Although there were many excellent video game releases in 2022, not all of them were able to live up to the hype, including these 10 games.
It’s important to note that many of the games below are not bad. In fact, many could be described as enjoyable or satisfactory overall. These games are here because some aspects of them fell short, either because of a poor launch, a lack of features, or simply because they were not what fans had hoped for.
The following are the ten games of 2022 that disappointed the most, in no particular order.
Babylon’s Fall
PlatinumGames’ Babylon’s Fall Action games typically have a good track record, but Babylon’s Fall seemed to fall flat even before it launched fully. Platinum made adjustments based on feedback from fans after Babylon’s Fall E3 2021 trailer initially disappointed and left them unimpressed.
Sadly, the game’s launch received mostly negative reviews due to the game’s push toward a service model and the game’s highly repetitive gameplay, which consisted of running down identical corridors and enemies that lacked variety. Some of the game’s title elements are poorly or not at all explained, according to other players, making it somewhat difficult to understand.
Chocobo GP
Chocobo GP’s gameplay is solid, but the game really suffers from its overreliance on monetization, which fans compared to a freemium mobile game. Players were still encouraged to purchase a season pass, randomized Prize Packs for unlocking new characters, and
in-game currency even though the game launched at full price.
During the second season of Chocobo GP, Square Enix decided to end microtransactions after receiving criticism from fans. However, the decision was largely seen as being too little, too late.
CrossfireX is a game that ought to have been successful on paper.
CrossfireX
CrossfireX seemed to have a lot going for it before it was released because it combined the already popular multiplayer shooter Smilegate with a campaign made by Max Payne and Control developer Remedy Entertainment. The CS: Unfortunately, After fans got their hands on the GO-style game, things went pretty badly.
Diablo Immortal
Diablo Immortal Despite the game’s less-than-pleasant initial reveal, the game itself appeared to gain traction as the launch date drew near; however, once the game was released, all goodwill was lost.
Since its summer launch, the mobile-only game is said to have made over $300 million, a staggering sum largely attributable to the game’s excessive reliance on microtransactions.
Blizzard has stuffed the game, which is free to play, with things you can buy with real money like battle passes, legendary crests, and other important resources for getting cosmetics or legendary loot.
Ghostwire: Tokyo
Ghostwire: Tokyo Following the success of the popular Evil Within series, Tango Gameworks moved on to a more action-oriented title called Ghostwire: Tokyo. In a neon-drenched Tokyo, players use abilities and spells to fight spirits from a first-person perspective.
The game’s gameplay loop seemed to let Ghostwire Tokyo down, despite the fact that most people seemed to enjoy the interesting story and setting in a city full of ghosts.
Gotham Knights
By any stretch of the imagination, Gotham Knights is not a bad game. In point of fact, numerous players have discovered a fun and dependable Batman-themed game. Sadly for the game, it follows the Arkham series of hugely successful games, the most recent of which was released in 2015.
Warner Bros. has made it clear that Gotham Knights is not part of the Arkhamverse and is meant to be its own standalone title, despite fans’ eager anticipation for a new Batman game. In any case, that hasn’t prevented fans from contrasting it with Rocksteady’s games and dismantling it.
Overwatch 2
Overwatch 2 builds on a lot of the success of its predecessor, which many fans find to be the game’s biggest flaw: its unwillingness to advance the series. This may be addressed by a 2023 Overwatch PvE component; however, for the time being, players can only evaluate the multiplayer experience.
Fans of Overwatch have complained that Overwatch 2 feels more like a massive update than a sequel, and this is largely true.
Rainbow Six
Rainbow Six Extraction attempted to transform the well-liked limited-time mode known as Outbreak into a full, premium experience in an effort to capitalize on the enormous popularity of its competitive multiplayer sibling, Siege.
Despite the fact that Ubisoft was successful in doing so, pairing players together to battle AI opponents in procedurally generated levels, the game’s biggest problem appears to be a lack of interest and content.
Roller Champions
Roller Champions is pretty much what the game is all about. Although the live service format allows for limited and mini-events, there isn’t much else to do in terms of gameplay.
The locations of the arenas give them a little personality, but in the end, players will be skating quickly inside an oval until the score cap is reached.
While it works for a while, many players have been dissatisfied with the game’s repetitive nature and limited character customization options. Things got so stale that even over the summer, there were rumors that Ubisoft was going to cancel Roller Champions, which the company denied.
The main problem with Roller Champions is how easy it is to forget and how repetitive it is, despite its solid mechanics.
Saints Row
Saints Row Because the Saints Row series has been regarded by many as an alternative to the more serious Grand Theft Auto series, there was a clear sense of excitement among longtime fans when a new installment was announced after approximately seven years of being absent.
However, after the announcement, things didn’t go as planned. Many fans thought Volition had abandoned the wacky style of previous games in favor of a more generic cast of characters, and they strongly criticized the design choices Volition had made for the Saints Row reboot.
While the game’s trailers seemed to calm those who were concerned about the game’s absurd level of customization options, the final product was a clear failure for many.
Things like out-of-date gameplay mechanics, a mediocre story, and humor that failed to live up to the legacy of the series drew mixed reviews for Saints Row. The staggering number of bugs and glitches, including a co-op experience that was largely broken at launch with connection issues and errors, were many people’s primary complaints about Saints Row.
Despite the fact that the damage has probably already been done, Volition seems determined to address these issues, releasing a few significant updates already.