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2022 has been a great year for indie video game debutants and sequels. While Horizon Forbidden West set a new record for a PS5 launch in the US, other recent launches such as the Elden Ring and Pokemon Legends: Arceus have dominated sales charts worldwide.
The good news is that half the year is still left, and 2022 is shaping up to be even better with a rebooted version of Saints Row, a Lord of the Rings sequel, and a new action-adventure RPG called Starfield by Bethesda Game Studios on their way.
2022 has undoubtedly brought some fresh and exciting titles into the gaming arena, but which games made the most stellar entries?
Five video games debuts that rocked 2022
1) Stray
Developed by BlueTwelve Studios and published by Annapurna Interactive, Stray is an unusual adventure game that defies all genres. It’s a third-person-adventure title where players control a cat in a massive post-apocalyptic decaying cybercity populated by robots and AI.
The days when humans lived are long gone in Stray, and the open world has a shady and murky environment filled with neon-lit alleys. Its open-world environment was especially well appreciated by the audience when it was released in July 2022.
Users can explore plenty of nooks and corners in the open world of Stray, making it ideal for getting lost for hours. The overarching story is also straightforward, yet something has worked for ages, whether in cinemas or games.
Lost, alone, and separated from its family, the game’s ultimate objective is to navigate through the neon-lit cityscape of Stray that resembles Cyberpunk’s open world and somehow reach home.
2) Elden Ring
Released in February 2022, Elden Ring is an RPG game that instantly became the bestseller of the month. Its open-world map is vast and rivals that of GTA’s Los Santos.
The open world of Elden Ring is detailed to perfection and possibly marks a watershed moment in open-world environmental design.
It’s a third-person RPG where gamers can design customizable characters and embark on a journey to repair the Elden Ring and become the new Elden Lord.
The combat elements in the title offer wielding various weapons, casting spells, riding horses, and crafting. Players are free to explore anywhere they want in the open world of Elden Ring, divided into six distinct regions.
It has been five months since the launch of the title, and Elden Ring has been able to consistently top the global charts in four out of the five months. As of now, it is the most sold video game of the year by a considerable margin.
3) Neon White
Number three on this list is a game that has re-defined the first-person shooter genre.
Released in June 2022, Neon White is a stylish first-person shooter video game developed by Angel Matrix and published by Annapurna Interactive, where users assume the role of a demon hunter in heaven. They are tasked with saving heaven by salvaging it from demonic invasion.
In terms of gameplay mechanics, Neon White has received overwhelmingly positive reviews from the gaming community. Gamers seem to have liked the title’s smooth and sleek first-person control.
This video game gives perfect weapon performance, and switching, discarding, or firing them is not a hassle, making it the first-person shooter game of the moment.
4) Ghostwire: Tokyo
Developed by Tango Gameworks and published by Bethesda Softworks, Ghostwire: Tokyo is an action-adventure horror-thriller released in March 2022. It takes place in the open world of Tokyo with a haunted twist.
The streets of Tokyo are filled with ghosts and supernatural spirits, and it’s up to the players to use various psychic and paranormal abilities to defeat them.
It’s a captivating video game, and critics have especially commended the action-adventure horror game’s silky first-person animation and vivid enemy designs.
5) Weird West
Developed by WolfEye Studio, Weird West is another role-playing action-adventure video game that has received lots of positive feedback from gamers globally. Its world is a darker re-imagination of the Wild West, where lawmen and countryfolk live alongside beasts, bounty hunters, cultists, and other demonic creatures.
Weird West offers a vast playing field for a top-down tactical shooter title. It was well-received by the audience when it came out in March.
The video game brought a sweet combination of an immersive open-world environment and brilliant weapon mechanics to the table.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author’s opinion.
