Board 8 > Game of the Year 2022 Results Reveal!

(+) Yeah! (+)

Glad to see Nirvana Initiative doing much better than the original. It's certainly a better game!

Is it a direct sequel? Would I need to play the first, first?

It's a direct sequel. They take pains to make it playable if you haven't played the first, but there's a large number of overlapping cast members you won't be familiar with. Which would be fine, but might affect your level of attachment to some of them?

MegamanX posted...

#15 Neon White
Developed by Angel Matrix

You are the titular Neon White, a dead assassin in a first person shooter card game platformer. Yeah its a moutful. Each level might be around a minute long but its a game that encourages you to run, rush, and speedrun its levels. You get thru these stages by picking up cards that have two functions, the first being your guns, the second is the ability to discard cards to use for mobility. Mastering this is the key to its flow and function.

https://youtu.be/Lb9MHI9zOq4

this list is already in shambles gg

Eiyuden Chronicles Rising is fine for a $10 spinoff game but it really doesn't deserve any accolades

#13 Splatoon 3 (Switch)
Developed by Nintendo
Past Games
Splatoon 2 (#22 in 2017)
Splatoon (#32 in 2015)

Steadily climbing with each entry and a boost from Smash Bros Ultimate for sure, Splatoon 3 continues its tradition of jumping 10ish ranks. If you don't know what Splatoon is, its Nintendos Call of Duty with squid people, ink, and some apocalyptic story they tuck in the background that takes second place to Splatfests like Pancake Vs Waffle.

https://youtu.be/-UHJyrstdPc

#12 Marvel Snap (PC/Phone)
Developed by Second Dinner

Also known as card game crack the game. Snap when it was announced was widely laughed at or ignored but when it launched it caught on like wildfire. Feeling like a speed munchkin with a marvel theme, the chaotic 6 turn card game is so easy anyone can really pick it up and play to a style they like. With the addition of Friend Vs Friend coming soon its only bound to grow even more.

https://youtu.be/vL3r-xF6bAQ

And with that we will pick up in the AM with #11

I wonder if High on Life is this high or if it got snubbed

That game still rules

#11 Sonic Frontiers
Developed by Sega
Past 5 Games
Team Sonic Racing (#84 in 2019)
Sonic Mania (#8 in 2017)
Sonic Forces (#31 in 2017)
Sonic & All Stars Racing Transformed (#20 in 2012)
Sonic Generations (#14 in 2011)

A lot of times the internet just gets its head wrapped around ways to cancel games, slam them, or outright cause a panic. Sometimes it makes sense and other times the internet misses the mark and backs games before release that are huge flops. Sonic Frontiers is a different feeling game but what Sega does is they delivered a really fun experience. Is it the best of the year? No that's why it fell around here for ranking but it delivers a start to finish experience that makes you want to keep coming back for more. Which is a feeling Sonic has struggled to capture consistently since entering the 3d landscape. Even choices like a super simplistic fishing game work out as a breather between the speeding around.

https://youtu.be/5U1jO4KL60Y

I found Eiyuden to be pretty bland but inoffensive, I put it on my list solely because I had played so few 2022 games last year.

MegamanX posted...

I actually downright hate Guac 2 personally, it added so little and under used the multiverse concept

Oh yeah it was very unambitious (though I still like the game), but it reviewed very well!

_Blur_ posted...

I wonder if High on Life is this high or if it got snubbed

I'd be surprised if it's top 10, especially as it's Xbox only.

Top 10 predix:

1. Elden Ring
2. Xenoblade
3. God of War
4. Kirby Forgotten Land
5. Vampire Survivors
6. Pokemon Legends Arceus
7. Tunic
8. Stray
9. Bayonetta 3
10. Rogue Legacy 2

I was struggling to pick a 10th slot between Immortality and Rogue Legacy 2. Though this would still mean snubs for Monkey Island, Mario+Rabbids, OlliOlli, Tactics Ogre, Plague Tale, Golden Idol, NORCO, and Chained Echoes among others.

I think Chained Echoes will definitely be on there over RL2. Not sure about Bayo 3 - I think Scarlet/Violet are more likely.

Chained Echoes is so recent I didn't think enough people would have had time to play it for it to reach that high. You're probs right on Pokemon, I dismissed it given the negative reaction but it'll be well-played enough that it's unlikely to miss the list altogether.

