Look around you, it's December! After planting the seeds of game releases for the first 11 months of the year, the Game of the Year lists are starting to bloom. What a joyous crop of lists 2023 will surely bring.
You know what's just as fun as looking at this year's Game of the Year Lists? Looking at my past Game of the Year lists and judging them with the power of 20/20 HINDSIGHT.
Yes, let's go on a journey through time and take a look back at my top 10 games from 2022. I'll tell you what I think of that game right now, in December of 2023. Maybe this can be a recurring blog that I post every year until I die.
10) Wordle
Ahhhhh yes. Remember how utterly obsessed everyone was with Wordle? It briefly felt like we were back in the Fun Internet days of the early 2010s. Wake up. Log into Wordle website. Type “house”. Solve the rest of the way. I have not played Wordle in 2023. It became more routine than fun.
9) The Open League
Oh. I completely forgot about this game. The Open League was this weird Discord online soccer sim thing. This is the first game on my list I'm scratching my head about. It was definitely a unique experience, but was it really better than other games in 2022?!
8) Elden Ring
Oh, Elden Ring. As of December 2023, it is one of two physical Xbox games I own. And yet, I haven't touched it since I put about 40 hours into it in 2022. I appreciate it from a distance, but it's not for me. Playing the game never brought me joy, even after conquering a foe I thought would be impossible to topple.
7) The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe Edition
I've actually grown fonder of this game as time has gone on. Initially, I was a bit let down by what was provided in the expansion/sequel after waiting through multiple delays. But looking back, the additions developers Crows Crows Crows made to what is one of my favorite games of all time are both brilliant and fun. I would love to go back to it again someday.
6) Destiny 2: The Witch Queen
This was the expansion I was certain was going to rope me back into Destiny 2 up through The Final Shape. It was fantastic and filled to the brim with fun things to do. But then, disaster. 2023 saw the release of Lightfall. This expansion was eviscerated by players on release and I never touched it. Player count has dropped so severely in Destiny 2 that Bungie went through a round of layoffs. I really really hope we don't see The Witch Queen as “the last time Destiny 2 was good.”
5) Vampire Survivors
Hey, it's a game I've played in 2023! Because of multiple cheap-as-dirt expansions, it's been a joy to see Vampire Survivors grow as a game. New levels with surprisingly creative ideas and completely bonkers new characters and weapons have somehow kept this game fresh a year later. They even added local multiplayer!
4) Marvel Snap
I played Marvel Snap daily up until sometime in Summer of 2023. The game was still fantastic, but I felt like I had kind of reached my plateau of enjoyment. After a month or so of relative balance, the devs made some balance changes that really messed with my favorite decks. I just didn't have a deck that I enjoyed playing anymore. However, I would not be shocked at all if I went back to this game in 2024.
3) Tinykin
Tinykin still holds a special place in my heart. It remains one of the most charming and lighthearted games I've played. The devs released a free DLC that added time trials, but I didn't really vibe with it. I'm really excited to see what the devs create next, whether it's Tinykin or something different.
2) Pentiment
Pentiment has faded from my mind more than I'd like. I remember adoring the characters, interactions, setting, and surprising role playing elements, but if you asked me today to name the characters in the game, I wouldn't be able to. I remember the high points of the story, but not the specifics of the journey to those points. I would love to have more “Time-and-place” video games like Pentiment in the future, though.
1) Tunic
Tunic is another game that has been fading from my memory. The puzzle solving was some of the best I've ever experienced and I had a blast exploring the various areas of the game, but it feels like the game just came and went. Which is fine! Not every game needs DLC or continued support. But I can't see myself ever going back to it just for the fun of it. It totally deserved the number 1 spot in 2022, but I don't know where I'd rank it on my all-time list.
