Our Top 10 Games of 2022

2022 has been an unforgettable year for gaming, with a huge roster of releases that gave players a lot to enjoy. With a series of highly anticipated and long-awaited games and many surprising entries, it will be difficult to top what we got this year. We have looked through all the game releases and picked our top ten games of 2022.

#10: Pokémon Legends Arceus

Taking the number ten spot is an early release of 2022. Pokémon Legends Arceus delivered a breath of fresh air in a series that was growing increasingly stale.

Most Pokémon games these days deliver a simple and repetitive loop of beating all the gyms, stopping an evil corporation, and becoming the champion. But Pokémon Legends Arceus gave us something new, a new open-world format that had never been used in a Pokémon game before, changes to the gameplay formula and a story that deviates from the Pokémon norm.

The game is a lot of fun and created a solid foundation that we could hopefully see used in more Pokémon games in the future. And that is something I hope they do as well. By building upon the formula created in this game and giving it a bit extra time rather than going back to its basic formula, we could see something even more magical.

#9: Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2

In the #9 spot is the newest release in the Call of Duty franchise. It has been a while since I have genuinely enjoyed a Call of Duty game, but Modern Warfare 2 changed that for me. With a campaign that not only looked fantastic but several missions that were an absolute blast.

The multiplayer of the Call of Duty series has always been its core point and tends to be quite solid. And MW2 continues to deliver that. The multiplayer and modes are super solid and a joy to play. I found ground war to be very entertaining, and the maps in this mode to be strong.

Call of Duty Modern Warfare 2 is one of the most enjoyable experiences I have had in the series for several years. After how disappointing Vanguard was, MW2 feels amazing in comparison.

#8: Sonic Frontiers

Now into the number eight spot, Sonic Frontiers. I share a lot of the same feelings for Sonic Frontiers as I do for Pokémon Legends Arceus. Sonic Frontiers delivers an incredibly fun experience after several years of disappointing releases.

Sonic Frontiers sets out a solid foundation that delivers a lot of entertainment now and can easily be built upon to deliver something even better in the future. I loved the boss fights in this game, the hidden levels were well-made and enjoyable to complete, and the gameplay and combos were a blast.

Sonic Frontiers truly feels like a step in the right direction for Sega and the Sonic franchise. And I hope we get to see an expanded version of this formula in future games.

#7: Stray

Onto number 7, is the hit indie game Stray. Stray delivers an oddly fun and cute experience in an incredibly well-put-together world.

You play as a cat in a cyber city, making your way through various puzzles and obstacles to try and return to the surface. And everything about this game is just brilliant, the detail in all the environments, the story does not disappoint, and the characters and designs are all well done.

From the surface, the game looks like it is going to be a fun game where you get to play as a cat. But it is a lot deeper than that and is one of the best games I have played this year.

#6: Sifu

Onto the number six spot. Again, another indie game. Sifu is brutal, but hugely entertaining game that I think deserves a lot more credit.

Sifu delivers an incredible fighting experience with realistic fighting styles. At first, it does seem a bit punishing with how fast you need to be. But coming to master the combat is a great feeling. The combos and attacks all look so cool and make you feel like a badass. The environments are just so amazing, the boss fights are so memorable, and the ageing mechanic offers a cool and unique twist to the game.

Sifu is a fantastic game, and if you like a challenge, it delivers.

#5: Xenoblade Chronicles 3

I am not a huge fan of this genre of games, but Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a worthy contender for a spot on this list. I have no doubts that many others would place this even higher, but I feel that the number five spot was right.

Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is one of the best games I have played on Nintendo Switch. It successfully delivers a deep story full of memorable moments, incredibly well-performed characters, a rich world that is so amazingly built up, an exceptional art style and so much more that trying to include it all in one section does a bit of an injustice.

Again, I recommend trying the game out. And I would place it higher on this list, but I feel the games in the top four have a slight edge.

#4: Plague Tale: Requiem

Next up on our list, and taking the number four spot, is Plague Tale: Requiem. Boy is this game spectacular. The first Plague Tale game told a gripping and dark narrative, and Plague Tale Requiem only takes it up a step.

Plague Tale: Requiem has one of the best narratives this year, without a doubt. Its story is so dark and emotional and keeps ramping up to deliver a crushing ending. Then you combine that story with the stunning world and environments you get to explore, and it makes for an unforgettable experience.

I would also love to put this game higher, but the capped frame rate is a bit of a bummer.

#3: Horizon Forbidden West

Taking the third spot is Horizon Forbidden West. Horizon Forbidden West is simply exceptional for several reasons.

First is that its story is simply exceptional. It has a huge cast of characters that all perform incredibly well, and the game is packed with unforgettable moments. But where this game truly excels is its gameplay and visuals. Fighting robotic monsters is just awesome, and the wide variety of types and designs is just epic. This is easily one of the best-looking games I have played, the world looks so beautiful. The designs and art style are just mind-blowing and do not disappoint.

