2022 has undeniably been one of the strongest years in gaming in the last few years with more than a dozen games making great cases as best games of the year. The year saw major publishers and platform holders pull out all stops to deliver jaw-dropping AAA blockbuster hits. However, the indie side of the industry also delivered in spades with one stone-cold hit after the other with innovative game design and bold creative choices.
The year also saw the new consoles, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, come into their own as gamers finally saw studios take full advantage of the powerful hardware to deliver absolute technical powerhouses. 2022 will go down in history as one of the strongest years in gaming that delivered consistently great games throughout the year.
While it is incredibly hard to play everything great that came out this year, here we have a nifty list for you to check out and see if there’s a great game you missed this year.
Also Read: Apex Legends Mobile Wins Best Game of the Year for Both Android and iOS
Top 10 Games of 2022 for PC/Console
Honorable Mentions:
- Rollerdome
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
- Tunic
- Call of Duty Modern Warfare II
- Gran Turismo 7
10. Goat Simulator 3
Kicking off this list is one of the most bizarre experiences you can have in gaming today and one that absolutely refuses to play by the rules or follow conventions of basic game design. Goat Simulator 3 is an experience unlike any other, apart from its own predecessor, of course. The game is essentially an open-world sandbox where you take control of the titular goat and are left to your own devices to do what you feel.
One of the things that might strike players checking out Goat Simulator 3 is an understandable urge to see what the last 2 Goat Simulator games were like. The thing is, there is Goat Simulator, and then there is Goat Simulator 2. The second game is perhaps lost to the ether, having not existed in the first place at all.
The game is a chaos-riddled fun fest that lets you break almost anything in the game without any consequence whatsoever. While this might seem rather pointless at first, it is when you play the game in a social setting you realize the true genius at work. Compounding the game’s social elements is the new 4-player co-op that lets you wreck the town along with 4 of your mates. Goat Simulator 3 is a lot many things: chaotic, stupid, utterly ridiculous, but most important of all, it is unconventionally fun.
System Requirements:
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: i5 4690k
- Memory: 8GB
- Storage: 12GB
- Direct X11
- Graphics: GTX 1050 Ti (4GB VRAM)
Genre:
Open-World
9. Horizon Forbidden West
One of the things that jump out of the screen about Horizon Forbidden West is the undeniably outrageous levels of production value present in the game. The game is an absolute technical powerhouse and a great showcase of what the PS5 is truly capable of. Guerilla takes all the learnings from the original and attempts to improve upon a pretty solid formula with a grander story that expands the scope of the world, all the while introducing more interesting enemy types and gameplay systems.
The game’s best moments come from the gigantic boss fights, which have been ramped up to a hundred in the sequel, with even more ways to bring down these mechanical beasts. The game suffers from inconsistent pacing and absurd creative choices when it comes to writing but it is overall one of PlayStation Studios’ best titles and deserves its place amongst the best games of the year.
Horizon Forbidden West, despite its flaws, manages to be a wholly rewarding experience that will likely be talked about as one of the brighter moments of this console generation. Now, with PlayStation exclusives slowly making their way over to PC – there is a very good chance PC players will be able to unlock the game’s full technical potential with powerful hardware.
Genre:
Open-World/Action-Adventure
8. Neon White
Every now and then, a game comes around that seems rather simplistic at first, but upon further inspection, you will be left realizing that it’s going to take a lot of practice to master. Neon White is one of those games whose core gameplay loop is rather easy to understand and pick up, but mastering it is a whole other ball game.
The simplest way to describe Neon White is as such: a speedrunning shooter simulator that gives you the tools to get through the level, but it is up to you to get through them as quickly as possible. Neon White comes at you fast and furious and expects the player to make split-second decisions in the heat of battle, forming a hilariously challenging and fun gameplay loop.
Developer Angel Matrix’s tribute to speedrunning and shooters is a delightfully ruthless game that will have players both punching the air in glee and smashing their monitors in frustration. The result is an enormously rewarding game that combines the best elements of shooters and speedrunning to deliver one of the most exciting games of 2022.
System Requirements:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10, 64-bit
- Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo E6750, 2.66 GHz | AMD Phenom II X3 720, 2.8 GHz (w/ at least 3-threads)
- Memory: 6 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450, 1 GB | AMD Radeon HD 5750, 1 GB
- Storage: 6 GB available space
Genre:
Open-World
7. A Plague Tale: Requiem
As a huge fan of the original, I didn’t quite expect the game to eventually birth a franchise as I thought the original, Innocence, told a rather contained story that was great just as it ended. A Plague Tale: Requiem takes note of that reservation and assures players that they are in safe hands and that the tale of Huge and Amicia’s story will be handled with utmost care and sincerity.
