In the future, we’ll most definitely be looking back on 2022 with fond memories, and for good reason. This year saw some of the best games released, with Nintendo and PlayStation really giving it their all on titles like God of War: Ragnarok, Kirby: and the Forgotten Land, Horizon: Forbidden West, and Splatoon 3. Lest we forget this year’s The Game Awards GOTY recipient, Elden Ring.
But 2022 wasn’t all a bed of roses, as between the major releases, there were a lot of stinkers. Right up to the very end of the year, developers and publishers pumped out some truly bad games, for one reason or another. Well, we’ve played so many bad games this year that we thought it would be a good idea to put our top 10 worst game releases of the 2022 list together. Let’s check it out!
Top 10 Worst Game Releases of 2022
Before diving too far into the list, it’s important to preface it by saying that even though these games made this list, it doesn’t always mean the game is bad entirely. It could have been overhyped, released broken, or just didn’t do anything worth even caring about. So, with that out of the way, let’s see those games!
Dolmen
Starting out our list is Dolmen, a Souls-like title that tries its best to meld elements of Dead Space into the gameplay. Though I liked the concept and some gameplay from Dolmen, this title is aggressively average. The combat is clunky, the locations generic, and it’s incredibly inherent that this is a low-budget game, because of how badly it played at launch.
CrossfireX
Another title that just didn’t hit right for players was CrossfireX. Whether you’re talking about the multiplayer side or the campaign, this title was a major flop with gamers alike. Though it’s a big hit in the East, Western audiences just didn’t care for it when its approach was half-baked at best.
Chocobo GP
Perhaps the only game on this list that I actually hate, Chocobo GP is most certainly a big waste of time. Its karting is basic, the menus are beyond difficult to navigate, and its heavy use of microtransactions is a bit disgusting on Square Enix’s part. Not much else to say about it.
Saints Row
Talk about a shot heard around the world. Saints Row’s miserable launch was terrible to experience and a real shame as this was a highly-anticipated title for those hungry for a new open-world sandbox title. With there not being very many Grand Theft Auto-type games released in what seems like years, this should have been a win for Deep Silver. But due to it being pushed out prematurely, it was a recipe for disaster thanks to it being riddled with bugs.
Related: Top 8 Biggest Moments from Game Awards From Years Past
Dakar Desert Rally
If you’re a player who thought that Dakar Desert Rally was going to release as a full game, then you aren’t alone. Though Dakar Desert Rally’s gameplay isn’t any good and the visuals are lacking, the real downside to this title is that it’s a glorified early access game that’s charging full price. That’s all there is to it. Half of the experience is still missing from this game.
Alan Wake Remastered (Nintendo Switch)
Even though Remastered is in its title, when Alan Wake Remastered finally came to Nintendo Switch, the truth was that it didn’t look like it at all. It sported visuals worse than the original Xbox/PC release. It also just didn’t run very well on the platform either. Yikes.
Gotham Knights
Since Marvel did it with the Avengers, Warner Bros. thought it too would shoot itself in the foot with its own take on the RPG grind, but with Batman characters. Though this title sounds to be a good idea on paper, Gotham Knights just didn’t land with players due to its laundry list of bugs, lackluster combat, and terrible progression systems.
Overwatch 2
What can be said about Overwatch 2 that hasn’t already? Its mere existence shut down the original Overwatch entirely. Aside from that, the game was met with criticism due to some major issues because of bugs and increasing issues going on with the fact that some characters were unbalanced correctly. There are still characters that can’t be played because of this.
The Callisto Protocol
Though there really isn’t anything inherently wrong with The Callisto Protocol aside from some lackluster gameplay choices. The real issue with it is that it was purposefully mismarketed as being a spiritual successor to Dead Space, even though it doesn’t resemble it aside from its space-horror backdrop. It’s an overhyped, underwhelming disappointment more than a bad game.
Pokemon Scarlet/Violet
Personally, I think that it’s about time that the Pokemon franchise felt some pushback from the gaming community. For many, it’s a series that has rested on its laurels for too long, releasing games that look and feel dated. Not to mention that the games this time around launched with major game-breaking bugs too, which added insult to injury. This may be a turning point for the franchise going forward.
Well, those are our choices for the top 10 worst game releases of 2022. For more lists on games, be sure to check out some of our other content as well, such as “Top 5 Best Roguelites for Beginners”.