#10 God of War: Ragnarok (PS4/PS5)
Developed by Sony Santa Monica Studio
Past Games
God of War (#2 in 2018)
God of War Ascension (#46 in 2013)

Dad Boy 2: Thor's Revenge! The game that started as a DLC expanded to a full on adventure. It got a ton of praise but I think in some way launching against Sonic may have stolen some points it would have scored. Ragnarok still performs really well and is likely to be a game remembered for years to come but the games above it just had a lot more momentum and push.

https://youtu.be/AUOy6tkrvJY

#9 Stray
Developed by BlueTwelve Studio

You are cat. Meow. In a realm of simulators, one studio took that concept and wrapped a sci fi story and world around it. They could have easily just made the game about sleeping in odd positions or climbing on some counters but instead wrapped a stealthy science fiction and a world of mystery after luring you in. The fact many people came out of this game liking it beyond the gimmick speaks for its quality.

https://youtu.be/E9GPPlegOQw

Stray > Ragnarok is not something I saw coming! TBF I haven't seen people talk about GoW much since release, I wonder if it will fade somewhat in comparison to the previous game as time goes on.

#8 Tunic
Developed by Andrew Shouldice

When Tunic was first shown off I immediately pointed to my screen like Leonardo Dicaprio in that meme and yelled "I see original language is this a fez in disguise?!". What is Tunic? It's a love letter to the days of old gaming without smashing your face in faux 8 bit graphics. The game starts you off with nothing and says go, explore the world, learn about the world and begin your journey. Actually it doesn't even say that. How you learn to play Tunic is all related to piecing together an old NES style manual thats only partly translated and has personalized notes to assist you. From there its a dive into the unknown and Dark Souls combat as you try to find out what's next.

https://youtu.be/c6lNAefHVsY

Tunic my GOTY 2022 so far but I've played 3 of this whole top 25 lol. I went into the game expecting a cutesy Zelda clone and got so much more, the instruction manual is def my fav gameplay mechanic of the year. Glad it got top 10!

Stray's advantage is appearing on a ton of lists because so many people played it, even if it didn't rank super high on many. Ragnarok placing so low is pretty surprising though, especially with how well it's been selling and how good the reception's been for the most part.

MegamanX posted...

#10 God of War: Ragnarok (PS4/PS5)

what the fuck

#7 Pokemon Legends Arceus
Developed by Game Freak
Past 6 Games
New Pokemon Snap (#9 in 2021)
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond /Shining Pearl (#14 in 2021)
Pokemon Sword/Shield (#6 in 2019)
Lets Go Pikachu and Eevee (#28 in 2018)
Pokemon Ultra Moon/Sun (#24 in 2017)
Pokemon Sun/Moon (#11 in 2016)

An experiment in a new direction, Game Freak gave us an open world and instead of just having us in a small area where we touch pokemon to fight out. Suddenly we had options how to approach and carry out the mission of catch em all. Pokemon act like real creatures here, some are there to pose cute, others run away, and others want you to just freaking die. The game suffers from some bland graphics and frame rate issues but these seem to be largely forgiven for the content it provides.

https://youtu.be/dG0zm4wQOPQ

unpopular opinion:

Pokemon Legends Arceus was a kinda neat gimmick change to traditional Pokemon but overall sucked as a game

MacArrowny posted...

Stray's advantage is appearing on a ton of lists because so many people played it, even if it didn't rank super high on many. Ragnarok placing so low is pretty surprising though, especially with how well it's been selling and how good the reception's been for the most part.

Stray took many 2nd 3rd and 4ths
God of War was very boom or bust on lists

Shame Sonic didn't make top 10, but happy to see it so high for once.

Tunic would have been higher for me, but one of the final puzzle solutions put a bit of a blemish on an otherwise delightful experience for me. Still top 5 though!

I played Arceus until the 3rd zone, realized the game was never going to be anything different than it was from the very first few minutes of real gameplay repeated over and over again ad nauseam, and promptly dumped it.

It was a neat gimmick at first, but devolved into true, excruciating boredom.

UshiromiyaEva posted...

I played Arceus until the 3rd zone, realized the game was never going to be anything different than it was from the very first few minutes of real gameplay repeated over and over again ad nauseam, and promptly dumped it.

It was a neat gimmick at first, but devolved into true, excruciating boredom.

This. Scarlet/Violet are much better IMO.

