Flaco's 2022 Top 50
My very roughly ordered 50 favorite games I played for the first time in 2022, with some thoughts on each.
Also check out my whole, overlong ranked list of 238 new games I played in 2022 if you want
Also check out my whole, overlong ranked list of 238 new games I played in 2022 if you want
50 Games
In multiple ways the RPG I'd always been waiting for.
I'd played this briefly a long time ago but this time I inhaled the whole thing over a month so I'm counting it as a new game for me.
Manages to achieve the holy trinity of great story and characters, great combat system, and great pacing. The sphere grid and turn order forecast are wonderfully considered and more than perhaps any other RPG (besides Dragon Quest XI) the whole game is paced into these beautifully bite sized episodes. The ending hit me hard as hell, I love Yuna and Tidus and the sad tale of moving into the uncertain, hopeful future they embark on first alone, then together, then alone.
Review possibly forthcoming.
I'd played this briefly a long time ago but this time I inhaled the whole thing over a month so I'm counting it as a new game for me.
Manages to achieve the holy trinity of great story and characters, great combat system, and great pacing. The sphere grid and turn order forecast are wonderfully considered and more than perhaps any other RPG (besides Dragon Quest XI) the whole game is paced into these beautifully bite sized episodes. The ending hit me hard as hell, I love Yuna and Tidus and the sad tale of moving into the uncertain, hopeful future they embark on first alone, then together, then alone.
Review possibly forthcoming.
1
My god. I'm an absolute sucker for Ueda and goddamn he got me AGAIN. I adore my big birdcat pal, and the adventure this game takes you on with that pal is unforgettable.
I think making Trico was a genuinely worthwhile thing to do with game design. Trico's existence and the relationship this game fosters with them stand as further, powerful proof that videogames were not in fact a mistake at all and that they can be beautiful things full of love.
Also has maybe a Top 3 use of the Cutscene Is Actually Still Gameplay device in the history of the medium.
Review possibly forthcoming.
I think making Trico was a genuinely worthwhile thing to do with game design. Trico's existence and the relationship this game fosters with them stand as further, powerful proof that videogames were not in fact a mistake at all and that they can be beautiful things full of love.
Also has maybe a Top 3 use of the Cutscene Is Actually Still Gameplay device in the history of the medium.
Review possibly forthcoming.
2
From's biggest, grandest, loosest, lumpy flabby baggiest game in their entire Souls-and-beyond project.
One of the truly great worlds in videogames, the wonder Elden Ring earns with its massive scope makes up for the game's rougher edges in terms of its sense of focus and systems design.
It's also an unsung triumph in From's evolving narrative design, the web of quests in this thing is very ambitious for them and they seriously nailed it.
How many Instant All-Time Classics can these devs freakin make...
One of the truly great worlds in videogames, the wonder Elden Ring earns with its massive scope makes up for the game's rougher edges in terms of its sense of focus and systems design.
It's also an unsung triumph in From's evolving narrative design, the web of quests in this thing is very ambitious for them and they seriously nailed it.
How many Instant All-Time Classics can these devs freakin make...
3
Stands in for IIDX as a whole, as this is the version I play at home.
I've always really enjoyed rhythm games but encountering this at the arcade was like being struck by lightning. Forget rekindling my old affection for the genre, getting deep into IIDX exploded my prior affection into a burning passion.
7 keys and a turntable, how the hell do you handle it all? We often think of rhythm games as being low on decision-making depth. After all, the game tells you exactly what to press and exactly when so all that's left for the player is execution, right?
Well my journey with IIDX has helped me see the wonderful expression a traditional rhythm game can allow a player when it comes to that execution. Your choice of how to use your hands to hit the notes is a deeply personal combination of your preferences, capabilities, and training. I had an almost out-of-body experience playing IIDX and observing how my left hand, totally on its own, began to reach over and cover the weaknesses of my right hand when the right was partially occupied with the turntable. I hadn't planned or practiced this technique. I knew it was the sort of thing many good players did but I had not put any effort into learning to do it myself. How on earth had my body solved this problem completely on its own? I still don't quite know, but I do know that this left hand technique is now an inseparable part of how I play, I can't not do it when I see the notes coming.
