The Unlockables: Eric's Top 12 Games of 2022
2022 was an incredible and busy year. I went from planning a wedding with the love of my life, to starting a new job, to renovating my house, all while launching the Unlockables Podcast. Balancing all of these facets of life hasn’t been an easy task but despite all of that I managed to beat over 40 games this year, which is a massive increase from my previous total of 15 in 2021. From those 40 games, I picked 12 of my favorites from this year to talk about in this article. Just so you know how this is going to work, the 12 games in question are not all from 2022, rather just my favorite experiences I had with games this year. They are also in no particular order, as I will be crowning my true Game of the Year on a year end episode of the Unlockables. These 12 games were also featured on my year end ‘12 Games of Christmas’ podcast event over on the feed so if you would like to hear expanded thoughts on all of these titles, feel free to check it out!
Before I get started I want to address one thing so that you can yell at me right off the bat. I DID NOT play Elden Ring. I might be the only person on the face of the planet that did not play Elden Ring. Those who know me or listen to the show know that FromSoft games are just not for my cup of tea. That being said, I did want to at least mention its importance in the year 2022. I can’t take away nor will I argue that it is arguably the biggest game that came out this year, and its influence on games going forward is going to be huge. Despite not having played it, Elden Ring deserves at least a mention.
Stray (2022, PS5)
For me, Stray was a calm spot in the middle of the year, a break from the chaos and hype that was the beginning of 2022. This game had been on my radar since the E3 trailer 2020 and why wouldn’t it? The premise was simple. You’re a cat, exploring a futuristic city, doing cat things. And while there is a larger overarching story that I will avoid for spoiler purposes, the game delivers on its promises in spades. Having fallen into an underground city, you look to return to the surface world while navigating a maze of subterranean urban locales, meeting robots that feel more human than machine. In a gaming industry that thrives in giving you powerful avatars and leveling systems to fulfill your power fantasy, in stray you are, in fact, a very regular cat. It is in this premise that the game shines, and every design and gameplay aspect is designed to give you an authentic ‘cat’ experience. From pushing objects off ledges to curling up for a nap, Stray’s cat is the most genuine, expressive, and well thought out character that I’ve come across in years. Despite being focused on the cat, Stray also tells a very human story that seems relevant to the times. With an average play time of between 4-6 hours, Stray is an experience that is worth the time and cost of admission.
Super Mario World (1991, Super Nintendo)
2022 was a year I revisited a lot of older games that I hadn’t played since before the Covid-19 pandemic, games that are some of my favorites of all time. To be fair to this list, I had to limit the number of those games, otherwise this would just be a list of my favorite games. One, however, stood above the rest, and was worthy of inclusion. That title is, of course, Super Mario World. Those of you that know me or have listened to the show know that Super Mario World was the first video game I ever played, or at least the first game I have vivid memories of playing. For this reason it holds a very special place in my heart. But setting my incredibly obvious bias aside for a moment, I was blown away playing this game in 2022. To set the stage for this game, in the early 90s Sega had managed to gain ground and seriously threaten Nintendo’s dominance in the console market. Nintendo was getting ready to launch the long awaited Super Famicom/Super Nintendo, but they needed a killer game to win back market share against Sega. So of course they turned to their reliable mascot who had helped them dominate the mid to late 80s, Mario. And the rest is history. I’ve long said on my show that we take Mario’s excellence for granted. Any year that a mainline Mario game comes out, it is arguably the best game of that year. And Super Mario World is no different. This game is 30 years old, and still plays better than a majority of games that are released today. In a year of incredible titles, Super Mario World still stood tall and was one of the best gaming experiences I had this year.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses (2019, Nintendo Switch)
If you’ve ever been remotely curious about the Fire Emblem series, then I would strongly encourage you to play Three Houses. I replayed this game again in 2022 for a podcast appearance and to fill the strategy-shaped void in my heart left by the unfortunate delay of Advance Wars 1+2 Reboot Camp. Three Houses is the most accessible title in the series to date, stripping away a lot of the antiquated systems that were core experiences of older titles. What replaced it was a revamped character class and combat system, with a renewed focus on character interactions and relationships. The result is an emotional, engaging, and replayable story that has made Three Houses the most successful Fire Emblem titles to date and one of the premiere titles on the Nintendo Switch. With a brand new game, Fire Emblem Engage, slated for an early 2023 release, there is no better time to experience Fire Emblem, and Three Houses is the place to do it.
