I think the game of the year for 2022 is Signalis. I feel that a survival horror game definitely deserves its place among the best games of its kind, such as Silent Hill 2. It’s a 10/10 game and I have very few complaints, all of them are complaints and nitpicking. Well worth playing.
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Created by German duo Rose Engine, Signalis offers an experience that somehow immerses itself in inspiration while producing something fresh and juicy. Silent Hill, Resident Evil, Ghost in the Shell, Evangelion. The DNA of all of this and much of the horror material infiltrated Signalis. result? Indie games are unlike anything I’ve seen before.
Maybe it’s because as part of my job I often write on field service titles, so a tight 6-8 hour experience with no fluff, no unnecessary elaboration or grinding, is so refreshing. A game that knows what it wants to do and ends neatly with a conclusion. Interestingly enough, that’s what made me play through it six times by the time this article was published. Signals respects your time and knocks words like slog and needless out of my head when I play it.
I hold Signlalis high alongside other modern indie games of exceptional quality, such as Hollow Knight, Hades, Papers Please, and Super Meat Boy. I’d recommend it to just about anyone, and I have no doubt I’ll annoy someone in the future for doing this repeatedly. Signalis stands out among the ever-growing, creative and amazing indie horror game development community as well as those artists who strive to recapture and enhance the aesthetic of early PlayStation games.
I have the highest respect for the minds of both the Rose Engine and Signalis itself. This is my GOTY for 2022 and will hold a permanent place in my head and heart for years to come.
Runner-up: DNF Duel
I’m nothing if I’m unpredictable, so I can’t get away without fighting a fighting match as the runner-up. Sadly, DNF Duel no longer has the community support it once had. A busy match at your local fighting game or tournament booth might be over. If people want to experience the DNF duels that caught my attention this summer, I don’t recommend that they buy the game now. That DNF duel is likely dead.
But wow, what absurd and hilarious life it is. In a world where every competitive game wants to keep a low profile for the sake of balance, the DNF Duel is a mess of fighters with vastly different power levels from each other. Over the years, the best character in the game has not been so far ahead of other actors as Swiftmaster. Disgusting monster.
However, it’s a lot of fun to play. I traveled to Birmingham for a DNF duel at Versus Fighting and it was great to play and watch. To you, DNF Duel. rest in peace.