The 10 Worst Video Games of 2022… So Far
Earlier this week, we shared the 10 best video games that have been released during the first half of 2022. Kirby and the Forgotten Land, TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge, and 8 other gems have given gamers plenty of gaming goodness to enjoy this year. But with the good comes the bad. So here it is, a list of the ten worst video games that have been released so far in 2022.
Keep a distance from these brutal disappointments.
Babylon’s Fall
A PlatinumGames developed, Square Enix published action-RPG seems like an easy win considering how well-received their last venture, Nier: Automata was. And yet, this games-as-a-service title failed to live up to the hype and will likely be forgotten by most.
As per our review: “Babylon’s Fall falters with its implementation of a live-service model. While it contains a compelling, multi-faceted combat system, its brilliance is lost in a crowd of unnecessary features. The art direction, although interesting, doesn’t capture the notion of an oil painting. Instead, it looks bland and at times, downright ugly. Unfortunately, it seems that a troubled development period has marred the game, resulting in a directionless, cluttered and convoluted adventure.”
CrossfireX
Well, if you were one of those unlucky enough to try the CrossfireX multiplayer, it shouldn’t come as a shock to you that the single-player campaign was going to suck too. I honestly can’t recall a time I’ve played an FPS multiplayer game that was so awful, so I steered clear of the single-player game. It’s a damn shame industry vets Remedy was involved in this trainwreck.
As per our review: “Overall, it’s just hard to recall a less ambitious multiplayer shooter than CrossfireX. Its generic single-player campaign fares much better than its multiplayer, which is simply lacking in everything we’ve come to expect from the genre. Smilegate’s previous shooters have obviously connected with millions in the Asian market, but it’s hard to imagine CrossfireX igniting anything near that kind of enthusiasm in the very competitive multiplayer scene.”
Liberated: Enhanced Edition
Well, the premise sounded amazing – a comic book-infused game drawing inspiration from the likes of Alan Moore and Frank Miller. Unfortunately, Liberated: Enhanced Edition just could not deliver a worthwhile experience. A disappointing addition to the worst video games list.
As per our review: “Liberated: Enhanced Edition fails to deliver on a promising premise. At its core, the game tells an interesting story in an innovative manner, however, the gameplay sequences let it down. The gunplay is formulaic and lacks variety. Predictable enemy placement means that the game quickly becomes repetitive. While Atomic Wolf attempts to vary the gameplay with puzzles and QTEs, these are few and far between. With some technical issues thrown into the mix, this comic-inspired title has a few too many issues.”
Blackwind
An action-RPG with twin-stick shooter gameplay featuring a slick mech suit? Blackwind sounds promising. Unfortunately, technical limitations, including awful camera angles, ruin the overall experience.
As per our review: “There aren’t enough hack-and-slash action games with a sci-fi setting, but Blackwind stumbles pretty hard and makes enjoying it consistently a challenge. The game’s camera is the worst offender, but issues with platforming, balance and combat are also parts of the problem. I didn’t care that the story could find a consistent tone as much as the game’s mechanics made me want to step away in frustration. I enjoy difficult games, but not unfair, busted or buggy ones.”
The Waylanders
Yet another action-RPG to make this list – maybe this is a sign that action-RPGs need to take a break. The Waylanders features a decent story taking place in a Celtic setting – but that’s the extent of it’s strengths. Despite being in Early Access for the past couple years, the game is still filled with issues.
As per our review: “I’m not sure if more time in the oven is the answer to The Waylanders’ problems, but it couldn’t hurt. I really liked the setting and core story, but I’m afraid that the game’s bland combat and awkward controls are baked in by now. It has character, charm and style to spare but swings and misses in the execution. The Waylanders is a collection of really good ideas, almost none of which are allowed to shine without compromise.”
And that’s just the first five games on this worst-of list. Check out page 2 for five games that are shockingly even worse. Yikes.