The Rising Tide serves a fitting end to Final Fantasy XVI, reminding me of the ways this entry rose above the challenge while also tripping in a few spots.
In many ways, playing through Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth feels like the dream game many envisioned when they stepped out for the first time to a world full of wonder and possibilities back in 1997.
I wish Skull and Bones was the pirate extravaganza it could and should have been. But other than some fleeting ship combat, if you want to get the real pirate experience, look elsewhere.
The JRPG greats eventually grew to become genre stalwarts, and I certainly see a future where, upon great iteration and improved storytelling, Granblue Fantasy also gets there.
The Last of Us Part II remains a fascinating sequel to one of gaming’s most celebrated franchises, and its No Return addition makes it more replayable than it was four years ago.
Even if you are not a big fan of the Avatar property, if you have enjoyed Far Cry in the past and are curious to see how Ubisoft is slowly evolving their tried and true formula, or if you just want a beautiful place to get lost in, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora definitely fits the bill.
Sony Santa Monica did incredible work with this, and if you have ever liked the God of War franchise at any point, I can’t imagine a better love letter for the fans.
If what you wanted was another excuse to revisit Final Fantasy 16 outside its New Game+ and Arcade Mode, I feel this is a solid reason to return to its world.
If you hope to see the series’ campaign design feel like it’s not simply going through the motions, rehashing past glories and not half-baking potential new ideas, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III will leave you wanting.
From every angle you can imagine, from its clever storytelling and cinematic stylings to its excellent survival horror aspects, Alan Wake 2 absolutely sings.
The caper fantasy experience that the series continues to provide always makes it a good time even when the messy technical aspects threaten to derail it.
While not perfect, the risks Square-Enix took with Final Fantasy XVI to focus this game on a genre completely different from many of its prior entries did manage to pay off in dividends.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom brought childlike joy I never thought I could experience again, where it shows that when it comes to human ingenuity and creativity, the sky’s the limit. It is a true watershed moment of game design.
It is a testament to how good Jedi Survivor is as an overall package that, even though it had some technical deficiencies that can be seen as deterrents, it didn’t affect my enjoyment of what is one of the best Star Wars games in the modern era.
In the midst of that disappointment, Lightfall manages to pull through by being some of the most fun you can have with Destiny 2 in the places that have always actually mattered with this franchise.
“Metroid Prime Remastered” is a perfect reminder of the ways that Nintendo helped to shape the industry, but it’s also a reflection that sheds light on a greater creative void from Nintendo since that original 2002 release.
As someone who loves his games to feel very kinetic and fun, the magic combat of Forspoken did propel the package overall, even when the rest of it could seem from a different era.
If you have any interest in the “Final Fantasy VII” universe and want to understand the massive implications of the changes made to “Final Fantasy VII Remake” and the upcoming “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth,” “Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion” is definitely an important piece in the puzzle and totally worth playing!
It may not be my absolute favorite game of 2022, but it certainly is one of the most fun from this year.