The only mistake they made with this game is that they chose to release it right before Elden Ring. If they had picked another release date, it would have been far more successful.

Here we go, the top two. We all know what these two games are, and they are so close it comes to the smallest details to pick the top place.

But before I get onto the top two, I want to quickly shout a game that did not make the list. The Callisto Protocol came out a few weeks ago and had a few problems tied to its performance on PC and combat. But in the brief period it has come out, the developers have been hard at work and improved the game massively based on community feedback. The performance issues are gone, and the combat is cleaner. I hope they can get a new game+ mode out soon so I can give it another go, but it is worth playing if you have been holding off.

#2: God of War Ragnarök

Taking the number two spot is God of War Ragnarok. God of War Ragnarök makes me hate exclusives just that ever bit more because this is a game that everyone should have the chance to experience.

I cannot name the last game that made me emotional before God of War Ragnarök. The story is just so powerful, and there are so many moments in the game that I am not going to forget. And a twist that is just so good. Every character is so just incredible and excellently performed. Kratos and Atreus are just brilliant as usual. I love what they did with Sindri in this game. And Odin is such a god damn amazing villain. And Freya, Thor, Mimir and other characters are also worth mentioning. Not a single bad performance to mention.

All the complaints I had with the first game are also gone with Ragnarök as well. The boss variety is so much more fleshed out and just more epic. I did not think they could outdo the first Baldur fight from God of War 2018, but damn is the fight against Thor in the first hour so legendary. There is also a new weapon you get later in the game, I do not want to get into spoilers, but it is sweet. It has a ton of epic abilities and combos and adds a lot more to the God of War combat.

The world of God of War Ragnarok is just so spectacular too. All the realms you get to visit are so beautiful. You have got the newly frozen-over Midgard, Svartalfheim which is an awesome mix of deep mines and vibrant open landscapes, Vanaheim that is a luscious, forested area, Asgard and its towering walls and other realms that you can now explore more of, like Jotunheim, Muspelheim, Niflheim and Helheim. 

No doubt one of the best games of this year, a super close contender for GotY. But one outdoes it. 

#1: Elden Ring

Taking the number one spot is Far Cry 6 Game of the Year edition (yes this exists and was released this year) - I mean Elden Ring. Wow was this game just spectacular. An absolute masterpiece. Elden Ring without a doubt deserves the praise it has received. Bringing together everything from all previous entries and creating the perfect experience.

Elden Ring delivers a stunning experience that players will not forget. There is so much about this simply perfect game. No complaints or issues at all. The open world is the best I have seen. On the ground level, you have so many amazing locations like Fort Haight. But then scattered around the world are elevators that take you to even more just incredible locations. It is just breathtaking.

Then you have all the unique bosses that are spread across the world. You have some that are silly and fun to face like the Tibia Mariner and some that are so powerful and instantly iconic like Radahn or Malenia. It is just so good. And once again, I have no complaints at all with the bosses or enemy variety. Genuinely, absolutely perfect. 

Elden Ring rocked the internet with its huge challenge potential. Like beating the game and all its bosses hitless. And it is a huge winning point for this game. There is so much you can do in this game, that you can always come back and find a new way to challenge yourself. Which is something you will struggle to find with most games these days.

If you have not played Elden Ring already, then you are missing out. Everything about this game is so outstanding, and it and GoW are neck and neck for. But just came down to slight differences and preferences I will mention below.

 

The decision between God of War Ragnarok and Elden Ring for the #1 spot, as mentioned, was incredibly close. God of War Ragnarok told a far more epic narrative than Elden Ring. With a greater cast of characters who all just excel in their roles and deliver a masterpiece of a story. Elden Ring had a remarkable story but does not match the set piece moments and emotions displayed in God of War.

Elden Ring has better gameplay without a doubt, with an immense variety of bosses and build options, along with challenge potential. Along with what is for sure the best open world I have had the joy of experiencing. God of War does have great gameplay, with a better variety of bosses compared to its predecessor and a big mix of abilities on weapons and combos. But Elden Ring just has a lot more to offer here.

There is also a lot of praise I have for the art direction of both games. Ultimately this is just personal preference, but both are brilliant. Also, the God of War Ragnarök soundtrack is so incredible. I do not think it is a crucial point, but the music in GoW was so strong. My personal favourite is Raeb’s Lament, which goes so much harder when you see what it is for in-game.

Though I feel God of War has the greater narrative, the game of the year has to go to Elden Ring. Elden Ring is the perfect culmination of everything that came before it and delivers an experience that I would easily place in my top 10 of all time. 

 

Is one of your favourite games missing from our list? Why not drop a comment below on what you believe deserves a mention?