Besten gaming tastaturen 2022: The best gaming keyboard 2023: top keebs for every need

Die besten Keyboards im Überblick

Wer nicht gerade ausschließlich mit dem Controller zockt, wird um eine Gaming-Tastatur kaum herumkommen. Doch was macht eine gutes Keyboard überhaupt aus? GIGA stellt gleich mehrere Modelle unterschiedlicher Preisklassen vor und erklärt, worauf es beim Kauf ankommt.

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Es gibt inzwischen kaum etwas, das Gaming-Tastaturen nicht können: Das reicht von aufwändiger RGB-Beleuchtung über zusätzliche Displays bis hin zu speziellen Schaltern, deren Auslösepunkt sich per Software individuell kalibrieren lässt. Neben klassischen Rubberdome-Tastaturen kommen außerdem vermehrt Modelle mit mechanischen Schaltern verschiedenster Art auf den Markt. Wir erklären euch die Unterschiede und gehen ebenso auf wichtige Zusatzfunktionen von Gaming-Tastaturen ein, damit ihr garantiert die richtige Wahl trefft.

GIGA-Tipp Razer BlackWidow V3	Preistipp Roccat Magma	Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro	Logitech G915 Lightspeed	Steelseries Apex Pro TKL
Digitaler Multifunktionsregler Lauter Tastenanschlag	Stimmungsvolle Beleuchtung Nur Membranschalter	Optische Schalter Keine separaten Medientasten	Kabelloser Betrieb Begrenzte Akkulaufzeit	OmniPoint-Schalter Kein Abnehmbares Kabel
ab 125 Euro Cyberport	ab 57 Euro MediaMarkt	ab 152 Euro Amazon	ab 219 Euro Amazon	ab 199 Euro Otto

Deshalb könnt ihr GIGA vertrauen

Wir betreiben für jeden Artikel dieser Art intensive Recherche, damit wir das gewonnene Wissen hinterher kompakt und vor allem verständlich an unsere Leserinnen und Leser weitergeben können. Ebenso werden alle gelisteten Produkte stets mit Sorgfalt ausgewählt und verschiedene Einsatzzwecke sowie Preissegmente berücksichtigt. Weitere Infos zu unseren Kaufberatungen findet ihr übrigens im Artikel „So beraten wir“.

Ich selbst begeistere mich bereits seit meiner Kindheit für Videospiele und die dafür notwendige Hardware sowie Software. Meinen ersten eigenen Gaming-Rechner habe ich bereits im Jahr 2012 zusammengebaut und seitdem sind noch zahlreiche weitere gefolgt. Jegliches Wissen in Bezug auf Games und Technik habe ich mir über die Jahre also selbst angeeignet – oft zur Freude meiner Familie oder meines Freundeskreises. Dort bin ich meist die erste Anlaufstelle wenn es darum geht, etwas zu reparieren oder sie bei der Anschaffung neuer Geräte zu beraten.

Um euch den bestmöglichen Überblick verschaffen zu können, haben wir uns neben eigenen Erfahrungen auch auf Nutzerwertungen sowie externe Testinstitutionen gestützt.

Razer BlackWidow V3

GIGA-Tipp Bei der Razer BlackWidow V3 handelt es sich um einen wahren Allrounder in Sachen Gaming-Tastaturen. Zum einen verfügt das Modell über Razers hauseigenen Green-Switch, der dem Cherry Blue wohl am nächsten kommt. Jeder Tastenanschlag ist somit durch ein deutlich hörbares Klacken gekennzeichnet. Viele möchten ein derartiges akustisches Feedback nicht missen, wiederum andere bevorzugen möglichst leise Schalter. Glücklicherweise existiert das baugleiche Modell aber auch mit anderen Schaltertypen.

Razer BlackWidow V3 (Clicky)

Preis kann jetzt höher sein. Preis vom 03.02.2023 22:31 Uhr

Weiterer Pluspunkt der Tastatur ist das multifunktionale Scrollrad, das sich per Software individuell konfigurieren lässt. Damit könnt ihr dann beispielsweise die Lautstärke oder die Helligkeit der RGB-Effekte steuern. Weniger erfreulich ist hingegen die Tatsache, dass die sekundären Funktionen zahlreicher Tasten leider nicht beleuchtet sind. Übrigens gibt es auch eine kabellose Pro-Version der BlackWidow V3, allerdings ist diese Variante nochmal deutlich kostspieliger.

Vorteile

• Mechanische Schalter
• Digitaler Multifunktionsregler
• RGB-Beleuchtung
• Handballenauflage inklusive

Nachteile

• Zweitfunktionen der Tasten nicht beleuchtet
• Lauter Tastenanschlag

Roccat Magma

Preistipp Die Roccat Magma stellt unseren Preistipp dar. Für um die 50 Euro erhaltet ihr hier nämlich wirklich viel Tastatur für verhältnismäßig wenig Geld. Das umfasst mitunter eine abnehmbare Handballenauflage, äußerst taktile Rubberdome-Schalter sowie eine außergewöhnliche RGB-Beleuchtung, die ihresgleichen sucht. Die zuvor erwähnten Schalter können zwar nicht mit der Präzision ihrer mechanischen Vertreter mithalten, dennoch fühlen sie sich keinesfalls schwammig an. Das Tippgefühl lässt sich vermutlich am ehesten mit Cherry MX-Browns vergleichen, wobei der Auslösepunkt hier nochmal etwas weiter hinten liegt und somit mehr Kraft erfordert.

Roccat Magma

Preis kann jetzt höher sein. Preis vom 03.02.2023 22:05 Uhr

Was ich etwas schade fand, war das Wegbleiben einer FN-Lock-Taste, zumal es bereits Modelle des Herstellers gibt, die über diese Funktion verfügen. Statt nur einer Taste müsst ihr so also immer beide Tasten zur Steuerung eurer Medien drücken. Insgesamt handelt es sich bei der Roccat Magma dennoch um eine grundsolide Tastatur, die sich gerade für Gaming-Einsteiger mit schmalem Geldbeutel eignet. Die stimmige Beleuchtung sowie die enthaltene Handballenauflage sind außerdem ein toller Bonus. Zwar kann die Lebensdauer einer Rubberdome-Tastatur meist nicht mit der von mechanischen Modellen mithalten, dafür ist sie aber wesentlich leiser.

Mit der Swarm-Software lässt sich die Beleuchtung all eurer kompatiblen Roccat-Geräte individuell anpassen und ebenso synchronisieren. (Bildquelle: GIGA)

Unser Tipp: Wer auf bunte Beleuchtung und anderen Schnickschnack verzichten kann, greift zur kostengünstigen Alternative in Form der Cherry Stream.

Vorteile

• Leiser und taktiler Tastenanschlag
• Abnehmbare Handballenauflage
• Stimmungsvolle Beleuchtung
• Doppelt belegte Medientasten

Nachteile

• Geringere Lebensdauer im Vergleich zu mechanischen Schaltern
• Keine Makrotasten

Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro

Die Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro macht in erster Linie durch die flachen Tasten sowie der ohnehin sehr kompakten Bauweise auf sich aufmerksam. Auf einen Ziffernblock wurde bewusst verzichtet, damit so mehr Bewegungsfreiraum auf eurem Schreibtisch entsteht. Es handelt sich außerdem um ein Exemplar mit optischen Schaltern, die laut Hersteller bis zu 100 Millionen Tastenanschläge überstehen sollen. Obendrein arbeiten die Schalter nochmal präziser als herkömmliche mechanische Schalter, da Signale über eine Lichtschranke erfasst werden.

Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro (Linear)

Preis kann jetzt höher sein. Preis vom 03.02.2023 17:57 Uhr

Ich konnte die Tastatur auf Herz und Nieren prüfen und muss vorweg sagen: Die Roccat Vulcan TKL Pro hat mich auf ganzer Linie beeindruckt. Das fängt bei der Verarbeitung an, die durch den Einsatz von gebürstetem Aluminium einen äußerst hochwertigen sowie stabilen Eindruck macht. Der präzise Lautstärkeregler ist gleichermaßen gut gelungen. Weiterhin haben mir die optischen Titan-Schalter wirklich gut gefallen. Einerseits wegen des angenehmen Feedbacks beim Tippen selbst und andererseits wegen der absolut verzögerungsfreien Eingabe. Die Software funktioniert ebenso tadellos und bietet zahlreiche Möglichkeiten der individuellen Anpassung. Einzige Kritikpunkte wären die fehlende Ausleuchtung der Zweitfunktionen einiger Tasten sowie das Wegbleiben dedizierter Medientasten.

Vorteile

• Kompakte Bauweise inkl. flacher Tasten
• Praktischer Lautstärkeregler
• Optische Schalter
• RGB-Beleuchtung
• Abnehmbares USB-Kabel

Nachteile

• Zweitfunktionen der Tasten nicht beleuchtet
• Keine separaten Medientasten
• Hoher Preis

Logitech G915 Lightspeed

Der Logitech G915 Lightspeed ist etwas gelungen, das vor ihr kaum eine andere Tastatur geschafft hat: Sie verfügt über mechanische Schalter, RGB-Beleuchtung und funktioniert dabei komplett kabellos. Für viele vermutlich der wahrgewordene Gamer-Traum. Das hat allerdings seinen Preis, denn mit rund 200 Euro ist die Tastatur alles andere als günstig. Im Gegenzug dafür erhaltet ihr eine hochwertig verarbeitete Tastatur mit zusätzlichen Medien- sowie Makrotasten. Außerdem habt ihr die Wahl zwischen unterschiedlichen Varianten mit clicky, taktilen oder linearen Schaltern.

Logitech G915 Lightspeed (Clicky)

Preis kann jetzt höher sein. Preis vom 03.02.2023 14:15 Uhr

Leider fallen bei einem derart stolzen Preis kleinere Makel umso schneller auf. So musste ich während des Testzeitraums feststellen, dass nicht alle Funktionen der Tasten auch entsprechend beleuchtet sind. Gerade bei schlechteren Lichtverhältnissen könnte das schnell in Frust münden. Außerdem verfügt der Lautstärkeregler über keinerlei haptisches Feedback, was die Bedienung unnötig erschwert.

