Bloober Team’s reimagining of the classic 2001 survival horror Silent Hill 2 seems to have captured both fans’ and critics’ imaginations. With a current Metacritic score of 87, the Polish team seems to have succeeded in updating a classic 20+ years old game for a modern audience, while also keeping its foggy atmosphere intact. The way is paved, then, for possible new remakes for other games in the series.
Which Further Silent Hill Titles Would You Like To See Remade?
Over on the Silent Hill subreddit, fans are already excited about a possible future for the series off the back of the remake’s good reviews. They’ve been chatting about which other titles could possibly benefit from the care and love of a release on modern platforms.
So far, one of the most upvoted comments mentions, of course, how Bloober “should start with SH1, then 3 and so on.” But, also, other games in the series could also benefit from a modern remake, especially one done with such love and care as this one developed by Bloober Team. Someone even mentions a possible remake of Origins, which could work in bringing out the positive qualities of that title.
User Business_Ad213 mentions how, if the game sells well, they really want to see a Silent Hill 3 remake featuring an expanded world as horrifying as the one in this remake. Another user, parada69, mentions how “we all need to make sure SH2R is successful first and then Konami will invest.” The Japanese company has made many curious business decisions in the last few years, so it can be hard to predict. Others mention that Silent Hill 3 would work best as a DLC, bundled together with a remake of the original title, so they would effectively share the same game world.
Image Source: Konami
Other users, such as Beneficial-Glove9408, wonder whether “they should give it to another studio, [letting] Bloober make an original game. They earned the respect to do other Silent Hill remakes.” Others in the replies don’t seem to agree, with many upvotes to QuantityFun456’s comment, “the western games became [worse and worse because] they kept being made by different studios over and over. Bloober should be the team who does the remakes for 1 and 3.”
Overall, most users seem to agree that the fate of possible future Silent Hill remakes rests on Konami. If it sees enough sales and success, the remakes would probably continue. Otherwise, Konami might shift its attention elsewhere. Still, some users, such as Nathansack, remember that EA did the same with Dead Space, abandoning the series despite strong sales all around.
So far, after being met with glowing reviews, the Silent Hill 2 remake is sitting in the top 20 global sales on Steam, with pre-sales also having been quite strong. It remains to be seen if they can keep up for the upcoming weeks and months – and what it’ll mean for the series’ future.
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On May 30, 2024, Sony treated PlayStation fans to a brief-yet-packed showing of some games it has around the corner. Some of these titles are expected to arrive this year on PS5 (as well as PC), while a few others are likely to arrive next year.
In Eternights You Press R2 To Hold Hands Just Like IRL
So let’s dive into everything Sony showed off today.
Concord
PlayStation
Concord, the upcoming online first-person hero shooter, got its debut showing today with a highlight on its unique characters as well as in-engine gameplay. It’s definitely giving some witty banter, sci-fi, Marvel-esque vibes to my ears and eyes. Concord comes out on August 23, 2024.
God of War Ragnarok comes to PC on September 19, 2024
PlayStation
God of War Ragnarok is coming to PC! I’m sure you already suspected that, but we got a look at daddy Kratos smashing up baddies with some previews of its PC features, such as ultrawide support and all the major super sampling tech, and it comes with the game’s great Valhalla DLC too! Kratos’ latest adventure arrives on PC on September 19, 2024.
Dynasty Warriors Origins
DYNASTY WARRIORS: Origins – Announcement Trailer | PS5 Games
With epic melee weapon skirmishes against massive amounts of foes, Dynasty Warriors Origins looks like it’s going all in on totally unrealistic yet fully badass combat.
Infinity Nikki
Infinity Nikki – Gameplay Trailer | PS5 Games
Are you ready to walk the path of a stylist? That’s what Infinity Nikki promises, with cute outfits, fantasy vistas, platforming, and the ability to shoot little cats out of cannons!
Ballad of Antara
Ballad of Antara – Announcement Trailer | PS5 Games
With moody color themes, epic dark fantasy vibes, and some very satisfying melee weapon sound effects, Ballad of Antara is definitely worth keeping an eye on if you’re into brawls against mythic creatures in a magical realm. Ballad of Antara is expected to arrive in 2025.