#6 Pokmon Scarlet/Violet
Developed by Game Freak
Past 6 Games
Pokemon Legends Arceus (#7 in 2022)
New Pokemon Snap (#9 in 2021)
Pokemon Brilliant Diamond /Shining Pearl (#14 in 2021)
Pokemon Sword/Shield (#6 in 2019)
Lets Go Pikachu and Eevee (#28 in 2018)
Pokemon Ultra Moon/Sun (#24 in 2017)

I don't think we will ever see two Pokemon entries back to back on a Goty list ever again. So what if we kept the classic battle system, but took away the forced linear route of the game? Scarlet/Violett has a forced intro chapter but after that it lets you run out into the wild. Chasing gym leaders, titan pokemon, or taking down the evil team...this time you choose the order and how you want to approach it. The world is yours and there are mysteries to solve. The game has taken a ton of heat from the internet but like other games on this list the content has driven gamers to stay with it.

https://youtu.be/rRZ4nS2yVeI

#5 Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Developed by Monolith Soft
Past Games
Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition (#11 in 2020)
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (#17 in 2017)
Xenoblade Chronicles X (Did Not Place in 2015)

Steadily growing on these lists with each entry and increased Smash support, Xenoblade has settled in as a household name. Taking place after the first two games this game sure features lots of the same stuff from the other games. Mechanics wise the big draw is your giant 7 person party and the ability to change classes. If you liked the others then you'll enjoy this.

https://youtu.be/mC5s9KcaHHY

Catching Pokemon stays fun all through PLA imo.

Surprised Xenoblade isn't a bit higher, but it probably did worse outside of B8 lists. Top 4 should be Elden Ring, Vampire Survivors, Kirby, and...? I feel like this is too high for Bayo 3 or Chained Echoes or Rogue Legacy. TMNT outta nowhere?

#4 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
Developed by Tribute Games

Cowabunga! The Turtles see Streets of Rages top 10 performance from a few years ago and do even better. But like SoR4, Turtles gets here with ZERO #1 votes! Much like Stray, Turtles ends up remaining a topic of discussion well after the initial burst of players. The actual game feels like a seamless followup to TMNT 4 Turtle in Time without making sacrifices. An easy way to see how well this game did is just look at the stumble the new Battletoads was a few years ago.

https://youtu.be/ZZY5Ai-x7UM

Shredders Revenge was very good even as an insane person who played the whole thing solo.

To me a beat em up is a beat em up. I've played dozens and they're all the same, not a genre I've ever understood.

Clearly tons of people adore them though, so it's a me problem!

swordz9 posted...

Shredders Revenge was very good even as an insane person who played the whole thing solo.

Shredders Revenge was very good even as an insane person who played the whole thing with five other people online.

UshiromiyaEva posted...

To me a beat em up is a beat em up. I've played dozens and they're all the same, not a genre I've ever understood.

Clearly tons of people adore them though, so it's a me problem!

Not many other genres provide consistent co-op fun. And SR was particularly polished.

That's the only way I ever play them! I've certainly never played one on my own time. I've had so many friends now and long ago as a child who loved side scrolling beat em up, I'm talking like...INSANE exposure.

And I indulge them, I've never TOLD any of them I don't like them.

But not once has one ever stood out or felt different. It's even worse when we're going through one of these 8 game collections or something and marathoning them. I did this just a couple of weeks ago with that newer collection that includes some mecha beat em up.

Also surprised Xeno isn't higher. And whoops, TMNT wasn't on my mind at all. So will the top 3 be Elden, Vampire, and Kirb? Or will one of those miss the top 25 entirely...

#3 Vampire Survivors (Xbox/PC/Mobile)
Developed by Poncle

There were only two indie games that really were constantly discussed in 2022 and this is one of them. Vampire Survivors is a bullet hell rogue like that costs a mere few dollars and will constantly have you telling yourself "ok just one more run". As you get more and more upgrades, more and more baddies flood the screen. Chaos is the name of this game, also achievements. Man there is a lot to achieve here.

https://youtu.be/dwx2DtyqSLc

#2 Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Developed by HAL
Past 5 Games
Kirby Star Allies (#31 in 2018)
Kirby Battle Royale (Did not rank in 2017)
Kirby: Planet Robobot (#19 in 2016)
Kirby & The Rainbow Curse (#36 in 2015)
Kirby Triple Deluxe (#40 in 2014)

Nothing makes me happier to announce this placing. Kirby has always been around but in recent years his spotlight has grown and its only fitting for the first game he truly goes 3D that he breaks out and in half the years I've done this Kirby would have come out as a winner. What Forgotten lands delivers are some of the best designed stages in ages backed up by amazingly fun powers and enough unique challenges the game never drags.

https://youtu.be/gNVaagqaLUI

========================
and so yes that means

#1 Elden Ring
Developed by From Software
Past 5 Gamesish
Demon's Souls (#38 in 2020)
Sekiro Shadows Die Twice (#5 in 2019)
Dark Souls 3 (#3 in 2016)
Bloodborne (#3 in 2015)
Dark Souls 2 (#11 in 2014)

