2022 is almost over, but it feels like just yesterday when we hyped up our most anticipated game. Most of it is in the rearview mirror. 2023 will undoubtedly bring us even more great experiences, but we can’t move forward without looking back at last year’s definition of gaming. From in-game clothing styles to the world of virtual sports, walk through the year 2022.
2022, the year cats became man’s best friend
Cats are no strangers to video games, snuggling up to their console for warmth or exploring post-apocalyptic landscapes in-game. This year, cats starred in titles as diverse as Annapurna and BlueTwelve’s Stray. The “Klonoa Fantasy Reverie Series” featuring cats has also been released. His long-awaited collection of remade 2.5D side-scrolling classics reintroduced the world to its famously brave protagonist.
Of course, cats were also featured in Sonic Frontiers, Ghostwire Tokyo, and even Persona 5 Royal. And who can forget everyone’s favorite cult shopkeeper kitty, Forneus from the Cult of Ram? or take full control of a kitten trying to save the world. Whether it’s Big the Cat teaching Sonic how to fish, Morgana teaching Joker how to be a Phantom Thief, or Ghostwire’s Nekomata giving side missions, cats are mankind’s new best friend, and sometimes even me. became our savior. .
2022, the year that gave everyone a chance to play
This year we saw a strong commitment to inclusiveness and accessibility. Games such as God of War: Ragnarök and The Last of Us Part I included features that added to Santa Monica and Naughty Dog’s past accomplishments in this area. These titles display options such as audio cues, cinematic audio descriptions, automated platforms, navigation aids, and high contrast modes. Horizon Forbidden West also gave players access to unique difficulty-modifying features, such as protagonist Aloy automatically sprinting, healing, and deploying his trusty Shieldwing. Adjustable settings like these allow us to open up the game to a wider audience than ever before, giving more players the chance to experience some of the most compelling adventures of the year.
2022, the year sports transcend reality
Windjammers 2 brought extremes and otherworldly style to the world of virtual sports when it was released in January. This ultra-realistic Frisbee game puts players on the edge of superpowers, nasty obstacles, and bizarre venues in a one-on-one sport that tests reaction, wit, and coordination.
This release kicked off a series of amazing extreme sports titles that could only exist in the virtual world. Cursed to Golf is a roguelike golf game set in purgatory where players face death itself. Rollerdrome is a blood sport where you skate his tricks while battling robotic opponents. If you’ve ever thought sports were too limited in reality, 2022 is your year.
2022, the year we changed battle royale weapons
The battle royale genre’s unwavering popularity continued, but with a few new twists. We rocked the formula. Deathverse: Let it Die takes things in the wackiest direction you could expect from the original Let it Die follow-up, giving the hellish death game a tacky game show aesthetic. Rumbleverse combines fighting game combos, wrestling clichés, and battle royale gameplay into his one action-packed package. We also have Call of Duty: Warzone 2.0, which adds a lot of twists to the genre. Instead of the usual large shrinking circle, there are sometimes his three circle safe zones within the collapse, and often matches end with his three teams armed to the teeth surviving. And who can forget the addition of helicopters, boats and other vehicles, and Epic harnessed the power of his Unreal Engine 5 to greatly enhance the visuals of battle royale Juggernaut Fortnite. rice field. If you weren’t confident about trying the genre before, now is the time to check it out.
2022, the year we can fight fear together
2022 saw a big shift in the horror genre. The option to face fear in games was no longer relegated to a solo experience with the advent of asymmetric horror, and Dead by Daylight continued to push the genre through his year even after pioneering new frontiers, and then has added some thrilling pieces.
One of the highlights in particular is Evil Dead: The Game, which summarizes what makes this subgenre so good and why its staying power is so strong. Intricate character progression mechanics, genuine horror, and laughter make up the experience of playing a single game. And the movie franchise it’s set in is arguably the perfect place for all the best competitive carnage to take place.
Other releases like Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, Back 4 Blood and Resident Evil Re: Verse show how unique and one-of-a-kind entries in this burgeoning genre. Now all you have to do is choose your favorite flavor. Would you like to pick up Ash William’s iconic Boomstick and chainsaw hand, or would you like to kick a ghost’s ass across a stream?
2022, the year Lands Between gave us a breather
Video games have always offered a way to escape reality, travel to other worlds, and experience something we can only dream of. What if you gave yourself time to smell the roses inside? Many big titles this year, especially Elden Ring, have brought this concept to the fore.
FromSoftware’s latest epic throws us into the massive open world of The Lands Between, giving us complete control over what we do and when. But between action and countless deaths, we let Torrent’s reins loose and soaked in the atmosphere. Yes, death was inevitable, but this world continued to enchant us with its beautiful countryside and stunning scenery. I flambeed you against the background of beauty, right?
Throughout the year, we’ve seen roaming freedom manifest in games like Sonic Frontiers, Stray, Horizon Forbidden West, and God of War: Ragnarok. Each one takes place in a vast and dangerous world where you can get completely lost. And despite the perpetual dangers that traverse in front of you, you are always given the chance to appreciate the beauty in which they have been set. hard work and passion.
2022, the year the family reigns
Family ties have been woven into many of the biggest gaming experiences of the year. showed that there’s no better way to approach life than with someone in A Plague Tale: Requiem’s Amicia and Hugo. These two brothers pushed through the impossible to support each other and reach their goals. Without others, you don’t have the strength to be the person you need by the emotional conclusion of the game.
The power of this dynamic has been applied to other games this year. God of War: Ragnarok saw Kratos grow as a father thanks to his son. The Phantom Thieves took on the world as a found family of misfits in Persona 5: Royal and Joel overcoming trauma through their journey with Ellie in her part in The Last of Us. I. And who can forget that in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge, the Turtle family defeated an army of shredders again in 2022, the family with his one of the best power-ups in gaming One thing was easily proved.
Did you find other examples of 2022 gaming trends mentioned here?