I found in IIDX the sort of journey in personal growth and expression that I found long ago in fighting games, and I cherish that.
I've always really enjoyed rhythm games but encountering this at the arcade was like being struck by lightning. Forget rekindling my old affection for the genre, getting deep into IIDX exploded my prior affection into a burning passion.
7 keys and a turntable, how the hell do you handle it all? We often think of rhythm games as being low on decision-making depth. After all, the game tells you exactly what to press and exactly when so all that's left for the player is execution, right?
Well my journey with IIDX has helped me see the wonderful expression a traditional rhythm game can allow a player when it comes to that execution. Your choice of how to use your hands to hit the notes is a deeply personal combination of your preferences, capabilities, and training. I had an almost out-of-body experience playing IIDX and observing how my left hand, totally on its own, began to reach over and cover the weaknesses of my right hand when the right was partially occupied with the turntable. I hadn't planned or practiced this technique. I knew it was the sort of thing many good players did but I had not put any effort into learning to do it myself. How on earth had my body solved this problem completely on its own? I still don't quite know, but I do know that this left hand technique is now an inseparable part of how I play, I can't not do it when I see the notes coming.
I found in IIDX the sort of journey in personal growth and expression that I found long ago in fighting games, and I cherish that.
4
Still haven't quite finished this at the time of this list-making, but right now I'm confident that Yakuza 6 is a marvel.
Some of the best substories and minigames in the series, Onomichi is a franchise highlight... and I actually quite enjoy the combat changes? I remember it catching some serious flak but the decision to turn the combat encounters into basically a game of bowling where all the pins are made of glass is a ton of fun. The new combat here stands perfectly fine for me next to the visions that 1-5 and 0 had for brawling.
Can't wait to finish this wild ass game.
Some of the best substories and minigames in the series, Onomichi is a franchise highlight... and I actually quite enjoy the combat changes? I remember it catching some serious flak but the decision to turn the combat encounters into basically a game of bowling where all the pins are made of glass is a ton of fun. The new combat here stands perfectly fine for me next to the visions that 1-5 and 0 had for brawling.
Can't wait to finish this wild ass game.
5
Wildly original even today, it has the high concept pitchability of 2025's next indie darling.
Also emotionally stirring in the way it uses its central time-based systems to create drama for the player, and in that hell of a fail state...
Review possibly forthcoming.
Also emotionally stirring in the way it uses its central time-based systems to create drama for the player, and in that hell of a fail state...
Review possibly forthcoming.
6
I played sort of a lot of scrolling shooters this year (as you will see if you glance at my full 2022 list), in an attempt to more deeply understand the genre. Out of everything I played, DoDonPachi reigns supreme so far.
It's a blueprint, a masterwork, a kickass prog album in videogame form (check out my review).
It's a blueprint, a masterwork, a kickass prog album in videogame form (check out my review).
7
In my journey through the STG genre the last 2 years, I approached the project chronologically, starting over from Space Invaders and working through games year by year. As I played, I started to dread the early 90s. The birth of the Bullet-Hell. Would the genre turn itself inwards into such an intense niche that I couldn't enjoy it at all anymore?
Enter Batsugun, which marks a huge shift in my STG-playing project where I went from appreciation of the genre to rabid adoration. Turns out I totally love bullet hells! Significantly more than most traditional shooters! Batsugun is situated right on the fault line between the old style and the new and I love how boldly it ushers in that newness.
The Special version was my first 1cc, it's my new first love.
I wrote even more about it in my review.
Enter Batsugun, which marks a huge shift in my STG-playing project where I went from appreciation of the genre to rabid adoration. Turns out I totally love bullet hells! Significantly more than most traditional shooters! Batsugun is situated right on the fault line between the old style and the new and I love how boldly it ushers in that newness.
The Special version was my first 1cc, it's my new first love.
I wrote even more about it in my review.
8
I have no particularly great affection for Final Fantasy VII. I plan to replay it one day soon, and with additional age and perspective hopefully come up with a more complete and nuanced takeaway.
