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iamfallfromgrace's year in review: 2022
We asked our resident variety streamer iamfallfromgrace for her breakdown of 2022 and everything that stood out to her for the year, here's what she had to share!
2022 was a big year for gaming with a myriad of games delayed in 2021 suspected to release. Unfortunately, a lot of the titles I anticipated were among those delayed to 2023, such as S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl, Starfield, Forspoken, Redfall, and The Day Before.
Having said that, we were quite spoiled this year with a few special mentions from me in this Year in Review: 2022. I'm going to take you on a journey through each quarter and the games that stood out from the obvious choices like Elden Ring, to the more… artistic ones like Scorn.
Warning: Some of the games featured in this list are from the horror genre and therefore not for everyone.
Q1 2022 - Love at First Sight
Q1 for me was ALL about Elden Ring, which launched on February 25th, 2022. I don't think the game needs much of an introduction at this point but just in case you've never heard of it, Elden Ring is the latest from developer FromSoftware, the studio notorious for the Dark Souls or, Souls-like franchises and style of game. Just like its predecessors, it's a brutal action-RPG directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki with worldbuilding provided by George R. R. Martin.
Ethereal doesn't even begin to describe...
© Bandai Namco
When Elden Ring came out I streamed it almost exclusively until I had finished it...
I have never before experienced such obsession as I have with Elden Ring. From the moment I loaded it up and stepped into Limgrave it's all I could think about. I am usually what's called a 'variety' streamer, meaning I will play a wide variety of games each time I broadcast, but when Elden Ring came out I streamed it almost exclusively until I had finished it (after 100+ hours in-game). It was everything I wanted and more.
Oh, you're not YOKAIdding
© Bethesda
I managed to pry myself from Elden Ring's clutches in March and check out Ghostwire: Tokyo which launched on March 25th, 2022. Ghostwire: Tokyo was quite a unique experience as you're thrown into a desolate version of Tokyo that has been overrun by deadly supernatural forces. It is your role to unravel the truth behind this dark force and save the city. As someone who has spent time in Tokyo, it was really bizarre seeing it in this way. I highly recommend you play it in the original Japanese with subtitles, as well. And yes, you can pet the Shiba Inu's that are roaming around the place and not only that but there is a Yokai Cat that runs a convenience store, and that is as awesome as it sounds.
Q2 2022 - Diggin' Deep
Q2 contained a lot more variety for me as I broadened my horizons again. Starting off with The Backrooms 1998, launched in Early Access on May 26th. This is a first-person found footage psychological horror survival game which, I'll be honest, scared the crap out of me. And that's saying something. The game has a feature where you can sync your mic, so if you scream the creatures in the game will react and come for you. I, unfortunately, couldn't have this setting on otherwise it would have been quite awkward for my stream to have me sitting in silence for two hours. It's a short but highly memorable experience that I would only recommend if you're up for some really disturbing gameplay. Definitely not for everyone. (It's not THE most polished game that I'll mention today but it is made by Steelkrill Studio, an independent solo game dev.)
C R E E P Y
© Steelkrill Studios
The epic finale of the Escape Room series We Were Here, We Were Here Forever launched on June 10th, 2022. Having played the entire franchise, I was so ready to see where they'd leave us, and (no spoilers) they did not disappoint. Grab your plus one and jump into We Were Here Forever for some good ol' fashioned puzzling! There were some pretty tricky puzzles in this one and those great moments we've come to expect in the We Were Here games where you're split up having to try to describe symbols to each other, that somehow always look like limp hotdogs? I sincerely hope that Total Mayhem Games start a new series now that We Were Here is finished because they were all brilliant.
