Heavy Metal Otaku: The Top 5 Games Of 2022

We’re here fellow Otaku & Metalheads!

We’ve reached the end of 2022, and we’ve reached the most wonderful time of the year. We have all gone through some big crap this year, and there’s been a bunch of events that shook the world at large. From the FBI going down the Mar-A-Lago, to COVID still hanging around, and Elon Musk acquiring Twitter & reinstating Trump’s account, things were definitely intense this year. Luckily, there’s been plenty of things to keep us distracted from the horrors of the world, and games always fit the bill. As I’ve said plenty of times across many of my lists, things are definitely on the strange side. In fact, my no. 1 this year is pretty surprising this year, but no spoilers. With that out of the way, here are my top 5 games of 2022. Let’s begin!

5) Chasm: The Rift (Trailer)

So this came out of nowhere!

An absolutely baffling remaster of Slavjank (As Civvie 11 calls games from Eastern Europe & Russia), this FPS title from the now defunct Ukranian group Action Forms has a die-hard cult following behind it to this very day. Enraptured by the simplistic yet strangely well-made gameplay & surprisingly detailed levels and level design, Chasm is still spoken about here in 2022 with a strange reverence. So, just a few short months ago (October) it was re-released, and I’m not going to lie......it’s a ton of fun! It’s got some issues for sure, but it’s amazing what was done within the game back in 1997, and is still kind of amazing today. Limbs could get blown off, there were weather & environmental effects, and there was an overall level of detail that was decent for the time. The more remarkable thing was that this was all done in a graphics engine that was a Frankenstein’s monster of 2.5d & 3d technology, and it was able to do things that shouldn’t be possible because of this mix. It may be dated, but Chasm: The Rift came back kicking & screaming.....and I love it!

4) Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodhunt (Trailer)

Finally.....FINALLY.....a Battle Royal game I truly like!

I will confess that I haven’t played this as massively as I should. I’ve always been a sucker for vampires, and I played Vampire The Masquerade: Bloodlines waaaay back in 2004/2005. Not only that, but with the influx of vampires in some of the more prominent of MTG sets in recent years, you’d be surprised that I’m not playing this everyday. I confess this is mostly due to the fact that I’m sick of the Battle Royale genre, and the unintentional damage it’s caused. Apart from Warzone, the Battle Royale genre is just a watered-down version of Last Man Standing in my view. But with Bloodhunt, there’s something a little different here. Sure, there are a lot of the typical Battle Royale elements within, but I love the fact that everything is painted with a nice coat of the World Of Darkness atmosphere & vibe. Bloodhunt may not drive me to play it constantly, but it’s fun to pick up every now & then.

Also.....the game is free, so that’s a plus!

3) Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands (Trailer) & Fashion Police Squad (Trailer)

This.....right here.....is perhaps the most refreshing title in all of the Borderlands universe!

Gone is the heavy moral ambiguity. Gone is the overwhelming moral greyness. Gone is the awful storytelling, and gone is the equally awful cast of characters (Those last two especially apply to Borderlands 3). For the first time seemingly ever in this game’s history, we’ve got great storytelling, a cast of characters I don’t want to punch in the face, and possibly some of the best gameplay that’s ever been in the franchise (Given how good it was in B2 & B3, that’s saying something). The world that Tina created for her friends & the player to wander through is bright, colorful, and filled with so much to do! Quests are equal parts parodies & loving tributes to fantasy, geekery, a little bit of anime, and even Heavy Metal! There are some issues for sure (Mainly the mostly horrendous DLC, lack of replay value outside of playing a different class, and a roster of legendary guns that’s not as impressive as prior games), but on uniqueness alone I still got a kick out of this. If for whatever understandable reason Borderlands 3's story left a bad taste in your mouth, why not try a trip through the Wonderlands?

And then there’s also the equally colorful & absurd Fashion Police Squad. I was a huge fan of the short yet incredibly entertaining demo, so to finally get my hands on the full game was a treat! The city of Trendopolis is over-the-top, bright, hilarious, and strangely charming. This also extends to the gameplay, as all of the various fashion criminals come in all horrific forms (Socks & Sandals.....the horror), and they must be fixed by the “Guns” & Sock Gnomes (Yes....those are real) at your disposal. Even the story, as goofy and absurd as it is, can be oddly engaging at times. There are some weird gameplay issues once in a while, and it’s not necessarily the longest shooter I’ve played, but they in no way hamper my enjoyment of the overall package. I won’t necessarily judge you for not wanting to play this, but if you can get past the doofy exterior, you will find one of the most unique retro-FPS games that’s out there right now!

