2022 saw loads of fantastic games come out – some big, some small, and plenty in between. Only recently did The Game Awards crown Elden Ring as Game of the Year, but many other games deserve recognition too. Although limiting a list to just the 10 best games of 2022 means some miss out, this article could easily go on forever!
Among the included best games of 2022 are some big hitters from major development studios, in addition to a couple of brilliant indie efforts from Australia. From action-adventure titles to colony management sims, there’s variety aplenty. What follows is in no particular order – they’re all great in their own way.
Best games of 2022
God of War Ragnarok
- Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- Store link: Amazon
One of this year’s biggest releases, God of War Ragnarok is the sequel to the franchise’s 2018 soft reboot. All-out war threatens to ravage the mythological Nordic setting, and it’s up to Kratos and his teenage son Atreus to prevent doom from befalling the land.
It’s a massive game filled with awe-inspiring vistas and hard-hitting character moments at every turn. While it doesn’t change much from a gameplay perspective over its predecessor, God of War Ragnarok tells a compelling story, backed by outstanding quality across all facets of game design.
Rogue Legacy 2
- Platform: PC, Xbox, Nintendo Switch
- Store link: official website
The original Rogue Legacy took the 2D adventure game and gave it a cool twist: what if every time you die, your accumulated gold goes towards making your heir apparent more powerful? Rogue Legacy 2 exited Early Access earlier this year and improved on every aspect of the original. From the visuals, to combat, class variety, and puzzle-solving, it’s a fantastic roguelike in all aspects.
Without giving too much away, Rogue Legacy 2 takes some inspiration from Hades regarding some of its upgrades and augment systems to clever effect. All of the new classes feel great to play as, too. Whether you play as a boxer dishing out jabs and uppercuts, or a magic bard capable of using musical notes as projectiles, it’s a wonderfully whimsical experience.
Vampire Survivors
- Platform: PC, Xbox, Mobile
- Store link: Steam
Vampire Survivors is proof that you don’t need the fanciest graphics to provide a brilliant gameplay experience. It looks basic at first glance, but it doesn’t take long to hook you. Your character automatically attacks enemies as they swarm towards you, with the loop consisting of more powerful enemies appearing the longer you survive. However, you also get stronger, with the choice of different upgrades buffing your attacks or adding new weapons to your arsenal. What keeps things fresh is a wide variety of characters to play as, tons of upgrades, and plenty of enemy variety to test yourself against.
There’s something about Vampire Survivors that tickles your brain and keeps you coming back for more. Due to its gameplay requiring you to constantly focus on the action, it’s easy to slip into a flow state, where hours pass in an instant. Plus, it’s dirt-cheap, costing just a few bucks on PC and Xbox, and is free to play on mobile.
Cult of the Lamb
- Platform: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5
- Store link: official website
Made by Melbourne-based studio Massive Monster, Cult of the Lamb was one of the biggest indie hits of 2022. You play as an adorable lamb saved from death by an ominous being, who is then tasked with starting a cult of cutesy animals in their name. One of the game’s standout qualities is its charming juxtaposition between sweet and sinister moments, seemingly crafted to go viral online.
Cult of the Lamb’s gameplay sees you manage a colony of cultists where you cater to their needs, making sure they’re fed and kept healthy. On the flipside, a decent chunk of the game is a roguelike dungeon-crawler, requiring you to take down false gods in combat. Although the two gameplay systems seem at odds, they feed into one another in immensely satisfying ways. For example, resources you gather while hunting helps improve your colony and look after those under your watch. Meanwhile, cult ceremonies you host strengthen your lamb, making you more powerful in subsequent dungeon runs.
It’s always great to see Aussie devs compete on the global stage. Cult of the Lamb is fully deserving of its accolades and then some.
Wylde Flowers
- Platform: Apple Arcade, PC, Nintendo Switch
- Store link: official website
Another Australian-made game, Wylde Flowers comes from Studio Drydock, led by developers who previously worked on The Sims franchise. Here, you assume the role of Tara, a young woman who has returned to a rural island to look after her grandma and the farm she inhabits. Tara soon discovers that many of the island’s residents have magical secrets they’re hiding, setting the scene for a lovely story about acceptance and understanding others’ differences.
