The Forever Classic Games of Excellence 2022

A List of Standout Games Released in 2022

While COVID and supply chains continue to challenge developers and publishers, 2022 was another stellar year in gaming with plenty of titles to spend quality time playing. At the start of each year, we like to reflect on the mass of games released in the year prior. For this list, we’re considering any game launched from January 1st to December 31st, 2022, excluding Early Access titles though there are several games in that category that show considerable polish that we will assuredly revisit upon a 1.0 release. This is not a be-all-end-all definitive guide to 2022 in games but merely a collection of titles we have played that we can wholeheartedly recommend to others.

If we missed something significant, please let us know in the comments or through our contact channels! We cover games throughout all of gaming history so we’ll we are looking forward frequently we love to look to the past.

As always, we could not do what we do here at Forever Classic Games without the support of our readers and those that send us games and other products to cover. There are plenty of items on our backlog and we appreciate the patience of our readers and supporters as this entire website is run by volunteers. In 2022, we added several services such as a portable streaming kit for covering tournaments, consulting options, and ways for creative industries to utilize the knowledge and skills of our team. Speaking of our team, we’ve added a few talented members who have added so much to our content. We appreciate the efforts of Justin, Marcus, and Reese!

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With housekeeping out of the way, here are several games worth playing from 2022! We encourage wishlisting these games when possible, leaving a review where applicable such as on markets like Steam, and generally playing games and sharing titles with others.

Infernax

Developer: Berserk Studio

Publisher: The Arcade Crew

Platforms: Steam, Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4

Capturing the essence of classic NES games Zelda II: Link’s Awakening and Castlevania II: Simon’s Quest, Infernax is a bit of a redemption arc for those designs that are often hailed as some of the worst games in their respective franchises. Berserk Studio succeeded in bringing those ideas forward in a way that is both a perfect tribute and incredibly fun. The violent crusade of Alcedor is memorable with amazing pixel art and plenty of reasons to replay the game several times.

The inclusion of Game Wizard cheat codes and hidden playable characters that change the game in dynamic ways make this game a must-have for retro fans, especially those fond of the NES library.

- Alex McCumbers

Learn more about Infernax through our review.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Developer: HAL Laboratory

Publisher: Nintendo

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

Despite being decades late to the 3rd dimension, Kirby and the Forgotten Land stands as one of the finest additions to the 3D platformer genre. The added depth allows Kirby’s platforming gameplay to reach new levels of creativity while remaining accessible to all audiences. The series’ staple copy abilities return with a brand new upgrade system, alongside brand new “Mouthful Modes” which greatly enhance world traversal. Throw in a new hub world, new challenge stages, and engaging collectibles and it becomes clear that we’re in a new era of Kirby. Forgotten Land simply builds upon everything I love about Kirby with very few compromises, resulting in a hardy package fitting of the pink glutton.

- Reese Anderson

Dawn of the Monsters

Developer: 13AM Games

Publisher: WayForward

Platforms: Switch, PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

Potentially starting an exciting trend, Dawn of the Monsters is a fantastic tribute to Kaiju and Tokusatsu media. Every element of the game’s world is packed with niche references that will leave even the geekiest Kaiju nerd impressed with the number of deep cuts. Coupled with a fairly deep combat system, Dawn of the Monsters is also one of the best beat-em-ups available, making for hours of cooperative chaos. This is another game that we want to see more from such as characters, challenges, and stories. 

13AM Games have made an impressive first mark in the realm of Kaiju games. 

Read more about Dawn of the Monsters in our review.

- Alex McCumbers

Chained Echoes

Developer: Matthias Linda

Publisher: Deck13

Platforms: Switch, PC, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4

Chained Echoes is a game that I think will capture the hearts of JRPG enthusiasts over the next several years as more and more discover the depths of what it has to offer. Featuring SNES-style pixel graphics, a politically driven story of warring nations, and a satisfying combat system this is a game that was made with genre fans in mind by those who adore some of gaming’s greatest examples. There are flavors of Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VI, Xenogears, and more to enjoy but it does take a while to reach the best stuff in the metaphorical soup. 

Those who spend the time to really dig into Chained Echoes will get the most out of it and I think that journey will be particularly worthwhile for those who love classic JRPGs. 

Learn more about the journey available in Chained Echoes in our review.

- Alex McCumbers 

Stray

Developer: BlueTwelve Studio

Publisher: Annapurna

Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5

On July 19th, 2022, on a day that will forever be celebrated by cat lovers, Stray was released upon the world and the internet. Stray immediately won over audiences with its adorable presentation and relatable cat shenanigans, however, there’s far more that lies beneath the surface. The world of Stray is as beautiful as it is ominous. Bright neon cities are enveloped with feelings of loss and destruction. Skyscrapers diverge into scenery that can only be described as alien. There’s a lot to discover about Stray’s world and taking it all in through the eyes of a cat allows for wonderfully unique exploration and problem-solving. Stray is one of the most refreshing games I’ve played in years, the fact that it's so adorable is simply the cherry on top.

