2022 was definitely an interesting year for gaming. Starting off slow, it came in strong, ending with a plethora of banger titles. Developers and publishers have been working their asses off all year to deliver killer games despite constant catch-ups and backlogs caused by the pandemic. We, at MKAU, have been very grateful to get our hands on such a range across a broad scope of genres, tastes, and interests.

So in saying that, it’s that time of the year again; the annual MKAU’s ‘Games of the Year’ article. What games did we rave about to our peers, and what games did we put back on the shelf to be forgotten?

So being an investigative and persistent journalist, I harassed the team at MKAU to find out their feelings, grievances, and accolades of gaming in 2022. This is what our reviewers; Brashy, Fletch, Red, Sammy, Vibe, Whippy, Yas, and I had to say. Categories are as follows, and feel free to tell us your own favourites in the comments below or on our social media.

• Stace [Cult of the Lamb]
  Cult of the lamb is the most sadistic and cutest thing I have played all year. The fact you can sacrifice animals and build a cult of little woodland creatures while roguing dungeons is amazing. Twitch integration too. Genius.
• Brashy [Stray]
  I loved this game, it was beautiful to look at and had a very interesting story if you took the time to soak up all the information.
• Fletch [Stray]
  The initial gimmick of playing as a cat was an eye-catching idea, the fact that they were able to follow up on it with a beautifully crafted post-humanity civilization and a heart-filled narrative blew me away.
• Red [Escape Academy]
  A great puzzle escape room game that can be played solo or with a friend in local or online co-op. It was amazing playing this with Fletcher.
• Sammy [Sifu]
  The action-adventure and fighting genres flow together like water in this hard-hitting, bone-crunching, and adrenaline-fuelled indie game. Sifu is a real fan service for fans of classic and modern Kung Fu cinema.
• Vibe [BPM: Bullets Per Minute]
  Rhythm games have always been an enjoyable pastime for me, from time to time jumping on Clone Hero to Jam Out. When I saw a Rhythm- Shooter I was all about it, combined with keeping my shots in time with the beat and its roguelike nature, I found myself spending hours surviving for as long as I could and having a good time doing so.
• Whippy [Godlike Burger]
  I had the pleasure of reviewing this title back when it was released and this was one of the most fun Indie titles I’ve played this year, and it has so much content built into it.
• Yas [Stray]
  I never thought I wanted to step into the paws of a cat in a post-humanity dystopian world inhabited by robots. Climbing structures, meowing, and scratching up doors has no right to be so entertaining. Exploring the underground and helping robots with tasks becomes a small part of a bigger mystery. Intriguingly, puzzle platforming as a cat is something I didn’t know I needed until Stray.

• Stace [Ghostwire: Tokyo]
  Okay, to me, this game by Tango Gameworks was scary at times. It takes Japanese mythology and twists it in a sinister way. It so beautifully depicts Japanese lore and culture that I couldn’t look away, but dang, those women with scissors still haunt my dreams.
• Brashy [The Quarry]
  Although the writing was sometimes hard to take seriously, this was still a game I played multiple times to see the various endings.
• Fletch [Choo-Choo Charles]
  This one is a late drop for 2022, but this indie game sees the literal definition of nightmare fuel hunting you down in an open-world environment. Survive against a monstrous abomination of a train carriage with giant spider legs, a gaping maw of a mouth filled with sharp teeth, and a group of cultists that worship the train. I strongly recommend checking it out.
• Red [The Mortuary Assistant]
  I didn’t play it myself, but I was on the edge of my seat and fell victim to many jumpscares while watching many streams.
• Vibe [Madison]
  I played a few horror games this year and this one stood out the most. You walk around trying to find out what happened to the family only to find yourself in the same situation; completing puzzles to survive. Using only a camera and your wits, solving the puzzles was a good challenge, with a great blend of horror ramping up as you progressed.
• Whippy [Scorn]
  This game plays beautifully and looks even better. What is lurking around the corner definitely keeps you on your toes.
• Yas [The Callisto Protocol]
  A Sci-Fi horror that takes a lot of inspiration from Dead Space and revamps it into its own fresh new take. It looks great, hits just the right amount of gore, and balances horror in a way where cliche horror moments aren’t overdone.