Nobody Saves the World (2022, Nintendo Switch)
I didn’t see very many people talking about this one, but this was one of the games I had the most fun playing in 2022. In Nobody Saves The World, you play as Nobody, a “pale androgynous humanoid” who has lost all memories and must find the famous mage Nostramagus to save the world from impending doom. To help you, you’ll have a magic wand that gives you access to 18 different forms that work as your classes in this game. Want to play as a sword wielding knight? You can do that. Want to play as a horse or a rat? You can do that too! Nobody Saves The World is a top down ARPG in the vein of Diablo, and all of the different forms are your classes. You can mix and match classes and abilities for near endless combinations to find the style of gameplay that works for you. With a roughly 15-20 hour run time, the game doesn’t overstay its welcome. This world is rich and worth picking up and exploring.
Kirby and the Forgotten Land (2022, Nintendo Switch)
This was not, in fact, the first and only Kirby game I played this year. That dubious honor goes to 2018’s Kirby Star Allies. I’m happy to say, Kirby and the Forgotten Land is NOT that game. Star Allies felt like a dull, uninspired Kirby adventure that offered no challenge or variety. Every critique and criticism I had with Star Allies was fixed completely in Forgotten Land. With the release of the Switch, Nintendo has shown willingness to take some creative chances with some of their biggest titles. Breath of the Wild and Mario Odyssey tried new things and took those franchises in exciting directions while managing to keep them feeling familiar. Forgotten Land is no different, resulting in it becoming the most successful Kirby game of all time, finally dethroning Kirby’s Dreamland on the original Gameboy. Kirby’s first foray into full 3D is a resounding success, iterating on many of Kirby’s established gameplay troupes in exciting and fascinating ways. There’s secrets, surprises and exciting times around every corner. Forgotten Land is a wholesome experience, one of the best in 2022.
Vampire Survivors (2021, PC)
In a year of gigantic Triple-A releases, from Elden Ring to Horizon Forbidden West to God of War, there is VAMPIRE SURVIVORS. Developed by a single person with a cost of just over $1,200, Vampire Survivors burst onto the early access scene in late 2021 and is still going strong with a recent 1.0 release. Best described as “a game made with a Castlevania texture pack” this game is simple but addicting. Your only action is movement as your power ups autofire at anything within range. Boring? WRONG. This is a video game distilled into its purest form. There is a constant rush of dopamine as you continually acquire new abilities, unlocks, and level ups as you slay hordes of the undead. And when I say hordes, I mean hordes. Each 30 minute level continually fills with enemies for you to slay, getting to the point where it is nearly impossible to distinguish your position amongst THOUSANDS of sprites on screen. You’ll go in expecting to play one or two levels, only to have it suck away hours of your time. As video games get more complicated and advanced as the years go on, Vampire Survivors proves that all you need is a fun idea to make a popular game.
