"The Most Anticipated Games of 2022"

 Now that I have moved on celebrating what were the finest gaming experiences I had in 2021, it's time to look forward to the future and talk about what are the games I'm most anticipating coming into 2022. 

Due to the nature of many of the "would be" high profile 2021 releases slipping into 2022, there is a highly likely chance that 2022 is going to be one of those high caliber, early console generation defining years akin to what we got back in 2007 and to a lesser extent 2015. This should be the year where the new consoles start to more fully justify their existence. However, we also have to keep in mind that we're still in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, and as much as many would love to pretend we're close to getting out of these turbulent times, the reality says otherwise. Most developers still are not working back in their office, and while many have now adapted to "work from home" environments, the truth is development will still remain in flux for the forseeable future, and we gotta prepare for the reality some of these highly anticipated games scheduled for this year may slip. Better to be prepared for disappointment in case it happens, because remember, if you expect disappointment, you'll never be disappointed.

With that out of the way, in the here and now, until said otherwise, these are some games that for all intents and purposes are scheduled to release some time in 2022, so let's try to get a bit excited about what awaits our consoles this coming year. Keep in mind, the games listed here are what I am most anticipating for this coming year, so don't be surprised if games that show up in more general lists as the biggest of the year end up in surprising placements. For what its worth, reasonable minds can always differ!

NOTE: A video version of this article exists in podcast form with the latest "The X Button" episode. You can watch it here:

The year is so stacked thanks to the games that slipped from last year, I have divided a list between "honorable mentions" and my 10 most anticipated games for 2022. Without further ado, here's the honorary members:

HONORABLE MENTIONS

The Sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

Probably one of the most anticipated games ever is only a honorable mention for me but I have my reasons. For one, despite "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" having MASSIVE critical acclaim (IGN just listed it as the #1 Best Game of All Time), I don't feel as highly about this seminal Zelda entry like most of the internet does (I just prefer classic Zelda more personally), though I massively sing its praises for the ways it evolved open world design. I've said this game's a masterpiece in elements that are not Zelda, and as a Zelda game I found it wanting. While my hope for the sequel is that it takes everything it worked from the 2017 game and merge more classic Zelda elements to make it the ultimate Zelda game, the fact the game doesn't even have an official title and it has a vague 2022 release window holds me back from wanting to put it as one of this year's most anticipated releases for me. However, as soon as those two things solidify, I can imagine this game skyrocketing to most anticipated when that happens. Zelda games no matter what are special events, so in the eventuality of a solid release date, I'm there day one. 

Forspoken

I've been hot and cold with this one. Originally revealed in the PlayStation 5 reveal event from June 2020 as "Project Athia", I thought it looked like a cool evolution of the tech that powered "Final Fantasy XV". When the game was officially titled "Forspoken" in an early State of Play for 2021, where the concept of the game being an "isekai" starring a foul mouthed lady being transported into a fantasy world was revealed, I was left torn a bit. The tone just seemed wrong with the aesthetic, but subsequent showings slowly convinced me it could be something cool if it comes together. Being one of the only confirmed May releases for this year helps, but reviews and word of mouth will have the final say for me. Here's hoping!

Dying Light 2

The original "Dying Light" was one of the bigger surprises from the PS4/Xbox One generation, particularly the genius move of releasing at the right place at the right time, early on a winter 2015 barren of new releases. It's open world RPG mixed with "Mirror's Edge"-like parkour helped make it a fresh entry in a very crowded zombie market. While I never finished the original game, I appreciated its potential, which the long delayed sequel seems like it's finally fulfilling. My concern about this one is its release timing in the blood bath that is February 2022, where it won't have the advantage of being the only game in town in a quiet time. Specially not with the heavy hitters coming out in February. The discourse surrounding the length of the game hasn't helped. However, if word of mouth/reviews prove positive enough, maybe it can have a chance in the midst of the release bloodbath.

Marvel's Midnight Suns

I'll always be keeping an eye out on new Marvel games coming out from respected AAA developers, specially since the Marvel games output has been shockingly solid over the past four years (with only "Marvel's Avengers" being the one notable miss). A turn based RPG from XCOM developer Firaxis seems like a solid new addition to Marvel Games' growing catalogue, and only its supernatural stint is the one thing holding me back from being even more excited about it. Still, very curious to see how "Marvel's Midnight Suns" turns out later this year.

