Games of the Year 2022: Neon White

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Neon White is a first person action platformer with shooting elements.  It's hard to describe, but if you watch a video of some gameplay you can grok it quickly.  Essentially, the game is all about platforming, but it also incorporates FPS elements along the way.  There are items you pick up in the form of cards and they each have two abilities.  One functions as a primary ability with ammo while the other one is a secondary ability based around movement but it requires you to discard the item.

Again, a lot going on there, but quick to pick up if you actually play.

Neon White was extremely fun... until it wasn't.  Based on the achievement list I took a look at, it seems like I made it to about 60% or 70% completion of the main story before I stalled out.  I didn't hit a brick wall of progression gating with difficulty.  Instead, I hit the point where I was having more stress than fun so I decided I should be done with it.

For the right kind of speedrunning or platforming fan, this could easily be their game of the year.  I would not be surprised to hear people arguing for this as GOTY during end of the year debates on podcasts and on gaming site articles.

But, for me, it was fun while it lasted but ultimately didn't have staying power.  That's why it's ending up right around the middle of the pack on my running list:

  1. Elden Ring
  2. FFXIV Endwalker
  3. Citizen Sleeper
  4. The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe
  5. Horizon Forbidden West
  6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
  7. Pokémon Legends: Arceus
  8. Chrono Cross: Radical Dreamers Edition
  9. Neon White
  10. Halo Infinite
  11. Vampire Survivors
  12. Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin
  13. Cyberpunk 2077
  14. Triangle Strategy
  15. Mario Strikers: Battle League
  16. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
  17. Nobody Saves the World
  18. Unpacking
  19. Total War: Warhammer 3
  20. Tunic

I do look forward to seeing people master this game and destroy record times in the future.  It could be a cool speedrunning game to keep an eye on.

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