Skydance’s Behemoth
Skydance’s BEHEMOTH – First Gameplay | PS VR 2 Games
Hey, remember the PS VR2? Sorry, but hey, it’s nice to see some new games coming out for Sony’s somewhat struggling headset. With both first-person sword battles and some neat mechanics with a rope weapon you can use to pull enemies and weapons around, this could prove to be a very satisfying VR experience.
Alien Rogue Incursion
Alien Rogue Incursion – First Gameplay | PS VR 2 Games
Alien Rogue Incursion aims to bring its HR Giger-inspired horror vibes to a PlayStation VR headset near you…you know, if you feel you won’t die of absolute fraking terror.
Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals – PlayStation Closed Beta Announce Trailer | PS5 Games
It’s like third-person Overwatch but you know, with a Marvel license or something! Joking aside, Rivals may set itself apart with its third-person action and good use of its source material.
Where Winds Meet
Where Winds Meet – Announce Trailer | PS5 Games
With a trailer focusing on some tense and speedy-lookin’ one-on-one showdowns, Where Winds Meet is currently in development for PS5.
Until Dawn
Until Dawn – Gameplay Trailer | PS5 Games
Supermassive’s 2015 interactive teen horror movie is being rebuilt and upgraded for current hardware. Until Dawn’s PS5 and PC trailer at this month’s State of Play wasn’t short on gruesome contraptions and hellish ways to see its characters murdered.
Path of Exile 2
Path of Exile 2 – Console Announcement Trailer | PS5 Games
Grinding Gear Games’ Path of Exile 2 is set to arrive on PS5 in 2024. Cast into a dark fantasy world tortured by monsters and disease, players will have to take on the role of fearless warriors seeking victory and, of course, better and better loot. Keep this one on your radar if Diablo 4 hasn’t been doing it for you. Path of Exile2 arrives on PS5 via Early Access in late 2024.
Silent Hill 2
Silent Hill 2 – Release Date Trailer | PS5 Games
Today we got a closer look at the upcoming remake of horror classic Silent Hill 2. Complete with a very Resident Evil 4-inspired camera set up and gruesome beasts, time will tell if this remake lives up to the hype when it launches on October 8, 2024.
Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Wilds – 1st Trailer | PS5 Games
We finally got a real look at the next entry in the beloved Monster Hunter franchise. Yes, there are cute Palicos as well as menacing beasts. Tonight’s trailer showed off some of the game’s world too, which sports sandstorms and plenty of open space to engage in battle with creatures while riding aboard your bird mount. The game is expected to arrive in 2025.
Astro Bot
ASTRO BOT – Announcement Trailer | PS5 Games
Hope you weren’t tired of our pal Astro! Looking far more ambitious and elaborate than the delightful PS5 pack-in game Astro’sPlayroom and absolutely packed with cameos from throughout PlayStation history to trigger your brand nostalgia, this definitely looks like it’ll rise above the status of novelty to be something rather interesting. Astro Bot arrives on September 6.
And that wraps everything we saw at tonight’s State of Play. It was a short but sweet showing of some neat-looking games coming to the PS5.
Tekken 8 has been out since January 26 for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. While you might be tempted to jump straight into its online matches, which you’re not prepared for—trust me—you should check out the game’s story mode first. Not only does it introduce you to many ofTekken 8‘s characters and themes, but it also sets up a bombastic, relentlessly over-the-top narrative about breaking the chains that hold us back. And it’s a great way to acclimate yourself to some of the game’s new mechanics. This is a story mode you shouldn’t miss. – Levi Winslow Read More
The original Xbox was a big moment in gaming over 20 years ago, serving as Microsoft’s headfirst dive into the medium.
And while it was a bit rough around the edges — and obviously couldn’t overcome the Goliath that was the PlayStation 2 — it was still an admirable attempt that established Microsoft as a major player in the gaming space. It also introduced some franchises that would stand among the pantheon of gaming’s most iconic names, and it served as a quantum leap forward for online gaming.
With Microsoft’s continued commitment to backward compatibility on the Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, original Xbox games have not become as rare or expensive as their PlayStation 2 or GameCube counterparts. Still, that doesn’t mean every Xbox game is a walk in the park to find because there are certainly some games that might light your wallet on fire. Here are 10 of the rarest and most expensive Xbox games that are probably far less important than buying groceries this month.
As per usual, all prices are based on numbers provided by PriceCharting. Used prices are based on the “Loose Price” listing, while new prices are based on the “New Price” listing. Entries are ranked from lowest to highest by their respective “new” price.