Saint's Row

The "Saints Row" franchise has laid dormant since the release of "Gat Out of Hell", the highly underwhelming expansion to the already underwhelming "Saints Row 4". Years later, developer Volition is coming back with a reboot of the franchise that harkens back a bit to the pre-"Saints Row: The Third" era of the franchise. Reactions to some of the gameplay shown have been mixed, but a recent extended delay from February to August should give Volition plenty of time to get it right. In a saturated open world market that has pretty much ignored the "Grand Theft Auto" style of open world mayhem (with Rockstar in particular so entrenched in keeping "GTA Online" alive, they've left the market open for a competitor), this seems like the time for "Saint's Row" to make its mark again, as long as it hits the mark.

 

The Callisto Protocol

You only have to say the words "original Dead Space creator Glen Schofield is doing a spiritual successor" to catch both my eyes' attention. As a huge fan of the first two "Dead Space" games (where I became sad to see the sorry state of affairs of the underwhelming/corporate melded third entry), I've been wanting more survival horror games in the vein of that original recipe, and while it's been fun to see Capcom rediscover survival horror with its latest "Resident Evil" entries (both the new ones and the pair of remakes), nothing compares to those first two "Dead Space" games. Despite the strangely peculiar decision to make this spiritual successor one that is set in the PUBG universe (a universe so widely devoid of any meaningful lore or personality as far as I know), if that's what it takes to get this type of survival horror game back in modern times (ignoring the exciting "Dead Space" remake by EA Motive for a second), then I'm all for it. Will it be released this year? Well, that's what keeps it as a honorable mention.

Hogwarts Legacy

There's an unwritten rule where many popular movie franchises give themselves well to the videogame treatment. Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Marvel, DC (sure, those last two are originally comic book properties but let's not mince words) have proven when done right, games set in those franchises can be pretty cool. I feel for a while the "Harry Potter" franchise has been in search of a great game ever since the early days when EA did some of those licensed movie tie ins (the "Chamber of Secrets" game was a surprise banger). While this non-movie tie in by developer Avalanche has sure been caught in some controversies at no fault of its own (the constant controversy surrounding J.K. Rowling and the creative director who exited the project being a target of some liberal hit pieces), the idea of "Hogwarts Legacy" being a full on RPG set in this universe is still one I want to see if it can rise above the standard licensed videogame fare. 

Tiny Tina's Wonderland

I've mentioned many times how big of a fan I am of the "Destiny" franchise and it's loot driven nature. I've also mentioned I like for there to be a complementary game I can always turn to at the times the game's in a dry spell. For a while, despite actually coming out first, I saw "Bordelands" fulfilling that complemetary niche (specially popularizing the looter shooter early on in 2009 and 2012 before 2014's "The Pre-Sequel" underwhelmed and sent the franchise away for a bit in the wake of the rise of "Destiny"), which is why I found "Borderlands 3" such a disappointment back in 2019 before it got slightly rescued by its good DLC throughout 2020. Unfortunately, new content stopped and Gearbox moved to new projects. In 2021, "Outriders" came in and fulfilled that desire as the alternate looter shooter of choice next to "Destiny 2" in my eyes, and now that the game is hibernating as it awaits an official expansion, I need that alternate fix. "Tiny Tina's Wonderland", a spinoff from "Borderlands" releasing early in the year barring any official delay, could potentially fill that niche as long as it improves upon some of the more disappointing aspects of "Borderlands 3" in my eyes, particularly its main story campaign and ignoring the quality of life improvements done to the genre over the last decade. Will definitely keep some hopes for this one. 

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

With the Nintendo Switch being my secondary/terciary console of choice compared to PlayStation and Xbox, I sometimes need to feed it something in the in-betweens, and I feel "Kirby and the Forgotten Land" could be that kind of game early into 2022. With a late March 2022 release and nothing else of note coming for the Nintendo Switch in that period, I can see this new 2D/3D platformer hybrid featuring Kirby (and looking mightily similar in spots to "Super Mario Odyssey") fulfilling its role as a particular pallete cleanser after the release bloodbath that is February/March 2022 subsides. The beauty of the Nintendo Switch is its ability to make even the most niche of franchises into surprising big sellers, so I can see this Kirby game also proving to be a breakout Nintendo hit in lieu of nothing else of note coming out. 