Auch bei der TKL-Variante der Logitech G915 Lightspeed sind die Zweitfunktionen vieler Tasten leider nicht beleuchtet. (Bildquelle: GIGA)

Der nächste Kritikpunkt bezieht sich auf den Mikro-USB-Anschluss – so langsam könnte Logitech wirklich mal den neuen Standard in Form von USB-Typ-C adaptieren, wie ich finde. Wer sich an diesen Punkten und der begrenzten Akkulaufzeit von etwa 30 Stunden bei aktiver Beleuchtung nur bedingt stört, kann hier dennoch beherzt zugreifen. Mit ausgeschalteter Beleuchtung soll die Tastatur laut Software dafür mehr als 200 Stunden durchhalten, was je nach Nutzungsverhalten für mehrere Wochen reichen dürfte. Für Fans kompakter Tastaturen gibt es außerdem die Logitech G915 Lightspeed TKL, die auf Ziffernblock sowie Makrotasten verzichtet.

Vorteile

• Kabellose Verbindung via Dongle oder Bluetooth
• Mechanische Schalter
• Lautstärkeregler inkl. separater Medientasten
• RGB-Beleuchtung
• Zusätzliche Makrotasten

Nachteile

• Zweitfunktionen der Tasten nicht beleuchtet
• Kein USB-C-Anschluss
• Begrenzte Akkulaufzeit
• Hoher Preis

Steelseries Apex Pro TKL

Mit der Steelseries Apex Pro TKL sind wir nun endgültig in der Königsklasse der Tastaturen angekommen. Das liegt einerseits am enormen Funktionsumfang und gleichzeitig am stolzen Preis von nahezu 200 Euro. Die Highlights sind ganz klar das integrierte OLED-Smart-Display sowie die OmniPoint-Schalter, deren Auslösepunkt sich per Software individuell konfigurieren lässt. Nicht grundlos hat sie in unserem Test fast in jeder Hinsicht überzeugen können.

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL

Das Produkt ist nicht mehr verfügbar. Zuletzt geprüft: 03.02.2023 21:32 Uhr

Meckern auf hohem Niveau: Nicht alle Tasten sind mit den beworbenen OmniPoint-Schaltern ausgestattet. Bei dem Preis ist das enorm schade. Weiterhin lässt sich das USB-Kabel nicht entfernen, was zwar kein Beinbruch ist, aber dennoch ein schöner Bonus gewesen wäre.

Vorteile

• Anpassbare OmniPoint-Schalter
• OLED-Smart-Display
• RGB-Beleuchtung
• Integrierter USB-Passthrough-Port
• Multifunktionales Scrollrad
• Handballenauflage inklusive

Nachteile

• Nicht alle Tasten sind mit OmniPoint-Schaltern ausgestattet
• Kein abnehmbares USB-Kabel
• Hoher Preis

Zunächst müsst ihr euch die Frage stellen, wie genau ihr die Tastatur nutzen möchtet. Soll sie neben dem Zocken auch zum Erledigen von Schreibarbeiten dienen? Spielt ihr nur gelegentlich? Oder erwartet ihr beim Zocken absolute Präzision? Um euch die Entscheidung also etwas zu erleichtern, stellen wir einige mögliche Szenarien vor:

• Als Gelegenheitsspieler kommt ihr in der Regel mit einem entsprechend preiswerten Modell aus, das über die nötigen Basisfunktionen verfügt. Eine Membrantastatur mit Rubberdome-Schaltern wäre hier vermutlich die beste Option.
• Wer regelmäßig zockt oder viel tippt, sollte einen Blick auf mechanische Tastaturen werfen. Die haben einerseits den Vorteil, dass sie deutlich langlebiger sind und andererseits sind die Eingaben viel präziser. Ganz nebenbei ist das Gefühl beim Tippen kaum vergleichbar mit einer herkömmlichen Membrantastatur. Hierbei stehen euch eine Vielzahl unterschiedlicher Schalter zur Verfügung, die vor einem Kauf idealerweise im Elektronikmarkt eures Vertrauens getestet werden sollten.
• Ihr möchtet in hektischen Shootern oder Action-Spielen das absolute Maximum an Präzision aus eurer Tastatur herausholen? Hier haben sich inzwischen Gaming-Tastaturen mit optischen Schaltern als Favorit herausgestellt. Die eigentlichen Schalter funktionieren dabei nach wie vor mechanisch, aber die Signalerfassung erfolgt durch eine Lichtschranke oder ein Magnetfeld. Die verhältnismäßig neue Technologie ist dabei um einiges präziser als reguläre mechanische Schalter, was sich auch unmittelbar im Preis niederschlägt. Eine leistungsfähige Maus sollte ebenso wenig fehlen.

Lesetipp

Daniel Nawrat

Rubberdome vs. mechanische Tastaturen

Gerade bei günstigeren Modellen kommen in aller Regel sogenannte Rubberdome-Schalter zum Einsatz. Hier findet sich unterhalb der eigentlichen Taste eine Gummikuppel, die beim Auslösen der Taste zusammengedrückt wird – daher auch der Name. Dadurch kommen beim Tippen zwei Folien in Kontakt, die dann wiederum einen Stromkreis schließen und letztlich den Tastendruck registrieren. Der größte Nachteil von derartigen Schaltern ist das baubedingte schwammige Tippgefühl sowie die verhältnismäßig hohe Eingabeverzögerung.

Beim Zocken ist vor allem von Bedeutung, wie schnell eure Tastatur die Eingaben tatsächlich registriert. Aus diesem Grund werden in diesem Bereich fast ausschließlich mechanische Schalter verbaut. (Bildquelle: Getty Images, gorodenkoff)

Im Gegensatz zu mechanischen Vertretern sind sie aber deutlich leiser, was für viele ein entscheidendes Kaufkriterium darstellen könnte. Tastaturen mit mechanischen Schaltern hingegen haben eine deutlich längere Lebensdauer. Außerdem ist das Feedback der Tastenanschläge um einiges präziser und ebenso werden Eingaben zuverlässiger registriert. Zu den Nachteilen zählen allerdings die erhöhte Lautstärke sowie der größere Kostenaufwand. Hier findet ihr die wichtigsten Vor- und Nachteile beider Schaltertypen nochmal im Überblick:

	Rubberdome	Mechanisch
Tastenanschlag	Sehr leise	Eher laut
Tippgefühl	Eher schwammig	Taktil, Linear oder Clicky
Lebensdauer (Anschläge)	ca. 5 bis 10 Millionen	ca. 50 bis 100 Millionen
Preis	€	€€

Optische Schalter

Vermehrt setzt sich eine neue Technologie durch, bei der die Signalübertragung nicht mehr durch einen Metallkontakt zustande kommt, sondern durch optische Signalerfassung. Dies geschieht entweder über eine Lichtschranke oder aber durch ein Magnetfeld. Das hat unter anderem den Vorteil, dass der Verschleiß der Schalter reduziert wird. Ebenso werden die Eingaben präziser erfasst. In einigen Fällen ist es außerdem möglich, den Auslösepunkt der Tasten per Software nach Belieben zu verändern.

Am typischen Tippgefühl ändert sich zwar nichts, aber die verbesserte Lebensdauer sowie die Möglichkeit der individuellen Anpassung klingen dennoch vielversprechend. Aktuell sind Tastaturen mit besagter Schaltertechnik aber noch um einiges teurer als herkömmliche Modelle. Das sollte vor einem Kauf also entsprechend berücksichtigt werden.

Lesetipp

Daniel Nawrat

Unterschiede bei Cherry-Switches

Cherry ist neben den Tastaturen vor allem für seine branchenführenden Schalter (Switches) bekannt. Zu den bekanntesten Ausführungen gehören braune, rote und blaue Cherry-Switches. Die Hauptunterschiede liegen dabei einerseits in der nötigen Betätigungskraft, die in Zentinewton (cN) angeben wird. Andererseits verfügen die Schalter über unterschiedlich lange Auslösewege, die in Millimetern angegeben werden. In der folgenden Übersicht sind nochmal die wichtigsten Eigenschaften aufgelistet:

	MX-Brown	MX-Red	MX-Blue
Feedback	Spürbarer Widerstand	Glatt	Hörbares Tastenklacken
Schaltertyp	Taktil	Linear	Clicky
Auslösepunkt	2 mm	2 mm	2,2 mm
Betätigungskraft	55 cN	45 cN	60 cN
Einsatzmöglichkeit	Shooter	MMOs, MOBAs, Action-Spiele	Tippen mit hörbarem Klicken

Da sich die Schalter anderer Hersteller ohnehin oft am Vorbild der Cherry-Switches orientieren, verhalten sie sich meist sehr ähnlich. Viel entscheidender ist die Schaltercharakteristik – also Taktil, Linear oder Clicky.

Lesetipp

Marco Kratzenberg

Taktil, Linear oder Clicky?

Was mechanische Schalter angeht, so steht euch mittlerweile eine große Bandbreite an Schaltern zur Verfügung: Neben den allseits beliebten Cherry-Switches gibt es ebenso eigens entwickelte Versionen von bekannten Herstellern wie etwa Razer, Logitech, Roccat oder Steelseries. Zusätzlich werden mechanische Schalter stetig verbessert, um ihre Eingabeverzögerung auf ein Minimum zu reduzieren. Inzwischen existieren auch optische Schalter oder solche, deren Auslösepunkt sich per Software individuell kalibrieren lässt. Ganz gleich von welchem Hersteller der jeweilige Schalter stammt, in fast jedem Fall lässt er sich mittels einer der drei folgenden Eigenschaften charakterisieren:

• Taktil: Beim Betätigen spürt ihr einen leichten Widerstand. Dadurch wird die Gefahr falscher Eingaben verringert und gleichzeitig werden präzise Anschläge ermöglicht. Daher glänzt der Schalter vor allem in Shootern.
• Linear: Durch den fließenden Tastenanschlag eignet sich der Schalter besonders gut für schnelle aufeinanderfolgende Eingaben. Gerade in MOBAs oder Action-Spielen kann das nützlich sein.
• Clicky: Bietet deutlich hör- und spürbares Feedback und ist gleichzeitig einer der lautesten Schalter. Wird vor allem von Vielschreibern bevorzugt, die nicht auf das unverkennbare Klickgeräusch beim Tippen verzichten möchten.