Yet somehow, this remake made me feel like a Final Fantasy VII superfan. Midgar is brought to life with such infectious love by its developers, how could I not catch some of that love for myself?
The combat works well as a "better than average turn based RPG combat" system during regular encounters, and it absolutely comes to life during the bossfights. Managing cooldowns and lining up ATB actions, setting up materia loadouts, it's all an extremely rewarding clockwork machine.
I love this entire gang of characters and I can't wait to hang out with them more in Part 2. Also that ending rules.
Yet somehow, this remake made me feel like a Final Fantasy VII superfan. Midgar is brought to life with such infectious love by its developers, how could I not catch some of that love for myself?
The combat works well as a "better than average turn based RPG combat" system during regular encounters, and it absolutely comes to life during the bossfights. Managing cooldowns and lining up ATB actions, setting up materia loadouts, it's all an extremely rewarding clockwork machine.
I love this entire gang of characters and I can't wait to hang out with them more in Part 2. Also that ending rules.
9
Naturally, I've played multiple versions of Street Fighter II before, even Super Turbo. However, this year I truly dug into it, practiced it, and even competed a little (I play Claw, cause I'm a little trash man), so I'm counting it as "new" since I've gained such a new perspective on it.
This game is brutal, silly, rock solid, addicting, and infinitely charismatic in its old age. I'm a big fan.
This game is brutal, silly, rock solid, addicting, and infinitely charismatic in its old age. I'm a big fan.
10
Jesus Christ. This thing is absolutely bleeding edge in the vibes department, possessing the kind of swag a million Twitter Indies could only dream of.
It also has this extremely exciting balance of having fairly odd controls and overall play feel, but also actually having very immediate, responsive controls and a lean set of mechanics.
A tight runtime makes Omega Boost an all killer, no filler experience. Its the sort of undersung gem the PS1 was overflowing with.
It also has this extremely exciting balance of having fairly odd controls and overall play feel, but also actually having very immediate, responsive controls and a lean set of mechanics.
A tight runtime makes Omega Boost an all killer, no filler experience. Its the sort of undersung gem the PS1 was overflowing with.
11
Tetsuya Mizuguchi must be the king of non-player-avatar driven gamefeel. The snap and sparkle when you drop pieces, the little pop of glitter when you score a combo, the propulsion of the music, all make this the time-eating vortex I encountered in 2022 that Vampire Survivors wishes it was.
The sweeping score line is in my opinion the single gorgeous piece of game design that enables Lumines's greatness. By changing its speed in different songs the designer can put extra pressure on novice players while simultaneously offering extra scoring potential for experts. Since squares won't be deleted until the line reaches them players can quickly stack up multiple squares at a time to sneak in extra destruction before the line gets there. This naturally encourages the player to pay attention to the music and act in concert with it, and it's what creates that trance-like, almost synesthetic sensation. You start to feel like you're hearing the gameplay and playing through the music.
The sweeping score line is in my opinion the single gorgeous piece of game design that enables Lumines's greatness. By changing its speed in different songs the designer can put extra pressure on novice players while simultaneously offering extra scoring potential for experts. Since squares won't be deleted until the line reaches them players can quickly stack up multiple squares at a time to sneak in extra destruction before the line gets there. This naturally encourages the player to pay attention to the music and act in concert with it, and it's what creates that trance-like, almost synesthetic sensation. You start to feel like you're hearing the gameplay and playing through the music.
12
A simple, satisfying gameplay loop with just enough decision making, nested in a funny and endearing narrative wrapper, and all with that perfect Kimura charm. What's not to love?
Can't wait for that Onion Games RPG...
Can't wait for that Onion Games RPG...
13
IIDX is already on this list but hey why not include CastHour. This stands in as the version I played in the arcade, and for the overall experience you get on that real hardware.
I love hearing the music blast the hell out of my ears, and I love looking to the side and seeing some IIDX lifer on the next machine over, powerstanced up and slamming 12s like it's nothing and thinking to myself "I wanna be that freak one day."
I love hearing the music blast the hell out of my ears, and I love looking to the side and seeing some IIDX lifer on the next machine over, powerstanced up and slamming 12s like it's nothing and thinking to myself "I wanna be that freak one day."
