Best Games to Play in 2022

Photo: Bandai Namco, PlayStation Studios, Bethesda Game Studios, Nintendo
While the last few years have proven that things can go wildly wrong at a moment’s notice, it’s hard to look at the projected 2022 video game release schedule and not get excited about what’s shaping up to be one of the best video game years ever.
While there are a few games scheduled for release in 2022 that we’ve been looking forward to for years now, it’s the depth of the year’s lineup that really sets it apart. While we’re still waiting for several of the year’s biggest games to finally get release dates (and delays are obviously always a possibility), there’s a very good chance that every month this year will feature multiple new releases that will end up being in the game of the year conversation.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, though, let’s take a look at some of the biggest upcoming releases in 2022 and why you should have many of these games on your calendar and wishlist.

Babylon’s Fall
March 3 | PlatinumGames | PS4, PS5, 
Babylon’s Fall tells the story of a somewhat unlikely group of heroes who have been granted incredible powers that they hope to use to defeat a seemingly unstoppable invading force. This ARPG from PlatinumGames (Bayonetta, NieR:Automata) looks to combine that studio’s legendary combat mechanics with the kind of cooperative fantasy RPG action seen in classic genre titles like the Dark Alliance series. 

Dune: Spice Wars
TBA | Shiro Games | PC
Described as a “real-time strategy game with 4X elements,” Shiro Games’ Spice Wars looks to not only capture the political intrigue and strategic maneuvering that help make the Dune universe so compelling but somehow live up to that franchise’s history of revolutionary RTS experiences. At the very least, it will give us a little more Dune to look forward to while we all wait f
What do you get when you combine an open-world setting, Soulsborne mechanics, and the combined creative talents of George R.R. Martin and Hidetaka Miyazaki? That’s the question we’ll finally get an answer to when Elden Ring (arguably one of the most anticipated games of the last 15 years) is unleashed in 2022. While Elden Ring’s network test bets gave us a taste of what’s to come, we can’t wait to see what surprises the final release has in store. 
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Evil Dead: The Game

February | Saber Interactive | PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, PC

While there have been a few Evil Dead games in the past, none have come close to recreating that perfect blend of comedy, horror, and action that has come to define most of the entries in this franchise. Evil Dead: The Game looks to reverse the curse with its co-op horror gameplay that lets you control Ash and a few more familiar faces as you battle a variety of Deadites.

Ghostwire: Tokyo

TBA | Tango Gameworks | PS5, PC

Developer Tango Gameworks (the studio responsible for the underrated Evil Within games) returns to the horror genre with Ghostwire: Tokyo. While many of the details about this game remain a mystery, we do know that it will take players on a first-person tour through the paranormal side of Tokyo as they battle spirits with help from a combat system that director Shinichiro Hara has described as “karate meets magic.” If Tango’s previous works are any indication, it’s at least safe to assume this game will be incredibly scary. 

God of War Ragnarök

TBA | Santa Monica Studio | PS4, PS5

Kratos and Atreus return in one of 2022’s most anticipated games. As the end of the world draws closer and closer, Kratos must help Atreus discover the truth about his origins, battle Thor, and locate Týr: the Norse God of War who many believed died long ago. Nobody really knows what to expect from what is being described as the end of God of War’s “Norse saga,” but the brilliant 2018 reboot certainly set a high standard. 

Gotham Knights

TBA | WB Games Montréal | PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Batman is dead and Gotham has become even more of a warzone than ever. You control Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin, and Red Hood as they attempt to save the city and perhaps become Gotham’s new hero. Recent Batman games have certainly raised our expectations for this franchise, but this title’s drop-in and drop-out co-op multiplayer could help it establish its own identity and become one of the year’s most intriguing action experiences.

Gran Turismo 7

March 4 | Polyphony Digital | PS4, PS5

It’s been quite a while since we’ve gotten a proper new Gran Turismo game, but in the minds of many, this series is still the standard by which all realistic racing games must be judged. With the power of the PS5 at their side, they may even find a way to surpass this series’ legendary audio and visual design elements that have often made GT games the definitive declaration that the next generation of gaming is here. 

Hogwarts Legacy

TBA | Avalanche Software | PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

For years, we’ve dreamed of an open-world Harry Potter RPG that lets us become a student at Hogwarts. While there’s still quite a bit that we don’t know about Hogwarts Legacy, everything that’s been shown of the game so far suggests that is exactly what developer Avalanche Software hopes to deliver. This game’s promised morality and character creation systems should certainly help us craft a Hogwarts adventure that is truly our own.

Horizon Forbidden West

February 18 | Guerrilla Games | PS4, PS5

Nobody knew quite what to expect from 2017’s Horizon Zero Dawn, but Guerrilla Games most ambitious project yet turned out to be one of the most unique and enjoyable open-world experiences of the last generation. With its expanded item system and diverse new biomes, Forbidden West may just be the superior sequel that turns this series into one of gaming’s most undeniable franchises.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Spring | HAL Laboratory | Nintendo Switch

The Kirby franchise has long been one of the great torchbearers of the 2D platformer genre, which makes it that much more surprising that Forgotten Land will essentially be the first “proper” 3D Kirby game ever. We’ve seen that transition go wrong in the past, but developer HAL Laboratory’s unbelievably consistent work with this franchise over the years has to inspire hope that they will find a way to make it work.