Game of the Year 2022: JANE, MIKE AND ANDY DECIDE | Day 2 

If Garfield lasagna party didnt make the list--

All I can assume is that while Jane is delivering her verdict as to why Marvel Snap is her choice for game of the year, Two Point Campus is just outside the door, bouquet in hand, hearing everything….🥺.

I legitimately believe Mike had a really strong and good faith argument for Gotham Knights in a way that has been almost entirely absent from other professional critics and commenters. Acknowledging imperfection but not dismissing the craft outright and recognizing the significance of what it does well. A true champion of underdogs.

Mike did more to sell me on Gotham Knights than any of their marketing did 😅

I like how they undermined Andys claims of not knowing about Marvel Snap by using game-footage captured on his account.

Oxtra: Effortlessly predictable. Oxbox: Curveballs out the wazoo.

Man, when Mike said "Batman is dead" it really hits hard. (R.I.P. kevin Conroy)

Andy despairing with Mikes pick was hilarious 🤣

Horizon: Forbidden West did not deserve to be treated this way.

This is peak game journalism - discussing the options with sufficient humour and eloquence to be entertaining even if the choices aren't necessarily popular. In that vein, I'd enjoy seeing a redux with Luke having to talk about his 2nd choice.

Jane pretending to be be dead again even though we all know she is immortal

None of you chose Garfield Lasagna Party? But you got to provoke the dog from behind a bush!

Big respect for Mike to stand up for a game he likes even given its unpopularity.

I keep on imagining Two Point Campus almost ready to stride up onto the stage, acceptance speech at the ready. It even practically put Jane in the game! …and upon hearing her verdict just frowns and trudges sobbing back to its campus, losing to a mobile game.

So... honorable mentions so people know that this year has more than Elden Ring and GOW:R : - Horizon - Sifu - 2 of the most fun pokemon games in a decade - Xenoblade 3 - Mario rabbids - Plague Tale - Kirby - Midnight Suns - Bayo 3 - Cult of The Lambs - Pentiment - Neon White

"You can get a lot of synergy out of carnage" have we reached peak Jane?

Andy and Luke interrupting the video to do a lengthy bit about Victorian orphans at the door was an excellent advert for their podcast

Oddly enough, Bear and Breakfast is my GOTY. Who knew I'd get such joy from unlocking a pair of pants for a grizzly bear, by running a charming B&B in the woods.

Did not expacted Mike's goty but I do respact it. He decided to stick with what he sees as fun no matter how unpopular it is. We should all be able to be like him.

I like the recent more open Outside XBOX/XTRA integration - the 5 of you (as well as John and James) seem to have such good chemistry and its fun to see the various combinations. "Games are back!"

Somewhere Onikage is crying tears of beautiful joy. Mike - he did it. He engaged with the combat mechanics. 😂

Every reason Mike gave for enjoying Gotham Knights I heard from a friend who loves DC. He loved it too.

Jane's final line about spending most of the day working on the medium-sized screen so that later in the evening you can watch the big screen while playing games on the little screen is so relatable and wonderfully summarises 2022 perfectly. Couldn't have said it better myself tbh.

imagining andy getting thrown out during Jane's GOTY and standing awkwardly next to all the racing games he an Luke tossed out for Mike

I'm gonna miss Jane. Very sad to hear that Marvel Snap killed her.

It feels like not being able to choose Elden Ring just really messed with everybody 😂 That said, I would happily watch a video of why Elden Ring is *everyone’s* GOTY. I like seeing the different reasons people like the same thing and the different things they take from the same source material.

Shout out to the games that didn’t make the list but could have: Horizon: Forbidden West, Tunic, Inscryption, and Sifu. Happy new year all. Games are back!

Mike's just out here boosting Gotham Knights sales by 500%.