Inspired by farming games including the likes of Harvest Moon and Stardew Valley, Wylde Flowers makes its own mark on the genre with a heavy focus on narrative. Sometimes, farming games overwhelm with their lack of direction and countless systems to learn. However, Wylde Flowers is much more welcoming and approachable because you don’t feel rushed to complete everything within a short time limit. Each character is lovingly voice-acted and is fully realised through beautiful writing, making for a lovely way to spend your time.
Immortality
- Platform: Xbox, PC, Mobile
- Store link: Steam
A fiery blend of arthouse film and interactive game, Immortality is one of 2022’s standouts. Its premise revolves around fictional starlet Marissa Marcel – played to perfection by newcomer Manon Gage – who starred in three movies that never saw the light of day, and then went missing. Your task is to match cut clips of footage to uncover what happened during filming. Sometimes, footage contains innocuous behind-the-scenes recordings, while other clips are intensely dramatic scenes from the films in question.
Immortality presents a fresh take on the found footage genre, rarely explicitly explaining anything to you. It’s all helped by such painstaking attention to detail, where each in-game film genuinely feels like a real movie. Gage’s performance is outstanding in portraying the multi-layered Marcel, and the supporting cast gives equally high-quality turns. Although Immortality isn’t what you may traditionally think of as a video game, its subversive techniques result in an unforgettable experience.
Pentiment
- Platform: Xbox, PC
- Store link: Steam
Set in 16th-century Bavaria, Pentiment is a beautifully realised game about art, belief systems, and power struggles. Alongside role-playing elements, it plays primarily as a point-and-click adventure game, where you talk with characters to further understand the historically grounded world you live in.
As artist Andreas Maler, you learn of the harsh conditions the peasants face while managing delicate relations with the monastery that presides over them. Along the way, you’re tasked with making several significant choices, many of which leave you wondering if you made the right choice. Pentiment’s commitment to its stellar presentation and brilliant writing is a feat worth recognising among the best games of 2022.
Stray
- Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC
- Store link: Amazon
Beyond the novelty of playing as an adorable ginger cat, Stray is also a damn good game. Its neon-drenched environments are gorgeous, and it’s so much fun to cause wholesome mischief as a feline friend.
Stray doesn’t overstay its welcome, either. Too many games pad out playtime with arbitrary side plots and things to do, leaving you crawling towards the finish line. Thankfully, Stray keeps things tight, and maximises its emotional impact and fun factor in the process.
Marvel Snap
- Platform: Mobile, PC
- Store link: official website
Marvel Snap won Best Mobile Game at The Game Awards for good reason. It’s a collectible card game without the filler, which is fantastic. Decks only contain 12 cards, matches only last six turns, and there are only three locations you can play cards. Marvel Snap is fast-paced, made for quick sessions – sometimes many quick sessions in a row.
Despite its brevity, there’s heaps of strategy involved, with cards wielding unique powers in addition to the locations drastically impacting the contest as you play. As with many modern games, Marvel Snap is a live service title with seasons and regular updates, so expect it to grow even bigger in 2023.
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope
- Platform: Nintendo Switch
- Store link: Amazon
The original Mario + Rabbids was a surprise hit for the Switch in 2017. A mix of Mushroom Kingdom residents, the annoying Rabbids from the Rayman series, and tactical battles? Who knew such a combination would be a winning formula!
Sparks of Hope innovates on the first by opting for a freeform movement system, discarding the grid-based combat of its predecessor. This results in dynamic battles loaded with action and strategy aplenty. Its slapstick humour is goofy yet endearing, just like the eponymous Rabbids. Rayman is also appearing in an upcoming DLC pack, which is exciting for long-time fans of the franchise.
Best games of 2022 – honourable mentions
For one reason or another, these games didn’t quite make the best games of 2022 list but are still worth mentioning.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns – from what little I’ve played, Midnight Suns is brilliant. Its clever card-based combat makes you feel like a superhero, and the social sections charmingly humanise its characters.
Fortnite Zero Build – technically not a new game, but a major new mode. Trialled in April and officially launched a few months later, Zero Build makes the popular Battle Royale more approachable to even more people. Fortnite’s new season rules, too.
Fire Emblem Three Hopes – recommending this game comes with a caveat: if you love the cast of Fire Emblem Three Houses, this is a great excuse to spend more time with them. If not, Three Hopes won’t sway you. I fall comfortably within the former category.
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