14
Possesses a dark, craggy mystique the likes of which I've rarely seen.
The combat is a bit rudimentary but that small annoyance fades away in the face of the creeping intrigue Baroque builds with its repeated trips through its ruined world and Nerve Tower.
The combat is a bit rudimentary but that small annoyance fades away in the face of the creeping intrigue Baroque builds with its repeated trips through its ruined world and Nerve Tower.
15
A work of pure level design, and that level design is some of the most exciting I've seen.
It flouts conventions constantly to make you feel lost and alienated, and its execution on an inhumanly large Blame!-esque megastructure feels perfect for a videogame.
The breathing mechanic is the secret weapon slam dunk that accentuates the level design though. Each breath grounds you in the world and makes you truly consider the scale of the environment. If this hallway took 30 full breaths to go down, how many thousands of gulps of air might it take to leave this colossal nightmare city?
It flouts conventions constantly to make you feel lost and alienated, and its execution on an inhumanly large Blame!-esque megastructure feels perfect for a videogame.
The breathing mechanic is the secret weapon slam dunk that accentuates the level design though. Each breath grounds you in the world and makes you truly consider the scale of the environment. If this hallway took 30 full breaths to go down, how many thousands of gulps of air might it take to leave this colossal nightmare city?
16
Cave continues to not miss as I explore their portfolio.
The presentation is top notch of course, and the progressive evolution of Cave's bullet patterns make for an experience with a level of panache the developer had not reached until now.
My favorite part is the way that playing for score and playing for survival get directly intertwined via the score chip system. Learning the depths of the system is key to playing well, and it adds another great strategic layer on top of the moment-to-moment dodging.
Review forthcoming.
The presentation is top notch of course, and the progressive evolution of Cave's bullet patterns make for an experience with a level of panache the developer had not reached until now.
My favorite part is the way that playing for score and playing for survival get directly intertwined via the score chip system. Learning the depths of the system is key to playing well, and it adds another great strategic layer on top of the moment-to-moment dodging.
Review forthcoming.
17
A beautiful exploration of histories both public and personal, as well as the slippery nature of truth and identity.
It's got an interesting structure and some clean, targeted narrative design to boot. Game Pass may one day kill us all but for today I'm grateful for it giving Pentiment a chance to exist.
Review possibly forthcoming.
It's got an interesting structure and some clean, targeted narrative design to boot. Game Pass may one day kill us all but for today I'm grateful for it giving Pentiment a chance to exist.
Review possibly forthcoming.
18
This one has some really delightful things going on if you can take its combat shortcomings in stride.
I talk all about it in my review
I talk all about it in my review
19
My new favorite horizontal shooter?
I always thought R-Type was a top candidate for games that could look great on PS1, and low and behold, these are premium PS1 vibes.
It's got a great rendition of the classic "the stage is about following a giant enemy ship" concept, and I like how the Delta Meter encourages smart usage of the force pod to charge it up, even rewarding grazing.
The level design itself is also a highlight, and man what a final level. Look it up if you haven't it's wild.
I always thought R-Type was a top candidate for games that could look great on PS1, and low and behold, these are premium PS1 vibes.
It's got a great rendition of the classic "the stage is about following a giant enemy ship" concept, and I like how the Delta Meter encourages smart usage of the force pod to charge it up, even rewarding grazing.
The level design itself is also a highlight, and man what a final level. Look it up if you haven't it's wild.
20
What a great game to come along during my investigation into STGs!
There's a whole class of games that borrow a little or a lot from STGs (Returnal, Nier, Gungeon, Undertale, etc.) and I hope this trend continues because modern action games could learn even more from the white-knuckle joys of a good shooter.
All this to say Returnal is great fun! I thought the procedural elements ran out of steam a bit partway through but the core gameplay is sweet as hell.
This game also uses the Dualsense controller to great effect with the 2 stage left trigger and the haptic flourishes. They seriously shake the absolute shit out of that controller to make sure you're appreciating all those effects.
Also the whole sequence that happens after you kill the 3rd boss is so so good.
