It’s the end of the year, and as usual, the crew at Gamer Malaya and Gamer Matters, all three or so of us, have gathered around to deliberate on our annual Game Of The Year Awards.
But to have that award deliberation, first, we must have the games. As usual, we have assembled a list of our favourite games of this year. The games that we spent the most time on, the games that left an impact on us, and the games that we had the most fun with.
To us, it’s the Best Games of 2022, maybe not for you and that’s totally okay. The list is subjective and is tailored according to the crew’s biases and preferences. And due to that, this list is a reflection of that, and should highlight other games that might not be on everyone’s radar.
We are also giving out side awards, a little prize for every game where some are more serious than others.
You can hear us discuss why these games are in our shortlist of Top 30 Games of 2022 on the latest episode of dia.log:
You can listen to the full GOTY deliberations on YouTube here:
Here is the audio-only version on Anchor. You can also listen to it via the Anchor app which allows you to skip certain segments of the podcast:
dia.log – The Gamer Matters Podcast is also available on iTunes, Pocket Casts, Radio Public, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Overcast and now also on Spotify.
GM’s Favourite Games Of 2022
The first 20 games are unranked and sorted in alphabetical order.
The final 10 are the top 10 games of 2022, ranked.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2022)
- Developer: Infinity Ward
- Publisher: Activision
- Platform: PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
- “Best F1 game (that isn’t about F1)”
- Nominated for Best Meme Generator
The return of Modern Shooter that brings back iconic characters like Ghost back into the spotlight.
Chinatown Detective Agency
- Developer: General Interactive Co.
- Publisher: Humble Games
- Platform: PC, Xbox, Switch
- “Best Tourism Game”
- Nominated for Best Aesthetic, Best Indie Game
The indie darling that noirs the Lion City into a tale of curiosity.
Dorfromantik
- Developer: Toukana Interactive
- Platform: PC
- “Chillax Award”
A wonderful little game about placing hex tiles that will eventually grow into a serene countryside. The simple gameplay accompanies well with its idyllic aesthetic. A great way to relax while still engage in some light puzzling.
Elden Ring
- Developer: FromSoftware
- Publisher: Bandai Namco
- Platform: PS4, PC, Xbox One
- “Soulsborne of the Year”
- Winner of Best Game We Didn’t Play
The Soulsborne, refined into perfection with an engaging gameplay and amazing player interaction.
GigaBash
- Developer: Passion Republic Games
- Platform: PS4, PS5, PC
- “Best Game Made In Malaysia”, “Best Godzilla Game”
- Nominated for Best Indie Game
Passion Republic Games’ debut title brings back ideas that have been dormant for a long time with a fresh new take. Its riffs on Powerstone and Smash Bros., paired with homages to the tokusatsu genre is something for Malaysians to be proud of. Another show of potential from the country’s burgeoning game development scene.
Grid Legends
- Developer: Codemasters
- Publisher: EA
- Platform: PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
- “Netflix Drive To Survive Award”
- Nominated for Best Racing Game
It may not be the perfect Grid sequel but it brings in the spirit of the series by creating an interesting take on Motorsport storytelling in a racing game.
Hardspace Shipbreakers
- Developer: Blackbird Interactive
- Publisher: Focus Entertainment
- Platform: PS4, PC, Xbox One
- “Too Real” Award
- Nominated for Best Game On Game Pass
Zero-G shipbreaking in a sci-fi setting is interesting. But when you layer in the fact that you are working to pay your crippling debt of billions, having a non-OSHA compliant workspace where death is real risk (where the risk is having more debt added to the bill as you respawn), and the threat of middle managers that makes your fellow co-workers contemplate on unionising, now it becomes something. And then there are the banjos in the soundtrack.
