And here we are, diving into the worst five games released so far in 2022.
Nobody Saves the World
This one came as a bit of a shock. Drinkbox Studios had a huge hit on their hands with their Guacamelee franchise, so we all just assumed their latest game, Nobody Saves the World, would be yet another hit for the Canadian developers. This was sadly not the case.
As per our review: “It may sound harsh, but Nobody Saves the World really threw all my pet peeves into a barrel and gave it a nice coat of paint. To give this game some props though, the co-op is fun for a little while and the game plays well. The coat of paint is, without a lie, a really nice art style. It’s just that the grind really sucks and it makes you grind from THE INTRO DUNGEON. Oh right, I was supposed to be talking about the positives. Probably the best thing about this game is that it has a very long potential gameplay time, and if you have a kid or a casual friend you want to relax and punch some monsters with, Nobody Saves the World might be a really good game.”
Diablo Immortal
Diablo is such an iconic franchise. This is why it was so depressing to think that the ironically titled Diablo Immortal nearly killed the franchise. Yikes. But this is the crap we get when a developer/publisher decides to make a crappy, scaled-down mobile version of a beloved franchise – then port that mobile version to another platform, in this case, PC.
As per our review: “I wanted to like this game a lot more than I did. It feels great to go ripping around dank little dungeons, snagging loot and slaying demons. I love the visuals and the sound design, I love the fast-paced combat. Hell, I even love level grinding! But the game is crammed to the rafters with predatory In-App Purchases. Blizzard wants to squeeze you dry, and they’re not shy about it, either. The endgame makes it clear that players are being treated like cash cows, livestock with active credit cards. The first half of Diablo Immortal is a competent, compelling action RPG. But under no circumstances should you touch the endgame.”
Zorro The Chronicles
Zorro the Chronicles is based on a very short-lived animated cartoon bringing the beloved Zorro character to younger audiences. But we’re talking about a cartoon that lasted one season over 5 years ago. Why was now a good time to bring out a game based on it? No one will ever know. It’s definitely an ambitious game but just fails to deliver.
As per our review: “There are charming aspects to the game past its initial impression. I considered dropping it early on, but I’m glad I didn’t: some of the later settings are very picturesque, and there are funny moments throughout. While the missions followed a pattern, I could see an attempt at differentiating the levels. I wish this game felt better to play; I wanted it to succeed. Unfortunately, there aren’t many people I can recommend Zorro The Chronicles to. If your child is a fan of the show, the game is worth picking up, but if you’re a more general fan of the Zorro franchise, it’s worth waiting for another outing – Zorro always rides again.”
Postal 4: No Regerts
It’s hard to expect much from the Postal franchise. Gameplay generally takes a back seat to the franchise’s over-the-top content. And the incremental release of Postal 4: No Regerts, offering a bit more content every few months in an attempt to piece together a fully-fledged game… it’s just a lot to ask of fans to get behind. One thing I will say is it’s pretty impressive that they’ve brought back every Postal Dude voice actor, including the Postal movie actor Zach Ward, to allow players to pick who narrates their adventure.
As per our review: “When it comes to humor, satire and pretend violence, I have endlessly high tolerance. Art and entertainment should be free to push buttons and push the limits of what’s acceptable. I have far less patience for lazy, sloppy and tired humor that masquerades as edgy, and no patience at all for developers that waste my time with games that barely run. With Postal 3, Running With Scissors blamed it on the Russians. With Postal 4, they have no one to blame but themselves.”
Claustrophobia
This is it. The worst game of 2022 so far. Claustrophobia is a completely broken mess of a horror game, there really isn’t much positive to say about it. This is the optitimy of a game that should have stayed in development, or better yet, never released at all.
As per our review: “I want games to be good. Hell, I want them to be great. No game is perfect and even the biggest blockbuster has flaws. There are even games we love that are mostly broken, because they went big and couldn’t quite deliver. Claustrophobia doesn’t go big. It takes time-worn ideas and still manages to fall flat. It looks, sounds and plays like a game that wasn’t ready to leave the drawing board, much less be released. Claustrophobia will make you feel trapped, for sure. Maybe just not the way the developer intended.”
Honourable Mention: Elden Ring
Speaking of the worst video games… nah, we’re only joking. Relax.
And that concludes our look at the 10 worst video games of 2022… so far. Avoid these 10 games at all costs. However, if you’re looking for something fun to play, be sure to check out The 10 Best Video Games of 2022… So Far.