With the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 a little over a year into their lifecycle, and the Nintendo Switch OLED out in full force, it is time to look ahead to the rest of the year and see what games of 2022 there are to look forward to. The current gen consoles are able to push much more in terms of performance and graphics, and with that power, games are slowly looking more exciting, realistic and innovative. The Nintendo Switch, while not at the peak of technical prowess, manages to deliver some remarkable experiences that, even with limited power, manage to draw in people to spend countless hours on them.
The year has already been strong with games like OlliOlli World, Sifu, Pokémon Legends: Arceus, and Horizon Forbidden West hitting consoles everywhere. Even with that jam-packed first quarter of 2022, there is plenty more coming out, with some of the biggest franchises releasing sequels and follow-ups that people are salivating to play.
This has been a strong year for gaming already, with Elden Ring now out on PC, PlayStation and Xbox. A game that has been in development for over a decade and has been touted as one of the most anticipated games of 2022, it has already sparked the “get good” debate that swarms around any game out of FromSoftware.
It is easy to understand why, with FromSoftware’s talent, and the story chops of George R.R. Martin, the game is looking to take the Souls’ formula into a much more expansive and complex experience. Elden Ring keeps a brutally dark fantasy setting and builds upon it with this gritty RPG set in a world of crumbling empires and shattered dreams.
But with Elden Ring here, and the year just starting, what else do gamers have to look forward to, and what are some of the games that will give you a read to pick up a PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch OLED or Xbox Series.
Release Date: March 4, 2022
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
No “Games of 2022” list would be complete without Gran Turismo 7. This is a game that is a true evolution of the series, building on what players love, while pushing the slavish love of the automobile even further than ever. The PlayStation 5 is a system that can deliver the experience that has always been dreamt of. From the small details on the cars, to how they feel, the new features allow the audio, visual and gameplay experience to feel closer than ever the connection between man and machine that the series has always striven to portray.
Gran Turismo 7 is set for release on March 4, 2022. This game is expected to be an improvement over Gran Turismo 6, with new tracks and cars. Some features that are expected in this game include a new career mode, online multiplayer, and a photo mode.
Ghostwire: Tokyo
Release Date: March 25, 2022
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Microsoft Windows
Ghostwire: Tokyo is a futuristic, cyberpunk themed first-person shooter game set in the year 2022. The game was developed and published by Bethesda, and is set in the fictional city of Tokyo. The game features a unique, fast-paced gameplay style, and players can explore the cityscape and fight against enemies using a variety of futuristic weapons and gadgets. It is certain to be an exciting addition to the slate of games of 2022.
With a unique look, and a haunting feel, Ghostwire: Tokyo looks like a title that will draw in audiences. The setting also feels part of the tone for the game, with Tokyo acting as a character in itself, giving context to the spirits, and giving the game an identity all its own. It is also a game that is pushing what is possible visually, with the power of the current generation of consoles on full display. Hitting late March, the latest from Tango Gameworks is looking to impress fans, especially if you like some horror with your gaming goodness.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Release Date: April 5, 2022
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X | S, Microsoft Windows
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is not a game I expected to see on the games of 2022 list, but it is also one of the LEGO games that has been in development the longest. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga takes all the LEGO action you know and love, and combines it in an experience that spans over 9 movies, from the Phantom Menace, all the way to The Rise of Skywalker.
Having seen a preview of the game back in 2018, I am excited to see how the game has evolved over that time. I love LEGO games, and from the sounds and previews, this could be the game to get if you love Star Wars. There is something magical about having people of all ages jump into the same game and find something fun to play for hours, with everyone enjoying different aspects of the experience. Thankfully we don’t have long to wait for possibly one of the best family games of 2022, with it hitting systems everywhere on April 5th.
Evil Dead: The Game
Release Date: May 13, 2022
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5
The Evil Dead film series is a landmark series when it comes to horror, and horror comedy. The series protagonist, Ash, is one of the stand-out characters from the 80s and remains a staple for any horror hero list even up to today. So, when they announced there would be an Evil Dead game, I was a little excited. With Bruce Campbell reprising his role of Ash, and the tone and style of the game feeling so true to the movies, it looks to be a horror romp we have wanted for decades, and one of the most anticipated games of 2022.