• Stace [Plague Tale: Requiem]
  This game had such a great story and enjoyable gameplay. The french inspired environments were a beauty to look at while the plagues of rats made your skin crawl. You can tell the passion and care taken into building this game.
• Brashy [Elden Ring]
  This game took up most of the first half of my year. It renewed hope in what games can be when done right.
• Fletch [God of War: Ragnarok]
  The sequel to 2018’s revamp of the series continues to deliver outstanding visuals, character direction, and brutal gameplay. As a side note, I could sit on a bor and listen to Mimir tell stories all day.
• Red [Elden Ring]
  With the vast map to explore and many mini-bosses tucked away, there is always something new to find.
• Sammy [Sonic Frontiers]
  The Blue Blur is truly in his element, blitzing around an open world at the speed of sound, taking on enemies small, big, and gigantic. Playing as Sonic has never felt so good.
• Vibe [A Plague Tale: Requiem]
  I got the opportunity to review this gem and loved every minute of it. After playing and enjoying the first one, I was excited to jump into this new story, which to my surprise, got a whole lot deeper and darker. With more character development and mechanics over the first one, I definitely recommend checking it out.
• Whippy [Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga]
  The best movie franchise into the love of Lego made me hook so many hours into this game with plenty of laughs along the way.
• Yas [God of War Ragnarök]
  Travelling between realms, hacking and slashing, and still managing to be heartwarming is a feat. The follow-up brings more to explore, more loot, and big quality-of-life changes in traversal, enemy variants, and combat.

• Stace [Bayonetta 3]
  Everyone at the office says I’m cheating with this one but I don’t care. She has guns strapped to her feet that I used frequently, thus a SHOOTER. Holy hell, Bayonetta is a quirky and boss-energy title with so much flair and style.
• Brashy [Tiny Tina’s Wonderland]
  I don’t play a lot of shooters but this was definitely the most fun I had, especially with the D&D aspects.
• Fletch [Tiny Tina’s: Wonderland]
  The Borderlands spin-off brings back fan favourite, Tiny Tina, with her famous dungeons and dragons-style storytelling adventure. This game is home to an almost infinite amount of loot drops, fantastic humour, and an amazing world design that can be conquered alone or with friends.
• Sammy [Splatoon 3]
  The Inklings and Ocotilings are back to make a big splat. Easy to pick up and play, hours of Splatastic fun await in one of Nintendo’s premiere online multiplayer games.
• Red [Sniper Elite 5]
  Ain’t nothing better than bullet cams, especially nut shots.
• Vibe [Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II]
  No surprise with this one really. Not a whole lot of shooters come out from year to year. I was a bit skeptical at first with CoD not having the best run lately, but this one really felt like it went back to its old roots and gave us all some of that nostalgic feel. A great improvement over the past years, but they still have a long way to go to make everyone happy – if that’s even possible.
• Whippy [Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II]
  The campaign was a great addition to the CoD Franchise, and with Multiplayer now out, you can see how far these have come over the years.
• Yas [Destiny 2: The Witch Queen]
  A 2022 addition to the Destiny universe that delves into Savathun’s Throneworld continues to deliver an epic space odyssey. Weapons are varied, classes and abilities are satisfying, and above all, being a guardian shooting Savathun’s lackeys feels responsive and impactful.