10. Def Jam: Fight for NY
$349 New | $71 Used
Image Source: EA Games
Let’s ease into the list a bit with a game that’s sure to bring back some memories. Def Jam: Fight for NY is a cult classic among gamers, and its continued popularity has led to many curious players hoping to snag a copy for themselves. Across all consoles, though, it’s pretty expensive, and with the fact that a Platinum Hits version exists on Xbox, this original Black Label release is even more of a premium.
A used copy runs for around $71, which is not too far off from what current games cost today. A new copy, though, will drop you down $349. Would you believe it if you found out that this is actually the cheapest of the three consoles? New copies on the GameCube run for $350, while the PlayStation 2 version will set you back a massive $498. It’s sure to be a great time if you can find an affordable copy…but obviously, that’s a big “if.” One can only hope it gets a reissue on modern consoles at some point.
9. Halo Triple Pack
$350 New | $43 Used
Image Source: Xbox Game Studios
Halo 3 might not have been ready until the release of the Xbox 360, but that didn’t stop Microsoft from going through with the Halo Triple Pack on the original Xbox…which obviously didn’t include the third game. No, this triple pack featured Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and the Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack. Being that all three games are in their own individual boxes, it’s probably not obscenely hard to find a used copy, but finding an entirely sealed bundle is a different story.
Grabbing this used only sets you down $43, but if you can find a new copy, you’ll have to throw down $350. It’s a pretty big ask, one that only the staunchest of collectors should truly go for. The good news, though, is that used copies are available at a far more affordable price if you’re truly looking for that authentic experience. If not, Halo: The Master Chief Collection on Xbox One should suit you just fine.
8. Silent Hill 2
$375 New | $35 Used
Image Source: Konami
You might not have expected a game like this to end up here, but yes, Silent Hill 2 is a pretty rare find. Even despite its critical acclaim and commercial success, prices for this game have been marked up by quite a bit. It might help that the Xbox version served as an extended version of the original game, and the later release of a Platinum Hits version may have made the original more of a challenge to find.
Used copies are not too bad, landing at around $35. It’s when you get to the new copies, which go for $375, that we start seeing things get wild. This isn’t limited to the Xbox version, either: a new copy on PC will go for $428, while a new copy on the PlayStation 2 lands around $558. Maybe finding a used copy will suit you well if you want the authentic experience, but proceed with caution if you’re looking for a new copy…or hey, maybe wait for the upcoming remake.
7. Teen Titans
$480 New | $119 Used
Image Source: THQ
Licensed games are fodder to end up on a list like this, and we’ve got our first example here with Teen Titans. This is an example of a game that received a massive upcharge largely because of its release timing: compared to the other console versions (which were released in May 2006), Teen Titans was released for team green in October, a full five months later. By that point, the Xbox 360 was almost a year old, which meant a game like this was always gonna be behind the eight ball.
As a result, used copies run for roughly $119, while new copies jump up to $480. This is in stark contrast to the PlayStation 2 and GameCube versions, which still fetch a notable amount but nothing that borders too far into “unaffordable” territory. Thus, your best bet if looking for this game is to find it on another platform, though…it’s little more than an average beat ‘em up, so you might want to redirect your search elsewhere.
6. Yu-Gi-Oh: The Dawn of Destiny [Platinum Hits]
$600 New | $13 Used
Image Source: Konami
Continuing into licensed game territory, we’ve got an interesting one, as Yu-Gi-Oh: The Dawn of Destiny is an Xbox-exclusive Yu-Gi-Oh entry. It’s interesting in that it’s a game based on a popular Japanese franchise, published by the Japanese company Konami…that wasn’t released in Japan. Sure, it’s understandable because the Xbox is not popular in Japan, but…still strange. Either way, this didn’t deter it from selling enough to make it to the Platinum Hits line, but such copies must not have been produced en masse because it’s become quite expensive.
A used copy is extremely affordable at $13, but finding a new copy will force you to cough up $600. Beyond potential rarity, it seems all versions of this game (Platinum Hits or otherwise) came with some Limited Edition playing cards, a not-uncommon practice with Yu-Gi-Oh games that’s been discussed here before. Thus, your decision to cut off an arm and a leg might come down to how much you care about those cards. A used copy is plenty affordable, sure, but given that the game doesn’t seem to be all too great, you might just be better off finding a more enjoyable Yu-Gi-Oh experience elsewhere.