I really liked Gotham knights and it managed to make a story thats got four possible characters to play feel like it was made for the character you chose. There was a mission I won't spoil that felt tailor made for Batgirl specifically (The character I chose for the mission). It could be better but it's still very good. They also seemed to understand the characters more than I felt Arkham did. Harley is portrayed as dumb in Arkham but here she is actually clever and her own villain. While it would have been nice playing the first cutscene, it was still really good. I really hope a sequel comes out because it could be really good without the flaws it does have

obviously elden ring is the goty but imo pentiment has been slept on. it's a super interesting choice/dialogue based game set in 16th century Bavaria during the time of the protestant reformation, and it's way more interesting than that description makes it sound lol

I read the sign at 2:53 as “Museum of pirate legs” and now I feel like that should legitimately feature in a game with a bunch of peg leg exhibits.

I keep meaning to replay Return to Monkey Island because there are two things I forgot to do in both my playthroughs and Andy has reminded me. Be back in 8 hours, going to replay Return to Monkey Island.

Andy's stream a while ago on Monkey Island basically sold me on the game, I especially liked a lot of the writing

Andy and Luke's off-camera (or behind-the-camera?) antics during Mike's lecture was priceless! Especially between 15:44 and 16:53. X-D

The beginning of Jane's intro with its "If you're watching this video..." energy really got me for some reason. 😂 (Maybe I was still in shock from hearing Mike pick Gotham Knights.)

I absolutely loved the videos where they played their nominees, even if briefly.

What about A Plague Tale: Requiem and it's excellent rat physics?

Came for the games, stayed for the Baywatch Nights references. 😆😅

Signalis fucking blew me away. Incredible survival horror and brilliant story that still lives rent free in my head

Half expected Jane to declare she didn't care Elden Ring was already taken she was picking it anyway.

I really enjoyed the Un-Batman game (as I've been calling it). Mike explained it well. It may have helped that I both had zero expectations of liking it and that I got it for free. But I played it quite a lot. All of our crew mentioned games that I like. My personal GOTY was Stray.

Yes! My buddy and I have been slowly playing through Gotham Knights and having a blast. We know it's not perfect by any means but they have a bunch of small details and great character interactions.

GOTY for me this year was without a doubt Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Even made me cry a couple of times, which is a first when it comes to that series

My game of 2022 was just dance 2022, which I know they have been making them every year, but I do really think it was a step up in the series. I did really enjoy 2021 and I think they should be applauded for pulling JD 2020 and 2021 together through the lockdown. But 2022 really felt like a step up. I am gutted I can't afford a switch and can't play 2023 :( I will remember this Ubisoft. Edit: the quarry is also a good runner up for me. I love Supermassive games and I was very excited for this, it didn't disappoint

I have no idea how much production is involved in Outside X Box, but it has the feel of friends sitting around discussing games. I do like it. Thanks for the content.

I was hoping to see a little more love for Tunic. Still my favorite game of the year. It renewed my hope for good puzzles in games.

Anybody else react with "Oh wow, Jane's being serious?"

I think the most telling thing about how few good games there were this year is how much of Disney Dreamlight Valley I saw on my feed. Not that it’s a bad game, but… if that’s the thing that was occupying our time. Jokes aside, I had a lot of fun with Bendy and the dark revival, but that’s partly it’s really an aesthetic I’m fond of.

I am pretty surprised no one was that interested in Ragnarök. While the story was a little less tight than the first game, and there were a few things that felt rushed, I felt it was overall an improvement in many ways from the first game-a solid 9.5 when the first was a 10 thanks to originality.

I ate some elk a few days back. It was my Game of the Year.

No Garfield Lasagna Party? cmon people it had such exciting mini games

"Robin has big bicycle energy" feels like a euphonism to me. ;)

16:00 Luke and Andy in the background had me dying

I love how Jane's amazing Marvel Snap mechanic is just the Doubling Cube from Backgammon. You know, the OG board game that's been played for 100s of years

My GOTY was "Cult of the Lamb" the perfect mix of cuteness and bloodshed, whats not to love?

Interesting spread of games for sure, definitely a couple of unexpected ones.