The long rumored collab of FromSoft and George RR Martin finally hit this year and it took the world by storm. If a regular Souls game was a metroidesque landscape leading to some cinematic and nasty bosses to kill you. Elden Ring is an open world of bosses, more bosses, an more bosses. It took years but finally a Souls game cracks thru and takes the top spot. If you removed all record breaking 18 first place votes this game got fully it still beats Kirby by a single point.

https://youtu.be/6R3ouGNcACQ

#1 Elden Ring
#2 Kirby and the Forgotten Land
#3 Vampire Survivors
#4 Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
#5 Xenoblade Chronicles 3

#6 Pokmon Scarlet/Violet
#7 Pokemon Legends Arceus
#8 Tunic
#9 Stray
#10 God of War: Ragnarok

#11 Sonic Frontiers
#12 Marvel Snap
#13 Splatoon 3
#14 AI: The Somnium Files - Nirvana Initiative
#15 Neon White

#16 Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising
#17 Cult of the Lamb
#18 Triangle Strategy
#19 Live a Live
#20 Nobody Saves the World

#21 Horizon: Forbidden West
#22 Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
#23 The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
#24 Pentiment
#25 Stranger of Paradise Final Fantasy Origin

That is the end of this list and a thank you to everyone, this was the biggest year yet

I am open to all questions (that aren't mean) even if its just asking what places games finished were

Very surprised Kirby landed so high. Maybe I should take a look at it!

Thanks for putting all this together, MMX! Will you reveal placements for some games that missed the top 25?

Edit: oops you've said you will. Uhhh OK let's see how my predix did. Immortality, Bayonetta 3, Rogue Legacy 2?

andylt posted...

Very surprised Kirby landed so high. Maybe I should take a look at it!

Thanks for putting all this together, MMX! Will you reveal placements for some games that missed the top 25?

Edit: oops you've said you will. Uhhh OK let's see how my predix did. Immortality, Bayonetta 3, Rogue Legacy 2?

Honestly its my honor too, I'll never forget the horror story where Bayonetta 2 should have won Game Awards goty but the Time Magazine and New York Times reps refused to let it happen because it was 'embarassing' so they went with Dragon Age Inquistion because they had no choice. And that always seemed....shitty to me

#32 Bayonetta 3
#36 Immortality
#42 Rogue Legacy 2

also another asked about these two so
#27 Power Wash Simulator
#30 High On Life

Was I the only one to give Witch on the Holy Night a vote?

How did Chained Echoes do? I think it definitely would've gotten on if it released earlier.

MegamanX posted...

I'll never forget the horror story where Bayonetta 2 should have won Game Awards goty but the Time Magazine and New York Times reps refused to let it happen because it was 'embarassing' so they went with Dragon Age Inquistion because they had no choice. And that always seemed....shitty to me

Whoa I hadn't heard that story before, how weird. I haven't played Bayo 2 but I'm sure they've given more embarrassing awards than that >_> Not that that should have an impact on best game anyway.

Oh I'm curious about Rabbids and NORCO, too.

Where did Sifu end up?

Chained Echoes was robbed. Shame on all of you

ya where did chained echoes end up

and also was i the only person who voted for grounded? if so, and if you like some light base building in your RPG and like a honey i shrunk the kids style game, its amazing and you should play it

MegamanX posted...

Honestly its my honor too, I'll never forget the horror story where Bayonetta 2 should have won Game Awards goty but the Time Magazine and New York Times reps refused to let it happen because it was 'embarassing' so they went with Dragon Age Inquistion because they had no choice. And that always seemed....shitty to me

also never heard this before and holy shit, those outlets should have been banned from The Game Awards panel pulling a stunt like that

never played the Bayo games, but Bayo 2 seems to be way more beloved these days than Dragon Age: Inquisition to boot

MacArrowny posted...

Was I the only one to give Witch on the Holy Night a vote?

How did Chained Echoes do? I think it definitely would've gotten on if it released earlier.

Yes on witch
#26 Chained Echoes

andylt posted...

Whoa I hadn't heard that story before, how weird. I haven't played Bayo 2 but I'm sure they've given more embarrassing awards than that >_> Not that that should have an impact on best game anyway.

Oh I'm curious about Rabbids and NORCO, too.

old Giantbomb where jeff gerstmann just frustrated told it like it was

#35 Norco
#44 Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope

TheArkOfTurus posted...

Where did Sifu end up?

#54 Sifu

pezzicle posted...

ya where did chained echoes end up

and also was i the only person who voted for grounded? if so, and if you like some light base building in your RPG and like a honey i shrunk the kids style game, its amazing and you should play it

#26 Chained Echoes
#45 Grounded you were not

Where did Crisis Core place? Think everything else I had was on.