5. Halo: Combat Evolved [Not For Resale]
$765 New | $7 Used
Image Source: Xbox Game Studios
The Halo franchise has made the list twice, and it probably won’t be too big a surprise to see a “Not For Resale” disc end up here. While these are typically used for console bundles or in-store promo units, this version of Halo: Combat Evolved seems to have been available specifically for employees at the Microsoft Store. Naturally, this meant that a smaller number of copies were made, thus making this an even more interesting collector’s item.
Interestingly, used copies of this go for only $7. For whatever reason, though, a new copy costs somewhere around $765. Quite frankly, of the many “rare and expensive” game lists this writer has created here, that’s one of the largest discrepancies between “used” and “new” prices to date. It appears Microsoft employees probably weren’t getting their exclusive versions of Halo just to stare at them; it was a pretty huge game, after all. Thankfully, there are about 50 different ways to play the original Halo game at this point, so you don’t need to drop your rent money on something like this.
4. NBA Ballers [Platinum Hits]
$803 New | $60 Used
Image Source: Midway Sports
On its own, NBA Ballers is not an expensive game. You can find it on PlayStation 2 or Xbox for roughly $35 or under, and you’ll be treated to a pretty solid Midway basketball game if you do grab it. The Platinum Hits version, on the other hand? Yeah, good luck catching this one. While the original game was released in 2004, the Platinum Hits version seemed to come along around 2005 after the Xbox 360 had already been out. Thus, Microsoft and Midway probably didn’t bother giving it a large print run and it became a hard find, thus jacking up its price.
A used copy runs at around $60, which isn’t the worst price in the world. The $803 it would cost to get a new copy? Yeah, that’s a totally different beast altogether. This version is most likely only for those who absolutely NEED to have a full Platinum Hits collection. Otherwise, just grab a standard copy of the game and ball out with a few friends. You might even find that the game has aged pretty decently.
3. Futurama
$923 New | $161 Used
Image Source: Vivendi Universal Games
A Futurama game being rare? That can’t be right; surely, this game sold a good amount, right? Well, no. The Futurama game was released after the series had been canceled — the first time, because it’s been canceled more times than Brett Favre has retired — and was essentially seen as a “lost episode,” since it was released after the final episode had aired. By that point, with dwindling audience interest, Vivendi Universal didn’t go through the legwork of producing many copies, and thus, it became a pretty rare collector’s item.
Even just snagging a used copy of the game will set you back $161, while a new copy lands all the way up at $923. A decade ago, you may have been able to find this for something in the $30 range, but now, you’ll have to give up way more than that if you want it. What’s worse is that the game is not all that great to begin with, so a $191 minimum is a steep fine. Maybe you should spend your time and money on a game from creator Matt Groening’s other big series, The Simpsons.
2. Steel Battalion
$1,150 New | $305 Used
Here we have a special example of a rare game. Steel Battalion was an early Xbox game published by Capcom that gained notoriety for its insane controller. As pictured above, this controller had 44 input points/buttons and was meant to simulate the feeling of being inside a mech. Incredibly creative, but it was a large and expensive controller for a game that, mostly, played to a specific niche. Thus, only a few of these were created (somewhere around 2,000 units initially) and the price obviously skyrocketed.
Simply finding a used copy of this will drain $305 from your wallet, while a new copy will brush you back by a whopping $1,150. It’s sad because the game actually seemed to be pretty good and the controller added to the experience in a unique way, but it was always gonna be hard to sell something like this. If you’re able to find it for a decent price, go ahead and grab it, but don’t get your hopes up that those numbers will go down much.
1. Shrek Super Party [Watch Bundle]
$1,500 New | $395 Used
Image Source: TDK Mediactive
Oh dear…it’s returned. As previously noted in Twinfinite’s article discussing the worst GameCube games one could play, Shrek Super Party is a game this writer is all too familiar with. “Big Head Shrek,” as his friends refer to it, has become a source of night terrors, the kind with which I have trouble escaping. Monsieur Hood’s piercing smile can only make me cower in fear, and in spite of his short stature, Lord Farquaad’s equally terrifying expression has made him my sleep-paralysis demon.