Was sollte eine Gaming-Tastatur sonst noch können?

Software

Wie so oft ist Hardware nur so gut wie die dazugehörige Software. Mit ihrer Hilfe könnt ihr je nach Tastaturmodell Makros aufzeichnen, Tastenbelegungen verändern oder die RGB-Beleuchtung nach Belieben anpassen. Ebenso könnt ihr mehrere Profile erstellen, die automatisch aktiviert werden, sobald ihr das jeweilige Spiel startet. Da fast alle großen Namen in der Branche das komplette Arsenal an Gaming-Peripherie in ihrem Sortiment haben, funktioniert die Software in der Regel auch geräteübergreifend. Es kann also durchaus vorteilhaft sein, sich vor dem Kauf auf eine Marke festzulegen, damit nicht für jedes Gerät separate Software heruntergeladen werden muss.

Mittels der jeweiligen Software lassen sich unter anderem Tasten mit neuen Belegungen versehen oder die Beleuchtung anpassen. (Bildquelle: GIGA)

Medien-oder Makrotasten

Zuvor war schon die Rede von Makros. Damit sind Aufzeichnungen von beliebigen Tastenabfolgen gemeint, die dann mit nur einem einzigen Tastendruck automatisch ausgelöst werden können. Einige Gaming-Tastaturen verfügen hierfür über zusätzliche Tasten, die ihr dann beliebig belegen könnt. Es lassen sich oftmals aber genauso die regulären Tasten mit alternativen Befehlen versehen. Gerade für Streamer oder Fans von Rollenspielen können sich zusätzliche Tasten durchaus bezahlt machen. Alternativ könnt ihr diesbezüglich aber auch zu einer externen Lösung greifen – wie etwa zum Elgato StreamDeck mit 15 frei programmierbaren LCD-Tasten.

Neben Makrotasten können dedizierte Medientasten ebenso von Vorteil sein. Wer gerne Musik am Rechner hört wird es sicherlich begrüßen, wenn man die Musik mit nur einem Knopfdruck pausieren oder den nächsten Song anschmeißen kann. Die Lautstärke einstellen zu können, ohne dabei in den Windows-Einstellungen fummeln zu müssen, ist auch ein nicht zu verachtender Bonus. Wer sich erstmal an derartige Bequemlichkeiten gewöhnt hat, möchte sie hinterher womöglich gar nicht mehr missen.

Lesetipp

Daniel Nawrat

N-Key Rollover und Anti-Ghosting

N-Key Rollover (NKRO) beschreibt die Fähigkeit einer Tastatur, dass theoretisch unbegrenzt viele Tasten gleichzeitig gedrückt werden können, ohne dass dabei eine Eingabe verloren geht. Heutzutage verfügt beinahe jede vernünftige Gaming-Tastatur über entsprechend hohes NKRO, sodass nicht registrierte Tastendrücke kaum mehr ein Problem darstellen. Anti-Ghosting beschreibt wiederum den gegenteiligen Effekt: Hier geht es darum ungewollte Eingaben zu vermeiden, sobald eine bestimmte Kombination von Tasten gleichzeitig gedrückt wird. Auch hier handelt es sich inzwischen eher um ein Gespenst der Vergangenheit. Gerade bei mechanischen Tastaturen tritt der Effekt so gut wie nie auf, weil jede Taste auf einem eigenen Schalter haust.

Die beste Gaming-Tastatur im Test (2022)

Best Picks

Die besten Gaming-Tastaturen für jeden Geldbeutel im Test – inklusive Kaufberatung & Kaufempfehlungen für alle Preisklassen.

Von Friedrich Stiemer

PC-WELT 2.12.2022 09:22 Uhr

Image: Corsair, Sharkoon, Asus, Razer, Steelseries, Cooler Master, Trust

Spieler stellen hohe Anforderungen an Gaming-Tastaturen: Die Tasten müssen präzise, zuverlässig, schnell und komfortabel auslösen. Gamer wünschen sich auch Zusatz-Funktionen wie Sondertasten für Makro-Programmierung oder eine farbenfrohe RGB-Beleuchtung. Da der Markt vor vielen verschiedenen Modellen nur so überquillt, haben wir für Sie die besten und beliebtesten Gaming-Tastaturen aller Preisklassen getestet.

Testsieger: Corsair K100 RGB

Pro

• reaktionsschnelle, optisch-mechanische OPX-Schalter
• alternativ auch mit bewährten Cherry MX RGB Speed Silver Switches
• extrem hohe Anzahl an flexibel programmierbaren Bedienelementen
• PBT-Double-Shot-Tastenkappen
• hochwertige Materialien und Verarbeitung
• top Ausstattung
• intuitive und ausgereifte Konfigurations-Software (iCUE)

Kontra

• sehr teuer

Die Corsair K100 RGB beweist im Test, dass sie an die Spitze der Gaming-Tastaturen gehört. Die Verarbeitung und die gewählten Materialien sind durchweg tadellos und hochwertig, vor allem der Einsatz von PBT-Double-Shot-Tastenkappen ist überaus lobenswert. Die Ausstattung ist vom Feinsten und erweitert mit dem iCUE Control Wheel die Steuerungsmöglichkeiten um ein Vielfaches.
Auch mit inneren Werten überzeugt die K100 RGB: Das Axon-Verarbeitungssystem leistet hervorragende Arbeit, auch wenn die 4.000 Hertz Polling-Rate wohl eher PR-Ansagen sind und in der Praxis kaum Relevanz finden. Davon abgesehen ist die Gaming-Tastatur ein zuverlässiges und reaktionsschnelles Tippbrett.

Die optisch-mechanischen OPX-Schalter hinterlassen einen durchweg positiven Eindruck dank leichtgängiger, linearer Schaltcharakteristik und niedrigen Reaktionszeiten. Die Variante mit Cherry MX RGB Speed Silver lösen ebenfalls schnell und präzise aus, dafür sind die mechanischen Schalter schon bewährt und etabliert – wie langlebig die OPX sind, muss erst der Langzeittest zeigen.
Die Corsair K100 RGB ist eine eindeutige Empfehlung und ein wahres Flaggschiff und für all diejenigen geeignet, die keine Kosten scheuen und auf viele Funktionen und hochwertige Materialien nicht verzichten möchten. Die unverbindliche Preisempfehlung von aktuell rund 250 Euro ist happig, aber für das Gebotene durchaus angemessen.

Preis-Leistungs-Sieger: Sharkoon Skiller SGK50 S4

Pro

• gedämmtes Hot-Swap-PCB
• gesleevtes USB-C-Spiralkabel
• kompaktes Format
• RGB- und Makro-Funktionalität

Kontra

• „nur“ ABS-Tastenkappen
• keine Software

Mit der Sharkoon Skiller SGK50 S4 haben wir einen wahren Preis-Leistungsknaller im Test. Zum Preis von nur 70 Euro (unverbindliche Preisempfehlung) feiert die Tastatur ein wahres Funktions-Feuerwerk ab: schaumstoffgedämmte Hot-Swap-Platine (3- und 5-Pin!) mit RGB-Beleuchtung, mitgeliefertes Werkzeug für den Tausch, gesleevtes, abnehmbares USB-C-Spiralkabel und ein platzsparendes 60-Prozent-Tastenlayout.

Wer also wenig Platz auf dem Schreibtisch hat oder oft seine Tastatur mit auf Reisen nimmt, der kann hier bedenkenlos zugreifen – allein schon aus dem Grund, weil man sich seine Lieblingsschalter problemlos einbauen oder andere Varianten ausprobieren kann. Aus Kostengründen gibt’s zwar keine Double-Shot-PBT-Tastenkappen, und auch auf eine Software müssen Sie verzichten. Und wer dringend eine Full-Size-Tastatur braucht ist hier sowieso falsch. Dennoch können wir die Sharkoon Skiller SGK50 S4 uneingeschränkt empfehlen, da sie außerdem nicht viel kostet.

Attraktiver Preis: Sharkoon Skiller Mech SGK30

Pro

• sehr günstiger Preis
• mechanische Schalter vom Typ Huano Red oder Blue
• programmierbare RGB-Beleuchtung

Kontra

• schlichtes Plastikgehäuse
• teils klappernde Tastenkappen

Wer nicht viel Geld investieren, aber unbedingt eine mechanische Gaming-Tastatur haben möchte, für den ist die Skiller SGK30 garantiert keine Fehlinvestition. Die mechanischen Schalter lösen zuverlässig aus, die RGB-Beleuchtung ist schön satt und ein gesleevtes Anschlusskabel gibt es auch. Außerdem nimmt sie dank ihres kompakten Formats nicht allzu viel Platz auf dem Schreibtisch ein.

Klar ist die Tastatur nicht gerade die hochwertigste auf dem Markt und bietet auch keine Extra-Tasten oder eine Handgelenkauflage. Auch teils klappernde Tastenkappen sind vorhanden, die der Funktionalität aber keinen Abbruch tun. Die rund 40 Euro sind also ein Schnäppchen-Preis.

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Test Sharkoon Skiller Mech SGK30, LEDs RGB, Huano RED, USB, DE (4044951030002)

Innovative Technik: Corsair K100 AIR Wireless RGB

Pro

• hochwertige, minimalistische Ausführung
• extra Makro- und Multimedia-Tasten
• innovative, knackige Schalter vom Typ Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile Tactile
• vielfältige Anschlussmöglichkeiten

Kontra

• sehr teuer
• nur taktile Schaltcharakteristik

Wie sich im Test der Corsair K100 Air Wireless RGB herausstellt, handelt es sich um eine Gaming-Tastatur für alle, die ein edles, geradliniges Design zu schätzen wissen, aber nicht auf einen vielfältigen Funktionsumfang und das mechanische Tippgefühl dank der Schalter des Typs Cherry MX Ultra Low Profile Tactile verzichten möchten.
Die maximale Leistung gibt’s aber nur im kabelgebundenen Betrieb. Außerdem sollten sich Käufer sicher sein, dass ihnen ein derart dünnes Profil überhaupt zusagt – etwas Eingewöhnung ist definitiv nötig. Letztendlich lässt sich Corsair die Premiere teuer bezahlen: Die unverbindliche Preisempfehlung beläuft sich auf rund 300 Euro. Ein zu hoher Preis, der hoffentlich bald fällt, wenn mehr Tastaturen mit den flachen Schaltern auf den Markt kommen.

