Mikes Rant Christmas Edition – Top 5 Games Of 2022

2022 has been a surprisingly decent year for games with many amazing titles having been released. While I’m sure there’s been something that’s been the thief of time for you, in kicking the hornet’s nest of controversy, I’ve decided to pick my top 5 of the year. – Yep, some of my picks might be contentious, but if you disagree with any I list below (which come in no particular order), be sure to let us know in the comments.

Be nice though, it is Christmas time after all!

Horizon Forbidden West – PS5/PS4

It takes something special to grab my attention. In regards to my wife though, if she puts any more than 5 hours into a title, you simply know it has to be pretty amazing! Many would argue that there’s no such thing as a perfect sequel, and they may be right, but damn does Horizon Forbidden West come close.

While not exactly reinventing the wheel, Horizon Forbidden West is largely a great game for simply replicating and improving everything the original had. I put 35 hours into this game, my wife put over 100. If that doesn’t earn it a spot on this list, I don’t know what else would!

And while on the subject of amazing sequels…

God of War Ragnarök – PS5/PS4

Reboots can often be a tricky affair, but God of War somehow managed to breathe fresh life into a franchise which, at the time, felt like it had predominantly run its course. – Like Horizon Forbidden West, God of War Ragnarök doesn’t offer anything particularly new in terms of overall gameplay and mechanics, the story, however, makes this worth playing just on its own merits.

Drama and storytelling have, quite possibly, never been done this well in gaming before.

Bayonetta 3 – Switch

Despite some controversy leading up to the game’s release (learn more here) Bayonetta 3 has clearly proven that while the Nintendo Switch’s hardware might be feeling its age a little, it is still entirely capable of producing amazing games. – Bayonetta 3 is just fun. It really is as simple as that. Yes, it has moved in some new directions in terms of the story, but overall, people seem to love it as a fresh and, dare I say, innovative new approach.

In some respects, Bayonetta 3 played it safe. In others, it most certainly did not. What it resulted in, however, was one of the best games of 2022 and if this was in your Christmas stocking, I daresay you’ll be agreeing with me at this point.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredder’s Revenge – Pretty Much Everything!

Despite its age, the original arcade of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles remains one of the most beloved titles of all time. When it was confirmed that a spiritual successor was in the works, therefore, let’s just say that the fanbase was cautiously optimistic.

Upon release, however, all doubts were quickly swept away as Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Shredder’s Revenge didn’t only manage to perfectly capture that 80s feeling, but it offered a lot of modern conveniences bringing the title thoroughly into the 21st century!

Old or young, this game appeals to everyone. – Check it out on Steam here! – It’s only the day after Christmas… Treat yourself!

Elden Ring

Last on my list, perhaps somewhat predictable, but by no means least. Elden Ring is, without a doubt, the best game I’ve played this year. I’ve beaten it around 5 times so far. Pumped well over 400 hours into it. And I just keep coming back for more.

FromSoftware made a huge gamble effectively making Elden Ring open world. For the want of a less lazy conclusion, however, this really is Zelda Breath of the Wild meets Dark Souls. It’s incredible to explore, but be prepared for a game that’ll happily kill you at any moment!

I can’t stress enough though that this isn’t unwarranted hype. For everything you’ve heard about Elden Ring, the good stuff at least, 98% of it is absolutely true! And the bad stuff? Well, that’s mostly just people who need to git gud!

Mikes Rant Christmas Edition – What Do You Think?

In one fell swoop, you probably have my most rage-inducing and controversial Christmas/New Year article of 2022, but what do you think? – What’s the best game you’ve played this year? And what was the worst?… Well, in regards to that latter question, be sure to check our website and social media tomorrow as I’ll be back and more than ready to tell you what I (personally) think stunk up 2022!

And, let’s be honest, people tend to love ‘worse’ lists more than ‘best’.

For more of Mike’s Ranty Christmas 2022-specific content, you can check the link here! – They’ll be one (practically) every day over the holiday period!