GamerGeek Spring Picks

2022 is proving itself to be a fantastic year for gaming so far! Only barely into spring and already there’s more than a handful of games that are acclaimed to be an absolute must-have to play. While not all of them can’t be delved deeply (not enough space for one article, sadness), here are some picks received positively well by the resident Gamer Geek.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus. After playing all generations of Pokémon, the beloved series, while noted to be one of the most iconic video game franchises of its genre, was notably becoming stale to veterans with previous releases. Not to say that recent installations like Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl were bad games, they were a refreshing and much needed remake that did an excellent job in reviving the love of the original game- however, this new game takes it up to a whole new level! It’s like training a flailing Magikarp for years, watching it do the same old splash moves until one day, trainers wake up to see a leviathan of a Gyarados in their room. Compared to previous Pokémon games, Legends Arceus is night-and-day, nostalgic of its predecessors yet at the same time stands in a league of its own.

To those who for some reason haven’t picked it up yet, they may ask what’s different this time around? For one thing, it embraces the open-world concept that has become the standard for most high rep video games, giving a shout out to another Nintendo staple- Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild which is still acclaimed as the best game by Nintendo since its release in 2017. Players are able to explore the vast and ever changing scapes of a feudal-era region and discover and capture Pokémon in the wild in greater depth than any other installment in the franchise. To go further, it’s not just mindless turn-based battles anymore. Legends Arceus creates a totally immersive gameplay that provides new and old players an incredibly engaging experience and storyline while retaining its identity as a Pokémon game with astounding finesse and style. It’s not enough just singing praises about it, it’s highly recommended to check it out personally (otherwise, it’ll take up the whole article). But as a final nod to Nintendo and this amazing game, a new Pokémon game has recently been announced for the switch that will take the concept and gameplay of Legends Arceus into a brand new region with (of course) new Pokémon to discover! More info can be found below.

Continuing on the topic of epic open-world games, there’s a few more that need to have their spot in the light here.

God of War. Wait, the 2018 release? That’s not new, that’s not even open world! Well, boy, put down the Leviathan axe because it’s on this list of highly recommended picks for spring as it has been recently released to Steam for PC players. While not entirely open world, God of War was universally acclaimed as the best game of its year, winning multiple awards for its gameplay, art direction and story direction - thus deserves a special mention.

It was first released as a PlayStation exclusive, but because of how well it was received in the gaming community, Microsoft Windows finally gets a piece of the Greek-Norse action. It’s a wonderful epic for the ages equipped with beautifully designed maps to explore that is a mix between linear and just enough open-world that rewards players for exploring the depths of layers as well as engaging combat instances to keep them on their toes and begging for more action. For those that haven’t played it yet due to not owning a PlayStation 4 or 5 (how dare), there’s a chance to pick it up on Steam and just in before the next installation of the franchise releases later in 2022.

Fan of the Dark Souls series? How about Bloodborne? These action-adventure classics have set the bar for the Soul Series, receiving universal acclaim and criticism for their genre-defining difficulty. Usually set in a gothic or dark-toned medieval/feudal setting, players are thrown into a world where the narrative is decided by exploration and hard-earned difficulty against enemies (not just bosses) that can potentially kill player characters with less than a handful of landed strikes. They are extremely difficult games that can often frustrate players, but rewards strategic thinking and reflexes. Despite potentially scaring fans away with how hard they are, players still pick up the controller and offer praise for the deathly innovative gaming experience. The next installment - Elden Ring picks up the mantle of its predecessors in full swing.

Elden Ring releases early in 2022 as one of the most highly anticipated and recorded as the most pre-ordered game on Steam, setting its hype bar high up there. It sold 12 million copies worldwide and received high scores all across the board for its breathtaking open-world experience. It probably helped that one of the writers for Elden Ring is none other than George R. R. Martin, the author of A Song of Fire and Ice from which the globally popular HBO series Game of Thrones is based on, adding credibility to just how much thought was put into the creative and quality design of the game. It (of course) has been highly praised for its classic difficulty unique to Souls Games as well as enemies and characters that have already ascended to meme status in the gaming community (look up Pope Turtle on YouTube or Google and prepare to change religions).

When the PlayStation 4 was first released, it was expected to be paired with a game that’ll match its hype and promises of what the next-gen games would look like at its time. Horizon Zero Dawn stepped up to the plate and delivered on those promises tenfold. While open-world concepts were not new back then, it became a widely popular genre thanks to this Sony exclusive gem. And the series continues with Horizon Forbidden West which succeeds its predecessor with expansive and ever-changing environments that’s not only a wonder to traverse but an absolute delight to explore when encountering enemies and puzzles. The game follows a badass female protagonist named Aloy who challenges a different twist into the concept of post-apocalyptic settings where instead of a dark, gloomy world, the state of the world she explores is a rich and colorful land upon which humanity has reverted to a primitive way of living similar to that of pre-historic times. Instead of fighting dinosaurs, however (sort of), the players find themselves up against machines (that still look like their design was ripped off a paleontology textbook) and other human enemies that gamers will be quick to ponder whether they’re allies or enemies, all while trying to assist Aloy with her lifelong identity crisis. Everything about the Horizon series is a lot to take in, but the story and gameplay is so captivating that playing it does not feel long-winded at all.

All of these titles will for certain tie any gamer over to satisfaction until more big titles hit the stores. For more information about these games, check out the references below. Until next time and remember to stay…KindaGeeky.

Sources/References:

Pokémon Legends: Arceus Official Trailer

● https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=IqLibUGxrE0

Pokémon Legends: Arceus Gameplay Preview

● https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ERAhGia6azE

Pokémon Legends: Arceus Walkthrough and Guide (it’s dangerous to go alone in feudal Hisui, take this) - SPOILERS

● https://www.eurogamer.net/pokemon-legends-arceus-walkthrough-guide-missions-objectives-8039

God of War PC Gameplay

● https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vgAHqzf2hbM

God of War PC Review

● https://www.pcgamer.com/god-of-war-pc-review/

Elden Ring Launch Trailer