2022: The year of us all going more and more insane. The pandemic continued, but we decided to just ignore it and hope it went away. Elon Musk bought Twitter which has been the funniest thing in years. As a Cold War head, I am personally very excited about the prospect of sudden nuclear death returning.
And then there were…video games. Dwarf Fortress got an actual Steam build. Gamers discovered communism. I beat the hell out of clowns. Let’s get to it!
5: Or, The Game I Suddenly Got Way Too Into: Destiny 2: The Witch Queen.
I have spent 500+ hours in Destiny 2. It is so good. Why do I love shooting things so much? Why am I doing any of this? I have no idea. All I know is there are Mans and I must Shoot Mans. I marked out hard for the Witch Queen storyline and am already hooting and hollering for Lightfall.
4: Or, The “Where The Hell Did This Come From?” Award: Pentiment.
Obsidian suddenly drops a colorful game based on illustrated manuscripts and history that’s pretty much a classic adventure game. It’s so good. And yet…why? Where the hell did this come from? But I’m grateful because I’m a dork that loves this shit. Pentiment is like the video game port of The Name of the Rose. It’s absurd that it exists, but it’s also a beautiful gem. Read our review.
3: Or, They Didn’t Screw It Up: Dwarf Fortress
Look I am a sicko that loves OG DF but honestly, it was time for it to be on Steam and they managed to get it running and maintain the janky charm of the original but made it kinda playable. That in itself is a miracle. I was just happy they didn’t screw it up. And for all the static “gaming” gets, watching the internet rally to reward the team that made a genuine classic (that also genuinely needed the money) was legitimately heartwarming. It was also funny watching people that called it a Rimworld ripoff get fileted. I’m a simple man and I like my laughs simple. Read our review.
2: Or, I Just Feel Like Hollering About This: Circus Electrique
I know the market for a steampunk circus-themed Darkest Dungeon-like is basically me. BUT IT IS SO GOOD Y’ALL GO PLAY IT YOU GOT A MECHANICAL LION AND YOU GET TO BEAT UP CLOWNS. WHAT MORE DO YOU IDIOTS NEED? Read our review.
Runner Up: Karl Marx Memorial Introduction to Communism and Overthrowing Capitalism: Victoria 3.
I love the Victoria series, which makes me a weirdo even among the Paradox game set. Besides being a very good Paradox game that’s actually almost playable by humans, Victoria 3 keeps waking people up to the horrors of capitalism. IT JUST KEEPS HAPPENING! After the success of Disco Elysium, communism has never been stronger or more based, and Victoria 3 is so elegant and fun to play and teaches you the most important lesson: smash capitalism, comrades. Read our review.
Game of the Year: Trombone Champ
It takes a lot to beat pure Marxism. But…sometimes there’s something more important than overthrowing global capitalism, and that’s personal excellence. That’s right, I’m talking about becoming William Riker. You may say to yourself, “If only I could be Will Riker…I have the beard, I already step over the back of chairs…what am I missing? What’s the secret?!” The answer, of course, is the trombone. And what better way to develop your trombone chops than learning Paramore’s hit Misery Business? That’s why it’s the game of the year. Of this year. And all years.
