Microsoft had a good year if one were to look at the third-party side of its offerings. Elden Ring won the Game of the Year at The Game Awards and it will surely win many more awards from other companies out there. It took 2022 by storm early in the year and while momentum slowed down, this powerhouse never quit.
Microsoft, unfortunately, didn’t put out many first-party games unless one were to count Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The AAA games are great, first-party or not, but there were some great underdogs on the Xbox consoles as well that deserve more attention. While these selections aren’t perfect, they will bring something unique to the table.
7 Chained Echoes
Chained Echoes was released earlier in December on Xbox Game Pass. Many indie RPGs come out hoping to pay homage to SNES classics properly like Chrono Trigger or Final Fantasy 6, but fail to live up to their idols. Chained Echoes comes close thanks to its tight narrative, showcasing multiple characters and points of view.
The battle system is simple but engaging all the same. The pixel art and music are also some of the best of 2022 and that includes AAA games. It’s a shame when a game this good releases at the end of the year as it can easily get lost in the shuffle no matter how good the reviews are. For perspective, Chained Echoes is in the 90s on Xbox consoles.
6 Ghost Song
Ghost Song pays homage to games like Super Metroid in both the setup and tone. It also learns from new genres akin to Soulslikes as there is a currency that can upgrade the robotic hero. Players wind up on a distant planet with the hero unable to figure out what’s going on.
They have a blaster cannon that can get upgraded as the game progresses. Other gameplay elements will unlock for exploratory reasons, which one would expect from a Metroidvania. The game is a good combination of the two genres but it’s going to be a punishing journey.
5 The Last Hero Of Nostalgia
The Last Hero of Nostalgia is one of many new Soulslike experiences in 2022. The big twist here is that it’s a parody as players are a wireframe figure. The narrator can’t believe that they are the chosen hero and yet are forced to help them out. It has all the traditional elements of a Soulslike including brutal difficulty and checkpoints players can use to upgrade their character. It may not be the best Soulslike of the year, but the silly tone does give it an edge over others.
4 Signalis
Signalis is another game that was released on Xbox Game Pass. Players will wake up alone in a station, trapped in an attic region. Something wrong seems to have happened as their fellow robotic aids have gone haywire.
It’s a classic top-down horror game that is trying its best to mirror early classics like Resident Evil and Silent Hill. Players will start with a pistol but get better gear as they progress. Puzzles are a huge part of the experience and can be quite tricky unless players are paying attention to every note they find.
3 Trifox
Trifox is an action platformer starring a seemingly retired fox who goes into battle once again. Players can choose between three classes early on and unlock abilities as they progress through stages via an interactive skill tree.
It feels a bit like the old Crash Bandicoot games in presentation as players can jump through warp gates to reach levels. It has some RPG elements as well as the aforementioned skill tree, giving it a unique twist on the platformer genre. It’s not the most exhilarating recent platformer as the mechanics could use some tweaking, but it puts forth a valiant effort that still makes it worth recommending.
2 Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef
Most games in this franchise are about Space Marines or other allies stomping the ever-living hell out of alien Orks. This time the green-tinged warriors have their own game and Warhammer 40,000: Shootas, Blood & Teef plays a bit like Contra.
Players begin with a set amount of character models but they gain more cosmetic upgrades as they progress along with new weapons. The title is an apt one as there is indeed a lot of shooting and gore albeit in a cartoon fashion. Whether one plays alone or with a friend in co-op, it’s hard not to smile at this zany side-scrolling shooter.
1 Wildcat Gun Machine
Wildcat Gun Machine is a throwback to arcade games without much of a setup. Players wake up with a pistol on a ship with a weird ghost cat following them around. They must journey from room to room killing baddies as they try to locate keys to get further into the ship.
Enemies will drop bones which can be used to unlock new weapons or to purchase upgrades like a boost in speed. There is virtually no story, which is refreshing for those that prefer gameplay over narrative. The shooting mechanics could be tighter and the design is a bit basic, but it does feel good to get stronger in the game.