2) Elden Ring (Trailer)

It is by an absolute hair that this doesn’t make the number 1 spot. It is by a single inch that this beauty of an RPG doesn’t take the crown as the best game of 2022. Let me say this: Elden Ring is far in a way the most accessible game that FromSoftware has ever made. It is the game that gives players an untold level of freedom in comparison to prior releases, and it is the game that has 12-something million people (Maybe more at the very end of this year) journeying through The Lands Between as we speak. It is a game that’s like the typical FromSoft formula, yet it’s nothing like said formula either. It is the most massive world that the company has ever created, filled to the brim with so many things to discover, and so many enemies & bosses to kill. Again, Elden Ring is an absolute masterpiece of an RPG, but it barely missed getting to no. 1.....and what did make it there will surprise you.

Before we get to my number 1, I wanted to talk about some honorable mentions. Gaming was certain big this year, and picking what goes where was somewhat of a challenge. One game comes from last year, another is from this past September, and the final 2 are from October. With that said, here are the honorable mention games of 2022.

HM1) Call of Duty: Vanguard (Trailer)

It’s been quite a while since I played a COD game that I felt was weak, but that’s sort of the case with the series’s second return to WW2. There are some good things about it: the campaign is fun despite only needing to play through it once, and the multiplayer is engaging enough to experiment with a giant majority of the guns & equipment. Everything else on the other hand is a mixed bag. The story is incredibly ridiculous (Even for a COD title), and while the main characters were engaging, they were also incredibly one-dimensional as well. The zombies mode was perhaps the least impressive the sub-game has ever been, and despite enjoying the multiplayer, many of the weapon attachments make the guns look absolutely goofy. Again, there’s a good thing or two here & there, but Vanguard is a release that isn’t the most necessary to play.

HM2) Gloomwood: Early Access (Trailer) & Cultic: Chapter One (Trailer)

I’ve been waiting for this since 2020. The pre-alpha demo from over 2 years ago is still entertaining, but things have changed so much since that time. New Blood Interactive have improved Gloomwood a lot since then, and thanks to the early access release from back in September (It was supposed to be out in August, but got pushed back a few weeks), gamers finally got the chance to play what they’ve been working on, and the opinions on it have been nothing but positive. If this was the full game, I might have put this somewhere on the main list, but what we got from this early access is still a treat! Take Thief, mix in a hint of Bloodborne, add just a sprinkle of both FPS & melee combat, and you have a lovely package. The atmosphere is dark & gothic, the interactivity is impressive yet simple, and what they gave us here just makes me want the whole package sooner. My only complaints are that the A.I. isn’t among the best (It needs work, but it’s not abysmal) and the playtime is roughly 2 hours (Dependent on the difficulty selected & how many times you’ve played it), but the overall experience is fresh & solid. It’s not too expensive over on Steam, so if you have the money....pick it up!

And then there’s Cultic: Chapter One. Those of you who read my list from last year around this time might recall the praise I gave the demo. Well, over a year later, and we got the release of Chapter One. It’s not the complete game, as there is one more chapter to be added at a later date, yet it is not an early access title. That being said, this is still a meaty dish! Much like Gloomwood, there is a lot to unpack in this game. Like I said last year when talking about the demo, the connections to 90s FPS legend Blood are very obvious: from the atmosphere, to the combat, and to the enemies, it’s obvious that the one-man crew at Jasozz Games was highly influenced by that game. Much like the ode to Thief I talked about above, Chapter One doesn’t cost much, so buy it when you can!

HM3) Overwatch 2 (Trailer)

I wanted to love this game. I really did. I recall my wonderful time with the original Overwatch’s beta, as well as the full game’s 6-ish year run. When I heard that there was a 2nd one coming, I was a little surprised by it, but none the less there was some excitement welling up in me. Then some dumb decisions were made, there was some pre-2021 B.S., and then the absolute meltdown of the once iconic game studio took place. Controversy after controversy kept happening and/or being discovered, which in turn completely scarred Blizzard’s reputation seemingly permanently. Not only that, people weren’t excited for Overwatch 2 anywhere near as much as the first game. Then, on that fateful day on the 4th of October 2022......it was released.

To say it’s launch day was rough is understating it. Two big DDOS attacks, server issues, insane wait times to get into the game, people missing stuff from the 1st game during transfer (Especially on console), some gameplay issues, and the most egregious issue of all being the Battle Pass (Unlocks are simply okay, outside of heroes.....which are needlessly locked in it!). All of these things practically made sure that Overwatch 2 would not be seen favorably, and judging by the reviews that some people gave, the unfavorable view is not surprising. That being said, there are times where the original game does shine through. The look of the game is still nice, the matches are still intense, the old characters are still memorable despite the changes to some, and the new characters fit the world perfectly. Overwatch 2 will more than likely never reach the heights that the original Overwatch did, but I look forward to the day if it actually does.

1) Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty (Trailer 1/Trailer 2/Game Knights/Gallery) & Streets of New Capenna (Trailer/Game Knights/Gallery) & Secret Lair: Pride Across The Multiverse (Article) & Secret Lair x Street Fighter (Article) & Universes Beyond: Warhammer 40K (Game Knights/Gallery)***

No, you are not hallucinating. For the first time ever, I am not talking about a video game. Instead, I wanted the number 1 spot to go to a card game. Magic The Gathering, in fact. In the first few months of 2022, the MTG fandom was treated to not one but two fantastic sets, as well as some fun side products. One of which was centered on a re-imagined iconic world, and one of which was brand new.....so let’s talk about them!