Ghostwire Tokyo

The second of the pair of Bethesda games Sony secured as timed PlayStation 5 exclusives prior to the Microsoft purchase, "Ghostwire Tokyo" proves a bittersweet moment for PlayStation fans. For one, barring any changes to Microsoft's thinking, this will be the final new Bethesda game appearing in PlayStation consoles that is not a legacy title (the recent PS5 release of "The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim: Anniversary Edition" is not meant to be read into as a sign of newer titles coming). It also proves an interesting experiment for Tango Gameworks, the studio led by legendary horror director Shinji Mikami who last released the two "The Evil Within" games. The studio is pivoting now into something more action focused and high energy compared to the classic survival horror experiences of its last franchise (which harkened back to Mikami's own classic "Resident Evil" games). Whether Ghostwire Tokyo hits in a way the studio's previous underrated gems didn't remains to be seen. 

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Now that the honorable mentions are done, here comes the 10 games I'm most excited to see come out in 2022!

TOP 10 MOST ANTICIPATED GAMES OF 2022

10. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

The LEGO game franchise has always held a special place in my heart for how reliable their "comfort food" family friendly gameplay has proven applied to the many different properties it has adapted. However, what makes this upcoming (and surprisingly eternally delayed) installment is that it's the first time developer Traveler's Tales is going to shake up and evolve the LEGO formula, flipping it a bit on its head and making it a more open exploration game with a new camera perspective compared to the classic, more linear predecesors. Mixing it with the fact that "Star Wars" remains the intellectual property in all of entertainment that remains so near and dear to my heart, and I for sure can't wait to at least have some heartful fun with the galaxy far, far away in LEGO form once more since 2011's "LEGO Star Wars 3: The Clone Wars". It's recent release date of April 5th, 2022 at least gives me the light at the end of the tunnel for this perpetually delayed project.

9. Elden Ring

Every time a new Souls-like game from developer From Software is coming out, the fever pitch excitement always catches me and makes me dive into these games, even knowing that they are a kind of difficult game I sometimes never get a handle on, and mostly makes me bounce off (like I did rather quickly with 2019's "Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice"). My eye opening experience with 2015's "Bloodborne" always makes me hopeful another one of these games is gonna hit the right spot, and I'm hoping their newest title "Elden Ring", which seems like it will evolve the formula a bit into something more wide and open, will be one that fully clicks with me. Everyone that played the tech test is singing the praises, and I can't wait to try it and see if it lives up to the excitement. Having someone like George R.R. Martin writing the game's lore does help a lot (speaking of, is he ever finishing his "Song of Ice and Fire" books?).

8. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

My excitement toward's Rocksteady Games next DC games comes from the fact 2021's "The Suicide Squad" movie by James Gunn provided the template for how to have a really enjoyable version of the Suicide Squad. That movie (and the sorta sequel TV show "Peacemaker") are just unapologetically fun and inappropriate. Considering Rocksteady's previous "Batman Arkham" games were so dour and self serious (which I still love), the fact this new fun and cheery game clearly taking a page from Gunn's work is set in that same universe just makes me cackle. The idea of a coop enabled game inspired by Insomniac Games' own "Sunset Overdrive" sells me on this game, even if deep in my heart I would have loved Rocksteady to have actually given us a game where we actually play as the Justice League instead of a team tasked in killing it. Considering their Arkham trilogy was rock-solid (even with the Batmobile stumbles of "Batman: Arkham Knight"), in Rocksteady I trust for them to release a great game, specially one that's taken close to 6 years of development. 

7. Gotham Knights

It's kind of crazy to think the past console generation only really gave us one Batman game in its entirety (ignoring the Telltale seasons for a bit), and now that we're here, we are still not getting a new Batman game but one focused on his extended Bat-family. The timing couldn't be more fortuitous considering in recent years I've found all content related to the Bat-family of Nightwing, Robin and the like more compelling than Batman proper, so developer WB Montreal may be unto something focusing "Gotham Knights" on that particular group in the wake of Batman apparently "dying". While there is cause for concern for how long it's taken WB Montreal to release a game (considering their last game came out all the way in 2013, "Batman: Arkham Origins"), I feel this has some good potential to break out and surprise some people. For one, I feel "Batman: Arkham Origins" doesn't get its props for how good its story was, and it was a game clearly in need of just one final polish pass and not needing to exist in the shadow of the Rocksteady Batman trilogy. And two, the lack of a Batman game for so long could help this game fill a particular demand that's clearly there. While the coop nature and the RPG elements may indicate the game may be dipping its toes into the dreaded live service territory, the devs have confirmed it's not a service game but a pure single player game with coop enabled. I don't know about you, but playing as the Bat-family with a friend taking on the malicious Court of Owl's from the great comic run from legendary writer Scott Snyder sounds like a good time for me, and considering this game was originally going to come out in 2021, I feel there's a better chance of this game coming out ths year than Rocksteady's "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League". 

6. Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin

This is a game that has provided me with nothing but meme fodder since its hilarious, chaotic debut at Square Enix's E3 2021 showcase (to much of my podcast co-host chagrin, where he hates everything about it for how it reminds him of an edgy teenage face he much rather forget). While the tone deaf/edgy reimagining of elements of the original "Final Fantasy" may seem like anathema for longtime fans, to my surprise, this game is actually a blast to play based on the demo they released. Yes, the game's tone threatens to make this game achieve success based on meme potential alone (just look at the "Bullshit/Plays Limp Bizkit" clip to see what I mean), but the amount of combat depth that mixes "Final Fantasy" elements with "Dark Souls" level of combat efficiency is a marriage that surprisingly works, and barring any disaster coming from any reviews, I can't imagine passing on this one. It's just an audacious piece of work in a gaming landscape that has grown a little more pretentious and self serious. "Stranger of Paradise: Final Fantasy Origin" seems like it understands and embraces its self serious/self-parodic nature, and I hope the entire thing comes together in a way that surprises beyond its hilarious trappings.

5. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order 2

This is the one entry on my list that is a pure faith pick, as the thing hasn't even been announced yet. But in reporter Jeff Grubb and his track record I trust. The original "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order" came in as a cool, pleasant surprise in 2019, and despite EA doing anything in its power to downplay it as they put their might and marketing into their more traditional, lucrative releases, developer Respawn Entertainment proved they were capable of doing a game outside its FPS wheelhouse. The game's critical and commercial success (it outsold EA's own beleaguered "Star Wars: Battlefront 2") proved to EA the "no frills", pure single player experience is something worth investing in still, which led to the publisher majorly changing its tune and more open to those experiences again. Obviously as a first attempt it came in with its rough edges (some edges that multiple patches haven't been able to iron out even with the next gen versions out), but the core idea of a Star Wars game melding a lot of great concepts from many excellent games into one cohesive package is still a great one, and the potential of a sequel allowing the team the time to fully cook all the ideas they implemented in the original one (using the analogy of the way 2009's "Assassin's Creed 2" fulfilled the potential of the original "Assassin's Creed") is mouth watering to say the least. Considering how even with its problems and rough edges that original game ended up being my favorite game of 2019, the moment this is announced (and potentially released in the same year since Respawn's good at getting games out in reasonable timelines), I will be very excited indeed. 

4. God of War Ragnarok

This one is personal for me.

The "God of War" reimagining released in 2018 is the reason why I am still playing games these days. At a time in my life where everything was in flux with an uncertain future, and no game at the moment was hitting the spot for me (we were in the middle of the lootbox fiasco/"single player is dead" plaguing gaming sentiment at the time), I was just wondering if life was taking me at a point where gaming was not for me anyone and I'd have to settle on the memories of the games of yesterday and no longer be excited for the games coming up. Then "God of War" released, becoming the perfect amalgamation of what makes my perfect videogame, reimagining a series that was a favorite of mine from a relentless action slasher full of blood and entrails into a more pensive, deeper action adventure game wrapped up in a story about forgiveness, redemption, the unshackling of past mistakes and the legacy we leave behind. Returning "God of War 2" director Cory Barlog's masterpiece hit me on a deep note, and to this day, the game occupies a space in my mind just behind "Super Mario World" as my favorite game of all time. It's the ways "God of War (2018)" hit me that makes me both excited and slightly apprehensive about its sequel, "God of War: Ragnarok".

