No matter how strong a year’s video game lineup is, there’s always going to be one or two disappointments thrown in. It’s inevitable; not every game is gonna be a paragon of perfection that lives up to the gaudy expectations placed on it.
2022 has been no different; this year came out of the gate sprinting with heavy releases before going a bit quiet. It’s still been a strong year, though it’s fair to say there have still been some disappointments. Here are ten things from the video game world in 2022 that failed to live up to expectations.
10. No E3/Long-Winded Gaming Showcases
Let’s ease into the list a bit with something that’s not an individual game. 2022 saw the cancellation of an in-person E3 for the third year in a row, though unlike 2021, we would not even receive a digital event of any kind. Instead, it was time for Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest showcases to take the floor.
While these shows had some noteworthy announcements, such as the long-awaited return of Dead Island 2, Summer Game Fest’s kickoff event and Gamescom Opening Night were both two-hour long showcases that felt long-winded and often unmemorable. Showcases like this often go for a massive quantity of games, but as a result, get lost in themselves when it comes to memorability.
Shows like this make you yearn for a more focused showcase like a Nintendo Direct, which packs a lot of quality into a 40-minute runtime. Even with E3 showcases generally running from an hour to an hour and a half, they feel like they give viewers room to breathe, instead of throwing a bunch of games in their faces. Geoff Keighley’s showcases are a wonderful concept, but this year’s events make you wonder if maybe a bit of focus should be put on trimming things down for a more succinct show.
9. Kao the Kangaroo
The revitalization of the 3D platformer over the past few years has been a breath of fresh air. It’s been fantastic to see classic franchises of the past return, such as Crash Bandicoot, Spyro the Dragon and Psychonauts. With this return, however, comes some downturns, and Kao the Kangaroo was one of them.
While Kao the Kangaroo is a functional 3D platformer, its biggest crime is its general averageness. With so many platformers offering up transformative new experiences, it’s important that new titles find their own unique niche to help them stand out in the genre. Sadly, Kao the Kangaroo barely keeps pace in the footrace between other 3D platformers.
As a revival of an obscure 2000s platformer, its existence may make you wonder how it received a new entry before other noteworthy franchises, such as Banjo-Kazooie and Sly Cooper. As it is, Kao the Kangaroo feels like a disappointing return that should’ve stayed in the past.
8. The Last of Us: Part 1’s $70 Price Tag
It’s hard to deny the sheer quality of 2013’s The Last of Us. It’s truly a marvelous game that still holds up incredibly well after nine years. So much, in fact, that the announcement of a remake with a full $70 price tag was enough to raise some eyebrows this past June.
The Last of Us Part I is definitely built with a lot of care and effort from the team at Naughty Dog, but one has to wonder if that level of care could’ve gone to remaking another Sony property. The Last of Us still plays as well as it did back in 2013 in its previously available PlayStation 4 version, making this update feel superfluous.
More disappointingly, this new remake is a full-priced, $70 purchase. While Sony has been adamant about charging $70 for PlayStation 5 games, is it really necessary to do such a thing for a second redux of a nine-year-old game that, frankly, didn’t really need it? It’s a disappointing practice that has followed (and will continue to follow) this re-release as it makes the rounds.