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Test Corsair K100 AIR Wireless RGB

Top-Design: Roccat Vulcan 121 AIMO

Pro

• auffälliges Design
• guter Ausstattungsumfang
• tolle taktile Mechanik-Schalter
• inklusive Handgelenkauflage

Kontra

• teuer

Die Roccat Vulcan 120 Aimo begeistert im Test mit tollen taktilen Schaltern und einem extraordinären Design. Für letzteren Punkt sorgen die halben Tastenkappen, die die transparenten Schaltergehäuse darunter besonders gut zur Geltung kommen lassen. Außerdem bietet diese Gaming-Tastatur so ziemlich alles, was man heutzutage von so einem Modell erwartet. Trotz allem finden wir aber, dass 150 Euro für das Gebotene doch etwas zu hoch angesetzt sind.

Wem die leicht taktile Schaltcharakteristik nicht gefällt, der kann bei der neueren Roccat Vulcan 121 Aimo jetzt auch zu den Titan Switch Linear greifen, die noch flotter auslösen und linear schalten. Der Preis bleibt nämlich gleich im Vergleich zur 120.

Mechanische Schalter: Robust, aber teuer

Wenn Sie höchste Präzision und Haltbarkeit bei einer Tastatur voraussetzen, dann kommen Sie nicht um mechanische Schalter herum. Branchenführer ist Hersteller Cherry mit der MX-Technik. In Kombination mit der sogenannten „Gold-Crosspoint-Kontakt-Technik“ und einer Metall-Springfeder überstehen diese Schaltermodule 50 Millionen Anschläge. Die Module selbst gibt es dabei in verschiedenen Ausführungen, um verschieden Vorlieben zu bedienen: Je nach Farbe des Schalters lösen die Tasten mit mehr oder weniger Kraft, nach längerem oder kürzerem Schaltweg oder linear (ohne spürbaren Druckpunkt) oder taktil (mit spürbarem Druckpunkt) aus. Wenn Sie mehr darüber erfahren möchten, dann lesen Sie doch unseren Artikel „Mechanische Tastaturen – Grundlagenwissen“.

Mittlerweile gibt es allerdings auch starke Konkurrenz zu den Cherry-MX-Switches von verschiedenen Herstellern: Die Romer-G von Logitech (in Zusammenarbeit mit Omron), die QS1 von Steelseries oder die Kailh-Module von Kaihua – von letzteren lässt Razer im Übrigen auch seine giftgrünen Schalter fertigen. Welcher Schalter letztendlich für Sie der richtige ist, entscheidet Ihr ganz eigener Geschmack. Deshalb auf in den nächsten Laden, um die verschiedenen Schalter auszuprobieren!

Die MX-Technik von Cherry ist am weitesten in Gaming-Tastaturen verbreitet.

Mechanische Tastaturen kosten mehr als herkömmliche Keyboards. Günstige Modelle verwenden die Rubberdome-Technik oder Abarten davon. Allerdings ist dieser Variante vorzuwerfen, dass sie nicht die Haltbarkeit und Präzision der Mechanik-Module aufweisen kann. Wer sich aber nicht als Hardcore-Gamer bezeichnet, sondern nur gemütlich ab und zu ein Spielchen wagt, der ist auch damit gut bedient.

Hier sehen Sie die Rubberdomes (Gummikuppeln), die vor allem in günstigen Gaming-Tastaturen zum Einsatz kommen.

Ghosting und Key-Rollover

In Spielen oder auch in anderen Anwendungen ist es oft der Fall, dass der Nutzer mehrere Tasten gleichzeitig betätigen muss, um bestimmte Aktionen auszuführen. Bei Rubberdome- oder günstigeren Modellen kann es dabei allerdings passieren, dass die Tastatur entweder zusätzlich oder stattdessen falsche, in der Nähe liegende Tasten an das System weiterleitet – dieses Phänomen nennt sich „Ghosting“. Um diese Problematik zu umgehen, sollten Sie nach dem Begriff „Anti-Ghosting“ Ausschau halten.

Hier gut zu erkennen: Trotz mehrerer paralleler Eingaben erkennt das System alle gedrückten Tasten.

Allerdings ist das keine echte Garantie für fehlerfreie Eingaben: Oft statten die Hersteller nur bestimmte Tasten oder -Gruppen mit Anti-Ghosting aus, wie beispielsweise WASD. Das sogenannte Key-Rollover beschreibt, wie viele Tasten Sie maximal gleichzeitig betätigen können, damit das System diese noch fehlerfrei erkennt. Ein Full-Key-Rollover beschreibt dabei, dass Sie alle Tasten parallel drücken können, eine Zahl vor dem Key-Rollover schränkt die Anzahl entsprechend ein.

RGB-Tastenbeleuchtung: Teurer Spaß

Enthusiasten und Gamer, die Wert auf eine einheitliche Optik auf dem Schreibtisch legen, greifen zu Modellen mit einer RGB-Tastenbeleuchtung. Teilweise ist es damit sogar möglich, jede einzelne Taste in einer anderen Farbe erstrahlen zu lassen. Für die Abwechslung sorgen dann noch Effekte wie pulsierende Lichter oder ein Regenbogen, die sich in den Treibern programmieren lassen.

Dank der RGB-Einzeltastenbeleuchtung lässt sich auf Wunsch jeder einzelnen Taste eine andere Farbe zuweisen.

Mitunter kann die Beleuchtung auch nützlich sein. Je nach Ausführung können die LEDs beispielsweise den Gesundheitszustand anzeigen oder den Countdown, bis der Trank oder Zauberspruch wieder verfügbar ist. Jedoch kostet diese Art der Beleuchtung meist einen satten Preisaufschlag. Günstigere Modelle verfügen deshalb nur über eine einfarbige Beleuchtung oder verzichten komplett darauf. Wer die Farbspielerei nicht braucht, spart bare Münze!

Test: Die besten Gaming-Mäuse im Vergleich

Komfort-Funktionen: Makros und Multimedia-Steuerung

Wenn Sie wissen was Makros sind, dann ist die Wahrscheinlichkeit ziemlich hoch, dass Sie auch welche nutzen. Deshalb halten Sie Ausschau nach Tastaturen, die über separate Makro-Tasten verfügen, um eigene Tastenkombinationen zu programmieren. Besonders Spieler von MMOs oder MOBAs setzen gerne Makros ein, um Abfolgen von Zaubersprüchen und andere Dinge mit nur einem Tastendruck auszuführen. Bei manchen Modellen lagert der Hersteller die Makro-Funktion oft als Doppelbelegung auf die F-Tasten aus, was unserer Meinung nach etwas umständlich ist.

Separate Multimedia-Tasten erlaubt eine komfortable Steuerung Ihrer Medien.

©Logitech

Wer es gerne komfortabel mag, der freut sich über eine separate Multimedia-Steuerung. Auf diese Weise müssen Sie nicht das Spiel pausieren und auf den Desktop wechseln, nur um ein Lied zu überspringen. Auch die Lautstärkeregelung ist dabei meist mit von der Partie, am komfortabelsten funktioniert die Regelung über eine integrierte Walze.

USB- oder Audio-Hubs ermöglichen einen komfortabeln Anschluss von weiterer Peripherie oder Speichermedien.

Achten Sie auf ein geflochtenes (gesleevtes) Kabel – das ist deutlich robuster, denn ein Kabelbruch ist schnell passiert. Wenn Ihr PC etwas versteckt oder weiter entfernt steht, der profitiert von USB- und Audio-Anschlüssen an der Tastatur – die gibt es allerdings oft nur an teureren Gaming-Tastaturen. Recht neu sind Smartphone- oder Tablet-Halterungen mit Aufladefunktion, die Ihre mobilen Endgeräte in sichtbarer Position hält. Stellenweise ist es sogar möglich, das Gerät dank Apps als Second-Screen-Lösung zu verwenden, um sich beispielsweise Werte des PCs anzusehen oder zusätzliche Funktionen in Spielen zu erhalten.

Autor: Friedrich Stiemer

22 of our favorite games of 2022 that didn’t make the top 10 DTF editions — DTF games

Although they could.

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A lot of great games came out last year, and many of the ones that really stuck with us didn’t make it into the top 10 as voted by the editors. Far from all of the members of the editorial board managed to play some of them, while others, for various reasons, did not evoke strong emotions in someone.

But to leave these games completely without mention would not be very correct. Therefore, we have prepared another text to collect in it other titles of 2022 — from AAA blockbusters to outstanding indies — that we would definitely not advise you to miss.

And we turned to our comrades and colleagues outside the editorial team for help, so that they also told in a nutshell what games they remembered for the past twelve months.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge

Shredder’s Revenge is not just a worthy reimagining of Konami’s classic beat’em ups, but also a tribute to the entire franchise. The game has absorbed all the best from the arcade, 8-bit and 16-bit parts of the series, as well as comics and the animated series 1987 years old. And this applies not only to recognizable character designs and deliberate stylization of old games.

Older die-hard fans will be delighted with the huge number of unexpected references and cameos. In addition, all the turtles, Bebop and Rocksteady are voiced by the original actors. Throughout the game, there are heroes and elements from the animated series, games, and even Archie comics, which were released in Russia in the 90s thanks to the Makhaon publishing house.

It’s noticeable that the artists at Tribute Games have played through classic games dozens of times: the overall presentation of Shredder’s Revenge is done with incredible scrupulousness, sometimes even with excesses.

Shredder’s Revenge’s only and most obvious drawback is in the post-game. For making it to the credits, the game can only offer Casey Jones, challenges (for which they don’t even give achievements), and seven pictures that open after beating the game for each character. She is far from the replayability of Streets of Rage 4, and even more so to the fan-made Streets of Rage Remake, but she still deserves the attention of all fans of classic beatmaps. — Semyon Kostin

Tunic

Don’t be fooled by how simple Tunic looks, because in the world of this «zeldoid» about a fox with a sword at the ready, there are no less (if not more) mysteries than in any Interearth. And in this regard, the old working title of this game — Secret Legend — characterizes it even too well.