Also released on June 10th was The Quarry. A Supermassive Games title in the same vein as Until Dawn but this time set in, you guessed it, a quarry called Hackett's Quarry. If you're unfamiliar with the Supermassive Games style, it's a butterfly effect game where all of your actions have consequences. Something as minor as a heated conversation with someone could twist and turn and end up in their death if you're not careful! As usual, you can try to be as passive as possible and save everyone, or you can embrace your inner chaotic evil goblin and get everyone murdered, it's up to you! The Quarry was the first game to offer 'Death Rewinds' which allowed you to undo your terrible choices that lead to that person's death and try to save them, which absolutely came in clutch for me towards the end of the game with one of my favourite characters. Yay for fewer consequences of our actions!
Rounding out June with Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course! I have been anticipating this DLC ever since I finally managed to finish the base game in 2021 after a long hiatus from my first attempt in 2017. Now that I've got all of the FromSoftware games notched on my belt I find Cuphead significantly less rage-inducing but this DLC will definitely test you. Joining Cuphead and Mugman is Ms. Chalice with some slick new moves to add to the already pretty tricky mechanics, you'll be white-knuckling your controller in no time! There's a secret level that had me screeching but I was very sad once it was over. If you consider yourself a pretty skilled gamer, or just incredibly stubborn like me, definitely check out the Cuphead DLC if you want more than just the base game.
Q3 2022 - No Escape
Q3 was absolutely stacked so I'll try to keep it short. Horror fans, this one's for you. MADiSON was released on July 7th, 2022 and it's hard to put the experience into words. It's a first-person horror game developed by Argentinian studio Bloodious Games. MADiSON is definitely up there with one of the most unsettling horror games that I've played in a while. One of its strengths was that it didn't drag out unnecessarily with chases, which I've noticed occurring in so many other horror games lately. The pacing was excellent, the scares were well done and the polaroid camera mechanic made for some truly horrific moments. Definitely not one for the faint of heart or people who may be triggered by sensitive topics, it's very dark and disturbing.
No escaping the thrill of the escape!
© iam8bit / Skybound Games
Up next is one of the best Escape Room games I've played, Escape Academy! Released on July 13th, 2022, Escape Academy is a quirky puzzle game with an underlying narrative -- something often lacking in Escape Room games. You arrive at the Escape Academy to train to become the ultimate Escapist. The mechanics, puzzle variance, music and eccentric dialogue are really well done and honestly just fun as heck. If you consider yourself a puzzle master this game is a must. It can be played Solo or in Co-Op with a friend locally or online but they definitely feel fair no matter how you play. I completed the entire game, plus the DLC, Solo with an *almost* perfect record.
In the same vein as The Quarry, As Dusk Falls launched on July 20th, 2022. I feel like this one is quite underrated but boy does it have some twists and turns. Starting in 1998 with a robbery-gone-wrong, its characters’ lives literally depend on the choices you make and it is STRESSFUL. This style of game is always something I'll recommend to people with significant others, family members or friends who aren't into games but perhaps you want to bond with them over your interest in gaming. Pop it up on the TV and have everyone weigh in on the choices and you've got yourself an excellent night of entertainment, just be ready for lots of arguing over seemingly unimportant choices.
There's always a creepy motel... ALWAYS
© Xbox Game Studios
I'm not sure if I've mentioned it, but I… ahh… LOVE FromSoftware's games. So naturally I'm always on the lookout for other Souls-like games. Unfortunately they're usually quite lacklustre. However, Thymesia, released on the 19th of August, was a fun little Souls-like experience -- short and sweet, it took me just under seven hours to complete. I loved the atmosphere and the combat was also pretty tight. You play as a character known only by their code name "Corvus", adorning a plague doctor getup to find the truth in your own memories. It feels heavily influenced by Bloodborne, which is one of my favourite FromSoftware games, so if that sounds up your alley I'd give it a go! Just don't try to play it like a Souls game, the combat is actually quite different, despite its obvious nods.
Being alone in an empty morgue with nothing but some cadavers to keep you company is one way to spend your Friday evening...
