So far, 2022 has had some hit releases like 2022 video game releases so far have had a major impact on the gaming community as a whole, and some of them weren't expected to be as captivating as they ended up being. Players also have the future to look forward to as there are still plenty of anticipated titles set to launch before the end of the year.
In addition to the video games that already launched this year, 2022 has seen its fair share of delays into 2023, with more that could be announced later on. Every year, different studios decide to move a product's launch date back to polish certain aspects of a game that aren't quite where they need to be. Both Starfield and Redfall received delays into 2023, and Nintendo's sequel to Breath of The Wild did as well. There had been fear that God of War Ragnarök wouldn't come out this year, but those fears were at last put to rest by Sony Santa Monica, which finally confirmed the sequel will be launching in November. Until then, though, players still have plenty of time to dive into the best games that have already been released in 2022.
The best games of 2022 so far are Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West, Stray, Evil Dead: The Game, Ghostwire: Tokyo, and Tiny Tina's Wonderlands. Despite the unfavorable news regarding the big delays for the year, other successful releases have had such a positive impact that it's made up for the disappointment, with high-profile AAA releases and indies alike taking top honors.
No Other 2022 Game Has Had An Impact Like Elden Ring
At this point, Elden Ring needs no introduction; it has taken the gaming world by storm since its launch back in February. Indeed, Elden Ring has ruined other open-world game experiences for some because it's done so well for itself. Providing a Dark Souls-style experience taken to new heights in a massive world, it indicates that FromSoftware was more successful than anyone expected in its leap of faith to make the video game experience revolutionary. The bad news is that expectations from players have risen at a rate that doesn't catch up to the current video game releases. Nonetheless, Elden Ring remains indisputably the best game overall from 2022 so far, and it's hard to fathom how another game would take its place this year (or potentially even in the next few).
Horizon Forbidden West Was A Sequel That Didn't Disappoint
Video game sequels have a way of running elements of their predecessor because of a lack of innovation, but Horizon Forbidden West's story, lore, and mechanics were a nice progression from the first installment. Not only was the game itself an upgrade, but the graphical fidelity was a major step up from Zero Dawn, which was hard to believe considering how beautiful that game was already. Many thought Forbidden West would get drowned by the close release to Elden Ring, and it did likely lose some traction due to that game's success, but it has had steady sales and player counts since its launch in February. Since it's a PlayStation exclusive, that makes its numbers all the more impressive, as it's still only available to a select group of players. Horizon Forbidden West is one of 2022's best video games and will probably remain that way throughout the entire year.
Stray Was A Pleasant Surprise Among 2022 Releases
Stray features a cat exploring a cyberpunk world, and its concept has captivated players of all sorts. What's made the game so enjoyable is its focus on simplicity and mechanics. While adventuring around a colorful city as a cat, players can also have small chats with NPCs and interact with the world in unique and satisfying ways.
Stray was developed by a small Indie team based out of , BlueTweleve Studio; it's very rare to see such a small game gain so much in such little time. The game has been such a success that players are already talking about a sequel being developed at some point. Perhaps one of the biggest downfalls of Stray is that it's only playable on PC through Steam and on PlayStation consoles - Xbox is excluded, at least for the time being.
Evil Dead: The Game Is As Good As The Movies
Evil Dead: The Game, like Sam Raimi's movies that came before it, is full of violence and humor. It's hard to transition a movie to a game, or vice versa, yet maintain the original look and feel. The major highlights of Evil Dead, however, lie in the survival elements and multiplayer. Fighting alongside other players through the co-op mode is by far one of the best teamwork experiences in any video game released this year. In addition to that, Evil Dead: The Game offers in-depth characters and a rewarding progression system, with some awesome-looking cosmetics available as well. While Evil Dead: The Game certainly isn't the best game of 2022, it's at the top.
Ghostwire: Tokyo Has Unique Gameplay & An Impeccable Open World
Ghostwire: Tokyo is another one of 2022's gems - and for a good reason. After Elden Ring's brutal gameplay, Ghostwire: Tokyo is a perfect palate cleanser, the city of Shibuya acting as a more leisurely nice cool-down from the constant battling of tough enemies. Aside from Cyberpunk 2077's Night City, Shibuya is next in line for the most dynamic and beautiful environment that utilizes ray-tracing graphics. While the story plays a major part in Ghostwire, walking around the city in the rain is enough to spark intrigue, and it's a perfect backdrop to an otherwise solid adventure that packs in tons to see and do. Another reason that Ghostwire: Tokyo deserves to be called one of 2022's best video games is the unique combat system that introduces Japanese mythology to the mix, which is refreshing for western audiences that haven't had a new Fatal Frame or Project Zero since 2014.
All in all, 2022 has seen some spectacular game releases, but it has also been negatively impacted by all the unfortunate delays into 2023. With God of War Ragnarök's release date still coming in November, the year still hasn't seen all of its best games, but currently, and for the foreseeable future, Elden Ring remains the pinnacle release yet to be beaten.