Almost everything is a secret here, from the origin of the protagonist and puzzles scattered around the world to the interface and even individual mechanics. You explore not only the locations, but also the game itself, as if «probing the ground» and trying different approaches, different buttons on the controller. And the game itself gracefully pushes you to the clues that have been under your very nose all this time — to hidden paths hidden from view, to pages from the game manual written in gibberish.

Each step becomes a small discovery that makes you look with different eyes at everything that you have seen in this world so far. A rare game continues to regularly present surprises even after 8-10 hours of passage. And, perhaps, nowhere else have I felt such a sense of real achievement, just figuring out how pumping works.

Yes, the author of Tunic, who worked on it for about seven years, really borrowed a lot from both The Legend of Zelda and Dark Souls. Yes, he relied heavily on nostalgia. But he managed to turn his game into something truly original, with his own face. Something that reminds you how amazing video games can be. — Anton Samitov

Horizon Forbidden West

Horizon Forbidden West is a lot of work on the bugs. Facial animations have been improved, characters during dialogues have begun to behave like real people, and side activities have become much more diverse: even tasks with Longnecks now feel like full-fledged quests with their own history.

The main plot is still intriguing, but it quickly becomes clear that Forbidden West is only the second part in a whole trilogy, and therefore many questions are left unanswered.

But the main thing here is how the second Horizon strikes with its beauty. There are many different biomes here, from dense forests and deserts with frequent storms to overgrown and flooded former California. In this game, it is especially difficult to break away from the photo mode.

And Forbidden West looks amazing on both PS4 and PS5. It’s both an impressive almost 10-year-old hardware exclusive and an ambitious title that demonstrates what current generation consoles are capable of.

Unfortunately, Horizon has been lost in the shadow of another major open world game for the second time in a row. On the release of Zero Dawn, it was Breath of the Wild, and in the case of Forbidden West, it was Elden Ring. However, it is possible that over the years the game will be remembered more often, because there are not so many similar to it. — Jamil Makhmutov

Xenoblade Chronicles 3

I’ll make a reservation right away: I didn’t finish Xenoblade Chronicles 3 to the end. Until I passed. Despite this, in 2022 it was she who made one of the strongest impressions on me. I didn’t even plan to play it until I succumbed to the rave reviews from the Nintendo community on DTF!

And I’m very glad that I did it. After 40 hours in Xenoblade Chronicles 3, I can say with confidence that this JRPG is a potential cure for the “gaming impotence” that some people complain about every now and then. Simply because it is completely different from traditional RPGs, and games in general.

Especially the gameplay, which is outlandish and surprisingly addictive. At first, the system of auto-attacks and skills may seem incomprehensible, but as soon as the first combinations start to turn out, you immediately understand what’s what. In addition, the game constantly throws up additional mechanics, and continues to do so, even when it seems that everything is already enough.

The conclusion may come as a surprise to some, but Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is one of the best game finds that a person far from the series can make. All due to the fact that the game will take you out of your comfort zone, stir you up and give you really fresh emotions. — Granger

Signalis

Signalis is an homage game apparently inspired by the work of Tsutomu Nihei manga like Blame! and classic Silent Hill and Resident Evil. Perhaps even too much, because in some places this stylish indie really feels like a survival horror game made in the already distant nineties.

If you’re willing to forgive a cramped inventory and a weak combat system, you’re in for an atmospheric 10-hour intimate adventure with storytelling through the environment and an oppressive atmosphere that doesn’t scare or repel you, but only draws you in even more.

It is worth being prepared for the fact that there will be more questions than answers. Surprisingly personal, with bits and pieces of memory sometimes reminiscent of Blade Runner 2049, it will leave a lot to the imagination and interpretation. Moreover, there are several endings — and everything depends on the pace and style at which you decide to complete the game.

And if you’re still unsure if Signalis is worth your money, it’s available in the Game Pass library — including on PC. — Daniil Ilyasov

Sifu

Some games can almost immediately give you the feeling that you are a real pro, capable of blowing opponents right and left. Not without effort, not without serious trials on the way to mastery, but still. But Sifu will wipe the floor for you until you figure out what’s what. And downloading kung fu straight into the brain will not work.

This beatmap makes it clear in the first half an hour that it will be difficult. By the second location, you start to accept that you won’t get far with a couple of simple combos and dodging. And then comes the realization that you have to strive for the ideal. Otherwise, the protagonist will begin to age exponentially, and at the third or fourth level, sand will fall out of him (or her). And there will be no chance of winning the fight with the next boss.

Many hours of swearing with all my might and suppressing the urge to throw the gamepad against the wall, I spent trying to defeat at least three main guys without breaking the bar of 30 years. And when it finally happened, I got little comparable pleasure. After all, the feeling of “I was just lucky” was not in sight, there was only a feeling that I understand the game a little better, and my kung fu became a little stronger. It was only necessary to take a break, concentrate and feel like water.

What helped keep the idea going was how beautiful Sifu was purely aesthetically. From the envy of any action movie intro and stylized graphics that never get old, to great music and fantastical elements that emerge at the end of each level. — Anton Samitov

Bayonetta 3

This year, PlatinumGames gave us the biggest and most spectacular story in the series, choosing to use the recently popular multiverse theme in the story. In addition, this story is also the most insane in a good way — the degree of pathos, style and absurd Japanese humor is at its maximum here.

The third part has become somewhat more varied. The developers have not only refreshed the slasher gameplay with many new mechanics, but also added a huge number of mandatory activities that have not been seen in the series before — either you need to ride a huge demon, or sing in a rhythm game, or play a two-dimensional stealth action. Even the mission selection menu here is something like a mini-game of darts. Some players have begun to refer to Bayonetta 3 as a collection of mini-games. Someone is unhappy with this, but I think that this only benefited the game, because it does not let you get bored for a second.

For me, Bayonetta 3 was the most driving game of this year. And if you like varied gameplay and Japanese frenzy, then this is definitely for you. Years of waiting for the third part fully justified itself. — Alexey Pomyalov

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe

In 2013, Davey Reeden became famous with The Stanley Parable, a statement about the connection between the player and the developer. Since then, he has released two more games, but he was remembered mainly for the Stanleys. And there was a reason: no other game so surprised by “breaking the fourth wall”. Each playthrough turned into a fascinating story with a unique ending — often unexpected. The Stanley Parable gave an unforgettable experience — one that was not forgotten even after 9years after release.

So, Ultra Deluxe. Ryden advertised it as a re-release of the original game with a new engine and a couple of new endings. But in fact, behind a slightly updated version with a terrible name, the second part is hidden. And at the same time the third, and the fourth, and the fifth. Davey mockingly put an end to The Stanley Parable franchise. This is a definitive story about the impact of a successful work on its creator and the industry.

And definitely one of the best adventures of the year. Go into the corridor and go the wrong way to be inside the location from Firewatch. Fall through textures and wander endlessly through abandoned office corridors without light. To be for centuries in a room without a door. No other game will offer you this. Play if modern games seem boring to you. — Egor Argunov

A Plague Tale: Requiem

Requiem continues the ideas of the original, but now it is a much more personal game, and Asobo Studio’s adventure game is barely inferior to Naughty Dog’s blockbusters in terms of technical execution.

Like the first part, Requiem first of all catches on with its living characters: the authors show in every detail how close the brother and sister are in the course of a long and difficult adventure. In the sequel, the usual castes are complemented by other colorful heroes.

The second part of A Plague Tale was promoted as another big adventure, where the heroes have to constantly run away from hordes of rats, but this is rather true only for the first half of Requiem. Yes, there are enough rodent scenes here, and there are many more of them, but they are needed here for the most part in order to diversify conversational segments and stealth episodes. First of all, Requiem is a narrative game, where the gameplay only helps to move the plot.

The game moves further from historical accuracy towards fantasy — and this is not necessarily a bad thing, but it may well upset some fans of the first part. Despite this, Requiem is a very rare linear story item that clearly demonstrates what high-tech AA games from small studios can become in a few years. — Jamil Makhmutov

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

A walking pink bun that devours all enemies in its path, so that later they can also puke at someone. The concept of the Kirby games sounds amazing. Only past games about him passed me by: they looked too childish. Judging by the stories I have seen about them, they were made primarily for small children. This was not canceled even by one of Kirby’s recent abilities — the ability to devour the enemy in order to digest him and learn a new ability.

Already from the trailers for Kirby and the Forgotten Land, it seemed to me that this game now has a good balance between light-hearted cartoonishness and simply not getting bored of strong simplifications for the sake of a young audience. And so it turned out.

This is still a very simple platformer where you have to work hard to kill Kirby at least once per level. But with ingeniously built levels, it rather makes the game pleasantly relaxing — which is a great quality in such a stressful and terrible year. — Ilya Tsukanov

Card Shark

Looking at the amount of reviews for Card Shark on Steam, it’s getting a little dreary. Right now there are only a little over 1500 of them, and this game is one of the most unique, original and interesting of the whole year. Yes, and it costs mere pennies, which, by the way, can be won back somewhere in cards, having learned tricks right in the game. (Joke.)

In Card Shark, players take on the role of the apprentice of a well-known cheater who wants to rob French aristocrats and moneybags to the bone. To do this, the accomplices will have to change the decks, engage in card-staining, dress up as women and resort to other traditional tricks of gamblers.

The uniqueness of the game lies in the fact that all of the listed actions must be performed not just by «pressing the A and B buttons» in the desired sequence. In Card Shark, you need to memorize cards, keep track of what suits your opponents have, discreetly shuffle the deck through various systems — and all this for a while!

In addition to the exciting and unusual gameplay, the game also has a story filled with intrigue, at the center of which is a mysterious conspiracy, the denouement of which will break your heart. Or maybe not. There are several endings. — Granger

Nobody Saves the World

For an indie studio that hasn’t missed a beat yet and has managed to develop its own recognizable style, Drinkbox Games seems criminally underestimated. The people who made a name for themselves with two parts of Guacamelee!, the incredibly entertaining and funny metroidvania, are back. And they released one of the most memorable and fun action-RPGs of recent years.

