gimmick. FFXVI just throws all that out of the table and proves a tightly woven narrative-driven game –when built right — can make up for all those. The minor issues the game has doesn’t detract from the incredible experience Clive & Co. bring to the table. Players will be treated to a compelling tale, stunning visual spectacles, and a fluid and fun combat system. What’s even more impressive is, Square Enix manages to make the franchise “grow up” alongside the players who grew up playing the series. FFXVI deals with more mature themes and manages to make it matter without being overly preachy about it. Those looking for the series’ return to glory, rejoice! Final Fantasy XVI is that game, and this is one fantasy you’ll want to make sure you’re a part of.
You know, from the very moment I saw Teenage Mutants Ninja Turtle: Shredder’s Revenge I knew instantly that the game was going to be a hit. It does exactly what I was hoping it would do, delivering on what only its 90’s counterparts have been able to deliver. Sheer fun, coupled with outright gorgeous visuals that would make any fan happy. The child in me is screaming with joy, while the adult in me is applauding Tribute Games and Dotemu on their incredible work. This will be one for the ages, a timeless classic that I’ll be going back to for many years to come.
The expectations that I had for this game were unsurprisingly low, and in fact, I had zero interest in even playing it. That would have been a major mistake on my part, and if you are someone who is jaded by the release of Marvel’s Avengers, rest assured Guardians of the Galaxy is everything you could want out of a Marvel Game. It’s fun, entertaining, and quite possibly one of the best games this year. I’ll say it, it might just be my personal Game of the Year.
Just when you think you’ve reached the pinnacle of a series, Nintendo comes out with a bigger, more ambitious, creative, and innovative follow-up to perhaps what was already one of the greatest games ever released. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom somehow manages to be better than its predecessor in every way imaginable, once again propelling the series to new heights. It’s insane and absolutely mind-boggling what Nintendo has crafted here, and even more so how the publisher is consistently able to one-up themselves. Believe in the hype because The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom exceeds them in every way. I wish I could rewind this whole experience, just so I can play it for the very first time again because if there is one thing that has now dawned on me, the one thing that has now struck a bit of fear, it’s that I now have to wonder how in the world will Nintendo ever top this. I suppose there’s some solace in knowing that this was the very thing I said about Breath of the Wild, so here’s to the future of the franchise.
I say this to the highest degree of praise possible when speaking about Avalanche Studios and Hogwarts Legacy. Avalanche Studios does for Harry Potter what Rocksteady did for Batman; a perfect match, delivering a genuine, authentic experience like no other. For the last 20-plus years, I’ve dreamt about an open-world Harry Potter game that has everything you’d expect out of a Harry Potter game, and Avalanche has finally delivered on that dream. The attention to detail that has gone into this game, the love and care, and the pure dedication of the team. It all goes unnoticed.
I could spend hours upon hours talking about God of War Ragnarök, but at the end of the day, the only thing that should matter to you is if it's any good -- and it is. It's better than good; it’s a downright masterpiece. I know that word get's thrown around everywhere, and a lot, but I genuinely mean it. The story is beyond anything I would have imagined, and by the time I finished watching every line of credit roll, I couldn't help but give everyone a standing ovation. Like the first game, God of War Ragnarök will forever be etched in my memory as a timeless experience. A remarkable, unforgettable journey that I’ll keep talking about for the years to come and probably for the rest of my life. I could not be more confident in saying this, but I’ve found my Game of the Year for 2022.
Honestly, I just can’t recommend Deathloop enough to all you Xbox Series owners out there. It’s a fantastic game, that leans heavily into the identity crafted by Arkane Studio when they released Dishonored nearly a decade ago. It’s clever, fun, witty, and pure chaos at its best, what’s to hate about that?