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The 30 Best Games of 2022 - Paste Magazine

adamsapple

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
www.pastemagazine.com

The 30 Best Games of 2022

Paste Magazine is your source for the best music, movies, TV, comedy, videogames, books, comics, craft beer, politics and more. Discover your favorite albums and films.
www.pastemagazine.com www.pastemagazine.com

Top 10:

10: Tunic
9: Vampire Survivors
8: Live A Live
7: Neon White
6: Signalis
5: Elden Ring
4: Pentiment
3: Immortality
2: Citizen Sleeper
1: NORCO


They gave Ratchet and Clank #1 last year for reference.
 
Punished Miku

Punished Miku

Gold Member
That is a hardcore list. Geez.

Gotta put Norco and Signalis in the play list ASAP. I've played almost all the others and they're all damn good. This person has great taste. Definitely different from my list, but I like that lesser games are getting some exposure.
 
tommib

tommib

Member
I kind of love this. People are going to shit on it like hell but that's fucking refreshing and you feel there's also a lot to discover in there. Full list below:

30. Cultic
29. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
28. Metal: Hellsinger
27: Splatoon 3
26: Weird West
25: Horizon Forbidden West
24: The Last Clockwinder
23: PowerWash Simulator
22: Trombone Champ
21: Iron Lung
20: Rogue Legacy 2
19: Xenoblade Chronicles 3
18: OlliOlli World
17: Kirby and the Forgotten Land
16: I Was a Teenage Exocolonist
15: Marvel Snap
14: Soul Hackers 2
13: Stray
12: Cult of the Lamb
11: Wordle
10: Tunic
9: Vampire Survivors
8: Live A Live
7: Neon White
6: Signalis
5: Elden Ring
4: Pentiment
3: Immortality
2: Citizen Sleeper
1: NORCO

I started playing NORCO today and yes, it's quite something in the way it just sucks you in in 5 minutes.
 
Punished Miku

Punished Miku

Gold Member
tommib said:
Who has tried Citizen Sleeper already? I know absolutely nothing about it.
Click to expand...
I beat it. Couldn't recommend it more highly for anyone that's into visual novels. It's brilliant. Has my OST of the year no question. I listen to it frequently, available on streaming services. The writing and artwork are great. But it goes even further by adding a very elegant, and simplistic gameplay design system that's almost like a board game with dice, but better. Every aspect is just great. I never felt such desperation when starting that game and having to claw my way up from the gutter for survival.

It's about surviving on a space station. Dystopian cyberpunk visual novel.
 
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tommib

tommib

Member
Punished Miku said:
I beat it. Couldn't recommend it more highly for anyone that's into visual novels. It's brilliant. Has my OST of the year no question. I listen to it frequently, available on streaming services. The writing and artwork are great. But it goes even further by adding a very elegant, and simplistic gameplay design system that's almost like a board game with dice, but better. Every aspect is just great. I never felt such desperation when starting that game and having to claw my way up from the gutter for survival.

It's about surviving on a space station. Dystopian cyberpunk visual novel.
Click to expand...
Then you'll love NORCO from the 1 hour I played today. I love that we're getting these super atmospheric text-heavy games lately written like novels in their attention to detail. It's like a reaction to all the AAA Marvel-like writing we're getting from the big boys.
 
Punished Miku

Punished Miku

Gold Member
tommib said:
Then you'll love NORCO from the 1 hour I played today. I love that we're getting these super atmospheric text-heavy games lately written like novels in their attention to detail. It's like a reaction to all the AAA Marvel-like writing we're getting from the big boys.
Click to expand...
I have it downloaded. Going to play Ragnarok now after Pentiment, to mix it up. Then probably Norco or Sonic next.

FYI, everyone needs to play Neon White. It's in my top 4.
 
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SJRB

SJRB

Gold Member
Play Signalis, people. That game is fucking sick.

Amazing homage to classic Silent Hill, with a unique retro-futuristic artstyle and a surprisingly deep story. Cool puzzles, amazing soundtrack and a lot of truly memorable moments.

Really, really great experience overall.
 