A Plague Tale: Requiem is a game that is far larger in scope and scale than the original. While that might scare away some fans of the original, they will be reassured to know that the game maintains the heart of the story, which is the dynamic between Hugo and Amicia. Despite performance issues on new consoles, A Plague Tale: Requiem’s earnest storytelling will win fans over.
The game is not nearly perfect as some gameplay sections tend to drag the pacing down to a crawl and it doesn’t help that the cumbersome stealth sections from the original make a return in this sequel. A Plague Tale: Requiem is a little rough around the edges, but if you were even a tiny bit curious as to where the siblings’ tale might head next, you will be glad to know that the story here is rather great.
System Requirements:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10 (20H1 64 bits)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-4690K (3.5 GHz)/AMD FX-8300 (3.3 GHz)
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: 4 GB, GeForce GTX 970/Radeon RX 590
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 55 GB available space
- Additional Notes: 30 FPS, 1920×1080 in low. DirectX 12 Feature Level 12 and Shader Model 6.0 are needed.
Genre:
Action-Adventure/Stealth
6. Pentiment
Over the years, Obsidian Entertainment has made quite a name for itself as one of the boldest, most creative makers of RPGs around. On the back of games like Fallout: New Vegas and The Outer Worlds, Obsidian has established itself as one of the best developers working within the RPG genre. Their latest game, Pentiment, is perhaps their boldest game to date and one that will go down in history as one of the best RPG adventure games of all time.
Pentiment is essentially a detective game that charges you with solving crimes in a medieval town. The bulk of the core gameplay loop involves inspecting clues and questioning townsfolk. The game takes cues from recent games like Disco Elysium to ground the players in a town that feels lived-in, authentic, and most of all, brimming with all sorts of secrets and malice. Pentiment has no combat to speak of, but the result is a much more cerebral experience that feels closer to the detective genre.
A riveting narrative and dedication to authenticity make Pentiment one of my personal favorite games of the year and its core gameplay loop packs so many surprises that it will have players coming back for more with repeated playthroughs. If it is a solid RPG adventure game you’re hoping to pick up, then Pentiment should be at the top of your list.
System Requirements:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 7 (SP1) 64bit
- Processor: Intel Core i3-3225
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: Nvidia GTX 650 Ti
- Storage: 12 GB available space
Genre:
Narrative Adventure
5. Cult of the Lamb
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like if Tim Burton and Wes Anderson came together to create a game, then it looks like Cult of the Lamb might just be what you’re looking for. Equal parts quirky as it is exhilarating, Cult of the Lamb is a product of undeniable excellence and dedication to a vision.
Cult of the Lamb appears at first to be a rather simple action-adventure rogue-lite with a decent combat system, but it is after a couple of hours you in realize that the game is actually a pretty deep base-management sim. The game packs a whole lot of content within a decently-sized game and gives players tons of side activities to do in their downtime. As the new leader of a demonic cult, it is your job to spread the evil word of The One Who Waits, and as such, you will be put into some rather precarious and exciting situations.
The game is a solid balance of a whole lot of genres but it rarely ever skips a beat while transitioning from one type of game to the other. As a massive fan of roguelites, Cult of the Lamb ticks a lot of boxes but it also has a ton of mainstream appeal which will help make it a lot more digestible to just fans of action games.
System Requirements:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 7 or later
- Processor: Intel Core i3-3240 (2 * 3400); AMD FX-4300 (4 * 3800)
- Memory: 4 GB RAM
- Graphics: GeForce GTX 560 Ti (1024 VRAM); Radeon HD 7750 (1024 VRAM)
- Storage: 4 GB available space
Genre:
Action/RPG/Top-Down Isometric
Rating
MSP Rating: 90/100
Availability:
Steam, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation 4/5, Nintendo Switch
4. Stray
From the very first time the game made an appearance at the PlayStation Showcase in 2020, a lot of eyes have been on Stray, if for nothing else but to just see what even is the game. Now that it’s finally out and players have taken a journey with our feline protagonist, Stray is a game that will stand out as one of the most creative games of the year.