• Stace [Grounded]
  Being in beta for a long time now, Grounded was officially released this year. I have spent hours on this title with the crew working through the campaign and battling massive spiders. With its constant updates, it is truly one of the best survivors out at the moment.
• Brashy [Overwatch 2]
  I have not played many new multiplayer games, but Overwatch 2 was the best one so far.
• Fletch [Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II]
  I may be on the receiving end of the teabags and quick scopes more than I can dish out, but the more grounded movement style, weapon progression, and an impressive list of game types keep me coming back, and the free Warzone and DMZ modes push this over the line.
• Sammy [Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge]
  Simple, classic, arcade-style multiplayer fun for up to 6 players in either couch co-op or online mayhem. All four Ninja Turtles plus April O’Neil, Casey Jones, and Master Splinter are all playable.
• Red [Grounded]
  This game offered hours of enjoyment with friends and solo.
• Vibe [Goat Simulator 3]
  Goat Simulator 3 was a crazy amount of fun playing with friends, causing havoc, and just goating around was a ball of laughs.
• Whippy [Diablo Immortal]
  I spent a little too much time playing this on both PC and Mobile, and I had plenty of fun with my friends whilst playing. I’m keen as a bean for the next title in the series.
  **Note from Melekharn: Ooooh, a controversial choice here!**
• Yas [Dying Light 2: Stay Human]
  Zombies and parkour once again prove to be a winning combo in the Dying Light sequel. Being able to play the entire campaign with friends to back me up while I was chased by flesh-eating civilians made for an intense time – and a lot of days and nights spent with friends.

• Stace [Elden Ring]
  This game is an enigma. Every area has something new to discover, new routines and patterns of attacks to master, new gorgeous environments to take in, and new wounds to lick on your way out the door.
• Brashy [Gotham Knights]
  I really enjoyed this game most, I think because I could play as Nightwing, my favourite DC character. Also, Batgirl. For reasons…
• Fletch [Elden Ring]
  It is synonymous with FromSoftware games that the most common role you play is the victim, but the sheer amount of versatility in roles you can spec into in this game is wild. Pair that with a broader way of taking on the world it is likely your journey will feel unique to someone else’s.
• Sammy [Pokémon Legends: Arceus]
  The Pokémon franchise finally enters the full 3D open-world genre. It even takes things a step further by having Pokémon out in the wild, leaving you open to their attacks giving a sense of realism.
• Red [Elden Ring]
  With a vast arsenal, multiple styles of gameplay, and looks to back it up, it has something for everyone.
• Vibe [Elden Ring]
  Open-world Dark Souls. Gimme gimme gimme! The amount of possibilities of playstyles and customization ‘fashion souls for the fans’ is amazing. Along with the non-linear paths you can take that lead you to areas you might not be ready for was a fun experience, especially when you found the “correct” area for your current level.
• Whippy [Elden Ring]
  This game made me rage more than once, but it was a great addition to this year’s titles, and anyone that has played this knows the sheer number of hours you’ll need to invest in this one.
• Yas [Horizon Forbidden West]
  Stepping into the boots of Aloy, Saviour of Meridian, in an all-new region, the Forbidden West is quite the quest. It’s a mission I was happy to take on though – roaming through stunning environments while taking on machine creatures and answering the big questions was a feat that made me feel like a total legend.