Starting off.....is Joy. That is what I felt back in early/mid February. Pure....unadulterated....genuine....Joy. I felt this Joy when Magic The Gathering decided to revisit one of the game’s most iconic worlds after almost 18 years. Not only that, but time has since moved on from 2004, as the once feudal Kamigawa has since become a world of Cyberpunk. Neon lights, cyborgs, and mechs can be seen everywhere, yet there are still samurai, ninja, and a respect for the plane’s ancient traditions. The Kami now live alongside the various races of the world, where the two sides were once separate places, and perhaps even more fantastical things have happened because of this merging. Not only that, but Neon Dynasty has perhaps some of the most beautiful artwork ever made for a Magic set. Whether normal or alternative (Especially when talking about the anime artwork), this set is an absolute feast for the eyes. It was a behemoth of a treat to be able to revisit the plane that pulled me into the game, and a version that felt new yet very familiar also. Through this joy alone, Kamigawa: Neon Dynasty is one of my no. 1 games of 2022.

And then there’s a trip to a fantasy city that perhaps nobody ever expected to go to. From a world of Cyberpunk, we head to a metropolis of Art Deco, Film Noir, and crime families led by demons. Around every corner there’s fog & shadows, high above you there’s glitz & glamour, and you always wonder if that person coming towards you is just a stranger, or a gangster with a knife for your back. New Capenna is an equally stunning place when compared to Neon Dynasty: the Art Deco adds a level of realism that’s never been seeing before in a Magic Set, yet the fantasy aspect isn’t buried because of this added realism. The set walks a tightrope between both styles & genres, with neither one overpowering the other. As with the previous set, Streets of New Capenna was a blast to play, and it’s definitely somthing you might enjoy as well!

On top of that, there is the curious but genuine tribute to the LGBTQIA2+ community that was Pride Across The Multiverse. After admitting to some recent transgressions, Wizards Of The Coast began to turn things around, and have enacted some genuine inclusiveness & social activism (Not the bullshit kind that’s done just to score brownie points) within the company, and this Secret Lair from a few months ago is a sign of this change. Each of the cards in this product depicts some aspect of the LGBTQIA2+ community, and it’s all done with great respect & sincerity. Given that the rights of people in this country have been taken away in a flash or are being threatened to be taken away, I felt it was only right to buy Pride Across The Multiverse, as money from each purchase was given to The Trevor Project. If you somehow find this in the wild, I implore you to buy it!

Not only that, there is the Secret Lair crossover with Street Fighter of all things. MTG in recent years is no stranger to exploring worlds outside of it’s own universe. 2020 we saw a glimpse into The Walking Dead, last year we journeyed to the Forgotten Realms (We’d go back again in 2022.....and we all know how that went) & got pulled into the oddness of Stranger Things, and now Street Fighter. I will confess that I never played any of the games back in the day, and I still haven’t played any of the more modern titles. As anyone who knows me personally, I’ve been PC Master Race since 1992. I have Wolfenstein 3d, Diablo 1, and Alone In The Dark pumping through my veins, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. However, I just couldn’t help but fall in love with the novelty of this. Like the Walking Dead & Stranger Things secret lairs, it’s interesting to see characters from an iconic franchise translated into one of the most equally iconic cards games of all time. Not all of them are the most amazing mind you, but it’s still neat to see them put down to paper. I managed to snag the last one of these (Foil, btw) from my local LGS back in early September, and despite the expense, I knew that it was worth it. Much like Pride Across The Multiverse, this is a must buy if you find it in the wild.

Finally, there is the journey into grimdark space with the first full-blown release of the Universes Beyond line of products. I can understand many fans & their criticisms with going outside of Magic’s known cosmology into outside franchises (Anyone who remembers when the Walking Dead secret lair was released can attest to that), and the realm of Warhammer 40K is definitely no exception. However, if you put those feelings aside, then you’ll have some of the most well designed, artistically detailed, and exceptionally powerful commander decks the company has ever put out. Not only that, but each & every single card just drips with that Warhammer 40K atmosphere that so potent & memorable. As someone who’s not fond of grimdark settings, I was surprised by how much I enjoyed all of the decks produced. If you somehow see any one of these in your local game store or retail outlet, grab them so you don’t miss out!

And these were my top 5 games of 2022. I know in the past I’ve said that some of these lists were weird, but I think this one is the first time where I genuinely mean it. This list is composed of some of the most odd picks I have every selected, but they work for me. Well, next up are the best albums of this year, and I think you’ll like what I picked out for this year. See you soon!

**
If you’d like to look at what I thought the best games were of last year, check out the link below:

Top 5 Games of 2021

***
If you’d like to see some photos I took from the Neon Dynasty & New Capenna pre-releases, then check them out below: