It may be too early to say which video games are the best so far, but there are a few releases and some classic games that have us excited this year.
Some of these games are recent arrivals. Others are releases from recent years. Yet more are games that haven’t come out yet but have been heavily talked about throughout 2022.
The long-awaited return of the Halo franchise finally happened. Halo Infinite is shaping up to be one of the most ambitious games in the series yet, with expansive new worlds to explore and a story that promises to be more emotionally resonant than ever before. This also marks a grand experiment for gaming with one of the most identifiable series on the market pivoting to a games-as-service model. Whether the game succeeds or fails, it will be an important case study for the industry.
After years of waiting, Metroid Prime 4 is on its way. The game will continue the series’ tradition of delivering thrilling first-person action and exploration, set against a backdrop of a beautifully realized alien world. Little is known about Metroid Prime 4 but the series enjoyed a resurgence following the success of Metroid Dread, raising excitement even further.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild was one of the best games of 2017, so it’s no surprise that its sequel is one of the most highly anticipated games of 2022. The game looks to build on everything that made the original great, with even more expansive open-world exploration and an intriguing new story. Nintendo has been feeding fans information on a slow drip, but speculation regarding the game has been hot throughout the year.
Mario games are head to a high standard but Mario Odyssey delivered on them. It’s unknown what comes next but the creative and innovative 3D platforming gameplay will undoubtedly return at some point to give fans something fresh. We can’t wait to jump back into Mario’s shoes and explore even more of the Mushroom Kingdom, or some other new locale.
Three years removed from its release, Rockstar Games’ wild west opus remains one of the most hotly discussed games around. The game built on the series’ open world and added a new chapter to the intriguing story. But is the game an all-time great? Boring as heck? A modern classic? Wildly overrated? Everyone who has played the game has a take, one way or the other
.
Cyberpunk is an open-world action RPG by CD Projekt Red. The first-person role-playing game features an open-world environment and allows players to engage in combat from a first or third-person perspective. It was at the center of one of the most disastrous launches in video game history, with non-functional PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions hitting the market. CD Projekt Red has done a lot of work to rebuild its reputation and make the game playable.
Marvel’s Spider-Man is a superhero action-adventure game developed by Insomniac Games. It is based on the Marvel Comics character Spider-Man and is set in an open-world environment. Spider-Man was a key part in previous PlayStation exclusives hitting the PC market in 2022 alongside the likes of God of War and Final Fantasy 7 Remake. Console exclusives making a mass migration to PC gaming is one of the biggest stories of the year.
The Witcher 3 remains one of the most-talked-about games despite being seven years old at this point. The action RPG developed by CD Projekt Red and published by Warner Bros is based on the book series of the same name by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. The game follows Geralt of Rivia, a monster hunter who must find his daughter Ciri before she falls into the hands of the Wild Hunt, a group of spectral riders who hunt down magical creatures. The announcement of a sequel, the popularity of the Netflix series based on the books, and the ugly fate of sister title Cyberpunk 2077 has buoyed Witcher 3’s place in the gaming landscape.Â
Elden Ring is possibly the biggest new IP in recent gaming history. The game had a splashy launch, dominated social media, and left fans clamoring for more even after tens of hours of gameplay. FromSoftware is set to offer up seconds but no details are known yet about a sequel, DLC, or other spin-offs.
Dark Souls III is an action RPG developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It was released 2016 and remains popular, but has enjoyed a huge second wind thanks to the success of Elden Ring. It was also a steady presence in the news thanks to an enormous security issue shutting down multiplayer servers for months, and a massive hack of Namco Bandai.
2022 is the year of many releases. Software providers dropped the best online pokies and video game companies introduced video games. There’s still plenty of 2022 left though, so it’s anyone’s guess what the biggest game of the year will be.
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
