2022 is set to deliver a new cache of games for PS5 owners who were lucky enough to actually secure a console during the last 12 months. There's a slew of exclusives, some much-anticipated sequels, and brand new IPs with a lot to offer, so PS5 players should have plenty to keep them entertained throughout the year.
It remains to be seen how well the developers will have leveraged the potent power of the console, particularly for games that rely on it for dramatic lighting effects. Regardless, there's enough content here to last for the long haul. The only issue is which of these titles gamers are most excited to get their hands on.
Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 will end up being one of the PS5's most anticipated games, but it will come with an overburdening amount of caution attached to it. The original release from CD Projekt Red was so notorious that it was removed from the PlayStation Store, citing near-unplayable gameplay on the PS4.
With nearly a year and a half to pull its socks up, the company is trying again, this time on PS5. Those who have played the PC version know that Cyberpunk 2077 has had tons of hilarious glitches, but has remained relatively stable. The patching roap has been less-than-stellar, so it's up to CD Projekt Red to pull out all the stops, and deliver a good game to PS5 players.
Star Trek: Resurgence
This particular Picard series featured things that made no sense, leaving fans split evenly down the middle.
Resurgence might be a small, albeit welcome shot in the arm for the franchise. It borrows elements of Telltale's The Walking Dead and Batman games and blends it with a post-Next Generation era of Star Trek. There's reason to be both optimistic and cautious about the game, but it certainly does help solve a drought of Star Trek games over the years.
Stray
And now, for something a bit different to the standard fare, there is Stray, a game that literally puts players in the paws of a street cat. The game takes place in a future where robots are the dominant entity on the planet, and mankind has been suppressed. As the titular Stray, it's up to the player to investigate this new world, interact with the robots, and watch the story unfold.
Stray's biggest draw is the gameplay, and how players will interact with the world around them. Relying on the agility and nimbleness of a cat is paramount not just for survival, but for solving a series of environmental puzzles along the way. It may end up being underrated, but it looks like quite an interesting concept.
Squadron 51
By far one of the most inventive and charming side-scrolling shooters to come out in recent memory, Squadron 51 bets the farm on the charm of 1950s sci-fi films. Players control old-style propeller aircraft in combat against invaders from outer space who have come to take over the planet.
The gameplay is heavy on the type of arcade-style shooters that came out in the 80s and 90s, but the real draw is the visual style. The game has been done in black and white, and it leverages its color palette by focusing heavily on shadows, contrast, and intensity to create atmosphere. It even adds an old projector reel-style overlay to the game, to make it look like it came straight out of the 1950s.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
James Gunn's 2021 Suicide Squad film underperformed criminally at the box office, yet it was one of the best superhero movies to come out in the last few years. Hopefully, the video game capitalization manages to do better, especially given the upside-down narrative of the game.
Kill the Justice League is an ominous enough title, but it does fit if the trailer is anything to go by. The team's hilarious antics and eye-rolling behavior are on full display here, which should lead to a lot of laughs, even when the story goes into darker territory.
Gotham Knights
Fans of the Gotham Knights does not take place in the same timeline, but the overall gameplay style of the original looks to be largely intact here. The story involves the infamous and mysterious Court of Owls making their move on Gotham, following Batman's apparent demise.
It's up to heroes like Nightwing, Batgirl, and the Red Hood to step in and fill his shoes. The game has a more colorful palette than the Arkham games, but the atmosphere is just as gritty and atmospheric. If done right, Gotham Knights may end up being one of the best Batman video games in the roster.
Horizon Forbidden West
Horizon's incredible cast of characters, story, and world. Meanwhile, PS5 owners can experience the next chapter of this gripping and emotional series that blends an Ark-style world with sci-fi elements and amazing spectacle.
New enemy machine designs, skills, and quests are just a part of the allure for this sequel. Players can also expect to lose themselves in a beautifully archaic world of historical ruins and dense foliage, as mankind struggles to keep from going out like a flickering candle.
Gran Turismo 7
It's hard to fathom, but Gran Turismo has been going since 1997, with the seventh installment ready to hit the PS5 in 2022. Polyphony Digital's latest entry is designed to leverage the full might of the PS5, particularly when it comes to lighting and reflections on cars.
Players will get to build yet another dream car collection while modifying each vehicle to fit their exact specifications. Gran Turismo's focus remains, of course, on providing an accurate and realistic driving simulation, but it remains to be seen how well the seventh chapter fares in an era when the Forza series has stolen some of its thunder.
Elden Ring
This extremely-anticipated fantasy hack and slash RPG blends the gameplay formula of titles like Dark Souls with a story co-written from the mind of Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin. While GOT fans might be incensed that Martin is spending his time on this project, as opposed to finishing The Winds of Winter, they can at least enjoy this story in the meantime.
Visually, the game is set in a very dark fantasy world with a tale that borrows lightly from J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings novels. It's full of nefarious and terrifying creatures, fast-paced combat, and of course, a sprawling amount of quests designed to satisfy hardcore action RPG fans.
God Of War: Ragnarok
Sony is preparing to drop the original soft reboot of Norse theme of the God of War franchise starring Kratos, the man who previously obliterated the Greek Gods of Olympus, only to start a new life in another land.
The story will focus heavily on Kratos and his son Atreus, now a teenager, as they deal with the fallout of the events from the first game. Players can expect more of the same over-the-top cinematic battles, gripping plot twists, and amazing creature designs as previous games in the franchise.