You are Nobody. A silent character, in whose hands a magic wand falls, which makes it possible to take on a variety of forms — from a rat and a horse to a wizard, a bodybuilder and an egg. Each of the almost two dozen forms has its own set of abilities and gameplay style, and you can switch between them completely freely.

And what’s great, Nobody Saves the World only encourages experimentation, allowing you to combine techniques from different entities, collecting your «build». And also, it sets a variety of conditions for the player in the dungeons, forcing them to look for successful combinations, as if solving riddles.

A map that opens up more and more nooks and crannies for the player with each new form, a bunch of challenges for every taste, Diablo addictiveness and a wonderful «cartoon» style — what else do you need? In addition, in this game you can meet dolphins and learn their favorite curses. — Anton Samitov

Sonic Frontiers

To be honest, no one expected anything from Sonic Frontiers — neither a revelation, nor just a good game. The once flagship Sega series has long been registered in the Metcritic yellow zone, and seemed to be in no hurry to leave it. I mean, there was a flashy Sonic Mania, but that, in essence, is a thing from the fans and for the fans. By no means a trinket, but a thing, let’s say, not quite mainstream. A big, solid Sonic game remained a dream, and the announcement of Frontiers wasn’t exactly encouraging.

From the gameplay videos, it seemed that Sonic Team was just following the trends, trying to create their own Breath of the Wild — and this is partly how it turned out (although, paradoxically, from Frontiers you catch Nier vibes more often than The Legend of Zelda). The game can rightly be reproached for the lack of its own face, but it is a diligent epigone, spending time with which is at least interesting. And for a modern game about Sonic, this is already not weak praise — the series has lowered the bar so low.

Huge open locations are surprisingly well combined with high-speed Sonic gameplay. The developers have prepared a lot of intricate, at some point inventive linear levels, simple but elegant in the methods of solving puzzles. Even the story this time is not entirely shameful, even if it is presented very badly. It’s far from the best game of the year, but it’s definitely the best 3D Sonic in years. It’s fun to run. Isn’t that why you once fell in love with the series? — Andrey Vereshchagin

Teardown

I don’t understand why Teardown is now so rarely at the top of the lists of the best games of 2022. Yes, it has almost the entire list of what you can expect from some nominee for the main prize of The Game Awards.

Interesting gameplay? This is a game about cleverly destroying levels with dynamite and shotguns in order to speedrun them. There is no such gameplay anywhere else — and it is so intricately thought out that Teardown can easily be written into game design textbooks.

Beautiful graphics? Despite the fact that the game world consists of cubes the size of a tennis ball, almost every one of which can be destroyed, the picture looks just fine — the developers even came up with their own RTX replacement for this.

Great storyline? I think a story about a man forced to commit crimes to keep from going broke and navigating between two rival mad tycoons could pass for social commentary. — Ilya Tsukanov

Metal: Hellsinger

Rhythm shooters have appeared relatively recently and the developers are only trying to make shooter mechanics related to the need to act in time with the music. The authors of Metal: Hellsinger, on which the lead designer of Battlefield: Bad Company 2 worked, decided to go even further and invited Two Feathers to work on the soundtrack, and eminent musicians like Serj Tankian from System of a Down and Tatyana Shmaylyuk to record vocals for it from Jinger.

It turned out to be a really «hardcore» shooter, where the rhythmic killing of demons is the main mechanic. The music in Metal: Hellsinger is much more dynamic than in the same Bullets Per Minute — it constantly changes depending on the combo, and if you dial the maximum counter, then vocals come into play. After this, you yourself begin to nod to the beat of the music and for a while you forget that you are actually playing a first-person shooter about shooting demons.

The most pleasant thing about all this is that Metal: Hellsinger works well at the level of an ordinary shooter — the arsenal here is not very rich, but each type of weapon is well developed, and you need to adapt to each gun. And then there is the recognizable voice of Troy Baker as a narrator, who does not let you get bored during the passage of the story campaign. — Jamil Makhmutov

Gran Turismo 7

Among the 2022 car simulators, Gran Turismo 7 takes its well-deserved first place. Even if Polyphony Digital failed to revolutionize the genre or fundamentally change the core of the series, but what we got was the most informative and addictive single player campaign in the history of autosims. In addition, it is incredibly friendly and understandable for beginners. You will feel comfortable even if you have never played racing games.

GT7 and its quarterly patches have so much interesting content that you can drown in it for months. Bottom line, this is the classic Gran Turismo that many have been waiting for. Almost Gran Turismo Sport 2.0 with an emphasis on encyclopedia and motoring culture. Now this is not just a high-quality simulator about the aesthetics of automotive culture, but also an extensive interactive encyclopedia.

If you’ve been missing the first classic Need for Speed ​​series and its educational aspects, then Gran Turismo 7 will definitely please you. — Semyon Kostin

Citizen Sleeper

The most simple, vulgar, superficial and inaccurate comparison that comes to mind after meeting Citizen Sleeper is Disco Elysium. Both games are mostly text-based RPGs, both involve regular dice-rolling, and both are overtly political statements.

But still, ZA/UM and Fellow Traveler turned out to be very different things, which is obvious even from the style of dialogues and long descriptions on behalf of the narrator. And where in Citizen Sleeper, which was clearly made by an American, allusions to the USSR and a bright national flair?

No, this game takes on something else — constant tension, which helps to keep the «survivor» mechanics in the plot. The player is placed in the body of the Sleeper, a robot with a copy of human consciousness that has just escaped from its owners. Special fuses built by a good corporation cause the body of the machine to slowly deteriorate. You need to find the means to regularly repair yourself, earn money, eat. And, if you have time, help your neighbors. And there is not always time for this.

In this fuss, you have to correctly allocate resources, including your bones, which are spent on every action. Select the optimal sequence, look for the best place to eat and how much time to spend on work. Meet new characters, just like you, the “gears of the system”, and try to make their lives a little less unbearable.

Perhaps Citizen Sleeper is too optimistic a story. By the end, with the proper combination of circumstances, resources become so abundant that there is almost nothing left of the “survivor”. And happy endings in this gloomy cyberpunk universe are not so rare. But on the other hand, in this beautifully written story, there is surprisingly a lot of simple faith in people and their kindness. And this is precisely what is sorely lacking today, even for such repulsed idealistic romantics as I am. — Anton Samitov

Weird West

In 2017, game designer Rafael Colantonio left the Arkane studio he founded to later release Arkane games, but under a different brand. Although, looking at Weird West you can’t tell — isometrics, five characters, a global map. Well, what is the «immersive sim»? And here you go.

Having overcome some not even a stupor, but rather embarrassment in front of such an unusual representative of a familiar genre, you begin to have fun and test local systems for strength. Well, just like in Deus Ex, Prey, Thief, Dishonored and others. Weird West has something to offer the sophisticated player: an extensive arsenal of abilities and weapons, all sorts of physical interactions between objects on the level, in the end, a truly reactive world that honestly responds to your actions. Where else can you set fire to a hurricane or, say, mow down an entire city, so that the undead would later inhabit it?

Arkane Weird West games have in common not only the breadth of possibilities and freedom for experimentation, but also a simple story, the main intrigue of which can be seen almost in the first hour. Does it ruin the game? Not at all. Having fun with all sorts of weather effects, objects on the level and NPCs does not bother you almost until the end. If the locations hadn’t been repeated with such persistence, then there would be no price for Weird West. — Andrey Vereshchagin

Norco

Major game action blockbusters rarely surprised in 2022, but in the genre of narrative text-based adventures and similar adventures, everything turned out to be noticeably better. However, if Immortality and Citizen Sleeper are talked about quite often in the end, then Norco’s point-and-click adventure is lost against their background.

Norco attracts from the very first minutes with a melancholy atmosphere and works on several levels at once: it criticizes environmental pollution, raises the topic of digitizing everything that surrounds us and ourselves, evokes longing for the past and childhood, and finally, talks about faith.

All these themes just listed in one sentence may seem like a strange combination, but in Norco they are wonderfully intertwined in a touching and sometimes even funny story, which is accompanied by a soulful soundtrack and surreal views of Norco.

Norco is the first game from the Geography of Robots team, and after such a debut, all fans of narrative adventures should definitely keep an eye on it. Moreover, in her plans a whole trilogy. — Daniil Ilyasov

Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course

The fight in the Best DLC category in 2022 was pretty tight, if you know what I mean. In my personal rating, the winner in this nomination without any chance for rivals was the first and, unfortunately, the last addition for Cuphead — The Delicious Last Course.

This DLC simply has no weaknesses. The developers from Studio MDHR have added six main bosses and several bonus, but no less interesting battles. Each fight in the add-on turned out to be very complex, striking visuals, and most importantly — memorable. Everything is just like in the base game, only here the animations are more elaborate. Although, it would seem, where they can be worked out more strongly.

Perhaps the only negative of this DLC is that after passing it, sadness rolls over. Sadness overcomes from the realization that this is really the end — there will be no more levels for Cuphead. However, it is better to focus on the good and wait for the next masterpiece from Studio MDHR, which, by the way, they are already working on. — Granger

The Case of the Golden Idol

This game consists of two parts. First comes the “search for objects”, which works according to the usual rules for this genre: on the screen, where the same second of animation is looped, there are a lot of different things, but you only need to find a couple of specific ones. Then the found items are turned into words that need to be correctly substituted into the gaps of several texts. It sounds very simple — even a little primitive.

But everything changes the context. The scene is some kind of distorted analogue of England at the end of the 18th century, where a series of seemingly unrelated murders take place. Hidden Objects is about clues, and the texts to collect are descriptions of crimes and lists of suspects.

Thanks to these two mechanics alone, the game manages to take a tour of the secret side of the life of many aristocrats and throw a whole bunch of plot twists that can only be predicted by some small details. It’s amazing how good it makes you feel like Sherlock Holmes — especially when you personally put together the whole picture of what is happening by the end. — Ilya Tsukanov

Rollerdrome

Unfortunately, I got to Rollerdrome very late, and I am very sorry that I did not heed the advice for so long to try out the «explosive mixture of Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater and DOOM» as soon as possible. The essence of the game is simple: the main character, armed with rollers and several trunks, participates in sports competitions with shootouts to the death. Ammunition is limited, and you need to replenish it by performing tricks.

