Didn’t play every single game that released this year? Qualbert.com is here to help with our Game of the Year 2022!
Once again, as the year draws to a close, we can confidently say that this has been another huge year for both gaming and for the team here at Qualbert. From colossal smash hits like Elden Ring and God of War: Ragnarok through to charming unexpected indie hits like Cult of the Lamb and OlliOlli World, there’s really been something for players of all tastes. And we’ve been lucky enough to have reviewed many of this year’s best games!
Just a few of our favourites from throughout the year!
So, in celebration, we’d like to wrap up the game of the year for 2022 with not just the prestigious GOTY award, but also highlight many of the incredible games that have also excelled in certain categories. Our Game of the Year 2022 article focuses on games with the most compelling narratives, superb visual styles, gorgeous sweeping soundtracks, and even the games that have had the biggest impact in each of their genres.
So get your scroll wheel ready and prepare your swiping thumb to join us for the second ever Qualbert.com GOTY as we lift the curtain and reveal our favourites from throughout the year and our overall Game of the Year 2022!
Game of the Year 2022 – Categories
Click below to jump to each category:
- Best Visuals
- Best Soundtrack
- Best Indie Game
- Best Remake / Remaster
- Best RPG
- Best Shooter
- Best Action Game
- Best Narrative
- Best Sports Game
- Best Multiplayer Game
- Game of the Year
Game of the Year 2022 – Best Visuals
Winner: Horizon Forbidden West
Have you ever played a videogame where every single moment has you stopping to admire your surroundings, every cutscene is rudely interrupted by your need to take a screenshot, and even the most important plot points have you distracted by the stunning scenery? This is exactly what Horizon Forbidden West achieves; this near flawless visual masterpiece unlike anything else I’ve ever encountered.
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- An almost infinite draw distance means the world continues all the way to the horizon.
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- Rich light filters over mountains during the sunrise and sunset.
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- The entire world passes by when viewed from above.
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- Colossal war machines carry an impressive sense of scale.
It’s difficult to convey just how gorgeous this game can be simply through images alone, as this takes on an entirely new state when you are surrounded by such an immaculate world that can be fully explored. Until now, open world games have always had some sort of compromise, but Forbidden West is the first game of this scale to truly leave us in awe. That’s why Horizon Forbidden West earns our very first Game of the Year 2022 award for best visuals!
Our Horizon Forbidden West Review
Game of the Year 2022 – Best Soundtrack
Winner: Triangle Strategy
The latest new entry in the HD-2D series, Triangle Strategy achieves marks the triumphant return of traditional strategy gameplay through a fanfare of flawless music. Composer Akira Senju (known primarily for his music to Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood) has created one of the finest soundtracks ever heard in a videogame. It comes as no overstatement that the music for Triangle Strategy is incredible. The game features 70 separate tracks and an impressive 4 hours of music created from scratch to accompany the gripping narrative.
Big, bold brass in the battles of Triangle Strategy.
Rock and classical meet in Akira Senju’s distinct style.
Tracks range from blaring brass and military percussion through to folk and classical-inspired pieces, and even a bit of high-tempo rock mixed in for good measure. I can’t imagine what Triangle Strategy would be like without the contributions of Senju, who has composed a soundtrack that I will be listening to for years to come, earning itself the award of best gaming soundtrack of 2022.
Game of the Year 2022 – Best Indie Game
Winner: Cult of the Lamb
Cult of the Lamb is yet another absolutely amazing indie game for 2022, that we’re very proud to say was born in Melbourne, Australia. This is a cute and psychologically disturbed experience where you take the cutest of characters through dark ordeals only to satiate the desires of the demon that saved you from death. Tight roguelike combat crossed with town building is a genius combination and causes you to enter an infinite loop where you want to do just one more dungeon.
Equal parts hilarious and disgusting, Cult of the Lamb blends these themes in the best possible way. An absolute pleasure to play from start to finish. So if you’re looking for a devilishly good indie game? We recommend you join the cult in our Best Indie Game of 2022.
Game of the Year 2022 – Best Remake/Remaster
Winner: The Last of Us: Part I
The Last of Us Part I is without a doubt a remake that’s truly worth a double dip. This is not only the definitive way to rediscover one of the finest games ever created, but adds a huge range of not only content, but also much needed in-game accessibility. This is an experience that is catered towards gamers of all requirements, and a welcome addition for those who might have otherwise been unable to enjoy The Last of Us before.
Coupled with the intuitive features of the PS5 DualSense controller, flawlessly enhanced visuals and immersive 3D audio, and this remake provides an unforgettable experience that earns it our recognition as the best remake of 2022.
Our The Last of Us: Part I Review
Game of the Year 2022 – Best RPG
Winner: Xenoblade Chronicles 3
A decade later after the brilliant debut of the original Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii, having constructed a monolithic series from a solid foundation, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 polishes its experience beyond any fan’s expectations. Drawing inspiration from the finest elements of its predecessors, the latest entry features endlessly expansive environments and honed combat, accompanied by vibrant visuals and stellar score.
The real highlight of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is its loveable cast of characters, all of whom breathe life into the game at every moment. Although it was with a heavy heart that Noah and Mio’s adventure eventually drew to a close, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 will be a near flawless experience that I’ll never forget as our best RPG of 2022.