Rounding out a massive Q3 is another great horror title, The Mortuary Assistant. Released on the 2nd of August, 2022 it's basically Morgue Simulator... or so you think! I definitely don't want to spoil anything because I had the pleasure of going in completely blind, but I will say it's certainly not for everyone. Being alone in an empty morgue with nothing but some cadavers to keep you company is one way to spend your Friday evening. It's amazing what you can get used to after a few hours of exposure, though. I started off being a little squeamish about the embalming process and within an hour or two I was processing bodies like it was nobody's business.
A scornful looking structure that
© Ebb Software
Q4 2022 - Hell Hath No Fury...
And that brings us to Q4, which for me has been rather underwhelming with a lot of games scheduled for Q4 2022 being pushed to next year. Having said that, there were four standouts for this month.
First up is Scorn. Yes, the game with all of the artistic architecture. Released on October 14th, 2022 Scorn is what I can only describe as an *experience*. Inspired by the works of visual artists H. R. Giger and Zdzisław Beksiński, Scorn is an atmospheric horror puzzle game with arguably some of the most immersive worldbuilding I've ever experienced. This is a love-it-or-hate-it kind of game with many people in my circles saying they hated it and couldn't stand how squishy and “moist” it was. On the other end of the spectrum, you have weirdos like me that couldn't possibly criticise this game in any way. It was perfect from start to finish, in my opinion, and my only gripe is that it wasn't 10 times longer. Not a breath of dialogue was uttered the entire game and it definitely leaves a lot of the 'plot' up to your own interpretation. I sincerely hope Ebb Software, the developer from Serbia, has more in store for us in the future.
Was H. H. Holmes actually Jack the Ripper?
© Bandai Namco
Another Supermassive Games title joins the list with The Dark Picture Anthology: The Devil in Me. Released on the 18th of November, 2022 The Devil in Me follows a group of documentary filmmakers as they navigate their way around a modern-day replica of notorious serial killer H.H. Holmes' Murder Castle. Yet again, we're forced to make some pretty horrendous choices about who lives and dies in this mannequin-filled nightmare hotel with an entirely new arsenal of equipment thanks to the filmmakers. I'll keep it vague with this one because the game hasn't been out for too long and I'd hate to ruin anyone's experience. All I can say is, don't get too attached to your favourite characters, this game is brutal.
A game that totally flew under my radar was The Chant, released on the 4th of November 2022. The Chant is a third-person horror action-adventure inspired by the psychedelic horror of the 70s set on a remote spiritual island retreat. You know what that means, right? Yes, it's a cult. I didn't really know what to expect coming into this game and honestly, that's the best way to experience it. One piece of advice, look around for secrets! Resources are somewhat scarce and it helps a lot with levelling abilities and keeping you alive against the horrors that have been set loose in this twisted cosmic dimension.
Thor's always leaving his stuff lying around
© Sony
The companions, Atreus and Mimir constantly backseat you while you're in combat and there's no way to dial that back...
And last, but not least I couldn't leave God of War Ragnarök off the list. Released on the 9th of November, 2022, and only on PlayStation, God of War Ragnarök has been highly anticipated by many of us (check out this local review). Ragnarök is really leading the way with its accessibility settings, though it is lacking one setting that is causing me a fair amount of frustration. The companions, Atreus and Mimir constantly backseat you while you're in combat and there's no way to dial that back. I've heard the same few lines of commentary during tricky fights more times than I'd like to admit and it's gotten to the point where I'm waiting for a patch before I continue the game. Even with that, I had to mention Ragnarök in this list due to the beauty of this game, in every sense of the word. The visuals, the voice acting, the music, it really is a masterpiece. I just hope some 'combat commentary' settings come in ASAP so I can continue my journey because I'm only just scratching the surface.
Bring on 2023
What an insane year 2022 was for us as gamers. I had some pretty difficult times this year, but these games (and many more) were always here for me and I'm so grateful to each and every game developer that works overtime and gets abused on Twitter for us to have that escapism in our lives.
I can't wait to see what 2023 has in store for us.
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