There's a whole class of games that borrow a little or a lot from STGs (Returnal, Nier, Gungeon, Undertale, etc.) and I hope this trend continues because modern action games could learn even more from the white-knuckle joys of a good shooter.
All this to say Returnal is great fun! I thought the procedural elements ran out of steam a bit partway through but the core gameplay is sweet as hell.
This game also uses the Dualsense controller to great effect with the 2 stage left trigger and the haptic flourishes. They seriously shake the absolute shit out of that controller to make sure you're appreciating all those effects.
Also the whole sequence that happens after you kill the 3rd boss is so so good.
21
I was incredibly impressed by this. The very first Fire Emblem frequently has shockingly detailed and well executed level and encounter design. The game even uses the premises and goals of stages to execute narrative beats mid-level!
The stage where the dragon rider captain and her crew of Pegasus knights displayed dissatisfaction with the battle and fled the field, allowing me to recruit them into my army in a future stage if I had left them all unharmed, was a setup and payoff with seamless narrative-gameplay integration with a very significant reward to boot. I was sort of taken aback by it all.
Seriously, this thing is like, crazy sophisticated and it's the first one in the series!
The stage where the dragon rider captain and her crew of Pegasus knights displayed dissatisfaction with the battle and fled the field, allowing me to recruit them into my army in a future stage if I had left them all unharmed, was a setup and payoff with seamless narrative-gameplay integration with a very significant reward to boot. I was sort of taken aback by it all.
Seriously, this thing is like, crazy sophisticated and it's the first one in the series!
22
Superficially a dopamine-pipeline tappy timewaster, but on a deeper level it... still is that but done by Yoshiro Kimura!
It's got the humor, the style, the whimsy, all the elements that make his projects something special. Don't sleep on this game on account of the slimness of its design and content, it punches well above its weight.
It's got the humor, the style, the whimsy, all the elements that make his projects something special. Don't sleep on this game on account of the slimness of its design and content, it punches well above its weight.
23
The following three games, DoDonPachi DaiOuJou, Mushihimesama Futari (Black Label), and Ketsui, I all played in an arcade where I felt like I'd died and gone to heaven.
Problem is, I haven't played these games deeply at all, though I specifically plan to do so. I know them well enough now to know that I love them, but not well enough to discern the nuances of their quality.
I'll be getting around to them each in time and their places in my personal ranking are bound to change, but for now let them sit comfortably together right here in the designated More Cave Games Block of the list.
Problem is, I haven't played these games deeply at all, though I specifically plan to do so. I know them well enough now to know that I love them, but not well enough to discern the nuances of their quality.
I'll be getting around to them each in time and their places in my personal ranking are bound to change, but for now let them sit comfortably together right here in the designated More Cave Games Block of the list.
24
Remote Control Dandy has it all. It has a complex set of mechanics and systems with 2 player characters that ride the line between deep simulation and deep tedium, it has an ongoing narrative with likeable characters, it has progression systems and a lightweight strategic layer that tie directly into the player's performance in missions.
Playing this I can see how all these great elements are still embryonic in Remote Control Dandy. Everything in this game is begging to be pushed further. It shows me a blueprint to a masterpiece videogame that exists in my head.
I intend to investigate this little genre further and see if that masterpiece exists elsewhere as well.
Playing this I can see how all these great elements are still embryonic in Remote Control Dandy. Everything in this game is begging to be pushed further. It shows me a blueprint to a masterpiece videogame that exists in my head.
I intend to investigate this little genre further and see if that masterpiece exists elsewhere as well.
27
I played this with some pals one night, I'd never played Geoguessr and this was a free and easily accessible alternative.
I spanked them at this game, I dropped my pin on the precise street shown in the picture and got max points multiple times. What a simple and addicting concept. Great fun, I look forward to playing it again.
I spanked them at this game, I dropped my pin on the precise street shown in the picture and got max points multiple times. What a simple and addicting concept. Great fun, I look forward to playing it again.
28
Thank god for Round 1. That arcade gave me a chance to play so many great rhythm games, many of which will continue to feature on this list. I don't know why they're so low, some of them should probably be quite a bit higher! This list is sort of a mess, whatever.