Doctor Hades

Doctor Hades

Member
PowerWash Simulator???

Sheesh. Different tastes and all that I can accept but were there really so few other good games out that this deserves to be in the top 30? I was falling asleep playing that game (via GamePass). Definitely a game that sounds as exciting as the title suggests in my book!
 
icerock

icerock

Member
This list reeks of pretentious, edgy, psuedo-intellectuals getting onto a call and deciding what lesser known games they can prop up the list. And, likewise shovelware/indie lovers will claim it to be the best and "unbiased" list.

Scream personal tastes/opinions all you want but I find it hard to believe there are 30 games better than Ragnarok which came out this year. Not to mention Elden Ring just cracking the Top 5. Absolute hogwosh.
 
TintoConCasera

TintoConCasera

I bought a sex doll, but I keep it inflated 100% of the time and use it like a regular wife
icerock said:
This list reeks of pretentious, edgy, psuedo-intellectuals getting onto a call and deciding what lesser known games they can prop up the list. And, likewise shovelware/indie lovers will claim it to be the best and "unbiased" list.

Scream personal tastes/opinions all you want but I find it hard to believe there are 30 games better than Ragnarok which came out this year. Not to mention Elden Ring just cracking the Top 5. Absolute hogwosh.
Click to expand...
Translation: I haven't played those games on the list yet I know God of War and Elden Ring are better.
 
tommib

tommib

Member
I'm a bit intimidated by Tunic and how esoteric it seems. Anyone was able to finish without heavily using walkthroughs?
 
Last edited:
Topher

Topher

Gold Member
tommib said:
I started playing NORCO today and yes, it's quite something in the way it just sucks you in in 5 minutes.
Click to expand...

"NORCO, a smart narrative-driven game about the unique ways in which institutions like religion and big business have exploited the South, its people and its land throughout history, is clearly the work of people who understand this region and its fundamental defects."

Hmmm, I'm going to have to check this out being a southerner myself. My only concern about this was getting some absurd view of the South from some pretentious dev living in a different part of the world. But I checked out the devs twitter page and found out Norco is a town in Louisiana where the dev is based. Now I'm intrigued.

 
Roberts

Roberts

Member
Finally, a good list! I have played 14 of the games on the full list and, yeah, I think all of them would have found their way on my top30. I'm sort of surprised Nobody Saves the World didn't make it, but, yeah, good stuff.

I almost never see Grounded in these lists, I guess people don't really count it as a 2022 release because it has been on early access for years now.
 
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The Cockatrice

The Cockatrice

Gold Member
tommib said:
I'm a bit intimidated by Tunic by how esoteric it seems. Anyone was able to finish without heavily using walkthroughs?
Click to expand...

Dont be. It's incredibly genius how you're going to discover its mechanics. Do not, I repeat, do not look up walkthroughs. You find the pieces of its guide on the map and they slowly reveal mechanics and you'll always going to go A-HA! when you realise stuff. Incredible game.
 
icerock

icerock

Member
TintoConCasera said:
Translation: I haven't played those games on the list yet I know God of War and Elden Ring are better.
Click to expand...

Hence, proving my point. Assuming I haven't played any of the lesser games on the list, except for the fact I have. Gamepass is valuable for opening this sort of catalogue, but no none of them even rank close to the games I've mentioned. Maybe Tunic and Pentiment can crack my Top 10 of the year but it certainly won't be chock full of indies.

Anyways, this is an utter waste of time because once you state an opinion, folks deal with it in absolutes. I liked two fancy AAA budget games, so it naturally means I played none of the indies/shovelwares. Whatever, carry on.
 
Punished Miku

Punished Miku

Gold Member
icerock said:
Hence, proving my point. Assuming I haven't played any of the lesser games on the list, except for the fact I have. Gamepass is valuable for opening this sort of catalogue, but no none of them even rank close to the games I've mentioned. Maybe Tunic and Pentiment can crack my Top 10 of the year but it certainly won't be chock full of indies.

