RPGs let you live in a world much different than your own and be the key player in a story that goes places no other games can go. Throughout the countless hours of the best RPGs, empires rise and fall, characters live and die, and worlds are saved or lost.
While it can be a lot to get through one, the journey can be one of the most rewarding experiences in gaming, and 2022 had a lot of RPGs that fall right into that category. From the return of a beloved classic to a Marvel/X-COM game that is much more than it sounds to a new take on Pokemon, there were some standout titles this year.
These are our nominees for the Best RPG Game of 2022… Be sure to check back next week for our winner!
Live A Live
The most traditional RPG nominated this year, Live A Live is a 90s time capsule given new life by a stellar remake in 2022. Live A Live already had a brilliant and unusual story structure, featuring eight seemingly disparate vignettes that share common themes and, by the end, a unifying conclusion. The remake shines these tales up with gorgeous HD 2D graphics, an incredible score, and a brand new ending that puts the perfect crown on its overarching themes of fighting personal demons, everyday people turning into extraordinary villains, and what heroism really means. Experimental in its time, Live A Live somehow still feels fresh, inventive, and triumphant almost three decades later.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns
When Marvel’s Midnight Suns was announced as the next game from XCOM developer Firaxis, it was immediately assumed that it would default to something resembling a reskinning of XCOM 2 but with Wolverine and Spider-Man. But that’s not what we got: not only does Midnight Suns bring in a completely new and innovative form of squad tactics that smartly integrates card game mechanics to add an element of unpredictability to its deep and excitingly animated superhero slugfests, it’s a lengthy roleplaying game in which you spend quality time with the more than a dozen Marvel heroes who make up your party in the battle against the evil witch Lilith and her corrupted minions.
Pentiment
Though somewhat unusual, Pentiment is an RPG without any combat, dungeons, or loot. It does have character creation though, immediately raising the importance of decision making in this medieval murder mystery game. Instead of solving problems with their fists, players must speak to NPCs to progress the story, making life or death decisions that can have repercussions deep into the game. As is the case in many great RPGs before it, Pentiment players often don’t know if their decision was right or wrong until it’s too late.
Pokemon Legends Arceus
2022 has been a strange year for Pokemon. Game Freak released not one, but two new games that made massive strides toward a glorious new future for the Pokemon franchise — albeit with several caveats. The first was Pokemon Legends: Arceus, which boasted easily the best system of catching and battling Pokemon we’ve seen yet. Its open zone formula let Pokemon’s wild personalities truly shine, and mixed in action adventure elements to flavor the fast, fun, frenzied Pokemon catching at its heart. While the world itself ultimately felt rather empty, its wonderful cast of monsters and the refreshed collect-a-thon at its heart made Legends: Arceus a wonderful, novel experience, and a promising step in the right direction for Pokemon’s future.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 has a setting and story as wild as any Japanese RPG can get, and though it sometimes gets a little too complicated for its own good, a lovable cast of characters keep things interesting throughout the entire 150 hour adventure. This extends beyond the campaign as Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s side quests are so impactful they feel mandatory, and when partnered with the variety of classes in its action-heavy combat, moment to moment gameplay feels fresh even deep into the game.
All IGN Best of Games 2022 Categories
Best Game of 2022Best Action Game of 2022Best Action-Adventure Game of 2022Best Video Game Music of 2022Best Video Game Art of 2022Best Console Exclusive of 2022Best Ongoing Game of 2022Best Performance in a Game in 2022Best Puzzle Game of 2022Best Racing Game of 2022Best RPG Game of 2022Best Shooter Game of 2022Best Game Story of 2022Best Strategy Game of 2022Noteworthy Advancement in Game Accessibility in 2022Best Gaming Hardware of 2022
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