It’s like everywhere I look, I see “Big Head Shrek.” And now, the information has come through that this life-altering game had an Xbox-exclusive Special Edition that came with a watch. Perhaps this is the key to purging the infidels that haunt me in my sleep. Surely, acquiring this watch bundle will keep the demons away, like garlic to a vampire. This is what needs to be bought in order to get a good night’s sleep…if it wasn’t so expensive.
Even getting a used copy of this bundle nets you $395, while a new copy will go for a whopping $1,500. There’s simply very little reason to spend four figures on any video game, let alone one this shockingly bad. Sure, the game is far more affordable on other platforms, but without that watch, it appears sleep will continue to be elusive. I’ll conquer you one day, Farquaad.
But until the demons are slain, what are some other rare and expensive Xbox games? Let us know in the comments!
About the author
Matt Anderson
Matt has been a freelance writer at Twinfinite for a year, and he’s been in the games media industry for three years. He typically covers topics related to console news and industry trends for the site, and he has a major interest in first-party console games. Matt also has a Bachelor’s in Screenwriting from The University of the Arts in Philadelphia, is an avid content creator on YouTube and TikTok, and legend has it he once asked Super Smash Bros. Melee to be his Prom date.
Bloober Team, the developer behind the Silent Hill 2 remake, has recently given an update on the status of the game. They also addressed fans’ criticism for lack of communications.
In a recent reply to a few fans tweets on Twitter, Bloober Team confirmed that the game had not been canceled, and is in active development.
Alongside that, they also noted that any updates or communication with the game would have to come from Konami, the publisher of the game. This comes after fans questioned by there had been no updates regarding the game from Bloober Team.
Konami is the publisher of the game and communication is definitely part of their job
So far, any updates we’ve had about Silent Hill 2 remake have come from various leaks. For instance, a Steam update ended up revealing that the game will come with 12 trophies, though this may change nearer to launch.
Preorders for the game have also unceremoniously started appearing online on several retailers’ websites, with fans speculating that a release date announcement is coming in the near future.
All we know so far is that Silent Hill 2 remake is expected to release sometime in 2024. At launch it’ll be a PS5 console exclusive.
I was warned of how heated Kotaku’s GOTY arguments traditionally get when I first started here in November, so I was a little nervous when I was put in charge of organizing and tabulating our list of the best games of the year.
Would everyone vote? Would they get mad at me for ranking Destiny 2: The Witch Queen too high? Would Ethan Gach actually do what he was threatening and “hobgoblin” the voting process by adding negative points to the equation?
Turns out, however, that even though organizing this entire process was a pain in the ass, the team at Kotaku is exactly as opinionated, intelligent, and professional as you might expect, offering great insight and honest takes on the top games of 2022. Though we voted on over 20 titles (including ones that narrowly missed this list like Rollerdrome and Sifu) we narrowed it down to a top 10, and have ranked them in order below.
How does Kotaku’s top 10 games of 2022 stack up with your personal GOTY lists?
10. Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Image: Monolith Soft / Nintendo
Reductively, Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s story is an amalgamation of Japanese RPGs whose emotional climax rests on the age-old theme of “war is bad.” Nevertheless, the fact that the trope has become a well-trodden cliché doesn’t dismiss how well developer Monolith Soft executes its anti-war theme throughout Xenoblade Chronicles 3’s 150 hours of playtime.
In Xenoblade Chronicles 3, you play as a troupe of child soldiers from warring nations locked in an endless battle where their limited lifespans fuel a giant mechanical clock once they meet their untimely demise. The kids are not alright. But despite the painful emotional journey its child soldiers must go on, which is portrayed with the emotional maturity and complexity it deserves, the game is not without some great moments of levity as well, courtesy of some lighthearted and silly sidequests. Meanwhile, Xenoblade’s more serious sidequests drip-feed players with rich character studies that flesh out each member of the party, along with the game’s expansive world and its deep cast of supporting characters.
Although Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was snubbed for the best roleplaying game and best soundtrack at Geoff Keighley’s Game Awards, it did give us an impassioned flutist performance from Pedro “Flute Guy” Eustache. This shows that even if Xenoblade loses at gaming’s glorified popularity contest, it still provides some of the best moments in gaming this year.
