Presented in no particular order, my most memorable experiences of 2022 are…
I was keen for this one, having thoroughly enjoyed the first in the series, and also having been a follower of Piranha Bytes since Gothic 3 in 2006, I was hoping for a more updated, technically smoother version of the intriguing world and characters set down in ELEX - hopefully, replete with that trademark dead-pan humour and idiosyncratic approach to questlines and dialogue – which gave me so much joy previously. As it panned out, ELEX 2 wasn’t quite the leap I’d hoped, and also seemed slightly more generic than its predecessor in terms of design and narrative. Combine this with a game-breaking bug I experienced that effectively halted my progress in the main quest, and ELEX 2 is certainly a game that sticks in my memory…but not for ideal reasons. That said, I will absolutely be looking forward to the 3rd in the series as hopefully developing on current-gen consoles will give the series the kick that it needs on the tech side, and let’s hope that the writers lean into more unusual fare, so that the dialogue and narrative can get that funky groove back.
It’s always fun to include a party game in the end-of-year celebrations, and Rifftrax was absolutely the one for me, this year. We laughed, and then we laughed harder…then we inhaled sharply through gritted teeth and went “oooo, crikey” at some of the more ‘bold’ comments that were made by our group as the booze flowed…then we laughed even more. A great game with plenty of accessibility options that really allow the creative juices to flow. WARNING – may contain Godfrey Ho movies. Also, RIP Albert Pyun.
Whilst I couldn’t review this fairly due to my band’s music being used in the game (www.recluse.bandcamp.com), my editor Rich stepped in independently and ended up awarding the game 9.5 - one of the highest rated of the entire year. In this indie darling, you inherit your father’s old laundromat and slowly build it up into a thriving local arcade, complete with dozens of in-game cabinets. A solid, well-told story and a propulsive design – along with a bangin’ soundtrack, natch – combine to create a title that has made my small involvement a real personal highlight of 2022, what a launch day that was!
Disco Elysium was a really different experience for me. In terms of sheer writing quality, the depth of characters, richness of the delivery and just the scope with which this bizarre, yet relatable world was so fully realised took my breath away. That said, some clunky mechanics and some aimless hours spent in the back half of the game did mute my enthusiasm somewhat. That said, this is still one of the highlights of the year, and I do hope we see a sequel to one of the most singular and cerebral releases that I’ve played.
West of loathing will forever be a game that bothers my top ten, and if we were talking in terms of ‘funniest games ever’ – it’s top five stuff. The sequel really shines, and again had me laughing along with the wonderful dialogue and descriptions, but the slightly bloated length and several perfunctory moments drew too much attention to the repetitive gameplay. I will always be happy to play Asymmetric titles, but I do think that they may need to fine-tune things for the inevitable third game in this awesome series. Still one of the most wholesome and hilarious games of 2022.
Police Simulator Patrol officers / Autobahn Police Simulator 3
Well, I was quite excited to dive into Autobahn Police Simulator 3, as the prequel had been wacky, unintentionally amusing and had the fundamentals of an enjoyable police procedural with a jazz fusion touch…but the third game failed to capitalise on what had been laid down, and really felt like a huge missed opportunity. Just as I was about to give up on my police procedural dreams, along came Police Simulator: Patrol Officers!
Not a perfect game by any means, Police Simulator: Patrol officers has its share of teething issues in bugs, quirks and limitations, but none of them can hold back the raw enjoyment of pottering around accosting litterbugs, speeders and handing out parking tickets. With solid mechanics that are being patched up regularly by passionate developers, if you fancy a sober simulation of low-key police work, this is the best one I’ve played yet. Almost relaxing in its pace, and oddly satisfying in its own special way.
I didn’t expect to enjoy Weird West as much as I did! A complete chancer on Game Pass, I ended up being completely sucked into this bizarro version of the Wild West for the 10 or so hours it took to complete, one of the few titles on this list that felt perfect in length, I completely resonated with the gameplay mechanics, dusty soundtrack, and presentation. Absolutely worth checking out if you like twin-stick action with a strong narrative focus.
This is a bit of an odd one, but I can’t help but acknowledge how much of an impact rediscovering this game has had. Although it hasn’t been updated on console for a million years, there’s nothing quite like exploring, scavenging, and surviving online with a friend in 7 Days to Die. The bugs somehow make the game even more fun and immersive, adding a random factor that can that scupper even the best-laid plans - and quite frankly, playing the dead-eyed ARK only made me appreciate this game more. Home to some of the best audio design in terms of zombie growls (they are genuinely terrifying when in the right context), I’ve once again gotten hips deep in a dead world in a dead game from dead developers.
And yet it will live forever for me!
Rock on 2023!
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