On the first arena, you don’t even suspect what lies ahead for you. At first, you somehow cope with the match, where the opponents are a bunch of men with clubs and snipers. But the further you go, the more interesting, and already a couple of hours later you are butchering guys on jetpacks and HUGE WALKING ROBOTS, turning wild somersaults in between. Fluffy business.

And with each return to the passed stage — to complete the last tests or improve the rating by scoring more points — you feel how much stronger you have become. And after all, the new guns in the arsenal have nothing to do with it, it’s just your own skills.

Probably, such an action does not need a plot, but it is here, and quite decent. In the breaks between the stages of the tournament, we can explore the world through the eyes of the protagonist, examining different rooms — whether it’s a dressing room, an office of journalists or a train car. The player is free to consider every detail, read all sorts of newspaper reports, listen to the radio, eavesdrop on someone talking outside the door. Or ignore it all and start killing. But among the little things, no, no, yes, something serious will slip through — about the totalitarian regime, about censorship, about executions somewhere behind the scenes. And these moments, perhaps, would not have worked so well if the funny bloody competitions had not lulled the player’s vigilance. — Anton Samitov

And what games of the past year did you like? What, in your opinion, did not find a place in all sorts of lists of the best? Tell us in the comments and share your impressions.

The results of the gaming year 2022, The best and worst games according to the editors of GameGuru

GameGuru begins to sum up the results of the outgoing year. This time we have slightly rebuilt the usual formats: it seems the most strange idea to define the incredible successes and epic failures of the gaming industry, which has been trying to push the Russians out of itself all year. And we will start by identifying the best and worst games — instead of a boring editorial list, you will see a live format in which each of the participants will name the two most memorable and liked games of 2022 and one disgusting one that brought disappointment, boredom or other negative.

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#1 game of the year. SIFU

^{This year, I finally confirmed that my salvation is in category B games. Not least thanks to SIFU , from which I did not expect anything at all, but in the end I left thirty hours in it. And they were all full of emotions! And the game has only five levels, which can be completed in an hour. But you won’t be able to. At least on the first try. And even with the tenth will not work.}

^{At first, SIFU skillfully pretends to be a kind of tribute to the classic beatmaps, and you fly through the first level like Jackie Chan. But then you meet the boss and realize that this is a difficult game. And you are only at the very beginning. However, the difficulty in SIFU seemed to me much more honest than in the disgusting Dark Souls , which constantly tries to put the player under attack and does it meanly. In SIFU , the player is exposed to the blow himself. Just when I thought I was already too cool, I met the last boss and realized that everything I knew about kung fu was wrong. Main theme SIFU and her game design formula are remarkably in sync. Kung Fu is all about learning from mistakes and fighting hardships to become stronger. When playing a kung fu game, the player is actually practicing kung fu.}

^{I was on fire, cursing and complaining to the girl that this is a very difficult game, and today we will not watch a movie with her, because I have a great mission. But it was damn exciting! And then I smiled for a long time when I saw that this game really broke the gamer.}

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^{Immortality was my first game Sam Barlow and I can’t really call it a full game. For me, it’s more like a completely new way of consuming movies that usually starts at the beginning, continues in the middle, and ends at the end. Where does Immortality start and end? It may not be clear even after a full playthrough. And it is going to continue for about 15 hours, during which the player will carry out real detective work, gluing scenes torn apart from each other into a kind of structured narrative canvas. For a movie lover, this will be a very fresh challenge!}

^{Also Immortality is a movie about movies. At the very least, you can get a complete picture of how a group of unfamiliar people, with the help of a pile of sheets, managers and assistants, work hard to record a series of disparate and sparsely connected scenes on video. The magic of editing assembles this puzzle into a coherent story, where real emotions and high meanings live. They will live there forever. But sometimes in the cinema you can find something that the authors did not put there. After all, every viewer sees in the cinema only a reflection of his own mind, and nothing more.}

^{In a word, if Hideo Kojima boasts that he loves movies, then Sam Barlow showed who loves him more. If you love movies too but haven’t seen Immortality yet, I envy you. Be sure to play — and be sure to arm yourself with a gamepad!}

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^{The Callisto Protocol was my first ever pre-order. After all, the author cannot0311 Dead Space , promising us a new Dead Space , but on steroids, just embarrassing? Oooh, what would I understand …}

^{14 years have passed since the release of Dead Space , and The Callisto Protocol clearly showed that during this time only the quality of graphics has grown in the AAA industry. That the role of Glenn Scofield in the birth of the phenomenon Dead Space , apparently, was not so decisive — or he simply killed the creator in himself, plowing behind the machine Call of Duty non-stop. It was worth considering after his story about that stupid tentacle for which he drove the team of Dead Space into a state of production hell. I never liked this segment. He was not impressive, even when I was 14 years old. He’s just nikakuschy and passable! But Scofield was sure that it was very cool. So cool that everyone has to suffer.}

^{Perhaps this explains why the game has so many vents and narrow passages, why it has such stupid checkpoints and why there is not a single new idea here, but the main menu solemnly promises us «New Experience» . I hope you enjoy this game, Glen . Judging by the cheap cliffhanger instead of the ending, very.}

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^{Metal: Hellsinger is a near perfect mix of everything I love. This is an adrenaline-filled ultra-violent shooter in the tradition of DOOM , and a competent rhythm game that encourages self-improvement, and simply a cool collection of heavy music. Selected songs from the soundtrack still often play in my player. To all that I have already written about it in a personal review, I want to add one thing: I hate this game. I hate how short it is. After the passage, I began a natural withdrawal. Of all the variety of releases in 2022, there was not one for which I would have been so eager to get at least a little more new content. I really hope for DLC in 2023. But even if it will be, it will obviously take some time to work on it — you will also need to record new tracks.}

^{However, to the developers of Metal: Hellsinger , I am now ready to allocate almost unlimited credits of trust and wait as long as necessary. Yes, frankly, by combining gunplay with the need to hit the rhythm, The Outsiders did not invent a new gameplay formula (almost a second of memory Bullets Per Minute ). But she honed it to a shine, showed the true potential of musical shooters and presented a genre example to anyone who would follow in her footsteps. And this in itself is a very cool achievement.}

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^{To be honest, I didn’t expect anything good from Card Shark . Card indie games frankly zadolbali. And in the track record of developers before that, only the Reigns 9 series was listed.0312 is a rather primitive resource manager in the conditions of a merciless random, reminiscent of the gameplay of a simulator of balancing between chairs with oblong objects. In a word, nothing prepared me for the fact that one of the most amazing and original games of the year is hidden behind a nondescript wrapper.}

^{It’s important to understand that the cards here are just a front for a fascinating trickster story and original gameplay built on QTE . Each game here is a puzzle, in which the game fully tests not only manual dexterity, but also ingenuity. You do not even have to memorize the rules of specific games or select a deck for matches. But you will have to master quite real clever tricks and adapt them to the constantly changing situation at the table. In other words, this is literally a game about cheating! And what could be more pleasant than to cheat the enemy and go unnoticed, jingling a tightly stuffed wallet? Especially if all the games are cleverly tailored to a single plot, and the stakes only grow with each round.}

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Disappointment of the year. Scorn

^{Give Scorn her due where she deserves it. This is indeed one of the most beautiful games of the year and an outstanding achievement in terms of visual style by the standards of an indie project. Even elementary interaction animations with all sorts of buttons and levers are made as repulsive as the ugly inhabitants of this world — all to make the player feel out of place. If only the gameplay wasn’t so ugly.}

^{Clumsy combat with crooked reading of hits, dull segments of escaping from enemies, illogical and unbalanced puzzles, damn tags at the very beginning of the game!.. And just a lot of time wasted waiting for all sorts of elevators with extremely modest timing. The authors are so frenzied and at every corner break all the rules of good taste in game design that it begins to seem like a conceptual idea. Say, we have made the most disgusting environment, add to this to heighten the effect and the most disgusting gameplay! Maybe the idea really was in this and then — bravo for the implementation. Only here is a good game Scorn , alas, this does not work.}

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^{Totally unoriginal, but obvious game of the year choice. It’s worth noting here that Elden Ring was my first Souls game, which up to this point I had carefully avoided. I have enough adventures in my life to deliberately look for suffering also in games. However, several people whose opinion I trust strongly advised me to try Elden Ring , which is exactly what I did. And he didn’t regret it at all. 130 hours flew by in an instant. Well, maybe, except for the episode when I killed Malenia. I flunked it, it seems, from 63 attempts, so I would probably not be able to call these couple of hours an easy walk.}

^{The project itself impressed me deeply for two things. First, a really cool open world. Lately, just the phrase «Open World» makes me sick, but Miyazaki did amazing. All caches, dungeons and enemies are custom, placed manually and located exactly in their places. The last time I explored the map with such excitement and interest, it seems, was in the third Witcher. Secondly, the amazing honesty of local mechanics: if you managed to push the boss into the abyss, then he will fall there and break. If you hit the wall with a sword in a narrow crypt, then you do not hit the enemy — the weapon will bounce. If you managed to release a deadly magic beam at the enemy, increasing the damage from spells in several ways at once, then you can even bang the story boss from one cast. And there are hundreds of such details. After that, by the way, I tried Bloodborne and… didn’t like it at all. So Elden Ring seems to be the only one, but it is obviously worth going through even for beginners in the genre, because it is a piece product of the highest level.}

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^{The game that passed unnoticed by most gamers and journalists at the beginning of the year. And it’s completely in vain, because before us is an uncut diamond. In it, we have to go the way of a young Roman (or Roman woman) from a simple fugitive from a noble family to the liberator of the Roman Republic itself. Or the first emperor of the new Empire — that’s how it goes. Expeditions: Rome is one of the best works on the theme of ancient Rome. And I am telling you this as a person who is studying ancient history in a country located in the center of the former Empire.}

^{There are amazingly developed characters, as well as an original, albeit fictional story that could well have happened in reality. The beauty is also in the fact that it depends on our decisions how exactly everything will end, and what fate will be prepared for both individuals and entire states. Most players were probably put off by the turn-based combat, but it turned out to be quite good. Although it is worth playing, first of all, because of the story and plot. Yes, there are rather boring trips around the global map with a system of random events like those in the first Fallout , but that’s a small price to pay for the most authentic and compelling story-driven adventure set in ancient Rome ever created. Be sure to catch up if, like me, you are breathing unevenly towards ancient history.}