Our Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Review
Game of the Year 2022 – Best Shooter
Winner: Metal: Hellsinger
This is not the greatest game in hell, this is just a tribute. Metal: Hellsinger is a fantastic game that blends the first person shooter genre with the overlooked rhythm game genre wrapped up in a heavy metal package. It’s not a game that panders to a specific demographic for easy revenue, it is a love letter to die hard fans everywhere.
Despite its minor faults, there’s no doubt that Hellsinger will go down in history as one of the most metal games ever created. There really is no other shooter quite like it, and even though it came very close to earning our best soundtrack of the year, Metal: Hellsinger brutally shreds the competition as our best shooter of 2022.
Game of the Year 2022 – Best Action Game
Winner: Bayonetta 3
Bayonetta 3 is pure Platinum and offers the definitive Bayonetta experience polished to near perfection over the last decade of the series. Even while held back by the technical limitations of the Switch, this latest entry delivers some of the most bombastic, ridiculous, and extravagant gameplay featured in any videogame.
Just a snippet of the adrenaline-pumping action in Bayonetta 3.
The action aficionados at Platinum have taken their distinct action game style and turned it up to 11 at every given opportunity. So whether or not you’re a fan of action games, or whether or not you’ve played any of the previous Bayonetta games, if you enjoy fun, you won’t want to miss our best action game of 2022 featuring the Umbra Witch on the Switch.
Game of the Year 2022 – Best Narrative
Winner: Wayward Strand
Like a sizzling snag on a piece of bread, Wayward Strand’s narrative is absolutely oozing with tomato sauce charm. The experience aboard the floating hospital is a dialogue delight thanks to its wonderful cast of uniquely Australian characters, all of whom are voiced with passion and emotion.
There’s really only one major downside to Wayward Strand, and it’s that after finishing it, I just wanted to keep playing, delving into the lives of each of the residents even further. This is a heart-warming tale than fans of Australian indie games must experience and flies away with our best narrative of 2022.
Game of the Year 2022 – Best Sports Game
Winner: OlliOlli World
OlliOlli World is everything you could ask for in a skating game. Simple and intuitive controls, a tonne of unlockables, and varying difficulty choices based on each track to suit the play style of any player paired with its unique vibrant art style and chill lo-fi soundtrack, and you’ll find yourself in Gnarvana before you know it.
Over the course of the adventure and its 2 hefty DLC packs, there was rarely a single moment that I didn’t thoroughly enjoy. Where the earlier OlliOlli games re-introduced the concept of side-scrolling skating gameplay, OlliOlli World has polished it, perfected it, and created 2022’s most radical sports game.
Game of the Year 2022 – Best Multiplayer Game
Winner: Splatoon 3
It’s a splat-trick with the brilliant Splatoon 3! As the best game in its trilogy, it refines so many already well-designed game modes and mechanics to deliver a polished package with plenty to do. The new selection of maps, weapons, and gear are all exciting additions that provide opportunities to develop new gameplay strategies in the exhilarating Turf War multiplayer. Salmon Run is pure fun, offering a variety of challenges and rewards that encourage replayability.
While some connectivity issues let me down, and the handful of the new game features aren’t as interesting as the core modes, Splatoon 3 is the best the series has ever been. With addictive gameplay, a commitment to free DLC updates, and new Splatfests always around the corner, best multiplayer of 2022 is awarded to Splatoon 3!
Game of the Year 2022
In order to determine the overall Game of the Year here at Qualbert, each member of the team was able to nominate a single game. Our shortlist of nominees are:
- Triangle Strategy
- Elden Ring
- Tactics Ogre: Reborn
- Evil West
- Splatoon 3
- God of War: Ragnarok
- Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
Runner Up: Elden Ring
The sheer amount of polish and attention to detail that has gone into this titan of an action RPG has cemented Elden Ring as the finest game FromSoftware have ever developed. Story, lore, combat, mechanics, world-building, character interactions; everything is the pinnacle of what you would imagine from a true masterpiece of a videogame.
This is why all should be willing to experience this gruelling and challenging journey. Even for those not fond of the Dark Souls games, play Elden Ring and you’ll certainly find something you love in The Lands Between. Embrace your path as a Tarnished, seek grace, and steel yourself for one of the most memorable adventures ever created in all gaming history gaming in Elden Ring, our runner up for Game of the Year 2022.
Winner: God of War: Ragnarok
Picking up three years after its predecessor, Santa Monica Studio have built God of War: Ragnarök upon the series’ colossal 2018 entry in every conceivable way. Throughout the game, beautiful single shot cinematography is utilised to portray its gripping and engaging narrative, complemented by combat that is brutally satisfying yet universally accessible.
With a deep and meaningful narrative that proves to be the peak of the entire God of War series, coupled with an outstanding performance from Christopher Judge, this is one game that simply every person who considers themselves a gamer should experience. Truly a triumph in cinematic storytelling that earns God of War: Ragnarok the incredibly well-deserved award of the Qualbert.com Game of the Year for 2022.
Our God of War: Ragnarok Review
That’s a wrap!
So that’s it for 2022 and all of its brilliant games! To be completely honest we’ve barely had the time to play them all. Thanks to all of our community here at Qualbert.com and over on our Facebook and Instagram for your constant support in helping make 2022 our biggest and best year yet.
And if you enjoyed our content throughout 2022, be sure to share it with a friend!
If we missed out on any of your favourite games too, be sure to reach out with your Game of the Year and let us know what made it onto your list.
QualbertFan -
Kinda dissapointment you guys pick the very same game that won in 2018 already rather than something fresh, new and one that takes risks. cool list though