Anyways, this is an utter waste of time because once you state an opinion, folks deal with it in absolutes. I liked two fancy AAA budget games, so it naturally means I played none of the indies/shovelwares. Whatever, carry on.
Click to expand...
I'm sure GOW should be in the top 30. As I said up top it's definitely not the same as my list. Currently Bayonetta 3 is my #1.

However, just because it's different doesn't mean they're all pretentious assholes. You kinda started it by shitting on them.
 
Last edited:
adamsapple

adamsapple

Or is it just one of Phil's balls in my throat?
tommib said:
I'm a bit intimidated by Tunic by how esoteric it seems. Anyone was able to finish without heavily using walkthroughs?
Click to expand...

Yes, Tunic is one game where using a walkthrough will severely diminish your enjoyment of the game.

You know how there are games that make you go "Oh shit ?!" based on plot revelations, Tunic is a game that will make you go "Oh shit?!?!" based on game play mechanics that you may have access to from the start.

It's like Fez on steroids.
 
Last edited:
tommib

tommib

Member
Punished Miku said:
I'm sure GOW should be in the top 30. As I said up top it's definitely not the same as my list. Currently Bayonetta 3 is my #1.

However, just because it's different doesn't mean they're all pretentious assholes. You kinda started it by shitting on them.
Click to expand...
Ragnarok is not on my top 10.
200.gif
 
Topher

Topher

Gold Member
icerock said:
Hence, proving my point. Assuming I haven't played any of the lesser games on the list, except for the fact I have. Gamepass is valuable for opening this sort of catalogue, but no none of them even rank close to the games I've mentioned. Maybe Tunic and Pentiment can crack my Top 10 of the year but it certainly won't be chock full of indies.

Anyways, this is an utter waste of time because once you state an opinion, folks deal with it in absolutes. I liked two fancy AAA budget games, so it naturally means I played none of the indies/shovelwares. Whatever, carry on.
Click to expand...

How many games on their list did you play?
 
Freeman76

Freeman76

Member
icerock said:
This list reeks of pretentious, edgy, psuedo-intellectuals getting onto a call and deciding what lesser known games they can prop up the list. And, likewise shovelware/indie lovers will claim it to be the best and "unbiased" list.

Scream personal tastes/opinions all you want but I find it hard to believe there are 30 games better than Ragnarok which came out this year. Not to mention Elden Ring just cracking the Top 5. Absolute hogwosh.
Click to expand...

It was written by pink haired reseterans screaming to be noticed for being different I think
 
Punished Miku

Punished Miku

Gold Member
tommib said:
Ragnarok is not on my top 10.
200.gif
Click to expand...
I'm gonna give it a fair shot, but I'll probably share a lot of your criticisms. I've glanced at the OT since I'm not too concerned about spoilers for it at this point. But I loved the first one so I'm gonna give it a shot. I'm still finalizing my list but the rough draft looks something like this.
  1. Bayonetta 3
  2. Pentiment
  3. Triangle Strategy
  4. Neon White
  5. Citizen Sleeper
  6. Final Fantasy: Stranger in Paradise
  7. Kirby and the Forgotten Land
  8. Sifu
  9. As Dusk Falls
  10. Splatoon 3
I still have a lot to play, and I'm sitting with my feelings on Pentiment but I could swap it with Bayonetta for the top spot. Gotta play Ragnarok, Sonic Frontiers (this could make #10 for me from what I played), Norco, Signalis, High on Life and many more. Ragnarok could possibly make my top 10. Elden Ring did not. Forgotten City is one of the best games I played this year, but it's an older release also.
 
Last edited:
icerock

icerock

Member
Topher said:
How many games on their list did you play?
Click to expand...

Tunic, Pentiment, Vampire Survivors, Olli Olli World, Marvel Snap, Immortality, Stray. I also played some older indies this year too like Maquette and Pathless.

I don't know why you (and others in this thread) assumed I don't play indies/AA games. While, I don't definitively go out looking for them but I do check them out if they are on a service or if people talk about highly about it, I'll purchase and give it a go. Once, again while I enjoyed some of these games, they wouldn't topple either of the two games I mentioned.
 
