Every once in a while, the team here at 2Game tries to take a small break from the realities of AAA game development. Namely, the fact that games keep getting bigger and bigger, taking up more time than ever before to beat. And, really, this list of the best AA games of 2022 doesn't try to claim that smaller-scale games are better than flagship releases. Instead, they're different - more focused, contained, and easier to fully wrap up. There's value in that! Especially if you're strapped for time and, perhaps, don't feel like spending a full $70 on a new game!

If these features resonate with you, but you'd still like to get a top-notch, quality product, you've come to the right place. AAA games can be overrated sometimes, after all, and many AA game examples we've got listed below beat them handily!

Down below, we've assembled our list of the very best AA games of 2022. Six of them, to be very specific, covering a pretty stellar range of genres, topics, and niches. Shooter fans, racing fans, and adventure game fans all need apply, as well as anyone looking for a fun gaming novelty. If you're on the hunt for awesome new double-A games because you don't feel like investing in indie games, this is the ticket.

What are AA games?

AA or double-A games are smaller productions with smaller budgets that are still being made by relatively large gaming studios. Remedy Entertainment's Control, for example, is a prime AA video game, though it still enjoys a really high level of polish and stellar production values. AA games can be independent, but they are often not. Instead, they're still usually funded by publishing companies and focus on delivering a smaller scope, scale, and reach than AAA games do.

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The Best AA Games of 2022

If you've been with us for a long while now, you may remember 2021's Eurojank overview we published back in the day. This article is similar in approach, though with a more decisive focus on quality. We do recommend that article still, mind, as we haven't really had much in the way of new janky releases ever since.

The audiences for Eurojank and AA do overlap, though, so if you're a fan of one or the other, your choices for a chill, low-cost gaming holiday season have essentially doubled!

Blacktail | First-Person Adventure

The highest-rated game on this list is, at face value, rather unassuming. Yet, Blacktail isn't shy about its ambitions. As we outlined in our big giveaway of Blacktail, here's a game about one of the central parts of Slavic mythology. Essentially, players are put into the shoes of an incarnation of Baba Yaga, and then they get to explore a fantasy world that's severely underused in the video game industry. Blacktail is fun, inventive, and remarkably clever, and we're hoping that this video game has kickstarted a new age of Slavic myth in modern media.

Evil West | Third-Person Action

If it's just badass combat you're after, though, you can't go wrong with Evil West. Coming from the makers of Shadow Warrior, Hard Reset, and Trek to Yomi, this game stands out as an attempt at looking back at what made classic shooters of the late aughts as good as they arguably were. It's a brutal, highly focused title that lets you go ham on vampires and cowboys alike. In many ways, that's about as much as one can hope from in an AA game!

Digimon Survive | Visual Novel/Turn-Based Strategy

More of a visual novel than it is an action game, Digimon Survive shows very plainly just how much of an untapped potential the Digimon IP is. This is not a kids' video game, either. You're looking at a surprisingly deep and grim story of a few kids finding themselves in a horrific situation. At times, it's a veritable horror game more than anything else! It's also rather long and very reliant on player choices to move the story forward. So, a top-notch option for RPG lovers that stands out even when compared to AAA titles.

Ghostwire Tokyo | First-Person Adventure

It's a bit funny and curious that Ghostwire Tokyo is the second mythological title on this list, tackling the subject matter of Japanese folklore in much the same way as Blacktail does with Slavic folklore. It's a first-person affair, too, creating a fascinating parallel between the two titles. The good news, though, is that Ghostwire is plenty good enough to stand on its own two feet, too. In fact, it was made by the team behind The Evil Within. It's an excellent choice for those who need something a tiny bit different from what we usually get in a video game.

Sunday Gold | Point 'n' Click/Turn-Based Strategy

We were a bit taken aback with how little attention was given to Sunday Gold ever since it first came out. A uniquely stylized dystopian point 'n' click adventure, this video game tackles the topic of organized crime with impressive poise. Sunday Gold made its way into our recent list of awesome late 2022 indies, too, and it's a phenomenal choice for those who'd like something similar to Disco Elysium, but with a bit of combat added for good measure. Because - yes - this is also a turn-based RPG!

Redout 2 | Racing

Is racing your poison of choice, though? Well, worry not! Redout 2 is here to shake up the genre! A sci-fi arcade racer, Redout 2 foregoes wheeled cars in lieu of blisteringly fast hovercraft. Note, too, that when we say "blisteringly," we mean it. These monsters go upwards of 2,000 MPH (!) and have players duking it out on and around various planets of the galaxy. It's a phenomenally out-there title that'll prove perfect for fans of arcade racing games. The fact that it's a double-A game makes it all the better (because it's cheaper).

Looking for More? We've Got It!

Did we give you any exciting new ideas for your next holiday gaming session? Well, we certainly hope so! Especially if you're looking to avoid overspending on AAA games. But here's the thing: even if you aren't all that thrilled about any of the games on this list, we've got plenty more recommendations to show for! Here are a few of them for you to check out, featuring AA game examples more often than not:

• 5 Cozy Games to Play This Winter
• 3 Awesome New Indies for Weekend Gaming
• The Finest Horror Franchises to Play in 2022

And, just for those who are in a very comprehensive mood, we also recommend the top 100 PC games of 2Game, the 2022 edition. An immense list of the 100 of our very favorite titles that, we believe, everyone ought to have in their gaming libraries. Of course, we will return in the future with more AA games to replace your triple-A games, too!

Speaking of which: what does a full year's worth of free games sound like? Indeed, our big PC gaming giveaway is live again, and you still have plenty of time to join! Don't dawdle, though, because it's a heck of a competition already.

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