Isaiah Colbert, Staff Writer
9. Signalis
Image: rose-engine
Much like how I use Devil May Cry 5 as the measuring stick for how good a hack-and-slash game is, whenever I brave playing a survivor horror game I do so with the hope that its story measures up to Silent Hill 2. Big shoes to fill, I know. Signalis not only manages to fill those shoes, it damn near tore the seams off of them joints with how bloody good it was. I’d even argue that it’s better than Silent Hill 2.
Signalis has all the bells and whistles that make for a good sci-fi survival horror game. It’s got a brutal-but-fair limited inventory system, brain-teasing puzzles, and breadcrumb storytelling conveyed through codex entries scattered about its levels. However, where Signalis sings is with its gripping story about two lesbian androids desperately trying to find each other in a space hellscape.
Throughout the game, you play as an android named Elster who’s stranded on an alien planet rife with horrific monsters and derelict spaceships. Elster’s sole mission is to reunite with Anne, a fellow android unit she both literally and figuratively can’t live without. Signalis sticks its landing with the emotional climax of Elster’s perilous journey, regardless of which of the game’s multiple endings you arrive at. This feat is even more impressive considering Signalis is the first video game made by its two-person development team, rose-engine. Ay yo, 2023, can we get some more of those sapphic survivor horror vidya games, plz?
Isaiah Colbert, Staff Writer
8. Norco
Image: Raw Fury
Norco emerged this year and joined Kentucky Route Zero and a few others on the shortlist of games that speak deeply to the experience of living under late-stage capitalism in America at this precise moment in time. Like Cardboard Computer’s masterpiece, Norco also takes its cues from point-and-click adventures, using stunning pixel art to pull us into its industrialized Louisiana landscapes. And where KR0 lent its midwestern road trip a heaping helping of magical realism, Norco uses near-future sci-fi elements to cast the forces its poor, marginalized characters face in sharper relief.
But don’t let my easy comparison make you think Norco is a pale imitator of another game. It’s very much its own remarkable experience, one with its own visual identity, its own poetic voice, and its own noir-ish mystery. Everything about Norco rings painfully true, from its observant little environmental details like the electrified hum of a street light, to the much larger way that religion, cryptocurrency, and the oil industry all become woven together in the haunting texture of your character’s search for her missing brother. Norco, Louisiana is a real place. The Norco of this game is not quite that place, but it’s nevertheless one that feels very real in its own way, and that will leave you reeling from the piercing gaze it levels at the world we’ve made for ourselves.
Carolyn Petit, Managing Editor
7. Horizon Forbidden West
Image: Sony
Poor Aloy. Twice now, her adventures have been somewhat overshadowed at the time of release by other games that more dramatically captured the world’s attention. Her first outing, Horizon Zero Dawn, launched just a few days before Breath of the Wild. This year, her second quest was followed a week later by Elden Ring.
But despite repeatedly serving as the opening act for games that go on to sweep the GOTYs of a hundred gaming sites, Guerrilla Games and Aloy can be proud of what they’ve accomplished. Arguably the most visually stunning game of the year, Guerrilla’s latest takes Aloy into the ruined American west for more of the thrilling, spectacular battles with hulking metallic beasts that helped make the first game an original in a sea of samey open-world blockbusters. And although the larger narrative may fly a bit off the rails in this outing, Forbidden West wisely stays focused on Aloy’s personal journey as someone who feels the weight of the world on her shoulders and doesn’t know how to let her guard down and allow her friends to carry that burden with her. It complicates her character and trusts us as players not to turn on her the moment she behaves in ways that are arrogant, cruel, or misguided. Oh, and you get a really sweet new travel option near the end of the game, too.
Yes, when all is said and done, Aloy and her escapades can stand tall alongside the Links and the myriad Tarnished of the world.
Carolyn Petit, Managing Editor
6. Neon White
Image: Annapurna Interactive
It was about 3 in the morning. I had plans the next day. I really needed to go to bed. Yet, here I was hunched over my computer focused on shaving just one more second off a level in Neon White so I could beat a friend on my leaderboard. That’s the power of fast-paced, FPS platformer Neon White. It’s the kind of game that feels so good that you just can’t stop playing it. Once you get skilled enough to start finding shortcuts in levels, it’s over–the game has you at that point. You’ll end up going back to old levels you thought you mastered to shave off more time. And if you enjoy anime nonsense, angels, demons, and sick-ass music, too, then Neon White will dig its angelic claws deeply into you and never let go. “One more run…and then I’ll go to bed.” I didn’t get to sleep that night until nearly 4:30 am.
