Top 10 Video Games of 2022

10. Splatoon 3 for Nintendo Switch is for sure the best multiplayer game of the year but other than the excellent multiplayer action there's not much else to this game. 

 

9. Kirby and the Forgotten Land for the Nintendo Switch was a fun single player game with great platforming and level design. It was short sweet and to the point and that's why it's on this list.

8. Gran Turismo 7 for Playstation 5 is the perfect racing game and it looks spectacular. I was watching a replay of the game and my wife came into the room and said "Are you watching an actual race or is this your game?" It looks that good!

 

7.  Strange Horticulture for Nintendo Switch is a cozy little game about collecting plants and helping people out. It's part visual novel part mystery and part puzzle game. The aesthetic is fantastic as well.

 

6. Pokemon Legends Arceus for the Nintendo Switch was the first time I felt that the Pokemon series was evolving and it was a test run for generation 9. I hope that this is not a one off game and becomes it's own sub-series of games that explore some of the ancient areas we've seen in other Pokemon games. 

5. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet for Nintendo Switch are the most fun I've had all year playing video games. Patrially because the gameplay loop of Pokemon is so addicting and fun, partially because the open world and vast new Pokemon selection are mostly amazing, but also because the bugs of this game are hilarious! The technicality of this game makes it lower on the list and if it was polished it would probably be #1.

 

4. Stray for the Playstation 5 is a short platforming single player campaign that paints a beautiful picture and gives you many things to do within the 6 hour play time. It was simple yet effective with the best visual storytelling this year by far. 

 

3. Horizon Forbidden West was my most anticipated game this year and it delivered! Some of this game does a great job of building on the last one, the world, the abilities, the machines, but some of the gameplay feels more or less the same as the first game and the story did a great job of movie forward with what the first game left behind. 

 

2. God of War: Ragnarok for Playstation 5 is the perfect sequel. It feels like a continuation of the first game and only improves upon it. The only reason why this game and the previous game are not #1 and #2 is due the the "home base" mechanic where after every mission you must return to your base. This made both games feel receptive and stale at points. 

 

1. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 for Nintendo Switch is the game that kept my attention the most this year. With 70 hours logged from it's release in July to my completion of the game in October, this game had my attention all the way through! The story was so well written that I had new theories every hour that I played it.