• Stace [The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt Update]
  I love anything to do with the Witcher. The fact that a free update was rolled out on a 7-year-old game means there’s still a passion for old projects kicking amongst CD Projekt.
• Brashy [Cyberpunk 2077]
  Now, I do not know if this counts, but when they brought out the massive patch that fixed many of the issues I couldn’t get off of this game, and the added Edgerunner items and easter eggs you could find ‘chefs kiss’ **Editor: I’ll accept it, this is the first year it was in decent condition for people, also, riddle me this Batman, is it a game if it isn’t playable?**
• Fletch [The Last Of Us]
  Probably a controversial pick in some eyes but the game went through a substantial rebuild over a simple coat of paint. The fact that one of the best games of all time now looks like one of the best games of all time, by today’s standards, can’t be overlooked.
• Sammy [Life is Strange Remastered Collection]
  Players can relive the emotional rollercoaster that is the story of Chloe and Max, who are still gaming icons to this day. What was already a good-looking game now looks even better, enhancing its unique art style and presentation.
• Red [Crisis Core – Final Fantasy VII – Reunion]
  FFVII is my personal favourite, and having the prequel story available on console is fantastic.
• Vibe [Crisis Core – Final Fantasy VII – Reunion]
  Remasters can be hit or miss, whether they just upscale or rework animations and mechanics. This one was definitely a hit. Not only did they do a full HD remaster, but they also fleshed out the controls and made things that bit smoother, making it feel great on current platforms.
• Whippy [Klonoa Phantasy Reverie Series]
  This game was redone so beautifully, especially the artwork, and keeping the game looking old but having a new twist was something I enjoyed playing and reviewing.
• Yas [Return To Monkey Island]
  Revisiting the Point-and-Click classic Monkey Island series was a long-awaited reunion, but most definitely worth it. With a new coat of stylized paint, witty banter, and somehow logically illogical puzzles, it was a joy to play. It keeps the charm of its 90’s counterparts and wraps up the almost 20-year -ld mystery of Monkey Island.

• Stace [Bayonetta]
  This woman steals every scene she is in. Her outfits, her flair as she bounces through the air, and the neon colours as she wields magic, I can’t help but heart eyes every time she is on screen. She is just the epitome of confidence.
• Brashy [Kratos – God of War: Ragnarok]
  This one was difficult and there were a lot to choose from, but that voice still gives me chills.
• Fletch [Captain Valentine – Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands]
  Andy Samberg delivers one of the most organically funny characters of the year and was also great at carrying the narrative forward at the same time. The whole cast of Tiny Tina’s deserve a nod, but I had to pick only one.
• Sammy [Kratos – God of War: Ragnarok]
  No one has had a bigger and deeper emotional story arc than the God of War. Brought to life by Christopher Judge, he’s come a long way since his days as a Spartan warrior, slaying gods of Greek and Norse mythology, and now raising his son to be even better than him.
• Red [Sephiroth – Crisis Core – Final Fantasy VII – Reunion]
  Seeing how he once was with his friends, Genesis and Angeal, before his spiral into darkness was great.
• Vibe [Jacob Lee – Callisto Protocol]
  A great character voiced by a great actor, John Duhamel from the Transformer movies. Jacob Lee was one of the major highlights of Callisto Protocol in the way that the character develops and takes everything on board. All while being under distress from the situation going on and still staying calm and composed to overcome the obstacles in his path.
• Whippy [Ghost – Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II]
  This year’s Modern Warfare campaign showed us more about Ghost, which was awesome, but still kept his appearance a mystery, even though we almost got a glimpse.
• Yas [Kratos – God of War: Ragnarok]
  The buff and brooding Kratos during God of War Ragnarök improves. He has a lot more heart than pure muscle now. Kratos feels like he’s grown as a man, god, and father figure after the events of “God of War” (2018). Apparently, you can be a monster-slaying god while becoming a wholesome, family man.

