This past decade has been amazing for the video game industry. With newer hardware being released every few years, boundaries in gameplay, graphics, and design are constantly being pushed. Want to see newer games? Check out these games coming out as PC exclusives this year. Here are 10 games turning 10 this 2022, because you needed the reminder that you're getting old.
1. Mass Effect 3
The original Mass Effect trilogy was capped off by Mass Effect 3, released March 2012 by developer BioWare and publisher Electronic Arts. Playable on the PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Wii U, this action role-playing game took players back into the shoes of Commander Shepard to fight against the Reapers. Mass Effect 3‘s art direction, gameplay, and dialogue was critically acclaimed. However, the ending left players wanting more, and was not as well-received. Since then, the series has received a remaster and another sequel.
2. The Walking Dead: Season One
This episodic adventure video game had five “episodes”, all released throughout 2012. Developed and published by Telltale Games, The Walking Dead lives in the same universe as the comic books of the same name, albeit featuring mostly original characters. The series was well received due to its focus in telling the story of Lee Everett and Clementine. The Walking Dead has gone a long way since then, now being on its fourth season.
3. Dishonored
Dishonored was released in October 2012, developed by Arkane Studios and published by Bethesda Softworks. Players play as Corvo, aided by The Outsider who gave him magical abilities, in his journey to seek revenge against those who conspired against him. Dishonored was very unique in its time; giving players the option to be a silent assassin or the embodiment of chaos as you cruise the streets of Dunwall.
4. Borderlands 2
Gearbox Software's first-person shooter Borderlands 2 released September 2012. Aside from its unique art style, the Borderlands series was notable for the loot system. It boasted procedural loot, meaning every game session was different from the last. Besides that, a compelling storyline surrounding the Vault Hunters and antagonist augmented this masterpiece of a game.
5. Far Cry 3
The Far Cry series by Ubisoft also received its third installment on December 2012. Far Cry 3 focused on combat and exploration, following the story of one Jason Brody in a tropical archipelago after a vacation gone wrong. This, combined with the RPG elements like skill trees made Far Cry 3 a memorable game in the series.
6. Journey
For Journey, the name says it all. The therapeutic journey (no pun intended) towards the mountain had players in awe of the beautiful visuals of this game. Released for the PlayStation 3 in March 2021 and soon ported to PlayStation 4 and PC, Journey‘s art design still holds up. Everything – music, art, controls – about this game, was masterfully crafted, and is definitely worth your time.
7. Persona 4 Golden
The re-release of Persona 4, called Persona 4 Golden, came out in June 2012 as an exclusive for the PlayStation Vita. This colorful revival to the Persona series brought JRPGs to more households, and paved the way for its even more successful sequel, Persona 5. The players investigate a series of disappearances in fictional rural Japanese town of Inaba, and forge new friendships with the residents.
8. Fire Emblem Awakening
Tactical role playing game Fire Emblem Awakening is the thirteenth installment to the Fire Emblem series. First released for the Nintendo 3DS, Awakening invoked mixed reactions from fans of the series, mainly because of the choice to turn off permanent character deaths. The gameplay stayed faithful to the series: a tactical grid-based movement system and class based characters.
9. Call of Duty: Black Ops II
Call of Duty: Black Ops II by Treyarch is probably one of the most influential games of last decade. This game needs no introduction, and everything from the single-player campaign to the Zombies game mode was a masterpiece. At one point, it was the biggest entertainment launch of all time.
10. Hotline Miami
The hypnotic design of the top down shooter Hotline Miami struck a note within everybody, and along with the smooth gameplay, it was a hit. Launched October 2021, Hotline Miami‘s combat was violent and colorful. The game even earned a sequel, Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number, released 2015. This shooter's gameplay