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TMNT: Shredder's Revenge is everything a Beat 'Em Up should be. Dotemu's title is lovingly crafted with retro-inspired visuals and an original soundtrack. Not only this, but combat is some of the best the genre has ever seen. With fantastic co-op options and high replay value, it's a title you'll revisit for years. Whether you're a fan of the Turtles or not, it's easily one of the best titles of 2022.
If you've got the stomach for a challenge, you'd be hard-pressed to find a title more impressive than Cuphead in any genre. This masterpiece only gets better, thanks to The Delicious Last Course. Cuphead remains my favorite indie game for the amount of love and dedication that goes into each level. Animation, music, and boss designs are all impeccable, somehow outdoing the base game's offerings. Considering that the expansion only costs $7.99, it's hard to argue that this isn't one of the best DLC packages of the last decade.
Despite an aggressive storefront and limited private game options, Fall Guys: Free for All is Mediatonic's best model. You'll have plenty to enjoy, with many levels to play and unique ways to approach the content. Whether you want solo play or partnering with friends, chasing the Crown is addictive as the first time I played. Fall Guys is a staple in my gaming catalog and a great time.
Stray is a short but sweet adventure game that will warm your heart. Few titles meld puzzles, world-building, and well-written characters so harmoniously. Though Stray is rough around the edges, it's a promising first title from BlueTwelve Studios with so much to appreciate. If you're in the market for a relaxing title with an adorable protagonist, invest in Stray, the cutest release of 2022. Come for the cat; stay for the adventure!
Maglam Lord ends up in an unusual niche. It has better production values than a budget title but doesn’t offer enough to compete with a full AAA release. This makes it a lot of fun when expectations get set appropriately. It was perfect for those days when I just wanted to punish enemies by mashing buttons, and the accompanying story was a pleasant bonus.
Overwatch 2 is a massive disappointment, falling short in almost every facet of its intended design. Monetization, the ranking system, server stability, and lack of polish make this a title with faults that are impossible to ignore. While the controls, new Push mode, and 5v5 structure make Overwatch 2 more enjoyable from a gameplay perspective, the surrounding systems bog down what could have been an excellent evolution for the hero-shooter franchise.
Bayonetta 3 is a case study of why a game that swings big and misses is often more worthy of your time than a 10/10 game that plays it safe. I just wish it could have stuck the landing story-wise.
Sonic Frontiers is a wonderful addition to the Sonic series. It offers exciting exploration and high-octane gameplay that will keep players engaged. While there are minor issues with collision and controls, these do not greatly impact the overall enjoyment of the game. It is a must-play for anyone interested in Sonic.
Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration. . . shows us what digital archival in gaming could look like. Many of these documents were fished from dumpsters when Atari went bust. These slivers of history could have been lost forever. Instead, Digital Eclipse found them, polished them up, and put them into a museum where they belong.
The streamlined mechanics of Potion Permit have simplified some genre staples to the point where they can feel like a grind. However, this game should still be fun for people motivated to learn more about Moonbury’s inhabitants — the town is a lively place where more than 30 individuals pursue daily routines. They interact with each other and the player in ways that suggest an established community, making it more rewarding when you earn that community’s trust.
Despite a few minor hiccups, Video Game Fables is a joy. While it covers familiar territory, the narrative and systemic liberties Matt Sharp applies to well-worn RPG systems transform them into something more forgiving and freewheeling.
Despite a disinteresting narrative and lack of focus on the supporting cast, Fire Emblem Engage is another stellar entry in the franchise, improving on nearly every other aspect. Intuitive strategic gameplay, a loveable main cast, and the fascinating Engage system, which pays homage to previous mainline entries, make this a Fire Emblem any strategy game fan won't want to miss.
Though a lack of character integration in core narratives does keep this title from masterpiece status, Octopath Traveler 2 is better than the original in every possible way. Improved combat, unforgettable characters, excellent narrative structure, gorgeous visuals, and a legendary soundtrack make this one of the best Square Enix titles in years. For fans of JRPGs, Octopath Traveler 2 is worth the price of admission and then some.
While the game is similar to Animal Crossing (AC), I would say that the story development is far more intricate than AC. The need to craft specific items requires you to fish, mine, dig, garden, forage, and ultimately collect to further progress in the game, and story quests give this game more of an RPG feel. . . With the constant updates, it’s clear that Gameloft plans to continue the game for a long time. If you’re a Disney fan and love cozy games such as Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Genshin Impact, or Stardew Valley, I would recommend getting Disney Dreamlight Valley.
While Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is a fantastic title, I can't recommend it in its current state. Game-breaking bugs, plentiful performance problems, and immersion-crushing glitches are rampant here. You'll likely see significant issues no matter what system you play on. This is an unacceptable release from EA and Respawn that falls far below what we've come to expect from these talented developers. You're better off waiting out the game's rough launch window and picking it up on sale a year later.
Final Fantasy XVI is a monumental step forward for the franchise. Its grim and grounded narrative boasting some of the franchise’s best characters, music, and voice acting, is only outclassed by the masterful boss battles and addictive action combat system. The latest entry in the Final Fantasy series is one of the best comprehensive offerings Square Enix has released in the last decade and a must-buy title for RPG fans.
Robodunk is a scrappy, lively take on side-scrolling basketball hijinks, but refinements to control defaults and campaign unlocks could send it soaring to even greater heights. For now, it plays best with friends, but nothing a few post-launch tweaks couldn’t fix.
Pikmin 4 is a delightful continuation of Nintendo’s adorable strategy franchise. An expansive set of maps to explore with well-thought-out puzzles above and below ground make for an incredible adventure with your little pluckable allies. Apart from a few monotonous dungeons and a lack of boss variety, Pikmin 4 substantially improves upon the standards set by previous entries and sets a new standard for the series.
Slay the Princess is a prime example of why visual novels are one of the most powerful and hard-hitting offerings in gaming today. It’s an astounding tale where nearly every aspect elevates its narrative to new heights. If you’re looking for a horror game that’ll stay with you or need a title to nudge you into visual novels, look no further than Slay the Princess.
Jusant's reach never exceeds its grasp. Smart use of player tools, generous checkpointing options, and a full spectrum of sound take a simple premise to its absolute peak. The deceptively simple climbing and exploration constantly reminds you that you are a single point in a larger ecosystem.