• Stace [Outriders: WorldSlayer]
  I played this with Subby and Red, and it was so fun to be reminded of how much I loved and hated Outriders on its initial release. This game has an addictive grind that made me punch my monitor once. True fact. **Note from Melekharn: This is indeed a true fact. I was there.**
• Brashy [Final Fantasy XIV: Endwalker]
  As always, the absolute best, Final Fantasy is my jam and all Final Fantasy games will be my favourites.
• Fletch [Destiny 2: The Witch Queen]
  For a long-running MMORPG, being able to drop a campaign expansion that resonated so hard with the community that it will now be the standard for any future expansions is damn impressive. One of the best villains to grace the universe and an introduction of new enemy types that players are begging to fight shows they made something worthwhile.
• Sammy [Lost Judgement: The Kaito Files]
  Being able to play as Yagami’s sidekick gave players a whole new perspective, while also feeling like a throwback to classic Yakuza games playing as Kiryu. The Kaito Files provides an extra 8-10 hours of play and explores the story of Masaharu Kaito
• Red [Resident Evil 8: The Winters’ Expansion]
  Great new story with some nope moments to be had.
• Vibe [Dead By Daylight: Resident Evil: PROJECT W]
  I didn’t play much DLC this time around, this was one I played and really enjoyed. Playing as Albert Wesker, chasing my friends around, and both Redgrave and I constantly saying, “7 minutes,” A line from Resident Evil 5, was a great laugh.
• Whippy [Forza Horizon 5: Hot Wheels]
  The Hot Wheels DLC was done so well in this title compared to the previous Hot Wheel DLC. We got time into this one and it was done awesome.
• Yas [Destiny 2: The Witch Queen]
  A huge expansion that follows the downfall of Savathûn, The Witch Queen. The Throne World is a vast expanse with plenty to see and do. The campaign is action-packed and introduces new friends, foes, and the glaive, a new weapon to upgrade.

• Stace [Scorn]
  I thoroughly enjoyed this more knowing it was focused on puzzle-solving rather than gore and visceral body horror. It was gross, it was questionable, it still has me thinking about it, and I lived for the Giger/H.P. Lovecraft art design.
• Brashy [Game To TV Series]
  Usually, I cringe at the thought of people taking great games and making horrible shows and movies, but this year we had some bangers. Arcane, DOTA, Dragon Age, Mortal Kombat, and Cyberpunk Edgerunners, just to name a few.
• Fletch [Elden Ring]
  It was a given that FromSoftware fans would enjoy this game, but I am still shocked that this game was celebrated more by fans that traditionally hated FromSoftware games. The sales numbers of Elden Ring outsold the previous few titles combined, making it the leader for nearly the entire year. It truly took over the entire world.
• Sammy [Sonic Frontiers]
  Early gameplay footage really didn’t impress anyone and it looked to be just another bad Sonic game to add to the list. That all quickly changed when the game was finally released and Sonic fans around the world rejoiced with everything the game has to offer.
• Red [Marvel Snap]
  Mobile games come and go, but Marvel Snap left an amazing impression on many gamers.
• Vibe [Cult of the Lamb]
  I never played it, but I did watch a few friends play it on stream, and boy, did it blow up. The Twitch integration allowing people to join your cult was a great feature, allowing your viewers to interact with your game instead of just watching.
• Whippy [Stray]
  I’ve not personally played this title but I was not expecting the game to get the traction it had from launch. I was surprised at how good the game actually was from the content I was able to watch. It’s something that definitely caught me by surprise.
• Yas [Cult of the Lamb]
  Quirky and cute woodland creatures being brought into a cult by a wooly lamb harbouring an evil soul is delightful. Rouge-like and managing a “flock” was an odd experience, but apparently, herd management and dungeon crawling can be quite a fun combo. As in true Devolver Digital tradition, it’s bizarre but somehow it works, to the point where it has an actual cult following of its own.