Wacca is solid gold. The big 360 degree donut input mechanism is strange yet immediately graspable. The combined spectacle and readability of the game make it a guaranteed hit with everyone I show it to, from my pal visiting for the weekend all the way to straight up My Mom. Crazy custom hardware is such a treat in videogames.
Wacca is solid gold. The big 360 degree donut input mechanism is strange yet immediately graspable. The combined spectacle and readability of the game make it a guaranteed hit with everyone I show it to, from my pal visiting for the weekend all the way to straight up My Mom. Crazy custom hardware is such a treat in videogames.
29
IIDX's third appearance on this list. That seems wholly unnecessary but oh well here it is! I showed up to the arcade one day and my IIDX machine had upgraded from version 29 to 30. I haven't been playing very long but that felt significant to me; I have seen the seasons change and can now have nostalgia for an older version of the game...
It's still IIDX, its still great. I need more time with it to get a better picture of the presentation and the progression systems but I'm having a ball so far.
It's still IIDX, its still great. I need more time with it to get a better picture of the presentation and the progression systems but I'm having a ball so far.
30
A pure rhythm game, but featuring level design.
The "coaster" part of the name is apt, since every song takes the traditional note highway and bends it into a music video full of surprises. Notes appear on screen from seemingly nowhere to meet you, they zig and zag to test your ability to keep up and roll with the punches. There's nothing quite like it.
You gotta play this with a friend playing on a linked machine next to you. The audiovisual experience of both of you slamming those controllers in sync trying to get the higher score is just perfect.
The "coaster" part of the name is apt, since every song takes the traditional note highway and bends it into a music video full of surprises. Notes appear on screen from seemingly nowhere to meet you, they zig and zag to test your ability to keep up and roll with the punches. There's nothing quite like it.
You gotta play this with a friend playing on a linked machine next to you. The audiovisual experience of both of you slamming those controllers in sync trying to get the higher score is just perfect.
31
Played this a few times this year including a surprise chance to play on the original hardware which was a treat.
The drifting in this is insane. The later games in the series are a blindspot for me and I need to fix that cause if they carry any of the spark and spirit this game has I have to play them immediately.
The drifting in this is insane. The later games in the series are a blindspot for me and I need to fix that cause if they carry any of the spark and spirit this game has I have to play them immediately.
32
I love guitar hero and now I love guitar freaks.
Once I entered a guitar hero competition back in that late 2000s boom, and I won. My prize was one of those stick-on skins you put on the guitar controllers; this one was signed by the members of Foghat. I still have that thing for some reason.
Guitar hero was my first true rhythm game love (and I've been playing the actual guitar since I was a child) so my return to rhythm games this year, and perhaps guitar freaks specifically, reconnected me with a little piece of my life I'd dropped at some point and forgotten to pick up.
I feel like a bit more of Myself thanks to games like this.
Once I entered a guitar hero competition back in that late 2000s boom, and I won. My prize was one of those stick-on skins you put on the guitar controllers; this one was signed by the members of Foghat. I still have that thing for some reason.
Guitar hero was my first true rhythm game love (and I've been playing the actual guitar since I was a child) so my return to rhythm games this year, and perhaps guitar freaks specifically, reconnected me with a little piece of my life I'd dropped at some point and forgotten to pick up.
I feel like a bit more of Myself thanks to games like this.
33
It's taiko, on game pass, with online multiplayer! What more do you want.
Still can't compete with playing taiko at the arcade with a loved one, but it does the trick in a pinch.
This, more than maybe any other rhythm game, really impresses upon me how much nuance and challenge you can get out of just 2 basic inputs by manipulating the.... well, the Rhythm. Funny how that works.
Still can't compete with playing taiko at the arcade with a loved one, but it does the trick in a pinch.
This, more than maybe any other rhythm game, really impresses upon me how much nuance and challenge you can get out of just 2 basic inputs by manipulating the.... well, the Rhythm. Funny how that works.
34
I still have never finished Chrono Trigger. But I played more of it this year than I ever have before, and with fresh eyes, so I'm counting it.