Last Call BBS
- Developer: Zachtronics
- Platform: PC
- “You Are This Old Award”
Zachtronics’ last hurrah is a delightful collection of logic puzzles, wrapped in an early 90’s computer presentation. It may not be their Magnum Opus (see Opus Magnum), but this swansong from the developer shows the breadth of what logic puzzlers can be. Some may or may not involve coding or solitaire.
New Tales From The Borderlands
- Developer: Gearbox Studio Quebec
- Publisher: 2K
- Platform: PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
- “Best Telltale Game”
A set of stories about characters that you won’t normally play as, set after a mainline game is the true way to follow up a series that goes beyond their usual looter-shooter style.
Pokemon Legends Arceus
- Developer: Game Freak
- Publisher: The Pokemon Company, Nintendo
- Platform: Switch
- “Best Nintendo Game (with no contest)”
- Nominated for Best Meme Generator
What if you introduced time travel into your Pokémon game and somehow finagle a souls-like for good measure? Archeus does well for its legacy.
Powerwash Simulator
- Developer: FuturLab
- Publisher: Square Enix Collective
- Platform: PS4, PC, Xbox One
- “Best Checklist Game”
The mundane has been made awesome with this simulator. Checking off a checklist and cleaning has never been this fun or satisfying.
Return To Monkey Island
- Developer: Terrible Toybox
- Publisher: Devolver Digital
- Platform: PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
- “Best New OId Game”
- Nominated for Best Story
A surprise return to one of LucasArts’ greatest point-and-click adventure games, now with modern accessibility, modern conventions, and modern, relevant-at-this-time jokes. An amazing continuation of a long-left cliffhanger.
Rogue Legacy 2
- Developer: Cellar Door Games
- Platform: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
- “Best Pizza”
The sequel to one of the earliest examples of an indie rougelite game delivered. While it may not be trailblazing new territories, it definitely kept up with how the genre has evolved today, offering more of everything.
Scorn
- Developer: Ebb Software
- Publisher: Kepler Interactive
- Platform: PC, Xbox Series X|S
- “H.R. Giger Award”
- Nominated for Best Aesthetic
Its biomechanical horror is a sight to behold, and its puzzling labyrinth even moreso. Truly a unique vision inspired by H.R. Giger made to life.
Stranger Of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origins
- Developer: Team Ninja
- Publisher: Square Enix
- Platform: PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S
- “Star Wars Award for Best Villian Prequel”
- Winner of Best Meme Generator
Perhaps making Jack the main character was a master stroke in creating a weird spin-off that coincides with the actual timeline of Final Fantasy.
Teardown
- Developer: Tuxedo Labs
- Platform: PC
- “Best Destruction”
- Nominated for Best Aesthetic, Best Indie Game
The voxel-based heist game boasts impeccable destruction that will get you messing around with the sandbox and mod support once you’ve done planning stealing speedruns in the main campaign. Tearing down building has never been this satisfying.
The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe
- Developer: Crows Crows Crows
- Platform: PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
- “Deadpool Award”
- Nominated for Best Story
The most meta sequel/remaster thingy that breaks its concessions of a re-imagining but also asks if there is no end to the game.
Tunic
- Developer: Tunic Team
- Publisher: Finji
- “Best Game To Go In Blind”
- Winner of Best Game On Game Pass
A charming game that hides so many secrets to discover. A treat for the curious, a challenge for those that like boss fights. And a joy to behold.
Weird West
- Developer: WolfEye Studio
- Publisher: Devolver Digital
- Platform: PS4, PC, Xbox One
- “Best of The West” “Deus Ex Award for Best Immersive Sim”
- Nominated for Best Story
Don’t be fooled by its isometric perspective, it’s an authentic immersive sim with a western flare that goes to show that any genre can join be an im-sim.
You Suck At Parking
- Developer: Happy Volcano
- Platform: PC, Xbox One
- “Best Non-Racing Game”
- Nominated For Best Game On Game Pass
The title doesn’t lie. When you have to park a car with loose driving physics and go through various wacky obstacles including slippery roads, fire walls of doom, jumps, cops and even worse, traffic, then of course you might suck at it. But it’s definitely a fun time, especially in multiplayer where everyone competes for the coveted parking spots.