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^{Oh, how bad she is. Unbound, , perhaps, has collected a full house of all sorts of problems and vices. I would call it the worst Need for Speed ​​ in the long history of the series, but, nevertheless, there was also Most Wanted from 2012, which was basically an aimless drive through a dead city. So: in the most Zoomer game of 2022, almost everything is bad. The only bright spot is the tuning, which provides some really impressive visual customization options. Everything else is disgusting!}

^{There is practically no progression as such in the game — it has been replaced by banal money making. Moreover, there are so few tracks and races that very soon you learn all the routes by heart. Also, there is no fast travel, and you constantly have to drag from the garage to the racing hub and back. Because money has replaced normal progress here, it’s constantly in short supply, and at first you can’t afford a new bumper or lights. The heroes are dumb as traffic jams, so it’s disgusting to look at local uninitiated buzzers, just going with the flow. The voice acting of the main character seems to have been entrusted to some programmer, but the rest of the characters speak such a «street English» which is also impossible to listen to. Three-quarters of the car drifts when you least want it, no matter how you set it up in the garage. But it is normal to enter a turn in a skid (as before) only on certain selected machines.}

^{The visual is a pile of some kind of ridiculous colorful special effects that splashed onto a gray and nondescript picture from Heat. For visually, the games differ so scantly that to distinguish one NFS from another without an interface is possible only by these very wings and emoticons. Oh yes: even in the local multiplayer there is a SEPARATE progression with earning money and buying cars, but there are no special chips and differences from a single game. It’s just that from time to time there are races in the lobby where you can join. So if you just want to drive once with friends — if you please, farm everything from the beginning. In general, the list can go on and on, but I’m afraid our editor-in-chief is already looking angrily at this canvas, deciding what to cut out from here. All in all, don’t buy this. Unbound is very, VERY bad.}

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^{At a time when activists are trying to ban sexuality and are forcing developers to make heroines as close to reality as possible (I just go into games, not to escape reality, yeah), an action game about a passionate and elegant witch with a habit of getting naked during witchcraft looks like real heresy in the eyes of sect members since Reddit , ResetERA and Twitter . Certainly knowing the reaction of these individuals, PlatinumGames deliberately added a chastity mode to the game, making it less explicit.}

^{But jokes aside, Bayonetta 3 is indeed one of the best games of the year for me. The authors decided to slightly slow down the overly dynamic pace of the second part, and the combat system brought to perfection allows you not only to effectively, but also effectively deal with opponents. I’m not even talking about the music and style of the game — they are just amazing. One might even say that from Bayonetta 3 I felt the same emotions when I first met the original Devil May Cry .}

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^{As a big fan of the Warhammer universe, I just couldn’t get past this game. And while I’m not a big fan of strategy — especially with turn-based elements — I just could not refuse the opportunity to lead the army of pierced sodomites of the Prince of Pleasure of Slaanesh, trying to trample the pus-covered minions of the god of decay Nurgle into the ground.}

^{The plot also pleasantly surprised me with a good elaboration, offering to go to the rescue of the Bear God Ursun, the main deity of the kingdom of Kislev, who in the fantasy universe Warhammer plays the role of medieval Rus’. Moreover, each of the presented factions is trying to help out the bear solely from their own greedy interests — except for Kislev, of course.}

^{In terms of design, Warhammer 3 is simply gorgeous in my opinion. The realm of the Chaos Gods looks exactly like I imagined them when reading the books.}

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^{No one asked for it, no one expected it, but Sony decided that fans would be willing to pay for anything as long as it was exclusive. And nothing that PlayStation 4 already has a remaster of the original The Last of Us , which not only costs less, but also offers more content.}

^{This is one of the laziest and most mediocre remakes I’ve ever seen. The developers not only changed almost nothing visually, but also did not expand the storyline in any way — although I would like to know more about Tess or the same Bill without going to the fan Wiki.}

^{Where did the multiplayer go? Yes, the developers promise to make a completely new multiplayer mode based on The Last of Us Part 2 , but then why is the cut-down game worth as a full-fledged one? The Sony has just once again shown its commitment to the PlayStation’s loyal fan base.}

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^{It just so happens that Vampire Survivors I was the first to notice} on GameGuru — a clumsy, frankly simple and in many ways minimalistic game turned out to be a disastrously successful time waster. If you don’t believe me, then ask Phil Spencer, who poured an indecent amount of hours into this game for his business status. For the first time, she pleased us last year, but she left early access only in October 2022.

^{Whatever one may say, a loner with the nickname poncle came up with one of the most important trends of the outgoing year — the formula for success Vampire Survivors under the cumbersome name «arena action-RPG survival roguelight» many tried to copy, but really high-quality clones turned out only from Soulstone Survivors and 20 Minutes Till Dawn . Yes, and they fade in the glory of the original …}

^{The secret of charm VS is as simple as the game itself — it is an idea to rethink the great Crimsonland, removing the need for the player to aim and making the destruction of monsters automated. A kind of action-idler with tons of pixel freaks, which our protagonist tears up in batches in a matter of seconds. The gameplay is ingenious in its addictive simplicity, and it’s really impossible to resist! In general, it is not for nothing that the game has become one of the most important indies of 2022.}

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Game of the Year #2. Marvel Snap

^{Once upon a time Ben Broad was famous for being one of the key game designers of Hearthstone. He was both the creative engine and face of the project, quickly becoming a favorite with thousands of gamers thanks to his endearing streaming style and infectious Dr. Livesey-style laugh.}

^{In April 2018, when Hearthstone began to deflate after the modern Blizzard, and creativity gave way to inclusiveness and quotas for LGBT content mandatory for the values ​​of the studio, Broad took the suitcases and moved to Marvel Studios. Together with today’s top superhero and arch-villain experts, he came up with Marvel Snap — an overall very accessible CCG. Even simpler and more understandable than Hearthstone , with an average game session time of four 4 minutes.}

^{Thanks to the heroes so beloved by all Marvel , the game was a meteoric success — it was quickly recognized as the best mobile project of the year, and the battle pass can be used as an example even for such popular titles as Apex Legends or Genshin Impact . For the sake of being able to touch Marvel Snap , I had to move to Kazakhstan (at least virtually!), but hundreds of hours spent in the game compensated for all previous inconveniences.}

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^{There were many more disgusting games in 2022 than good ones — just remember Postal 4 , Babylon’s Fall or Overwatch 2 . But standing apart among them is New Tales from the Borderlands , the black sheep of the Borderlands series, which literally spared money on advertising. I suppose Gearbox knew in advance what fate awaits the main wok project of the year with crinkly humor and characters whose only destiny is to please the progressive audience from Twitter .}

^{There is some incredible justice in the loud failure New Tales from the Borderlands , which, unlike the dull Diablo Immortal or, for example, Gotham Knights , turned out to be of no use to anyone at all and of no interest to anyone. Randy Pitchford felt that his team could easily handle the legacy of Telltale without the veterans of Borderlands, and the people who made Tales from the Borderlands a masterpiece. The sequel mocked everything that gamers love — the canons of the series, favorite characters like Reese or Fiona, and, in the end, common sense. It’s hard for me to single out a game worse than the sequel to Tales from the Borderlands, because even the one I hate so much has Overwatch 2 has at least some merit. And this, if I may say so, interactive soap opera should have been canceled even before the pilot episode was released. Stay away from her!}

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#1 game of the year. Pac-Man World Re-Pac

^{The original Pac-Man World came out on the original PS in 1999 and has had a couple of sequels since then, but it’s only now that the first part has managed to look at PC . This is such a meticulous remake that it’s very easy to call it a remaster — the game can still feel like a game from the past (sorry) millennia in places! But this is not always a minus, especially since the remake tried to fix the most unpleasant moments. It’s still simple in concept, but an enjoyable platform game for the whole family.}

^{Unfortunately, the sudden announcement was followed by the same sudden oblivion — Pac-Man World Re-Pac is now remembered only by the official account of Pac-Man himself or the thematic wiki. I had a great time in this game and I hope that the next two parts will be re-released in the same way, because the sequel is amazingly good.}

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^{Despite the fact that Fortnite was released five years ago, it very often manages to reinvent itself and give players a sense of discovery again. The last season of the last chapter and the current one involved me so much that I took a hundred levels in the first week. With huge earnings from a dedicated audience, developers manage to roll out updates almost every two weeks, which makes Fortnite is the most supported game in the world. Not surprisingly, it is easy to stay in it for a very long time.}

^{And this season they added the Executioner of Doom, but this did not affect my assessment in any way. Honestly!}

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Disappointment of the year. Stray

^{I love cats very much and buying Stray was a matter of principle and a matter of timing. Of course, I was wildly touched by how cool they reproduced the cat’s behavior in the game, but alas, there is no depth behind this gimmick (amazing). Stray is a beautiful, but completely empty game with a not very interesting world, no plot, and incredibly boring gameplay. I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy it, but in the second hour I became more and more disappointed. No other game has made me as sad this year as Stray .}

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^{Yes, the game is not the first year on the market, but I still play and, believe it or not, enjoy it. You go to several skating rinks in the evening, you feel something unpleasant in your throat, and then you go out. I like that at Apex Legends three players in the team, you can always say that I played incredibly cool, but the other two fools let me down (Seryoga, if you are reading this text, then you have always been cool, this is not about you!).}

^{The main thing is that I learned not to burn while playing Apex. I disembark, get shot in the ass and in the knee, get out, and then start the next rink. No broken keyboards, no shouting — everything is decorous and noble.}

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^{I left a couple of dozen hours in it, scrubbing houses in the form of shoes, roofs in the form of roofs, and cars that are like cars, only very dirty. My jet was so strong that the mouse was pulled in different directions, but I kept it exactly on the dirty object to make it as clean as possible. Lots of different attachments, amazing locations that you couldn’t even imagine being dirty, addictive and weirdly delivering gameplay, action-packed NPC notes — Powerwash Simulator deserves to be the brainless game of the year.}

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^{This is a typical case when «it’s not about you, it’s about me» .}