Game Of The Month January 2022
A long time ago January was always seen as a quiet month, the month that 3rd party shovelware would sneak out or maybe the odd licensed game. Fast forward and January has just as many releases as peak release time. In order to help keep track of not only noteworthy releases but also make a year-round-up easier, I have decided to do a monthly list of games with an ultimate game of the month award. Now, this is still a work in progress and time could play a factor but for now, just assume this is all running smoothly.
Onto the games played this month, January 2022, I will give a brief description of each game and then put up the Game Of The Month January 2022.
Monster Hunter Rise Steam:
Originally on the Nintendo Switch, Monster Hunter comes to the PC and honestly I plowed another 30 hours into this Behemoth without even blinking, I clocked the campaign until credits then jumped online, and have stopped since. Despite playing it a lot on the Switch I couldn’t stop myself and now I am further on the Steam version so that’s probably my defacto version. If you are interested in getting more of my thoughts then please read our Monster Hunter Rise Review.
Rainbow Six Extraction:
Having played the demo/beta/alpha or whatever it was, I had low expectations of this game as it just seemed boring. Even after a few hours I still couldn’t grasp it but then all of a sudden it clicked. Touted as a player vs Ai teamwork game, I struggled to get a routine going with randoms, I would constantly lose my characters and spend more time rescuing them. But one day I had enough, I went in solo, and ever since then, I have never looked back. No matter what the PR says, to me Rainbow Six Extraction is a top-tier roguelike full of tensions, jumps scare, and Rainbow Six Siege style tactics. I love being able to stealth around and plan strategically whilst leveling everyone up. I gush a lot more about the game in our Rainbow Six Extraction Review.
Vampire Saviours:
Actually released at the tail end of December, it’s not technically eligible for this award but it is my award and I can make it up if I want to! Anyway, Vampire Saviours is a sleeper hit. You choose a character and then try and survive as long as possible. Enemies will swarm you, chase you and drop exp dots when they die. You collect these and level up, choose one of three upgrades and unlocks, and then carry on. Boss battles can happen, swarms of enemies can just appear. It’s very much like a Gothic Risk Of Rain allowing you to have many different weapons on the go at once, choose the same weapon to level that one up until it fully upgrades and unlocks a uber-powerful attack. Honestly, the game is peanuts and I can never do enough justice with words if you have any inkling for it then grab it now because I think this game could be the surprise hit of 2022.
Windjammers 2:
The classic Frisbee throwing game made a return to consoles this month. Hitting us with a more vibrant graphic style, more characters, and a lot of new environments and changes. What can I say apart from its more Windjammers and that is not a bad thing at all, I would say it did ask a lot more of the player with many button combinations and combos to learn but it’s still a solid multiplayer romp. You can see a more in-depth take with our Windjammers 2 Review.
Pokemon Legends Arceus:
Probably the best Pokemon game I have ever played. The review is still being finished as of right now but already I can see this being one of my games of the years, it’s an open-world Pokemon game that allows me so much control and creativity that I cannot help but fall for its charms. I always found the old games to be the same but with a new Gimmick, the story was very one-note, catching and fighting Pokemon was getting stale. Enter Pokemon Legends Arceus and you can sneak up on pokemon, take on a huge alpha pokemon as they roam the lands and so much more. Keep an eye on the site because the review won’t be long now!
Results for Game Of The Month January 2022
It wasn’t exactly the busiest of months for new releases, the game release calendar screwed me over and made me look a dumbass. I spent all this time planning and creating just for a few games to release! Well, I suppose it is not how you start it how you finish so maybe this is for the best.
Right well, I won’t include Vampire Saviours but it’s definitely my casual game of the month. Pokemon Legends Arceus is still a work in progress so I feel even after 20 hours that I have not seen everything so that comes in at number three.
Monster Hunter Rise is so fucking good, monster hunting has never been so good but I have done it all before on the Switch and for that, it comes in as a close second.
By the power of deduction that makes Rainbow Six Extraction our game of the month for January 2022, presenting a whole new take on the franchise, Extraction can be played in many ways with many people but ultimately it wins for me as it is one of the best solo games I have played in a very long time. I never feel safe in the game, I am always on edge and the gunplay is so good that it’s just a complete package. I understand it’s not for everyone but then what game is!
3rd place – Pokemon Legends Arceus
2nd place – Monster Hunter Rise
Honorable mention – Vampire Saviours
1st place – Rainbow Six Extraction