GM’s Top 10 Games Of 2022
#10 Stray
- Developer: BlueTwelve Studio
- Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
- Platform: PS4, PS5, PC
- “Cat Of The Year”
Kittening around the robo-apocalypse couldn’t be this cute (also free on PS Plus Extra!).
#9 Signalis
- Developer: rose-engine
- Publisher: Humble Games
- Platform: PS4, PC, Xbox One, Switch
- “Silent Hill Award”
- Nominated for Best Game On Game Pass
Bringing back interpretive horror with a simple perspective switch of 2.5D and first-person puzzle solving. Can you find your friend as the loop goes on?
#8 Rollerdrome
- Developer: Roll7
- Publisher: Private Division
- Platform: PS4, PS5, PC
- “Control Award for Best Max Payne Game”
The game just clicks when you start chaining combos and eliminating enemies flawlessly, one of those fun-to-play, hard-to-master types of games.
#7 OlliOlli World
- Developer: Roll7
- Publisher: Private Division
- Platform: PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Switch
- “Best Skateboarding Game” “Best Chill-Hop”
- Nominated for Best Aesthetic
Tight gameplay and even tighter controls, it’s a surprise how this game is actually more accessible than previous entries. Its warm, inviting, cartoony aesthetic paired with a selection of slapper chill-hop beats provides skateboarding bliss, compensating well for the blisters should you aim to get that perfect run to the top of the leaderboards.
#6 God Of War Ragnarok
- Developer: Santa Monica Studio
- Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Platform: PS4, PS5
- Best “Family” Game
- Nominated for Best Story
An exceptionally well-crafted masterwork of a video game that can tell stories while still engaging players through its gameplay. A prime showcase of what AAA games can do in terms of quality.
#5 Citizen Sleeper
- Developer: Jump Over The Age
- Publisher: Fellow Traveller
- Platform: PC, Xbox, Switch
- “Best Survival Game”, “This Hits For Real Award”
- Winner of Best Story
- Nominated for Best Game On Game Pass, Best Story, Best Indie Game
An amazing game that successfully weaves storytelling through gameplay. A gripping RPG where you are left stranded with nothing but must set out to find a place where you belong- a reason to continue being alive.
#4 Vampire Survivors
- Developer: Poncle
- Platform: PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, iOS, Android
- “Trailblazer Award”
- Winner of Best Indie Game
Simple yet addicting. Single-handedly invented the reverse bullet hell (or Survivors-like) genre. The most fun you can have by only twirling an analog stick.
#3 Marvel’s Midnight Suns
- Developer: Firaxis
- Publisher: 2K
- Platform: PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
- “Best Avengers Game” “Best Butts”
- Nominated for Best Story
Firaxis may be the masters of tactical strategy games with their XCOM series, but Midnight Suns prove the team can do more. Surprisingly good writing, fascinating character interactions, and an impressive combat system that distils the good bits of card-based gameplay make for a marvellous strategy-RPG.
#2 Gran Turismo 7
- Developer: Polyphony Digital
- Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
- Platform: PS4, PS5
- “Car Of The Year”
- Nominated for Best Racing Game
A return to form for the “Real Driving Simulator”. A nostalgic trip for fans, a comprehensive package to spread the love of cars to petrolheads and non-car people alike.
Game Of The Year 2022: Need For Speed Unbound
- Developer: Criterion Games
- Publisher: EA
- Platform: PS5, PC, Xbox Series X|S
- “Best Hip-Hop”
- Winner of Best Racing Game, Best Aesthetic
Criterion brings back the magic that Need for Speed lacks for the past decade, with its own artistic twist that makes it engaging to both newcomers and veterans of the series.
Check out the GM GOTY Awards 2022 hub for an overview of all award categories and winners.