Zack Zwiezen, Staff Writer
5. Citizen Sleeper
Image: Jump Over The Age
The profane and sacred mingle with delicate grace in Jump Over The Age’s minimalist cyberpunk RPG about trying to earn your humanity from a world that can’t pay its debts. Every detail from the writing and art to the branching choices and tabletop-inspired dice rolls connect, overlap, and reinforce each other with precision and care so that no piece is weaker than the rest and no rough edge is left exposed. Few games manage to evoke universal feelings or personal truths, but Citizen Sleeper does both at the same time. The future never felt so hopeless and yet so comforting.
Ethan Gach, Senior Reporter
4. Marvel Snap
Image: Second Dinner / Kotaku
Going into 2022, I don’t know how many people expected a free-to-play Marvel card game designed for phones to end up being one of the best and most popular games of the year, yet, here we are. Second Dinner’s fantastic bite-sized card battler, Marvel Snap, really is one of the best digital card games out there right now thanks to its small decks, fast rounds, and random nature. Matches always feel different and even a loss doesn’t sting too bad because it’s over so fast. Sure, it’s still a free-to-play mobile game, so you can expect stuff like iffy over-priced bundles and having to grind for currency. But luckily Marvel Snap is so fun to play that it’s pretty easy to overlook those bits and enjoy one of 2022’s best games.
Zack Zwiezen, Staff Writer
3. Vampire Survivors
Image: poncle
One more run. A sentence I’ve repeated countless times in 2022 either in my head or quietly aloud to justify playing Vampire Survivors for just a little while longer. The gothic roguelike shoot ‘em up became a surprise smash hit while spawning worthy spiritual siblings like 20 Minutes Till Dawn.
Since Valve started releasing the data in August, Vampire Survivors has been tops in total hours played on Steam Deckmonth in and month out. This is the same Steam Deck that can run frickin’ Elden Ring! But people want to play Vampire Survivors instead!
All those players are onto something, Vampire Survivors has a simple yet satisfying gameplay loop: your character (I’m partial to Peppino) must survive an ever-growing horde of ghoulies while choosing between randomly generated weapons. If you make it to 30 minutes, the reaper will come calling, which lets you spend coins on power-ups for future runs. You can be strategic in choosing weapons that complement each other or you can just try shit out! These elements of discovery, relentless isometric top down action, and Vampire’s lax attitude towards player death (it has zero impact) remind me a lot of Hades, another regular on that Steam Deck most-played list, and another GOTY contender from years past.
Vampire Survivors’ developer Luca Galante/poncle has regularly been updating the game since it left early access, adding modes, quality of life improvements, and settings to tweak for extra replayability. What’s more, the game recently got its first full-fledged DLC the other week with Legacy of the Moonspell. With the base game retailing at five dollars ($4 under the current Steam sale), Vampire Survivors makes for one of the better bang-for-your-buck propositions in gaming. Go ahead and treat yourself to some floor chicken.
Eric Schulkin, Video Lead
2. God of War Ragnarök
Image: Sony
Sony Santa Monica’s God of War Ragnarök is more of everything. More abilities and weapons. More enemies and locations. More characters and plot details. Hell, even more loot. Though you could interpret this as a knock against the game, especially since more isn’t always better, Ragnarök takes the “more” and deftly applies it in tasteful ways while making room for a compelling narrative and gameplay experience that’s enjoyable and immersive. Combat is crunchy, exploration is intriguing, dialogue is captivating, and the themes are deep and engaging. But what stands out as the glisten on the diamond is the character development between daddy Kratos and adolescent Atreus, an element that sees the co-protagonists finding common understanding in the face of the end of the world. Sometimes, it takes things falling apart for empathy to be reached, and God of War Ragnarök is a glowing example of just that. It’s good shit.
Levi Winslow, Staff Writer
1. Elden Ring
Screenshot: FromSoftware / Kotaku
Are you surprised? Elden Ring easily and inevitably took the top spot during our voting process, further proving that 2022 was the year of Elden Ring. Many Kotaku staff members ranked it as their number one game of the year, and for good reason. FromSoftware’s open-world epic feels like a giant leap forward for the Souls-like franchise, offering us a beautifully deformed and dangerous Lands Between to explore, rife with opportunities to discover oddities, collect goodies, and die over and over again.