• Stace [Rainbow Six: Extraction]
  This game was such a disappointment as a Rainbow Six Siege fan. It was very cool to have the team there and I appreciate the detail in each of those characters, but the gameplay was so dull for a microtransaction store so full.
• Brashy [AAA Game Standards]
  While there have been a couple of really great games, a lot of the most anticipated were well lacking. Delays, bugs, and broken games, that, with their prices, should be almost perfect. This leaves us waiting another year or two for a patch so we can actually play the games.
• Fletch [Rainbow Six: Extraction]
  I love watching the MKAU crew smash out R6 and the tournament that Bigfoot put together was amazing to watch. I thought I would be able to dive in and spend entire evenings with the tactical-style gameplay against onslaughts of aliens, but the game was dead within a week.
• Sammy [Pokémon Scarlet and Violet]
  Riding the coattails of the highly successful Pokémon Legends: Arceus, the hype was huge for the latest Pokémon game in the mainline series. It was released incomplete and full of game-breaking glitches.
• Red [Diablo Immortal]
  An instant cash grab and paying to win killed it quickly for me.
• Vibe [Saints Row]
  I’ve always enjoyed the mayhem that comes with Saints Row games in the past, but this one did not satisfy me in the way the others did. Being in a desert instead of a major city made the game feel empty and less chaotic, although I did have some fun in co-op with a friend.
• Whippy [MultiVersus]
  MultiVersus was a huge disappointment for me. Seeing it not take off like I expected it would with the roster that Warner Brothers has access to, the game seems to have dropped off the radar very quickly.
• Yas [Gotham Knights]
  As a long-standing DC Comics fan, there’s a lot to live up to with games like the Arkham series and Marvel’s Spiderman – games that really deliver that superhero feeling of traversing cityscapes and beating up crooks. Gotham Knights wasn’t the hero I needed it to be. The poorly optimised, repetitive gameplay, and a fairly bland story made me want to stay far away from Gotham.

• Stace [Diablo Immortal being so ‘Pay to Win’]
  Diablo Immortal was a disgusting cash grab. It makes me so mad because the game was actually fun for a while, but then you hit a certain point and Blizzard wipes their hands and says, “No more for you.”
• Brashy [Acquisitions]
  This is just my personal opinion but all these acquisitions from Sony and Microsoft, further dividing gamers and limiting the availability of games for everyone isn’t doing anyone any favours.
• Fletch [Diablo Immortal]
  It was expected to be a wash from the get-go, but the blatant cash-grab game was almost unethical to release in the first place. Knowing full well that they would prey on the people that can’t stop spending needs to be addressed and ruled out or at least given a review of practices, 100k in real-world dollars to max a character is disgusting and should not have been allowed.
  **Notes from Melekharn: Someone calculated it’d take closer to USD 540,000 (or 10 years of constant play) to max out a character – even more of a reason to be on this list!**
• Sammy [Releasing Pokémon Scarlet and Violet too early]
  The development team were pressured to finish the game in time for the holiday season, which led to it being the mess that it is. Delaying Scarlet and Violet would’ve really paid off in the long run and not let it be a blemish in the Pokémon franchise.
• Red [Sony Shenanigans]
  Sony trying to block the Activision/Blizzard buy-out deal.
• Vibe [Sony attempting to block buyouts]
  With Sony claiming Call of Duty is an essential game and with Microsoft buying out Activision/Blizzard, Sony is worried it could influence a user’s console choice. This is, in my opinion, crazy. Playstation goes hard on its exclusives, and as far as I know, Xbox has no intention of making Call of Duty a console exclusive.
• Whippy [Playstation raising prices]
  Playstation raising the price of their consoles to keep up with the current economic status. With the already huge price tag on these consoles, it was a silly decision from Sony to make this happen.
• Yas [NFTs in Games]
  Non-Fungible Tokens, or NFTs for short, act as a means of ownership in the form of a unique digital token. NFTs force exclusivity of in-game content by placing it behind a real-world currency barrier. Microtransactions were bad enough, but NFTs further gatekeep players from enjoying games for what they are rather than having fun at no additional expense. The question of placing value in “crypto gaming” brings in a risk-based on new virtual economies that may be damaging at the cost of gamers.

