Top 11 Most Anticipated Games of 2022 - Ranked (As of January)
My personal must-play list of games for 2022 based on the information available at this moment
It seems like 2022 might be the best year of video games ever...maybe. There are a lot of long-awaited games that we’re assuming will release at some point, but as of now, we’ve only gotten solid dates and announcements for a handful.
As the year goes on, I’d like to keep track of my most anticipated games that I believe will be released in 2022. These games are the ones I’m personally interested in and realistically expect to buy.
As we get more information about certain games and release dates, this list will expand and shrink, so if you’re wondering why your most anticipated game is not mentioned, it might be because:
I’m not completely sold on it yet
I’ve seen enough, and it doesn’t look like my cup of tea
I doubt it’ll actually be released this year
I forgot about it
11. Tunic
Last summer, I played a demo of Tunic, and that game kicked my butt. The art style is super cut,e but that gameplay is brutal. It's essentially like a mini Souls-like in that everything can kill you. Even though it's not what I initially expected, I’m still interested in this little fox’s journey, and I’m hoping there are some cool surprises and battles along the way.
10. A Plague Tale: Requiem
I had heard a lot of good things about A Plague Tale: Innocence, so when the team released a 4K patch last summer, I took the opportunity to play through it. While the game wasn’t perfect, it featured a very unique gameplay style and a surprisingly compelling story. Asobo Studio brought the razzle-dazzle with their trailer that was shown during the Microsoft Showcase last year. Couple that with the fact that it’s coming to Game Pass, and I’m in.
9. Shovel Knight Dig
I’ve actually played this game. Yacht Club had a demo of it at PAX West 2019. It might have been the best game I played at PAX that year. If you had asked me after playing that curated slice of the game, I would've told you it was practically done. That’s why I’m so shocked this game isn’t out yet. I’m not sure we’ve even heard anything about it since then. Fortunately, Yacht Club is making some announcements very soon, so by the time you read this, we may even have a solid release date.
8. Redfall
Arcane might be my favorite studio in the industry right now, so naturally, I cling to their every word, waiting patiently for whatever they put out next. Well, Redfall is next. The fact that this game is co-op kind of takes some of the sauce off of it for me, just because I’m just not as big into multiplayer experiences anymore (an article for another time). That being said, the concept trailer they dropped last summer looked cool enough, and I trust the team, so I’m looking forward to whatever this game turns out to be.
7. Gotham Knights
I’m cautiously excited for this game. WB Games Montreal has always done right by me, and I have no reason to believe this time will be any different. Of course, this is another co-op game, which is somewhat unfortunate (for me), but to be honest, I’m still excited all the same. Everything I’ve seen so far (which, to be fair, isn’t that much) has looked pretty solid. The Court of Owls storyline seems so interesting that I even got the graphic novel series to prepare. The question is, does it actually release this year? As of now, my guess is yes.
6. Somerville
I love these stylistic side-scrolling narrative games. Limbo, Inside, and Little Nightmares all struck the perfect chord with me. The reduction in scope allows me to relax, appreciate the beauty of every screen, and get consumed by the different storytelling and puzzle mechanics. I’m not sure how this game could disappoint me, and I hope to never get an answer.
5. Sea of Stars
This game looks fantastic. The art is stunning. It sounds incredible. The turn-based combat looks fun. Sea of Stars jumped to the top of my most anticipated list as soon as I finished the trailer. No promises it will stay in the top 5 as the year goes on, but for now, I’m riding high on it.
4. Hollow Knight Silksong
I almost left this game off the list because I just completely forgot about it. I’ve waited so long for this game that I’ve repressed it to avoid any more pain. This year is our year, though. Hollow Knight Silksong has to be released in 2022; it’s only a matter of time.
Last year, they did a feature with Edge magazine, and I was thinking, “This is it. They just did a huge cover story. This game has to be one or two months away, max”. Almost a year later, and there’s still no sign of this game, but there’s no way they did a cover story for a game that wasn’t going to be released for another two years...right...right??
Hollow Knight is what I would consider the pinnacle of modern Metroidvanias. Its unique style and tight controls are unrivaled. I can’t understand how difficult it must be to create a follow-up to something like that, but I believe Team Cherry has done it, and we’ll see for ourselves later this year.
3. Horizon Forbidden West
"Alloy is back and better than ever!" is how I’d start a marketing pitch for this game. Seriously, though, I had a blast with the first Horizon, and this one just looks so much better. The suite of animations looks awesome, the combat seems to be improved across the board, the environments look beautiful and fresh, and the robo-dinos somehow look cooler than the group we had in the first game. With only a couple more weeks before release, my excitement is building. There’s a very good chance the first game I buy this year might end up being my game of the year.
2. Elden Ring
I can’t fight it any longer. I must give in to the hype. Coming off of my first-ever FromSoftware game, Sekiro, I get it now. I get why people are losing their minds over what this game can be. It doesn’t help that every new trailer they release is somehow better than the last, showcasing ridiculous boss fights supported by absolutely epic orchestral scores. Hidetaka Miyazaki has the formula down. He knows how to create an absolute banger. I have no doubt this game will deliver, and it can’t come soon enough.
1. Starfield
Unlike the previous 2 games on my list, I’m not positive Starfield will be a hit. It’s honestly a bit of a toss-up. Bethesda hasn’t released a single-player RPG in a looong time, and they’re coming off the disaster launch that was Fallout 76. People are starting to wonder, does Bethesda still have the stuff?
The thing is, they have Todd Howard. That’s like having 13 seconds on the clock with Patrick Mahomes. Even though things seem like they could be shaky, there’s alsoa certain confidence knowing they have an industry legend at the helm.
I haven’t played an epic western RPG in so long. Cyberpunk 2077 was supposed to scratch that itch, but we all know how that went, so the weight falls on Starfield. If I’m being honest, the fact that we’ve seen so little is why this is my most anticipated game right now. All of the teases and developer interviews are working exactly as intended. The fact that they called their shot and put a date on the game, during the pandemic, over a year before the release was just such a baller move. I can’t wait until we finally get our first deep dive into this game.
Honorable Mentions
God of War Ragnarok - This game would be a top 2 title if I thought it was going to release this year
Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 - I really...really hope this game releases this year
Suicide Squad Kill The Justice League - Not yet sold, but there’s some promise there
Sifu - Looks fun, but I’m not sure if I’m completely sold yet
Kirby and the Forgotten Lands - I'm not that into Kirby games, but I’m looking forward to seeing how this game turns out because it looks fantastic
Jedi Fallen Order 2 - If we get a release date for this year, this will absolutely make the list
Triangle Strategy - Not sold yet, but the art looks great
Forspoken - I could go either way on this, still waiting for something to really stand out about this game
Oxenfree Lost Signals - This could probably be swapped with Tunic, but I’m waiting to hear and see a little more about this one
Replaced - I need to see more, but the initial trailer was hot
Planet of Lana - I’m not sure what the gameplay is...but it looks neat
Little Devil Inside - The latest PlayStation State of Play actually cooled me quite a bit on this game, but I’m keeping my eye on it
Stray - It looks cute, but I need to see real gameplay
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga - Looks incredible, but I don’t know if I’ll actually get around to playing it