Vampire Survivor was defined one of the best games I played this year

Honestly, I think 2022 was a year for the indies - Cult of the Lamb was my GOTY

I love these lists this year, it really feels like everyone just said "I know what everyone is expecting but here's something I really enjoyed and let me tell you why!"

Not disputing that Elden Ring is the best, but 2022 has been an INCREDIBLE year for indie games!

My personal game of the year was tiny kin. Not sure when it released but My wife and I played it a few months ago. I felt like a kid again the entire time, as it stimulated every thing I fell in love with about video games.

My favorite game of 2022 is Garfield Lasagna Party. I mean, it gave us Garfield.wmv, so how can I not love it? :P

This year was amazing for smaller releases! Citizen Sleeper, The Case of the Golden Idol, and I Was a Teenage Exocolonist were all absolute hits for me

"You can get a lot of synergy in carnage, I find." Perfect Jane quote. 😂🖤🤘🏻

My GOTY is Xenoblade Chronicles 3. The first game is my favourite game of all time - 3 is pretty much equal with it, it is that good. The gameplay is incredible, the story hit me really hard at certain points and I just got so invested in its world.

As a Batman fan (who couldn't play "Gotham Knights" yet because no PS5), I was very happy with Mike's choice! It looked great in all the trailers and it was time you get to play more as the Bat Family! :D

Triangle Strategy was my surprise game of the year. Terrible name, slow start, shockingly great game with a wild story to boot.

You can get a lot of synergy out of carnage is a really cool quote I wasn't expecting from a Marvel snap review

I haven't heard a good Baywatch Night's reference in a while. Great call back.

I know it's too late for this year's GotYs, but you all definitely, DEFINITELY need to check out Signalis.

some interesting choices there and totally agree with Mike. you can't tell people what they did or didn't enjoy. also was nice to see Luke and Andy question Mike about why he didn't pick a racing game because we all wanted to know why he picked what he did over other games we know he enjoys

Fun fact: A little while ago, I watched this video and skipped Andy's entry because I hadn't yet played/finished RtMI and I had no intention of spoiling myself. No way. Fast-forward to today. Return to Monkey Island is the game of the year. At least, that is what my nostalgia-fueled past self says as it basks in what this game achieved. Oh wait. It is also what my current self said. Don't tell anyone, but tears were shed :P

God of War Ragnarok here. I loved Elden Ring too! I'm sure Monkey Island was a great game too. The other games mentioned in these two videos also existed, and everyone can like what they like. Comment over. 😂

Okay. Mike got me. I did not expect that. Edit: Jane too!

I love how everyone's real favorite is "Elden Ring" and this is basically all their runner's up. Gotta admit, was NOT expecting some of these choices, but if they gave you a lot of fun this year, that's the main thing. :) Though arguably the best part of the video was everyone making Mike explain why he hadn't picked a racing game. XD

I played mostly indie games this year. I loved a little game called Strange Horticulture and also a city builder called The Wandering Village. Also several Early Access games that I've been following and playing for a while went gold, finally, this year.

I have to say Mike really sold me on that game which I had not planned to play.

I still can't say I understand how Marvel Snap works at all, but it was nice to hear Jane talk about it.

Return to Monkey Island felt like a warm hug from a familiar old friend

If there's a game where numbers come out of people and Mike still likes it, it must be doing something right. Such as motorcyce wheelies, for instance ; ) There are a number of games this year I think I would have loved were I ever in the habit of actually playing games in a timely fashion. Technically I have a fews days left to at least make a start on Pokemon Violet, Bear and Breakfast, and Stray, but the game I really got drawn into this year-- and I'm probably showing my whole butt by admitting to it-- is Disney Dreamlight Valley, which is ironic, considering it's not even finished yet. I don't mean to be a Disney shill, I just find it really comforting, and I love the amount of thought that's been put into how the game and characters have been written so far. Plus Stitch is there now! (Or he will be, once I can find him.)

Games are back folks!