- Reese Anderson

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

Developer: Tribute Games

Publisher: DotEmu, Gamera Games

Platforms: Steam, Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4

Shredder’s Revenge was clearly created by people who love the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles; every pixel is carefully placed to create something nostalgic, echoing designs from some of the greatest beat-em-ups games ever made, while crafting a game that is just delightful to play with friends. Featuring pretty much every major character of the 80s TMNT cartoon, this arcade-style romp is full of fun references and challenges that will keep players who like to master their games busy. The only complaint I have for Shredder’s Revenge is that I wanted more.

More information about Shredder’s Revenge can be found in our review.

- Alex McCumbers

Vampire Survivors

Developer: Poncle

Publisher: Poncle

Platforms: Steam, iOS, Android, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

The simple goal of surviving waves of Gothic creatures builds to insane levels of pixelated monster mayhem, making Vampire Survivors one of the most impressive feats of programming I have seen in years. There are so many things on screen and lots of micro decisions to make, even though the player is only moving around and making small choices on what items to upgrade. This gameplay loop is deceptive though as there is a ton of depth to be found and lots of achievements and secrets to discover. 

Playing through Vampire Survivors on mobile rekindled my hope for that platform as it is undoubtedly the best game mobile devices have seen in over a decade.

Learn why Vampire Survivors is one of the best mobile games available through our review.

- Alex McCumbers

Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Developer: Game Freak

Publisher: Nintendo

Platforms: Switch

Game Freak has been denying Pokémon fans a full console experience for decades but Pokémon Legends: Arceus finally gave players a glimpse into what a larger Pokémon game could be. Allowing fast-paced capture and battles, Arceus took trainers to a distant past and placed them in a surprisingly dangerous world of fierce monsters. This is far from a perfect game and it also had performance issues upon release much like Scarlet and Violet but Pokémon Legends: Arceus felt like a definitive step in an exciting way to explore the world of pocket monsters. I desperately hope that the next few games take more design elements from Arceus than Scarlet or Violet. 

Considering that Pokémon is one of the most successful franchises of all time, a release that takes risks and improves every aspect of the previous games would be incredible to see. Pokémon Legends: Arceus just might be the catalyst for an ideal Pokémon game.

- Alex McCumbers

Destiny 2: The Witch Queen (Expansion)

Developer: Bungie

Publisher: Bungie

Platforms: Steam, Epic, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

For the better part of 8 years, Bungie has woven an incredibly intricate story of the battle between good and evil with Destiny and Destiny 2. However, in 2022, Bungie released what could be arguably one of its best expansions since The Taken King in Destiny. The Witch Queen took players down a wild narrative journey that challenged what Guardians knew about the Light and Dark. Story arcs that have been referenced since 2015 were finally touched upon and shown from a new point of view. Additionally, players could tackle this new story in a much more challenging legendary mode from the start for extra rewards and glory. A rework of existing powers offered new levels of customization and creative builds. Bungie even introduced a weapon crafting system for further tailoring a player’s style. The Witch Queen set a new precedent in Bungie’s storytelling and game-building that I hope continues to thrive in the next two years.

-Marcus Brown

A Plague Tale: Requiem 

Developer: Asobo Studio

Publisher: Focus Entertainment

Platforms: PC, Switch, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One

While it is easy to find the faults in the way A Plague Tale sticks to the foundations established by games like The Last of Us and God of War, I have thoroughly enjoyed my time with Amicia and Hugo, easily recommending it to others. Their connection as siblings felt genuine and it was terrifying to be assaulted by a world that tries its best to gobble them up. The presentation and writing were improved for Requiem making for one of the more memorable experiences from Focus Entertainment’s ever-growing library of interesting titles. Between this and Evil West I am finding a lot to love in Focus’ publishing history.

There could be a third entry in A Plague Tale’s story based on where the journey ends in Requiem and if there is another game in the coming years I will absolutely prioritize playing it. 

Our review of A Plague Tale: Requiem goes into a lot of depth on why it is a worthwhile gaming experience.

- Alex McCumbers

Elden Ring

Developer: FromSoftware Inc 

Publisher: FromSoftware Inc, Bandai Namco Entertainment

Platforms: Steam, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4

Elden Ring completely smashed the high expectations of FromSoftware titles, resulting in one of the most epic journeys in video games to date. While many titles in their legendary library have already inspired entire genres, I look forward to the games inspired by Elden Ring which fills its breathtaking world with wonder and mystery. Steadily uncovering this game’s treasures was one of the most enjoyable gaming experiences of my life and I desperately hope we get new content soon. Regardless, whatever FromSoftware releases, I’ll be there excited and ready to explore their unique take on gaming.

Learn more about Elden Ring through our review of the PS5 version.

- Alex McCumbers