At its core, Stray is a puzzle-platformer game that asks the player to explore increasingly terrifying locations and make their way back home. The game takes players through a variety of locations, all packed with all sorts of side content that do not feel tacked on. The game switches up the pacing by interspersing cinematic chases that have you avoiding large swarms of enemies by jumping across platforms, dodging projectiles, and even riding a shopping cart down the hill.
Stray did not even need to pack a great game around the understandably adorable protagonist, but it does. If you’re someone who’s looking to play a game where your protagonist is probably more adorable than any other in gaming, then Stray should be right up your alley, it also doesn’t hurt that the game is pretty fantastic to play overall.
System Requirements:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i5-2300 | AMD FX-6350
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti, 2 GB | AMD Radeon R7 360, 2 GB
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 10 GB available space
Genre:
Action-Adventure
3. Sifu
If there’s one thing that gamers love more than anything, it is the satisfying sound of a clenched fist hitting an enemy’s jaw. If you’re in the mood to hear that a million times over along with the sound of a flippy roundhouse kick to the face and all sorts of other melee, then Sifu is the game for you.
Sifu isn’t just one of the most fun, action-packed experiences in gaming ever, it is also a deeply challenging game that will have you in tears by the end of it. The core gameplay loop is rather simple. Kick, punch, and elbow your way across mid-sized levels, but the catch is, you age up each time you die. So, the goal is to make it through levels without having died at all. This creates an enormously challenging and difficult loop as you try to avoid damage and make your way through the level as quickly as possible.
As you age, you might do a lot more damage, but you are also more susceptible to taking more damage. The solid gameplay loop will have players coming back for more, and its innovative approach to progression will have players staying with Sifu for months on end. Sifu is one of the greatest achievements in gaming this year and a true stand-out in a year that was chock-full of great releases.
System Requirements:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i5-2300 | AMD FX-6350
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti, 2 GB | AMD Radeon R7 360, 2 GB
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 10 GB available space
Genre:
Action/Beat-Em-Up
Rating
MSP Rating: 95/100
Availability:
Steam, PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
2. Elden Ring
FromSoftware Games has now successfully established itself as true pioneers – a truly innovative studio that has not only birthed a new genre but paved the way back for challenging games into the mainstream. Elden Ring is the culmination of the studio’s efforts in the last 2 decades and they pretty much left everything out on the floor with this one. There has rarely ever been a game where you can sink 50+ hours into and you’re still discovering new areas, enemies, and storylines – the effort is absolutely gargantuan and the result is a game that stands apart in a league entirely of its own.
The final two entries in the list are pretty interchangeable as they both pretty much accomplish the zenith of the art form and deliver on their vision. Elden Ring is the stuff gamers have been dreaming about for years – a game that takes its audience seriously enough to challenge them, while also providing a riveting world that will soak up their imagination for years to come.
Elden Ring packs a beastly amount of content that will take weeks for players to see it all through, all the while delivering the classic FromSoft gameplay players have come to know and love. While the gameplay is undeniably excellent, my favorite aspect of Elden Ring comes from its obtuse storytelling, which is on full display with its many secret side quests, characters, and arcs. FromSoftware has proved yet again why their games continue to get the acclaim they get and one can only imagine what the studio has in store next.
System Requirements:
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: INTEL CORE I5-8400 or AMD RYZEN 3 3300X
- Memory: 12 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1060 3 GB or AMD RADEON RX 580 4 GB
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 60 GB available space
- Sound Card: Windows Compatible Audio Device
Genre:
Action-RPG/Open-World
Rating
MSP Rating: 100/100
Availability:
Steam, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
1. God of War Ragnarok
The Sony first-party formula is one that is rather simple at first: giant, narrative-driven, blockbuster games with incredible levels of polish and solid gameplay loops. God of War: Ragnarok is the poster child for that formula this console generation and will go down in history as perhaps one of the greatest sequels in gaming history.
It would be an understatement to suggest God of War Ragnarok builds on the original as it doesn’t just improve, but deepens and tightens the core gameplay loop to an absurd degree. Everything is bigger and better this time around, from the combat to the exploration, and especially the story. The game fleshes out the world of Norse mythology to an even deeper extent and carefully interacts with themes such as family, parenthood, and loss with incredible nuance.
God of War Ragnarok carefully balances gameplay and story in a way that one feeds into the other and vice versa. The game is truly a testament to just how incredibly powerful the medium of video games is and just how potent of a vehicle it is for storytelling.
Genre:
Action-Adventure
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