I am very excited to finally be working on this piece. 2022 was easily my favorite year so far, not just in gaming but overall as well. Everything just fell into place for me this year and I couldn’t be happier with where I am at in life. Since this a blog about gaming though, let’s dive into all the games I beat this year.
Kena Bridge Of Spirits
The first game I played this year was Kena Bridge of Spirits. This cute indie title was a gorgeous way to start the year. I played this title on my PlayStation 5 and it showed. Visually this game was stunning, but it excelled in just about everything else as well.
Pokémon Legends: Arceus
Easily the most fun I’ve had with the Pokémon franchise in about a decade, Legends: Arceus quickly stole my heart. It’s technically a spin-off title, but one worth every Pokémon fan’s time. This game shook up the franchise in a way that finally made it feel fresh and new. As someone who adamantly believed that the franchise didn’t need to change, Arceus made me take back my own words. Go play this game.
Ring Fit Adventure
I didn’t write a piece for this game, mostly because it isn’t really something I’ll ever complete. I still play this game a lot and have it to thank for giving me my life back. It has kept me active for going on two years now and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. However, I did see credits roll so I count it as a completion of sorts.
If you don’t know what Ring Fit Adventure, it is an exercise game on the Switch that turns your exercises into moves you can use against enemies in turn-based battles. RPGs have always resonated with me and this game is no different. I love progressing my character in the game as I progress my body in real life. I feel the best I ever have in my life and some of that is due to this game.
Horizon Forbidden West
Words cannot describe my experience with this game but I certainly tried my best. Aloy’s journey continues in this sequels and Guerrilla Games brought that journey to life perfectly. Horizon Forbidden West was easily one of my favorites from this year and stole my heart immediately. I enjoyed earning the platinum trophy on this one and experiencing everything this game had to offer.
Night In The Woods
Another favorite from this year, Night In The Woods was a wonderful little indie title. It is an adventure game that is very story and exploration focused. In fact, in many ways this game just felt like a movie. There is a lot of replay value here, since each friend you spend with shows a different side to this story. Follow Mae as she explores her home town and discovers a sinister plot in her own neighborhood.
Tales of Arise
Tales of Arise took me a while to finally beat. It was a wonderful game but I kept starting new games that stole me from it. Typical Dakota, I know. Regardless though, I enjoyed every second I spent with this game. I really enjoyed this game’s take on modern social issues and how deep the story actually was. This was my first Tales game but I am curious to experience the other games in the series.
Mark Of The Ninja (Remastered)
I have been a huge of Klei and their art direction ever since I discovered Don’t Starve back in 2014. While Mark of the Ninja is in a different genre entirely, their creativity still shined through in this game. This stealth 2D platformer made me think in every and provided a sense of satisfaction every time I made it to the end of those levels. I was excited to finally get to this game this year.
Jedi Fallen Order
Jedi Fallen Order was I a game that I originally played back in 2019. However, since 2022 was a year of fresh starts and rebirth, I felt some titles deserved a revisit. This was my first replay this year, and I played it on the PlayStation 5 this time and I enjoyed all of the little upgrades. This game is easily the best Star Wars game I have ever played and I am looking forward to the sequel in March.
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales
Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales was actually the very first game I played on my PlayStation 5. I finally jumped back into this game and played it on new game plus, allowing me to finally earn its platinum trophy. It was another title I played during a time in my life that caused a lot of pain and stress. These replays were extremely cathartic this year.
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
After falling in love with the beat ’em up genre after playing River City Girls back in 2020, I knew Scott Pilgrim was one I just had to get to. This year I finally did thanks to Limited Run Games finally releasing physical versions of the game. I played this game from start to finish with my roommate and we had such a blast with it. I would have had fun with this game on my own, but having my roommate play with me made it much more enjoyable. This was another game I didn’t write a piece about but rest assured I had a blast with it.
CrossCode
CrossCode held the spot of game of the year for me for a while. Everything about this game was perfect from the soundtrack to the beautiful art direction. It was easily one of my favorite games from the year and I really hope to see more from the developer, Radical Fish Games. Its a love letter to classic RPGs but also stands on its own offering fresh gameplay mechanics that are unique to CrossCode. Check it out if you like pixel art RPGs.
My Friend Pedro
After the hefty RPG that was CrossCode, My Friend Pedro felt like a breath of fresh air. Don’t get me wrong, we all know I love a good RPG, but they can be time-consuming to say the least. My Friend Pedro was a nice like indie title to refresh the palate a little. It is also very unique in its game design, offering an experience like no other. I had way too much fun slowing down time and shooting up the bad guys.
The Last Of Us Pt. II
The Last of Us Pt. II was another replay for my year. I wanted to finally jump back into it and earn the platinum trophy so of course that meant picking up all the missing collectibles. Instead of going chapter by chapter, I just took the opportunity to replay the whole game and of course, I enjoyed it. I originally played this game on its release date so again, it was nice to experience it again in a better state of mind.
Dragon Quest
Yes, ladies and gentlemen this was the first Dragon Quest, thanks to a collection I have on Switch that contains the first 3. Short and sweet, this title laid the groundwork for a fantastic RPG franchise that is still very much alive today. I really love all these little collections on Switch that let me live some video game history. I can’t wait to play the other ones. Since this was a short and sweet experience though, I didn’t feel the need to write a full post on it.
Final Fantasy VI Pixel Remaster
For me, this was the best way to experience this game. I do not have retro consoles or know anyone who does, so when these pixel remasters were announced I was stocked. This game ended up being my game of the year for 2023 and I can’t even begin to explain all the reasons why. This title is an RPG masterpiece and is many Final Fantasy fans’ favorite title in the franchise. I agree with those fans one hundred percent. This was the era of RPGs that I wish I actually experienced in real time. Thank god we have these remasters though. They were announced for console releases too, so you know I have to add them to my collection when they get released.
Half Way Through The Year
I beat Final Fantasy VI on August 25th, leaving me with September and beyond. There’s one more game that I beat at the end of August and then I jumped into my spooky playthrough for the months of September and October. I wanted to provide myself with more time for spooky games this year, and even though I played a lot more than last year, I didn’t write many pieces for them. I enjoyed all of them but that time of year is the busiest at work and I also felt a bit of time restraint trying to play spooky games before November. In the future I might approach spooky season differently. I’m not sure yet.