Elden Ring opened up Hidetaka Miyazaki ’s sick, twisted world for the normies who haven’t enjoyed FromSoft games before it, while also making sure to still cater to the hardened vets looking to prove their worth in incredibly tough battles. It found a perfect balance between that punishing gameplay so many long for in a game from this studio and a newfound sense of agency, of a chance toget gud without having to run into the same noxious swamp over and over again.
Elden Ring is technically impressive, visually stunning, and satisfyingly challenging. It has humor, it has sadness, it has turtle popes. It dashes your hopes up against a jagged rock only to hand you hope back bit-by-bit as you strengthen your character and your resolve. It is everything that we hope for in a video game, and then some.
Silent Hill fans can finally—finally!—rejoice. Konami has confirmed that, after accidentally leaking some details earlier today, the beloved survival horror game Silent Hill 2 will make a return as a timed PlayStation exclusive, alongside a bevy of other Silent Hill projects currently in the works. You can watch the stream via the embed below.
The stream opened with that iconic shot of Silent Hill 2 protagonist James Sunderland staring into the mirror, wondering if his wife Mary is waiting for him. James then walks through the foggy streets of a town before we see a cinematic montage of familiar sights impressively rendered in modern graphics. The trailer was short but confirmed two things: Silent Hill 2 is available to wishlist on PS5 right now, and it will absolutely be locked on PlayStation (and PC) for 12 months after launch.
Konami
Konami also talked a bit more about the other projects in development right now. We saw a glimpse of Silent Hill Towerfall, developed by Observation and Stories Untold creators No Code. Details are scarce on this project, but if you’re familiar with No Code’s work, then you can expect some “deep psychological horror,” according to the studio’s creative director John McKellen.
Another project Konami showed off was Return to Silent Hill, the upcoming film directed by Christophe Gans (the writer-director of 2006’s Silent Hill) which “tells the story of a young man” coming back to the town only to find nightmares.
There was some chat about Silent Hill merch like shirts and statues, before Konami jumped to a third project, an apparent “whole new experience.” Titled Silent Hill Ascension, the project is a “live, real-time interactive series” that sounds akin to Until Dawn. You can change outcomes, be part of the scenes, and shape the Silent Hill canon. But if you fuck up, you fuck up because there is, apparently, no reset button. It’s due in 2023.
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Screencap from the Silent Hill f trailer.Screenshot: Konami / Kotaku
The livestream wrapped with one final announcement of a completely new Silent Hill game, titled Silent Hill f. Serene footage showed a young girl exploring a foggy town; slowly, invasive tendrils make them themselves known, followed by very colorful, all-consuming fungal growths. The brief trailer ends on a shot of the girl’s now-infested corpse, just as its face sloughs off. Silent Hill f is developed by Neobards Entertainment, with story by Ryukishi07, creature and character design by kera, and produced by former Nintendo developer Motoi Okamoto.
This remake of Silent Hill 2 has been rumored for a hot minute now. Back in May 2022, screenshots purporting to be related to the franchise started making the rounds online, with Layers of Fear developer Bloober Team attached to the project. Bloober Team announced a month later a totally separate horror game within the Layers of Fear universe that appears to be a reboot of sorts. However, Bloober Team is now leading development on Silent Hill 2 Remake, with Konami serving as the game’s publisher.
While Silent Hill 2 Remake may be a PlayStation exclusive for 12 months after it launches, the game will also be available on PC. Sorry, Xbox folks.
Silent Hill 2 first came out in 2001 for the PlayStation 2. It put the new console’s horsepower to good use, rendering notoriously thick, rolling fog that cranked the atmosphere to previously unknown heights. The plot had protagonist James Sunderland visiting the doomed town after receiving a letter from his previously deceased wife, Mary. As you can imagine, following the trail leads nowhere good, and we gradually learn that Sunderland is a very, very broken man.
Various sequels followed over the years, each with their own strengths and weaknesses, but Silent Hill 2 went down as a particular fan favorite for its fantastic atmosphere, terrifying situations, and psychological depth. It also served as the first appearance of the now-beloved antagonist Pyramid Head.
After years of very little new or exciting Silent Hill content, it looks like fans finally be feasting like it’s 2001 all over again.