This game strengthens my suspicion that perhaps the single most important aspect of any RPG is the pacing. Chrono Trigger is so damn snappy its wild. Things get rolling fast, each little scenario gets to the drama quick, even the dungeons are mercifully short.
This game is extremely good and I will be finishing my playthrough in 2023. It's probably only this low on the list because I haven't seen all of it! It's got a reservation at the VIP table near the top but I gotta actually buckle down and roll credits first.
This game strengthens my suspicion that perhaps the single most important aspect of any RPG is the pacing. Chrono Trigger is so damn snappy its wild. Things get rolling fast, each little scenario gets to the drama quick, even the dungeons are mercifully short.
This game is extremely good and I will be finishing my playthrough in 2023. It's probably only this low on the list because I haven't seen all of it! It's got a reservation at the VIP table near the top but I gotta actually buckle down and roll credits first.
35
Diving deep and learning to really understand VSAV this year was really great. It's an essential link in the Capcom VS game - Guilty Gear continuum, my mental constellation of fighting games is a lot more complete with all my new knowledge of this game.
Truly deserving of the descriptor "buttery smooth" and holy moly the spritework. Sometimes a mark of a great game from the past is that it never even occurs to you to ask if it holds up.
Truly deserving of the descriptor "buttery smooth" and holy moly the spritework. Sometimes a mark of a great game from the past is that it never even occurs to you to ask if it holds up.
36
A double-helping of some of the most mechanically joyful games ever made.
Had to keep it lower on the list because it's a remake, I've seen all this before but it was an excellent time going back to these with all the sprucing up they deserve.
Honestly my review of Pro Skater 3 says it all in a single sentence.
Had to keep it lower on the list because it's a remake, I've seen all this before but it was an excellent time going back to these with all the sprucing up they deserve.
Honestly my review of Pro Skater 3 says it all in a single sentence.
37
Another entry on this list that's a great game I haven't seen enough of. When I finish it I have a feeling it could rocket up near the top.
The limb-cutting mechanic is such a fantastic way to increase the tension, the horror, the skill ceiling, it really does it all. I don't know why I would want to use any weapon other than the plasma cutter, honestly.
I think I counted no less than 5 "CUT THE LIMBS" hints in the first hour with differing levels of diegesis though, and that brings to my mind many questions as a designer...
The limb-cutting mechanic is such a fantastic way to increase the tension, the horror, the skill ceiling, it really does it all. I don't know why I would want to use any weapon other than the plasma cutter, honestly.
I think I counted no less than 5 "CUT THE LIMBS" hints in the first hour with differing levels of diegesis though, and that brings to my mind many questions as a designer...
38
I'm so grateful to have access to a good arcade, partly because of games like Museca. Konami has stopped all support for this game, and many Museca cabinets were the victim of conversion kits that turned them into another more popular, profitable game. The Museca machine near me may meet that fate any day now.
One day this game will be totally gone, reduced to a wiki hyperlink and some scattered internet blurbs like this one. So many games and memories just sort of blink out without fanfare, and we should appreciate them while they're still around.
One day this game will be totally gone, reduced to a wiki hyperlink and some scattered internet blurbs like this one. So many games and memories just sort of blink out without fanfare, and we should appreciate them while they're still around.
39
In the last couple years I've gained a massive new appreciation for driving games (thank you Dirt Rally 2.0 you're the goat), and Initial D tantalizes me with its mountain pass racing style and built-in charisma being an adaptation of a sweet manga.
I love the feel of this game in the arcade and I wanna play every damn Initial D I can in 2023.
I love the feel of this game in the arcade and I wanna play every damn Initial D I can in 2023.
40
The definition of a classic. A holy Sega tome. I love playing this on my PC, playing this on my 3DS, playing this in Yakuza.
I'd be cool with a screenshot of Outrun being shown in the encyclopedia next to the entry for "videogame." Now I just wish I could play this on arcade hardware...
I'd be cool with a screenshot of Outrun being shown in the encyclopedia next to the entry for "videogame." Now I just wish I could play this on arcade hardware...