Horizon Forbidden West (2022, PlayStation 5)
Aloy’s follow up adventure to 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn is a familiar experience. If you played the first, you mostly know what you’ll be getting into the second time around. To me, Forbidden West’s shift in perspective is where it really shines. Instead of a loner outcast, Aloy is now the exalted Savior or Meridian, a venerated figure of society. Where once she could pass without much notice, she is now known most places that she goes. And it is this story that kept me invested for the length of Horizon’s gameplay. Don’t get me wrong, fighting robot animals is still the main draw for me. And there’s enough changes there to make it feel fresh but familiar. But I was fascinated watching Aloy navigate the world with her new found celebrity. This is a different Aloy, a person who is now armed with the knowledge of the past, trying to spur a people bound by superstition and tradition into action against an impending doom they don’t fully understand. What’s more, side quests are pretty fully fleshed out. You experience so many side characters through these side quests that they are worth experiencing. I’m curious to see where they take the series, and if they decided to wrap up this story in the inevitable third installment.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus (2022, Nintendo Switch)
Pokémon has continued to be a cultural juggernaut despite innovating on its core game design philosophies the least out of any IP. The most profitable media franchise on earth continues to put out games that would have felt outdated two console generations ago. Despite being massively successful sellers, the last two entries Sword/Shield and Brilliant Diamond/Shining Pearl were underwhelming to say the least. That being said, Pokémon Legends Arceus gets a spot on this list simply for the fact that it is the biggest breath of fresh air that the franchise has had in decades. While still underachieving on the visuals and story beats, there are many quality of life improvements that finally feel like an attempt to bring Pokémon into the modern age. Battles and capturing are faster and the game is actually challenging. At no point in this game did I feel overleveled or overpowered, and I was constantly pushed in big battles to strategize the best ways to win. And despite not being a truly open world, I had a blast exploring the wide open spaces that Arceus introduced. Nintendo. Game Freak. If any of you happen to read this, this is a blueprint for the future.
Mega Man X (1993, SNES)
In the early 90s Mega Man was losing steam. The Blue Bomber had been one of the defining series on the NES. Because every one out of four homes in the United States had a Nintendo Entertainment System in it, Capcom was still making Mega Man titles on the console nearly 3 years after the launch of the Super Nintendo. But fans weren’t having it. They were ready for the next generation, a true 16-bit sequel that would bring Mega Man into the modern age. Enter Mega Man X. If you have never played a Mega Man game, start here. X is a master class of level and game design, being so meticulously well thought out that I’ve said the intro stage of this game belongs in the Smithsonian. It intertwines theming, design and gameplay into what I believe is the premiere Mega Man experience to this day. And unlike Super Mario World, there’s no nostalgia bias here. I first played Mega Man X in the mid 2010s and it quickly established itself as one of my favorite games of all time. I have played it at least once every year since 2015 and will continue to do so into the future.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge (2022, Nintendo Switch)
If you’re familiar with Unlockables, then you’ll know that Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles IV: Turtles in Time for the SNES is one of my favorite games of all time. That really was the only beat ‘em up I had any experience with growing up, and I beat it on the hardest difficulty with some of my closest friends. Fast forward to this year to Shredder’s Revenge. This game is a perfect modern interpretation of what made Turtles in Time so great, and it activated a lot of my nostalgia receptors in my brain that had me reliving great times spent with good friends growing up. The music, gameplay, and level design is a fantastic modern take on the classic beat ‘em up genre. And with several quality of life improvements over their older counterparts, Shredder’s Revenge is the perfect couch co-op game or solo outing when you need to let off a little steam while listening to some great music.
Monster Hunter Rise: Sunbreak (2022, Nintendo Switch)
Just to give you a bit of a refresher, Monster Hunter Rise was my Game of the Year in 2021. The series has had a stranglehold on me since Monster Hunter World released in 2018. Now I know what you’re going to say. But Eric, Sunbreak is only an expansion on the base game. It isn’t a new game at all. Yes, you’re absolutely right, but I don’t care. I have logged more time on an expansion for a game that was my game of the year last year than ANY other game on this list. And while Sunbreak doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel, it builds upon everything that made Rise so great. At the end of the day, it gives you more monsters to hunt, more gear to make, and more challenges to overcome, with free title updates adding even MORE content into the foreseeable future. What more could a dedicated hunter ask for?
God of War Ragnarok (2022, PlayStation 5)
I’ll stay brief with my thoughts on Ragnarok as it is still a relatively new game. The 2022 version of God of War delivers an incredible and satisfying conclusion to the narrative started in 2018. If you loved the first one, you’re getting more of the same here, with some minor overall quality of life improvements to make it a more enjoyable experience. For me, I was here for the story of Atreus and Kratos, which has evolved beautifully over both titles and has redefined a character that I once had little to no interest in. That, to me, is the hallmark of a good game. These latest installments of the God of War franchise has elevated Santa Monica Studios to one of the best in the business. And I’m excited to see what they’ll do next.