The 2022 Backlog Awards, Pt. 1
In lieu of traditional game reviews, I decided to split up this year's Backlog Awards. My goal is pretty simple: I want to give myself space to talk about these games in more depth and really dote on each one. Because while my lists get progressively “stronger” each year, 2022 was special.
This year wasn’t chock full of blockbusters or big-budget games…at least, not in terms of games I personally fell in love with. Instead, my top 10 is more like a collection of meaningful experiences that could only happen through the medium of video games. And that seems more valuable than “I liked this game because X, Y, and Z.”
I think it says a lot that the genres represented on these lists continue to become more diverse. I’m playing fewer big games but spending more time gaming overall, and that creates space to find surprises.
And now, on with the show.
Author’s note: Here, you can see how this year stacks up against my favorite games from 2021.
Backlog Awards' Best of 2022 | #10
One trend you might recognize this year is discovering old genres. When I reviewed Broken Age and King’s Quest, part of me loved them because I hadn’t ever really played the old “point-and-click” adventure games. I remember educational games on the computer, or some janky old Star Wars games on a friend’s dad’s computer. But one game I never played, heard about, or looked into was The Secret of Monkey Island from LucasArts. However, given my love of Double Fine games — and the fact that the studio was spearheaded by LucasArts folks — I tried the first Monkey Island game this fall.
No, I didn’t start with the original game from 1990. I jumped into The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition, which comes with a remastered interface and visuals. But these changes didn’t detract from the pure magic and artistic quality of the original. (In fact, you can switch to the original visuals and audio with a single button press!) They just helped Kim and I connect with a game that is literally as old as I am.
Many different pieces of Monkey Island add to its reputation as a “classic” or “masterpiece.” In fact, it’s kind of seen as the quintessential point-and-click puzzle game. It’s the sort of thing that defined and inspired a generation in the way that Halo sparked the FPS era and Breath of the Wild launched this new open-world craze.
The puzzles were excellent — challenging and increasingly complex, but still fun. The writing is witty and self-aware and side-splittingly funny. The visuals pushed the envelope in 1990, and the remaster helped it look less dated while still keeping much of its charm. Also, the music is excellent!
I won’t pretend like Monkey Island is a game for everyone. In fact, I can count on one hand how many of my friends I think could enjoy it. But don’t let that distract you from the realization that The Secret of Monkey Island was a work of art when it was released, and a lot of what made it great then continues to hold up today. A remastered special edition just keeps it approachable for new fans like me.
Backlog Awards' Best of 2022 | #9
As you could probably guess from the name, Airborne Kingdom is all about building a floating city. But the concept merges mechanics from different games: You travel across a mostly barren landscape, acquire resources, and manage the logistics of your airborne kingdom.
One of the major highlights is the lore. For a fairly simplistic game (in terms of other city builders, a la Cities: Skylines) it’s obvious the team at The Wandering Band poured their hearts and souls into crafting an interesting setting. Airborne Kingdom is packed full of mysteries and alludes to both ancient history and a massive world. From brief notes about environmental resources to detailed descriptions of local rulers’ throne rooms, I felt completely immersed in this ancient and crumbling world.
It’s also worth noting that the lands you visit span three very different biomes. I began in an arid wasteland, desert sands with a few pockets of civilization around oases. But as I traveled north, I found a rugged land of dramatic canyons and hidden ravines; these obstacles didn’t affect my floating city, but introduced complications all the same. Food and fuel became harder to spot, but I could easily pick up new resources (like building supplies) that were highly valued in the desert region. And in a flooded region, food was easy to spot on almost every island, but fresh water was as rare as diamonds.
Looking back, Airborne Kingdom doesn’t hold this spot because of the gameplay or systems. (Although I enjoyed my time with the game, and look forward to a potential sequel.) What really stuck with me was the flavor of the world. The game inspired me with my own creative projects in a way few things have done in recent years. And that’s why I’m so excited to see what comes next from The Wandering Band.
Backlog Awards' Best of 2022 | #8
I grew up in the 90s and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles were everywhere. But I was in a weird middle ground: I was too young to experience any of the classic arcade games, and I was too old when the series got “refreshed” in the 2000s for kids my brother’s age. So I’ve always had feelings about TMNT, but never any personal relationship.
But, from the moment I saw the first trailer for Shredder’s Revenge, I was obsessed. The developers at Tribute Games pay homage to all of the retro TMNT games, as well as the animated series. And the idea of a co-op “arcade brawler” that I could get on my Switch or Xbox just felt like a perfect fit. (It certainly helped that I found — and fell in love with — the arcade cabinet at a barcade last year.)
Shredder’s Revenge surpassed my expectations. It was a blast to play through with a childhood friend, and there’s just enough difficulty to make it a challenge. In many ways, the game felt like a love letter to the franchise, with tons of silly collectibles throughout each level.
