Video Games I Would Like to Play in 2022

I’m taking a few weeks to lay out my goals for 2022 on The Hannie Corner. Last time, I discussed some of the anime I hope to tackle next year, and this week, it’s time to discuss video games. Some of these titles are ones that I have played in the past and just haven’t finished, and others are brand new to me. My gaming library continues to grow with no end in sight, so here are a few titles that I plan to move to the top of the backlog over the next year.

Final Fantasy XIV

Yes, I know that I’ve already finished the core campaign of Final Fantasy XIV. In fact, I’ve finished it twice. I haven’t, however, finished any of the expansions before. I always lose steam trying to force myself through the quests before the Heavensward expansion. 2022 is the year where I finally catch up on story content and can see for myself why everyone claims the story is one of the best in gaming.

Steins;Gate

Welcome to the start of the visual novel section of this list. I’ve started a few visual novels this year that I haven’t finished and hope to fix this in 2022. Stein’s;Gate is probably the one I want to finish most out of the titles in this genre, however, because I watched the anime adaptation this year and it has skyrocketed into my all-time favorite stories. I’m hoping to learn more character details and see the endings that weren’t covered by the anime, and I’m sure I’ll love the game just as much or more than the show.

Higurashi When They Cry

Visual novel number two on this list is Higurashi When They Cry, which is a horror story told across eight chapters that are somewhere between ten and fifteen hours each. I’m on chapter three right now, so I still have a lot of text standing between me and a conclusion to the story. Honestly, I have mixed feelings on this particular game. I love the central mystery, but the plot points for the mysterious elements exist between hours of tedious slice-of-life silliness. Still, I have gotten far enough that I want to read the conclusion for myself, so I plan to chip away at this one, a little at a time, until its complete.

Little Busters!

The final visual novel that I want to play for certain in 2022 (though I am sure I will play many more than the three listed here) is Little Busters! I played Clannad in 2020, and it was well worth the roughly 1.3 million word journey. While I’m trying to space out my reading of the Key studio works because I know there aren’t that many of them, I think it is time to get to know a new cast and probably cry a lot.

Borderlands 3

I’m a huge Borderlands fan. I’ve played the first title three times and I’m currently doing a replay of the second game. Unfortunately, due to conflicting schedules with my friends, I’ve never managed to finish the third game in the series. It’s a shame, too, because from what I have played of it so far, it has the most varied skill trees and class setups of the franchise so far, and experimenting with character builds is the reason I love the franchise so much. Hopefully 2022 is the year I make a full Borderlands 3 playthrough happen, even if I have to play solo.

Undertale

I consider myself to be a pretty big fan of indie games, so the fact that I have never finished one of the biggest titles in the genre, Undertale, is a point of shame on my record. Honestly, the rabid adoration of the fanbase when the title first came out scared me off a little, but I’m ready to give it a shot now. Even if I end up hating it, I just want to be able to have an opinion on it.

Hades

Speaking of indie games that I am a little ashamed that I haven’t finished, I haven’t played more than a few hours of Hades so far and I need to fix this in 2022. Honestly, I think I haven’t done more with this game so far because I’m not very good at roguelikes, but the setting and plot revolving around the Greek gods is fascinating enough that I feel confident I can overcome the challenge to see the credits roll.

Spider-Man

There are quite a few Sony titles that I missed out on in the last generation because I didn’t play my PS4 very much, so now that I have a PS5, I want to start chipping away at them. Without a doubt, the one I want to play the most is Spider-Man because I am a huge fan of anything Insomniac puts out. I’m not a huge superhero fan, but the idea of swinging from building to building around New York City is exciting enough to overcome a lack of interest in the overall story.

My Time at Portia

I love farming games, but I’m not always great about actually picking up new ones instead of just starting a new Slime Rancher or Stardew Valley save. My Time at Portia is a game I’ve wanted to dive into for years, but I get so intimidated by how much there is to learn. Since that’s how Stardew Valley started for me, as well, and I ended up falling in love, I know it’s time to give another farming and crafting title its fair shot to impress me.

Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury

When I saw my Nintendo Switch wrap-up for the year, I realized that I only used the console for ten hours over the entirety of the year. I got so wrapped up in my new consoles that I forgot about my old ones, so I’m putting Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury on this list to ensure that I play at least one game on my Switch next year. I’m a huge 3D platformer fan, but Super Mario Odyssey is the only 3D Mario I have tackled so far. I’m excited to dive into another Mario platformer and see what I think.

There’s my list of the games that I hope to prioritize in 2022! I’m historically not great about sticking to these lists, but I think I came up with a strong group of games this time around. It also helps that I have at least started the majority of the titles on this list in the past, which means I’m not going in completely blind. What games do you hope to prioritize in 2022? Let me know in the comments below!