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It Takes Two will probably appear on more than one list this year. The rest of EA’s output was a mixed bag. Despite some high highs, there were some pretty low lows averaging EA out to have an okay year. What will 2022 look like? If Dead Space and Dragon Age appear, it could be amazing. If not, it could spell doom. For now, let’s see how EA did individually in 2021.
9 Madden 2022
Madden 2022 is about as good as the other games. That isn’t exactly high praise. What held it back this year is what set it back last year and the year before that. This series has lacked innovation. Fans thought that with the new systems, things would be different. Things haven’t progressed in ages though. For football fans looking to toss the virtual pigskin around alone or with friends online, the game will not disappoint. It just lacks that pizazz as it is football by the numbers.
8 FIFA 2022
The FIFA series, globally, is one of EA’s biggest franchises. Soccer is the world’s sport. It’s as recognizable as math in other countries. There are no boundaries. It’s strange then that not a lot of effort went into this year’s edition. FIFA 2022 has about the same criticisms as Madden 2022. It’s a bit messy in its execution but it will do in a pinch when fans want to hit the pitch. There certainly have been worse entries.
7 NHL 2022
Hockey has, and probably always will be, a niche sport. It’s huge in North America but it’s not that big in other countries. Even as a sport in the U.S. it is about the fourth most popular below football, basketball, and baseball.
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Still, this series must do decently enough for EA to support it which is great to see for hockey fans. NHL 2022 is just marginally better than EA’s other two sports juggernauts from 2021. It is a simple hockey game that doesn’t push any boundaries forward.
6 Battlefield 2042
Battlefield 2042 is technically EA’s worst-reviewed game of 2021 across most platforms. The launch was rough and it continues to be rough due to a Bible-sized list of problems. There are connection issues. The frame rate can dip. The draw distance is sporadic. Some of the guns couldn’t even fire bullets. The list goes on. It was delayed once but it is clear now that it should have been delayed further. Even with these problems, when the game is firing on all cylinders, it is a fantastic multiplayer shooter. 2022 should be a better year for it.
5 F1 2021
F1 2021 is a technical racer. It was made for fans of the sport and not for fans of racing video games. It’s more like a simulation game than anything which is a positive. The cars look stunning and they handle well too. It’s everything a fan would want in an F1 game. The series keeps getting better and better, unlike EA’s other sports games. If only FIFA, NHL, and Madden could get as much care and love as the F1 games get constantly.
4 Knockout City
Knockout City was a surprise drop from EA. Most of their sports games are all about pushing graphical boundaries and making a perfect simulation of the real-life thing. Knockout City was built with another idea in mind: having fun.
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It’s a great take on dodgeball with unique characters and powers to keep players into it for hours. Post-launch content has been okay but not explosive. That’s the only real bad thing to say about it. EA should be supporting it more.
3 Mass Effect Legendary Edition
When it comes to this series, EA has messed up with it in recent memory. Their port and remaster history, in general, has also been spotty. Even though these three games were great, it was almost hard to get excited for the collection because it felt like something would go wrong. Other than eliminating multiplayer, Mass Effect Legendary Edition is almost a perfect 1:1 port of the original trilogy. It ran well at launch with barely any bugs to speak of meaning players could just enjoy the games as intended. That’s what all games should aim for.
2 Lost In Random
Lost in Random is like a platformer without the platforming. It has all the vibes of one including a unique art style that makes everyone look like they are made out of wood or clay. The characters are energetic and varied. There are tons of collectibles. The list goes on. It may feel weird at first that it’s an action game instead, but the combat works well. It’s a grim tale but it’s hard to put down once players get it started.
1 It Takes Two
It Takes Two deserves all the praise and rewards it is continuing to get. The team at Hazelight has experimented with co-op and controlling multiple characters for years now. This is the first time where it has felt like they nailed it on every level. The visuals, story, music, and platforming mechanics are top-notch. The game also has a lot of heart. It’s hard to believe that such a small team pulled this off even with EA’s help. It has changed co-op games forever.
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