41
I hung up my skateboard a long time ago, I was never really very good at it and other interests came along and replaced it, but I'll always love a game about a skater. This game boils down the fantasies of bombing down a huge hill and of hitting a perfect line of tricks into one razor sharp piece of videogame kinesthetics.
Tactile and just the right amount of technical, breezy enough to play for 5 minutes but hardcore enough to play for an hour, this is hot stuff.
Tactile and just the right amount of technical, breezy enough to play for 5 minutes but hardcore enough to play for an hour, this is hot stuff.
42
Like many, many multiplayer games, it only shines with friends. But when you've got the homies in a voice call and everyone's hollering about the guy that just ran by over there no no over THERE, it's a real good time.
I'll never care enough to want to get good at it, but as a medium for spending a night with friends I'm a fan.
I'll never care enough to want to get good at it, but as a medium for spending a night with friends I'm a fan.
43
A crazy impressive work of love. The modern 3D era has, I now realize, taken something from us in terms of how easily fan games can be made that truly capture or modify the spirit of the original.
Yet here comes Bloodborne PSX with its pitch perfect execution on an imaginary Playstation game, commendably From-ish level design, and even an entire new chapter that gives this version of Central Yharnam a bespoke ending culminating in a terrifying, expectations-swerving horror sequence and an all new bossfight.
What a treat, man.
Yet here comes Bloodborne PSX with its pitch perfect execution on an imaginary Playstation game, commendably From-ish level design, and even an entire new chapter that gives this version of Central Yharnam a bespoke ending culminating in a terrifying, expectations-swerving horror sequence and an all new bossfight.
What a treat, man.
44
Katamari Damacy is one of my favorite games ever, and Reroll was an excuse to play it again. Only this low on account of it being a remake, and I want to spotlight new stuff at the top of my list.
My girlfriend and I were singing the main theme and Rolling Star for days.
My girlfriend and I were singing the main theme and Rolling Star for days.
45
In my Great Rhythm Game Adventure of 2022, I played a ton of stuff and really liked most of it. Mai Mai was one of those games that I played and immediately said out loud "oh hell yeah."
This one is also my girlfriend's favorite next to Groove Coaster. I love seeing her face light up when we pass by the machine, and I hope we play a lot more of it together in 2023.
Many games I love, like fighting games, STGs, and rhythm games, can lend themselves to long, solitary periods of practice. But truly, games, and all art, gain so much when you share them with another person.
This one is also my girlfriend's favorite next to Groove Coaster. I love seeing her face light up when we pass by the machine, and I hope we play a lot more of it together in 2023.
Many games I love, like fighting games, STGs, and rhythm games, can lend themselves to long, solitary periods of practice. But truly, games, and all art, gain so much when you share them with another person.
46
Despite all its faults, I absolutely needed Scorn to be in my Top 50. It stimulates the designery part of my brain in such a way that I don't really mind the rough parts of it.
Please check out my review of it, I'm kinda proud of that one.
Please check out my review of it, I'm kinda proud of that one.
47
I think this was the first game I played on the 3DS I received as a gift for Christmas 2021. What a great way to get started!
I confess to not previously having that much passion for handheld gaming, despite owning a few in the past. I'm happy to report that Pushmo helped change that.
The 3DS is full to bursting with inventive, delicious games like this one and I'm glad to finally own a device to help me play them all.
I confess to not previously having that much passion for handheld gaming, despite owning a few in the past. I'm happy to report that Pushmo helped change that.
The 3DS is full to bursting with inventive, delicious games like this one and I'm glad to finally own a device to help me play them all.
48
The Little Skyrim Mod That Could.
In the end it's maybe a little bit less about forming your own theories and chasing leads and moreso the game design equivalent of idly tugging at a ball of knots until it falls apart, but this game is mad ambitious and interesting and overall a satisfying experience, which is just about everything I want.
In the end it's maybe a little bit less about forming your own theories and chasing leads and moreso the game design equivalent of idly tugging at a ball of knots until it falls apart, but this game is mad ambitious and interesting and overall a satisfying experience, which is just about everything I want.
49
Honestly Herbert hits the mark a lot but I think he really nailed it with his review.
50