We may not have had as many hard hitters as we imagined we’d have at this time last year, but 2022 has still been one of my favorite years for gaming during my time in the industry. Just this past couple of weeks I’ve tried to cram in as many titles as humanly possible to prepare for this here list. I’ve played more current releases this year than I ever have before, and it’s led to an excruciating time narrowing it down to just ten. Because I’m extremely indecisive though, I want to give out honorable mentions to Signalis, Live A Live, and A Plague Tale: Requiem. Now onto the list proper.

Related: TheGamer Staff's Most Anticipated Games Coming In 2023

10. Metal: Hellsinger

I’d always thought to myself that Doom Eternal was quite rhythmic in its demon-slaying, so it came as no surprise to me that Metal: Hellsinger took that idea and sprinted away with it, shotgun in hand. Blasting away hordes of demons to the beat of heavy metal is as satisfying as it sounds and while the game’s boss fights were repetitive and a little irritating, Metal: Hellsinger’s extreme highs more than made up for it. Now if we could just get Pop and Disco: Hellsinger, then we’d be in business.

9. Splatoon 3

Splatoon 3 is the first of a few games on this list that I didn’t expect to like very much. I’d played a few hours of the second game and lost interest quickly, but Splatoon 3 grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. I put the time into looking as fresh as possible and while the multiplayer is simple, frantic fun, it’s the story campaign that cemented its place here. The fast-paced levels meant I could dip in and out quickly, and the game’s boss fights were the exact combination of wacky yet challenging that I absolutely love. I’m a squid kid now, and will be for the foreseeable future.

8. Cult of the Lamb

I feel like I enjoyed Cult of the Lamb for different reasons than everyone else. It’s a game built around sacrificing people to a mysterious God, but most of my enjoyment came from looking after my flock. I’d never sacrifice anyone and only murder if the victim actually asked for it, even then doing it in the dead of night so as not to traumatize anyone. I made sure everyone was well-fed and each of my followers who died of old age got their own little plot in the graveyard I built. It may not have been the intended way of playing, but it was my way, dammit, and it made Cult of the Lamb much more memorable.

7. God of War Ragnarok

God of War Ragnarok was probably my most anticipated title going into 2022. All I wanted was more of the same, and despite some irritating travel companions and a messy ending, that’s exactly what I got. While the game’s biggest moments were grand and momentous, it’s the more intimate scenes that stood out most. It led to a more emotional God of War game than I was expecting. Ragnarok doesn’t really reach the heights of its predecessor, which is slightly disappointing, but it’s still a great game that closes out the Norse chapter of Kratos’ journey in solemn style.

6. Sonic Frontiers

Yes, Sonic is above God of War, sue me. Sonic Frontiers was pretty much the antithesis of God of War for me, in that the story is complete dreck but the spectacle won me over. It’s a game that makes having fun the focus, giving you a bunch of huge maps to zip around in and a handful of amazing boss fights (not you Giganto) to get stuck into. It’s not perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but traversing each Open Zone is fast and fun, and isn’t that what Sonic is all about at the end of the day?

5. Neon White

For a brief period this summer, Neon White dominated my free time. It isn’t a long game, but it managed to awaken a speedrunning itch in me I’d never felt before. Getting an Ace Medal didn’t matter to me, I needed to get the best time my thumbs and brain would allow. I managed to grab myself several world record times (which have all been beaten a hundred times over by now) and feel a rush of adrenaline that not many other games managed to replicate this year. I punched the air and everything. To top it all off, Neon White had a great story with plenty of memorable characters too, which pretty much ticked all of my boxes for a GOTY contender.

4. MultiVersus

Just like with Splatoon, MultiVersus is a game I didn’t see myself liking when I started downloading it. My tolerance for Smash Bros. isn’t very high, but it was free-to-play and let me play as Tom & Jerry, so I gave it a shot. Over 160 hours later, I’m still here grinding away at my dailies, desperately trying to unlock a taunt in the Season 2 Battle Pass that lets Tom & Jerry have a little snooze. It has its issues, pretty glaring ones too, but Player First’s love and respect for each character and property it works with is something I can’t help but admire. It won’t become a Smash killer, but it’s still an incredibly fun fighter that just keeps getting better as it gets older. Hopefully, this time next year, we’re looking at a different beast altogether.

3. Ghostwire: Tokyo

I’m a sucker for mythology and the supernatural, so centering your game around spooky Japanese cryptids gets you brownie points from me regardless of quality. Thankfully, Ghostwire: Tokyo is pretty dang good, giving you the entirety of Tokyo to jump and glide around while you do your best Doctor Strange impression to fight off ghosts. Ghostwire isn’t the most complex or challenging game out there, but it gets a bronze medal from me just because of the vibes. Slowly walking the streets of an eerily quiet Tokyo, covered in the clothes and shopping bags of vaporized citizens, taking on the odd spooky side quest, and snapping a cheeky photo on the way gave me more joy than any other open-world title this year. Yes, even Elden Ring.

2. AI: The Somnium Files - Nirvana Initiative

AI: The Somnium Files - Nirvana Initiative is such a baffling game that I’m not sure I could do it justice here. It’s so good that it managed to change my perspective on visual novels, a genre I previously didn’t care for very much. The plot is nonsensical and most of the gameplay amounts to trial and error, but it's the characters that kept me going. Nirvana Initiative is one of the finest examples of character design I’ve ever seen, each one of them interesting and charismatic enough to lead their own stories. The cast is massive but I ended up caring about the well-being of each and every one of the lovable little weirdos. Couple that with some fantastic puzzles that made me feel like a genius for solving them and Nirvana Initiative quickly became one of my biggest surprises of the year.

1. Kirby And The Forgotten Land

When I first played it back in March, Kirby and the Forgotten Land blew me away. Its boundless creativity and stellar soundtrack left a lasting impression on me that I made sure to carry into awards season. HAL Laboratory's first attempt at a fully 3D Kirby game makes them look like veterans of the art, as The Forgotten Land has easily earned its place alongside all-time great 3D platformers like Super Mario Odyssey. It constantly shakes things up throughout each world, always giving you new gadgets to play with and forms to take, and its ridiculously zany ending left me completely speechless. Not only did Kirby manage to suck up the gold medal from me this year, but he also managed to suck up my heart.

Next: TheGamer Game Of The Year Editor's Pick, 2022 - Sam Hallahan