Pocket Gamer 20th anniversary: Snappy card battlers and the birth of bullet heaven

We're on the home stretch now, hitting 2022 in our Pocket Gamer 20th anniversary celebrations. Depending on your perception of time, that's not all that long ago, unlike how I view 2017 as 'basically yesterday.' And it was an interesting year. Sure, a lot of the usual suspects were raking in the cash, but a few big releases shook things up, alongside some stellar ports. 

As always, we'll get to that later. First, I want to take some time reminiscing about 2022, specifically that it was the year Lionel Messi finally lifted the World Cup with Argentina. I dread to think how big that man's trophy cabinet has become. They made hard work of the final after outplaying France for the entirety of the first half, eventually winning on penalties. And while it felt like that could have easily been avoided, what's football without a little drama? 

In cinema, Top Gun: Maverick took flight, endearing itself to audiences by shamelessly tapping into the nostalgia of the first, only with more fancy effects than ever. Usually, the longer the gap between the original and the sequel, the worse it tends to be. Not so here. The same can't be said for Avatar: The Way of Water, which, like the original, looked incredible despite having the dullest plot known to humankind. Still, it practically printed money, so what do I really know?

As for music, it was a song from 1985 that was getting all kinds of play, particularly in nerdy circles. Kate Bush's Running Up That Hill featured prominently in season four of Stranger Things, most notably in one epic scene that sticks in the minds of many fans. Shame about season five, huh? Elsewhere, Taylor Swift's Midnights predictably sold a ton, as did Bad Bunny's Un Verano Sin Ti. I don't know who or what Bad Bunny is, but good on them. On my personal playlist... Well, Poets of the Fall released a new album, didn't they? Ultraviolet, it's called. And it's terrific. That's the last mention for the band for those who've grown tired of the constant references. 

We could discuss PC and console more broadly, sure. However, it's probably more apt to highlight Elden Ring and act as if nothing else happened. It certainly felt that way in the moment. FromSoftware's open-world epic catapulted the team into the mainstream, with seemingly everyone getting involved. For me, it's the second-worst game they've made. I will caveat that by saying I detest massive open worlds, though. Having said that, I've still put over 300 hours into it. Second worst is a relative term, after all. 

In mobile, as I mentioned at the top, the usual suspects were making lots of money. Genshin Impact, PUBG Mobile, Pokémon Go, and blah, blah, blah. You get the idea by now. I'm more of a broken record on that than I am talking about Poets of the Fall. As such, I suggest we focus on the cool new things that were released in 2022. Agreed? I shall take your silence and inability to directly respond to this as a yes.

Marvel Snap

While interest in the MCU had waned (In relative terms, naturally, it's still a behemoth), people's love of superheroes remained strong. And Marvel Snap pounced on that in the most perfect way possible, by offering a fast-paced card battler that tickled folks' competitive nature without being overly convoluted. Despite being available on PC, Marvel Snap feels more at home on mobile, with the swift matches allowing you to sneak in a quick match whenever you have a spare moment.

Diablo Immortal

Back in 2018, a few people were booed on stage during the announcement for Diablo Immortal. They responded by questioning whether or not the audience had phones. It was ill-advised to say the least, unless their goal was to become a meme, of course. Then it was a massive success. A room full of people waiting for Diablo IV's announcement is not going to be best pleased with a mobile spin-off. Most people could have predicted that. However, if those same people gave Diablo Immortal a try, I'm sure they'd be pleasantly surprised. It's pretty darn good.

Vampire Survivors

Survivors-like or bullet heaven. Whatever you want to call it, Vampire Survivors definitely invented something a little different. It's a simple enough concept, too. You merely wander around while your weapons and abilities fire off automatically, meaning that finding new combinations and synergies is where the strategy lies. There are multiple characters to choose from as well, each varied enough to switch up your approach. Technically a port, I'd argue Vampire Survivors is at its best on phones. Portrait mode cutting off enemies makes everything feel more tense and claustrophobic, with each foe always being right on top of you, while the 30-minute timer for each run is perfect for most commutes. For my money, it's one of the best mobile games of all time.

We'll Always Have Paris

While people often think of games as being loud and brash, largely thanks to the frequent violence, there are occasions where they're quieter and contemplative. We'll Always Have Paris is one such example. It's a short and sweet narrative experience that revolves around loving someone with memory loss. If that description doesn't warn you it's an emotional ride, I'll state that now. Just to make it obvious. I don't want anyone getting a feelings overload without prior warning. 

Into the Breach

Ah, Into the Breach. Can enough good things be said about you? If you're unfamiliar, it's a turn-based strategy game that ultimately feels a bit more like a puzzler, thanks to an ingenious concept. Unlike most entries in the genre, you're given all the information you could ever need about your giant bug enemies. You know where they're going to attack, how much damage they'll deal and in what order they'll strike. With these details, you must use your three mechs to mitigate the carnage they cause, and there are plenty of options. That might simply be killing them or moving them away from the building they're trying to topple. Throw in different mech types alongside map-specific rulesets, and you get tons of variety. At this point, I'm running out of ways to describe how brilliant it is. Just play it.

Monster Train

Slay the Spire inspired all manner of roguelike deck builders, and I, for one, am never annoyed by this. Much like with Soulslikes, I say bring them on. Monster Train is a superb entry in the genre, with the delightful premise that you're riding the titular locomotive to hell. Rather than merely replicating the usual turn-based set-up, it spreads your fighters out across three different levels, bringing an extra dimension to the strategy side of things. Check out Shaun's extensive review to learn more about it.

And if you want to take a deeper look at what else launched, check out our list of the best mobile games from 2022.