Yes Mike, thank you! I absolutely loved Gotham Knights and was essentially told off or mocked by everyone I know for it. It was super fun and had an engaging story. I’d literally mark myself offline when playing it. Funny to see even in this everyone couldn’t help but relentlessly mock from off-camera. There’s some games that literally nobody can let slide for some reason even though they’re just a solid 7/10.

I had a feeling that Mike, Andy and Jane would make those choices and they are great choices mind you, totally on brand for all of them, can't fault any of them, very nicely done, you actually smashed it. For me game of the year would have to go to either God Of War Ragnarok for the game as a whole or here me out here, Dying Light 2 or Callisto Protocol for their graphics and art styles.

OXBoxtra managed to sell Marvel Snap to me in the one Show Of The Weekend video they did about it and I've played it every day since. Hearing that a lot of the former Hearthstone people worked on it made me think "Hey, I liked Hearthstone before it got bad, maybe it was thanks to those guys!" I've been playing a full "Ongoing" abilities deck. I suck, but I win often enough to want to keep at it and unlock more cards.

It's funny. I've been playing games on the big screen and watching or streaming shows on the tablet as I play for almost 10 years now

Jane fooled me. I thought she was gonna go for GoW:R after her off-screen comments during yesterday's video.

Meanwhile God of War is getting ready to have a discussion with everyone in the couch, possibly a violent one

Inscription is my favorite, has a wild story, great music, and is a fun and new game to boot!

There were some great games this year for me. Tales of Arise and Xenoblade Chronicles 3 were both great, but mine was Trails from Zero. Probably not allowed because it’s from 2012 but it was released in English for the first time this year with it’s sequel out in March.

Jane summarizing my 2022 at the end just made me realize I need to get out more on 2023...

Monkey Island 3 quote that I always remember, for some reason; "I'm running guns!"

I thought Luke's perspective on why Elden Ring was his favorite was interesting and obviously passionate, but we already know Luke and Mike and Ellen's views on the FromSoft games. I kinda wish we got to see why Jane and Andy liked Elden Ring so much when, from what I've gathered from the podcast and stuff, I don't think they've played or particularly clicked with Soulsborne games in the past.

honestly I loved Gotham knights bc it’s such a sweet vibe of the entire Batman family outside of *just* batman.

It was way back in January but my GOTY was Pokemon Legends: Arceus. I've never been part of the crowd screaming for the Pokemon formula to get a shake up but I loved the concept of an RPG style game set way before the modern continuity. I think Sinnoh was the perfect region to set it as well. It's a harsh, rugged landscape and the Hokkaido connection let them throw in some neat Ainu influences. Also bold that they didn't just default to Kanto like they usually do (though I'm sure it was to ride the hype wave of gen 4 remakes, even if those games were not so good in comparison). The music did a lot of heavy lifting, the BOTW-esque deft touch made the world feel vast without being featureless, and the motifs from the gen 4 games sprinkled throughout were brilliant nods to fans of the series. It felt like a game with some real love put into it - something that can't be said about many Pokemon games in the last 10 years - and I enjoyed every second of it.

Tunic!!! Such a great, innovative indie game!

I'm in a similar boat as Mike herd. Because my favourite game of the year that wasn't Elden Ring is Saint's Row. A game that the Internet seems to utterly despise but has also been overly scrutinised to a frankly bizarre degree. Tight combat and driving, tonnes of customisation, plenty of rewards for exploration and just really funny. Genuinely have no idea what everyone hated so much. It was SO good.

I agree with Mike! Gotham Knights might not have been what fans of the Arkham games wanted, but as someone who REALLY enjoys content that centers around the BatFam, I loved it! And you know what? I had fun, and that's what matters.

Moon Girl and Devil Dinosaur were in a comic together! It was a really cute all ages comic that was pretty fun

It's funny I remember Andy dissing the special edition of the 1st monkey island mostly because on the new different art style, that also takes some getting used to at first (and one puzzle that he found controls badly, because he didn't use the hotkeys)

Me, who started to play snap today, hour or two earlier: good to know.