It is hard to say how well the final game will fare in today’s gaming landscape, but from the trailers and all the details, the team has a love of the subject, and it is hitting all the notes needed to make it something special. Thankfully, we don’t have to wait long to get our bloody claws onto it, with it hitting consoles and PC May 13th, 2022.
Two Point Campus
Release Date: May 17, 2022
Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5
If you’re into building complex and zany worlds then Sega has a game for you. Two Point Campus is an upcoming business simulation game developed by Two Point Studios and published by Sega. It is a successor to Two Point Hospital that was released back in 2018, and tasks the player with building and managing a university campus.
Much like the aforementioned Two Point Hospital, there will be plenty of silliness to experience as you go about your mundane tasks of building and managing the place of higher learning. Two Point Campus will be released for Windows, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S on 17 May 2022.
Saints Row
Release Date: August 23, 2022
Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5
Saints Row is an upcoming action-adventure video game and a reboot of the Saints Row series. The game is intended as a return to the lighter tone of Saints Row: The Third, moving away from the wackier tone of later games in the series. Volition’s Jeremy Bernstein compared Saints Row IV to Moonraker of the James Bond films series, going so far outside the realm that they need to reel them back in.
With the power of the latest generation of consoles, a solid team behind them, and a new direction for the series, this is one of the hotly anticipated games of 2022, giving a new life to a beloved series. Slated to hit Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in August of this year, we will soon see if this new direction for the series will pay off for fans.
Starfield
Release Date: November 11, 2022
Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
For people who love complex open world RPG’s, there is something special coming near the end the year that is poised to be one of the biggest games of 2022. Starfield is the latest from the studio that brought us Elder Scrolls, and Fallout, and will be one of the first releases since Microsoft purchased the developer back in 2021.
There is little known about how Starfield will play, but all signs point to it following the Bethesda formula closely, bringing new concepts, and ideas to the experience as players explore a whole new world filled with new dangerous, excitements and quests that will need doing. Starfield will be the first new intellectual property developed by Bethesda in over twenty-five years, and is looking to be a vast experience that players will spend countless hours on when it finally hits later in the year.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl
Release Date: December 8, 2022
Platforms: Xbox Series X and Series S, Microsoft Windows
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl is an upcoming first-person shooter survival horror video game developed and published by GSC Game World. Initially announced following the release of Call of Pripyat, it was planned to be released in 2012, before it was ultimately cancelled. The game resurfaced years later in 2018, with development restarted now on the Unreal Engine 5. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl is slated to be released for Microsoft Windows and the Xbox Series X/S in December 2022.
Atomic Heart
Release Date: TBA
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 5
Atomic Heart is an upcoming action role-playing game from Russian developer Mundfish. Taking place in the Soviet Union in an alternate reality 1955, advances in robotics in the 1920s enabled the USSR to defeat Nazi Germany in 1941, but with a much greater loss of life. This led to the automation of much of Russian labour and the development of the proto-internet called the “Collectiv 1.0”, linking these robots, vastly improving productivity and scientific advancement by 1950.
Playing as an unstable KGB agent named P-3, you have been sent by the government to discover why the factory has become silent. Atomic Heart is planned for release for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X and Series S in Q4 of 2022.
God of War: Ragnarök
Release Date: TBA
Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
God of War: Ragnarök is the sequel to the critical and fan favourite God of War (2018) from developer Santa Monica Studio and publisher Sony. Taking place three years after the events of the previous game, Fimbulwinter, a great winter that spanned three summers, is drawing to a close.
Now a teenager, Atreus, curious about his new identity, seeks the answers, as well as a means to prevent Ragnarök from happening. To discover the truth, Kratos and Atreus must go in search of the answers they need. With the potential to be one of our favourite games of 2022, God of War: Ragnarök is planned for the PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5, giving players a new journey for the epic Kratos to explore.
Hogwarts Legacy
Release Date: TBA
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Microsoft Windows
For everyone that loves the world of Harry Potter, Hogwarts Legacy is an upcoming action role-playing video game set in the late 1800s in the Wizarding World being developed by Avalanche Software and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It is one of the most anticipated games of 2022 to watch out for.
The game will take you back to the late 1800s, as you play as a student attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. You will be able to choose your Hogwarts House, attend classes at Hogwarts, and explore a large open world made up of locations including the Forbidden Forrest and Hogsmeade village. As the player character progresses through the game, you will learn to cast various spells, brew potions, tame magical beasts, and master various combat abilities.
