2022 was a year of mixed landmarks for video games. Usually, we see AAA releases taking home the lion’s share of laurels and fans’ appreciation towards the end of each year. With major releases such as Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarok, that indeed was the case this year as well. However, gamers were treated to some indie gems (Stray, Sifu, more) this year that were not only enjoyable but introduced a refreshing change of gameplay and ethos when major studios simply stopped experimenting and relied heavily on sequels or tried-and-tested formulae.
So, without further ado, here’s a look back at our selection of 10 games that captured our imagination in 2022.
10. The Quarry
Release date: June 10
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
While The Callisto Protocol proved to be a worthy contender to represent horror on our list, The Quarry takes home the prize with its incredibly engaging story and genuinely shocking jumpscares. Developer Supermassive Games didn’t stray from its tried-and-tested cinematic interactive horror treatment of Until Dawn (if it works, don’t fix it) and delivered an entertaining story that can put classic slasher movies to shame. The cherry on the topping comes in the form of a stellar voice cast, starring the likes of David Arquette, Brenda Song, Lin Shaye, Ariel Winter, and Justice Smith.
9. Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
Release date: October 20
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Do we love Mario? Yes! Do we love Rabbids? Of course! It only makes sense that the game that brings Nintendo and Ubisoft’s much-beloved franchises together will make a star appearance on our list. This turn-based strategy gem offers a mix of crazy characters and an even crazier plot, guaranteed to leave you in splits throughout.
8. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Release date: April 5
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
LEGO games are always a delight to play, and LEGO Star Wars is particularly great as it lets you play all nine Star Wars movies, divided into three chapters of trilogies which you can start with as you wish. From the Darth Vader vs Luke lightsaber duel to the Battle of Hoth — LEGO Star Wars recreates iconic moments from the films will incredible precision and hilarious twists. If you are a fan of the space adventure saga, this is a title you shouldn’t miss.
7. Sifu
Release date: February 8
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
This indie beat ‘em up offers an interesting take on arcade-style action games. You play as Sifu, a Bak Mei kung fu expert, who must clear hordes of villains through alleys and hallways in spectacular gameplay that may remind you of classic Jet Li movies. Once you die, you are resurrected immediately but with increased age. With more age, you become wiser, so you are treated with more powerful attacks to take on enemies. So, you seemingly have countless lives and tries until you become too old and the game ends. Sounds simple right? Only it's not. For starters, the game is incredibly hard. More often than not, you get overcrowded by enemies who can take you out with a couple of hits. Just like real-life martial arts, Sifu takes hours of practice and replaying of levels to truly hone your skills and feel like an accomplished fighter. Unless you rage quit and smash your controller on the floor, of course.
6. The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe
Release date: April 27
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch
While the first version of The Stanley Parable was released in 2013 on PC, the game’s incredible popularity and cult status eventually led to a 2022 re-release following years of delays, offering console players a chance to experience this wacky adventure. The game is fairly simple. You play as Stanley, waking up in an empty office building, a narrator (masterfully voiced by Kevan Brighting) presents the game to you, trying to guide you to your goals. Now, you may choose not to listen to the narrator and do something else altogether. For example, if narrator asks you to go left, you can go right. If he asks you to sit down, you can jump, and so on. With each choice you make, the narrator gets increasingly frustrated and the entire game’s storyline changes accordingly, leading to several possible endings you may meet every time you replay the game. The Stanley Parable is unlike any other game, it’s an experience best enjoyed on a PC screen with headphones on.
5. Gran Turismo 7
Release date: March 4
Platforms: PS4, PS5
Touted as a title to showcase the graphical prowess of the PlayStation 5, Gran Turismo 7 is designed for auto aficionados. If you have played any of the earlier Gran Turismo titles, you may have a fair idea of how gorgeous these games can be. However, if you boot up Gran Turismo 7 on the PS5, nothing can truly prepare you for the excellence that awaits. Thanks to ray-tracing, cars look more real than ever, and the photo mode is enough to make any car enthusiast drool in front of their HDR screens. Developer Polyphony Digital has gone to the extent of simulating the exact position of stars and planets in the sky to make everything look as close to real as possible. Add to all that a masterfully crafted racing gameplay that is sure to keep you hooked for hours.
4. Horizon Forbidden West
Release Date: February 18
Platforms: PS4, PS5
Yet another PlayStation-exclusive to make it to our top picks, Horizon Forbidden West takes off from where its 2017 predecessor, Horizon Zero Dawn, left. You get to play as Aloy, a hunter, as you discover post-apocalyptic Western US, dotted with menacing-yet-gorgeous robots that resemble animals. Zero Dawn was quite a huge game to behold. However, Forbidden West takes the scale up by countless notches. The newly introduced underwater mechanisms make the world even more engaging and challenging. The story is touching, the graphics are mesmerising, the gameplay is nail-biting. No reason not to give this a shot, if not already done so.
3. Stray
Release date: July 19
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5
The indie game that gave major titles a run for their money, Stray bagged six nods at the prestigious The Game Awards and took home two — Best Independent Game and Best Debut Indie Game. Stray lets you play as a cat who gets lost in a strange post-apocalyptic world dwelled by humanoid robots. You must direct the cuddly feline through puzzles and enemies to ensure it is reunited with its lost family. Developer BlueTwelve Studio studied and captured the movement of actual cats to ensure that your on-screen kitty looks as close to the real thing as paw-ssible (sorry, it’s hard not to use a single cat-related pun while talking about Stray).
2. God of War Ragnarok
Release date: November 9
Platforms: PS4, PS5
Winner of six The Game Awards, including the Best Action/Adventure title, Ragnarok brings an end to Kratos’ Norse mythology saga — and how. If you have played 2018’s God of War, you may have a pretty good idea of what Ragnarok brings to the table. However, once you start playing Ragnarok, you’re sure to be taken aback by the many small changes developer Santa Monica Studio has added to the game that not only makes Ragnarok better in every aspect but somehow even more engaging than the earlier instalment. There are enough puzzles to keep you scratching your head and there are even more enemies to toss and chop up mid-air in signature God of War style. All in all, Ragnarok would have surely been the indisputable game of the year, if Elden Ring wasn’t around.
1. Elden Ring
Release date: February 25
Platforms: PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S
What do you get when you combine the efforts of Dark Souls director Hidetaka Miyazaki and Game of Thrones creator George R. R. Martin? Well, just play Elden Ring to find out. The action RPG epic boasts of an open world filled with deep lore along with challenging combat that can satisfy even the most hardened RPG experts. The fastest-selling Bandai Namco game of all time, Elden Ring has sold over 17.5 million copies as of September this year. Elden Ring won the Golden Joystick Award for Ultimate Game of the Year as well as four The Game Awards including the much-coveted Game of the Year. If you are looking for a game that will keep you busy for hours, here are some quick numbers for you — Elden Ring roughly takes 54.5 hours to complete the main quests, and if you are a completionist, it will take you nearly 132 hours to achieve 100 percent completion.