The best video games of the first half of 2022

This year has been unusual for the video game industry. In the absence of a unifying event like the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3 ), which is apparently on hiatus until next year, with a few exceptions we haven’t seen any big releases. It’s not that there aren’t headlines, but this 2022 is a somewhat stunned year, if we compare the boom in sales and exposure that this industry has seen since the start of the pandemic. As if the fever had dropped a few degrees.

But there were powerful titles that gained consensus, with a generous number of indie games and plenty of surprises. We also had an impressive number of remakes, remasters and sequels. It’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it’s missed to see more freshness through new titles that really surprise.

We speak, for example, of Grand Theft Auto V, which was re-released again for this generation. In other words, the same title from 2013—the highest-grossing game in history—that has already been released for three different console generations. A little too much, if you ask me.

Either way, there are some interesting things to show. This given that in the second half of the year the most anticipated titles of the year will fall, such as the God of War: Ragnarok, Gotham Knightsa new Call of Duty and, of course, the remake of The last of us, among other expected names. So far, these are some of the most notable, entertaining, and popular video games we’ve tried this semester.

Highly anticipated, mainly by the fanatical public of the feline world, this game could be loosely classified as a simple feline simulator. But wander It’s much more than that. Beyond the central objective of the game, it is the story that finally moves, not far from the sensitivity that a good Pixar film could have.

Without saying a word during the game, we put ourselves in the shoes of a friendly kitten who must survive in a decaying futuristic city full of confused robots and machines.

Ultimately, the game is an engrossing adventure of platforming, puzzle-solving and exploration – not too difficult, not too easy – where the player can literally make any feline move or interact with their surroundings. But we insist: it is the story – which some Internet users in the forums have described as “transcendental” – which steals the film. Work and grace of the rather unknown French studio BlueTwelve, it is one of the titles of the season. Ideal for playing with the family. For PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC.

The British studio Supermassive Games specializes in the development of very good horror titles with interactive narration (like Until dawn or the anthology dark pictures), very much in the vein of slashers running. The difference, in his case, is that the user is the one who has to make life or death decisions in situations where you have to quickly press a sequence of buttons or make drastic decisions.

Inspired by classic horror movies like tuesday 13 That is The thing, the game is part of the thriller/horror genre. Here the player or player takes control, at different points in the story, of nine young counselors who must spend one last night at camp Hackett’s career and face various supernatural creatures there, among other dangers. Their destinies are multiple and the story does not skimp on good scares or gore. Its gripping atmosphere – graphically, the game almost looks like a movie – guarantees tension, a good dose of fear and replayability with its multiple possibilities and outcomes. For Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and PC.

of the universe of Borderlandsthe popular and fun saga of shooting and science fiction —which will soon have its cinematic adaptation—, appears this spin off based on one of its most beloved supporting characters, the jocular and neurotic teenager Tiny Tina.

Inspired by the classic Dungeons & Dragons, basically we have a new first person shooter, but with strong RPG and fantasy elements. The emphasis, yes, is on improving weapons, each more unpredictable than the next, as is the tradition in past games.

Unlike other similar titles, the universe of Borderlands it’s crazy, colorful and fun, and this episode is of course no exception. In addition to multiplayer modes, up to three people can also play simultaneously over the network or locally, in a vast open world full of adventure and colorful enemies and monsters. For PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

Here we have a very good example of a small video game made independently, in this case by Canadian Andrew Shouldice. Tunic is an adventure with an isometric view – that is, from above, with a viewing angle of 30º – which is very reminiscent of the classic volumes of The Legend of Zelda. In fact, the game’s art design and feel pay homage to historic Nintendo titles. The difference, of course, is that in this case the game was developed by one person.

The protagonist is a cute anthropomorphic fox who has to explore and fight with enemies. Nothing new so far, but the interesting thing about the turn is that, among other things, the player must literally find the game’s manual pages, in order to solve puzzles and the strange language of the title, among other challenges. With an exciting soundtrack and new combat mechanics, Tunic It will especially appeal to fans of old Nintendo adventure games. For Xbox One and Series X/S, macOS and PC. Coming soon to PlayStation 4 and 5.

Turn-based strategy video games always have a weird charm — which, by the way, doesn’t replace that of a board game — and a very loyal following. In the case of the saga total war which traditionally focused its scenarios on historical episodes, this time we have an interesting variant, where the game takes place in nothing less than the vast universe war hammer. And here is its third part.

The fantastic universe that encompasses war hammer enough to make a separate text, but in summary we are talking about different races clashing in a complex sci-fi world. The mechanics of the game is to strategically arm and direct armies, all from an isometric “General” view, where you can see every battlefield movement. It can be a bit daunting for inexperienced users, but the game has a really good tutorial to learn everything you need. It can be difficult at first, but once you master the scenario, the game is pure pleasure. By the way: it’s not ideal for consoles, but for mouse and keyboard. For macOS, Linux and PC.

It was, by far, the quietest and most peaceful game of the season. Surfing on the mode of simulators-of-anything, the English studio FuturLab has designed a pressurized water cleaning simulator. So. The entire mechanics of the game is to target and clean different artifacts or locations with pressurized water until they are pristine. This way you earn money and grow your business. It sounds very simple and, in fact, it is.

The grace of the game, beyond the patience that sometimes you have to have to complete all the required objectives, is the pleasure of completing a task in the first person and which gives particular satisfaction when you finish washing the cars, grills, gardens, houses or water points. A laid back title wherever you look at it, the experience of washing things with pressure hoses, without having enemies on you or time against you, is one of the most relaxing things you can get in the game. industry today. Even if you have a good pair of headphones, the sound of the various water jets contributes to the sedative effect. Be careful, pressure washing can be very addictive. In the virtual world, of course. For Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.

*Prices for this item are current as of July 26, 2022. Values ​​and availability subject to change.