What really stands out, though, was the pure fun of the experience. It’s hard to find a game that’s easy to play, and easy to convince other people to play, and also easy to enjoy. Shredder’s Revenge was nonstop fun, and I spent (almost) every minute with a big, goofy grin. The game made me feel like a kid again, and that alone deserves a spot on this list.
Backlog Awards' Best of 2022 | #7
Unpacking is a bit of an ironic choice here. It was a game I hadn’t heard much about, or seen brought up much in Reddit conversations. Yet almost every podcast I follow mentioned it as a real gem, something that punched above its weight by using mechanics and design to tell a story in an otherwise “silent” game. After hearing an interview with the father-and-daughter sound design duo, I decided to give it a shot.
Or, more importantly, I’d let Kim give it a shot. She loves organization and design, and Unpacking hit a sweet spot that no other video game has even targeted, let alone hit. So I introduced it to her, and over the next few nights Unpacking became a bit of a household obsession as we went through it together.
The premise of Unpacking is simple: Start with a room full of boxes, unpack those boxes, and place each item in an available spot. But the surprise came later — completing a room leads to a new space, and you realized you’ve followed the same person from her childhood bedroom to her college dorm. She brought some familiar things with her. She developed new hobbies and a sense of style, represented by other items or clothing. Maybe she started a collection of knickknacks and added a new bauble.
Her story unfolds slowly and silently, something in the background that you might completely miss. You learn about her relationships, some of whom help her and some hurt her. You pick out the highlights and tragedies of her life. In some ways, you feel like you are helping her cope and grow — maybe a gift from an ex-boyfriend gets stashed under the bed, and old art projects suddenly earn a prime spot on the wall.
Kim and I were amazed and delighted by the deeply personal story that emerged. We were invested in this person’s life and growth, and Unpacking spans decades — enough time for a single person to experience all the highs and lows that life can throw at them. For such a small and often overlooked game to achieve something so grand is a testament to brilliant design and wonderful playfulness from the folks at Witch Beam.
Backlog Awards' Best of 2022 | #6
Over the years, I’ve played a LOT of games where choices carried weight. The obvious ones (Mass Effect, Dragon Age, The Banner Saga, etc.) are roleplaying games that carry the consequence of your choices between games. But narrative choices aren't exclusive to RPGs, even if they aren't common in other genres.
Sable isn't really a game about choices. It's about experiences, and specifically my experience as a teenage girl on her Gliding — a lonely sabbatical that illustrates the journey into adulthood. There are no narrative railroads, no side quests or mandatory missions. Sable is a story about the journey from A to B, and I could end the game at any time: I just had to choose a mask and a career.
Potential career paths are unlocked by doing things in the world. Maybe it’s trading food between tribes, or collecting valuable machine parts. Maybe it’s solving mysteries or spelunking in caves. In a society so tightly knit, every action has a consequence because every person is dependent on those around them.
As a result, the game’s final moments carried a lot of weight. Should I choose a traditional path, like a Scrapper, turning old and forgotten treasures into new and beautiful things? Should I do something else, something without a traditional “role” but meaningful because of what I learned along the way?
I spent more time contemplating this than any of the huge moments in BioWare games. Because, unlike other situations, this was my choice. It was the conclusion to my journey of self-discovery; the consequence was how my character would spend her life.
That’s when the real question at the heart of Sable reveals itself: Who do I want to become?
In the end, I chose a mask that had no meaning in that world, a mask that no one but Sable and I truly understood. Because by choosing a new path, I stepped outside of tradition. I chose to chart my own course in Sable’s world, and it was...liberating. Freeing, but scary.
Ironically, a feeling not unlike the real world.
Like The Outer Wilds, Sable is a game that may not be a 10/10 masterpiece, but it perfectly achieves everything the team at Shedworks set out to do. The simplistic but chill gameplay. The minimalist but haunting sound design. The “futuristic ancient aliens” vibe. And the world itself — riddled with mysteries and secrets and unusual ideas — pulled me in. If Airborne Kingdom’s world inspired my worldbuilding, then Sable’s added extra layers and details and truly brought it to life.
*Author’s note: If this summary really captivated you, you should obviously try Sable. But if that’s not an option (or if you try it but can’t get into it), then I also recommend reading Gamespot’s review. It adds even more context (and some spoilers) to what you’ve just read.
Great games to add to your 2023 backlog
I warned you that I’m splitting up the top 10 this year, so hopefully this didn’t come as a surprise. What did probably come as a surprise was some of my choices. By not writing regular (and definitely not weekly) reviews anymore, you aren’t as in tune with what I’m playing or looking forward to. In a way, that’s a good thing.
Almost all of these games have a good argument for inclusion in the top 5. By setting some aside time for them, my goal was to point out why these games deserve your attention as we move into a new year.
Because at the end of the day, that’s the purpose of any “Game of the Year” list. I hope my 2022 picks introduced you to some good games and cool developers. More importantly, I hope they’ve inspired you to try new games, even if they’re outside your go-to genre.
Author’s note: You can see the second half (#1-#5) of my 2023 Backlog Awards here!