• Stace[RifleLP]
  Rifle is poise, Rifle is grace, Rifle is Mr class and Mr taste. Jokes aside, RifleLP has always been a streamer I look up to metaphorically and literally. He is a tall dude. He knows how to make a community welcoming no matter what the game and has the ultimate good vibes that we all seek.
• Brashy [Valkyrae]
  My favourite content creator and inspiration when it comes to streaming, being in the gaming world, and the possibilities that can come from it.
• Fletch [MsJo_]
  Ms Jo has been one of the most consistent and welcoming persons on Twitch, I always see her welcome everyone to the stream with the same level of intensity, whether it be a stranger or a friend. For some of the best Hunt: Showdown content on Twitch, Jo is the go-to.
• Sammy [Frank Joseph]
  The webmaster of The Fighters Generation website for over 20 years, the encyclopaedia for all things fighting games. Frank has shown incredible heart and dedication through his website, social media, YouTube, Twitch, and podcasts exclusive to his Patreons, which allows fans to give back to all his years of hard work.
• Red [Nadia]
  I didn’t really watch anyone this year but I have used the name Nadia as a running joke when I accuse someone of hacking, so I guess “female best warzone streamer/hacker” has to earn a spot somewhere.
• Vibe [JuicdEnergy]
  More specifically Brian himself. A great example of an influencer and business person. While running the Juicd Energy company, he also has a Twitch channel to hang out with the community that enjoys the energy supplement. Giving the time to get to know your consumers leaves a great impression.
• Whippy [Roam Lyfe]
  He shares the love for 4×4 and adventure that I have, has built some insane rigs, and helps to keep it accessible for someone who is not loaded but still wants to do the cool mods to their vehicles.
• Yas [Gameranx]
  My go-to YouTube channel I watch on the regular is Gameranx and their boys, Jake Baldino and Falcon. Before You Buy videos have helped me to get the hits and avoid the misses so I’m not wasting my valuable game time and coin. Beyond that, the weekly updates on the gaming world, weird stories of the month, and countdown lists are binge-worthy AND informative.

• Stace [Elden Ring]
  What can I say that the others won’t? Nothing really. I am not the die-hard supporter some of the others are, but this game hands down was the best of quality and passionately made with beautiful graphics and challenging gameplay that is accessible to a pleb like me and even has co-op capabilities. It was a diamond amongst all the other gems.
• Brashy [God of War: Ragnarök]
  Hands down the best for me. It’s just easier to jump into the story, it’s easy to follow, and the action-adventure fun is there.
• Fletch [Elden Ring]
  When every single game is being compared to Elden Ring to see if they can knock it off for GOTY, then it seems the choice was already made. This game transcended the traditional FromSoftware experience and roped in far more than its target audience. It was a master class in experience and the definition of lighting in a bottle.
• Sammy [Sonic Frontiers]
  Expectations weren’t exactly high at first, but the game was just full of surprises. Feeling more like Sonic than ever before, with fast-paced action-packed gameplay, slaying literal giants, and an absolutely banging soundtrack that perfectly compliments all the action on screen. It’s a crime the soundtrack wasn’t even a nomination for The Game Awards 2022.
• Red [Elden Ring]
  Who didn’t see that coming?
• Vibe [Elden Ring]
  I enjoyed every moment of Elden Ring and still love jumping on it from time to time, especially when a new friend decides to give it a go. Always a great time to help someone out or just enjoy playing through on NG+, exploring a new build, and playing with the large array of weapons at hand. I still feel like I find something new every time I play.
• Whippy [Call Of Duty: Modern Warfare II]
  The campaign for this title stood out for me this year with how great it was. Yes, there were some bugs along the way, but the campaign itself was created so well, which is why it has my vote this year.
• Yas [God of War: Ragnarok]
  The path following the events of God of War (2018) ups the stakes as the battle for the realms hits. Stunning visuals, killer gameplay, and music that thaws the coldest of hearts and characters. I was incredibly invested thanks to the voice talents behind them and their story arcs. The gameplay improves upon the original and the adventure to me is described by one word. Epic.

MKAU Gaming would also like to thank all the developers, publishers, fans, and our amazing community members for all the love, support, and amazing opportunities you have provided us this crazy year as content creators and media. We wish you all a happy holiday and a prosperous, merry, and safe new year! -MKAU KREW