Interfectum

Interfectum

Member
Punished Miku said:
I'm gonna give it a fair shot, but I'll probably share a lot of your criticisms. I've glanced at the OT since I'm not too concerned about spoilers for it at this point. But I loved the first one so I'm gonna give it a shot. I'm still finalizing my list but the rough draft looks something like this.
  1. Bayonetta 3
  2. Pentiment
  3. Triangle Strategy
  4. Neon White
  5. Citizen Sleeper
  6. Final Fantasy: Stranger in Paradise
  7. Kirby and the Forgotten Land
  8. Sifu
  9. As Dusk Falls
  10. Splatoon 3
I still have a lot to play, and I'm sitting with my feelings on Pentiment but I could swap it with Bayonetta for the top spot. Gotta play Ragnarok, Sonic Frontiers (this could make #10 for me from what I played), Norco, Signalis, High on Life and many more. Ragnarok could possibly make my top 10. Elden Ring did not. Forgotten City is one of the best games I played this year, but it's an older release also.
Click to expand...
With that list Ragnarok will not make your top 10.

Very good list, btw.
 
vaibhavpisal

vaibhavpisal

Member
Punished Miku said:
I'm gonna give it a fair shot, but I'll probably share a lot of your criticisms. I've glanced at the OT since I'm not too concerned about spoilers for it at this point. But I loved the first one so I'm gonna give it a shot. I'm still finalizing my list but the rough draft looks something like this.
  1. Bayonetta 3
  2. Pentiment
  3. Triangle Strategy
  4. Neon White
  5. Citizen Sleeper
  6. Final Fantasy: Stranger in Paradise
  7. Kirby and the Forgotten Land
  8. Sifu
  9. As Dusk Falls
  10. Splatoon 3
I still have a lot to play, and I'm sitting with my feelings on Pentiment but I could swap it with Bayonetta for the top spot. Gotta play Ragnarok, Sonic Frontiers (this could make #10 for me from what I played), Norco, Signalis, High on Life and many more. Ragnarok could possibly make my top 10. Elden Ring did not. Forgotten City is one of the best games I played this year, but it's an older release also.
Click to expand...

Great list.

Just curious, is new Kirby any good?

Tried one some time ago. Lack of challenge killed it for me.
 
Punished Miku

Punished Miku

Gold Member
vaibhavpisal said:
Great list.

Just curious, is new Kirby any good?

Tried one some time ago. Lack of challenge killed it for me.
Click to expand...
It's extremely good. But it's not about the challenge. It's just polished, great game design. Fun. Has a ton of content for this genre. I can't imagine people being disappointed in it. But yes, adjust your expectations a bit and don't go in for pure challenge. The game does actually have a lot of hidden items to find and optional time challenges so it's probably the best in the series period, but also the best in the series for providing a bit more challenge than past games. People have slept on this game.
 
vaibhavpisal

vaibhavpisal

Member
Punished Miku said:
It's extremely good. But it's not about the challenge. It's just polished, great game design. Fun. Has a ton of content for this genre. I can't imagine people being disappointed in it. But yes, adjust your expectations a bit and don't go in for pure challenge. The game does actually have a lot of hidden items to find and optional time challenges so it's probably the best in the series period, but also the best in the series for providing a bit more challenge than past games. People have slept on this game.
Click to expand...

Cool. Thanks.

Might give it a shot.
 
Topher

Topher

Gold Member
icerock said:
Tunic, Pentiment, Vampire Survivors, Olli Olli World, Marvel Snap, Immortality, Stray. I also played some older indies this year too like Maquette and Pathless.

I don't know why you (and others in this thread) assumed I don't play indies/AA games. While, I don't definitively go out looking for them but I do check them out if they are on a service or if people talk about highly about it, I'll purchase and give it a go. Once, again while I enjoyed some of these games, they wouldn't topple either of the two games I mentioned.
Click to expand...

I have no idea how asking you what games on the list you have played equates to assuming you don't play "Indies/AA games". But you seem upset so I'll let stew in peace.
 
Fuz

Fuz

Banned
Norco has been in my backlog for quite some time and getting pushed back time and agian. Maybe it's time to start it.


Disappointed, considering the list, that they didn't mention Perfect Tides.
 
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