Don't get me wrong, if "God of War: Ragnarok" settles into being "the 2018 game but bigger and with more" like it seemed based on the extended look at the 2021 PlayStation Event, it still has the chance of being one of the best games out there. That's how special that original game was. However, there is always the danger of the direct sequel to something so highly acclaimed (in movie terms, think "The Dark Knight" being followed by "The Dark Knight Rises") still being really good but failing to reach the heights of its predecessor. With a new director and with the surprise element already gone, I feel "God of War: Ragnarok" could have a hard time measuring up to the impact the 2018 game delivered, specially what it means for me personally.

It's those feelings coupled with the lack of a solid 2022 release date that holds back "God of War: Ragnarok" slightly for me in placing higher in the most anticipated games for this year specifically, even if my heart wants this to be #1. But make no mistake, once a solid release date is revealed, everything stops for me. Even if it doesn't dethrone the original game from my list of favorite games of all time, it will still be more "God of War". Considering how good that first game was, more of that will definitely be a fantastic time. 

3. Starfield

Even as someone that has played a lot of it but has never finished it (something I wish to rectify this year), I cannot deny how beloved and impactful "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim" was when it released in 2011, and just how big of a staying power it has had in the decade since its release (look how often the thing's been re-released since). Even a slight stumble like 2015's "Fallout 4" and the initial disaster that was 2018's "Fallout 76" hasn't prevented the next big thing from Bethesda Games Studios from becoming a big cultural even. With the upcoming release of "Starfield" scheduled for November 2022, this new IP using Bethesda's trademark, highly malleable RPG formula of endless possibilities set in the backdrop of space exploration sounds like the kind of dream game many sci-fi aficionados have been waiting for. And now with the full backing of Microsoft, "Starfield" releasing as a full blown first party exclusive for Xbox/PC gives it even more gravitas than before. Despite the studio taking some quality hits with their past two releases (even though "Fallout 76" wasn't entirely made by the core Bethesda studio, its name was attached to it), it's new status as a first party studio under Microsoft's umbrella demands a new level of quality. The idea of Bethesda's newest IP having a higher level of polish behind it, makes "Starfield" a mighty contender for game to beat later this year, provided it delivers on the polish expected by its new parent company and it's not a janky mess similar to "Fallout 4" or a technical disaster like "Fallout 76". But hey, just saying its the new game from the studio that gave us "Skyrim" is enough to make this game a big upcoming moment for this year in games.

2. Destiny 2: The Witch Queen

Few games are an actual addiction for me like "Destiny" and its loot driven gaming loop. There is no other first person shooter in the market for me that gives me as much satisfaction simply with the act of playing it, and as someone that's usually more entrenched in single player experiences, "Destiny" is my one exception for a game I like playing with friends with, specially its PVE side. In its highs and lows, I've stuck around for both "Destiny" and "Destiny 2", and even though you can lob criticism at recent decisions like the sunsetting of paid content in "Destiny 2" for alleged "Technical Reasons", I still believe that the game's current state is the best it's ever been, with the game finally finding its voice with compelling storytelling, and finding a way to make the seasonal model keep you entertained year round, while giving you enough of an exit ramp to dip out and come back later. It's upcoming "The Witch Queen" expansion, which has had an additional 6 months of development and was the first time "Destiny 2" missed out on a yearly big content drop, comes with higher expectations after the game went through growing pains with the transition to "Beyond Light". If the recent seasonal content is any indication of some of the quality to expect with the next big expansion, then the extra time in the oven should prove an exciting time not just for "Destiny" fans, but people who may be interested in jumping in. While the game hasn't had a big need for another "Taken King/Forsaken" moment (the moments where both "Destiny" games went from good to really great after a year of growing pains), it definitely feels like the kind of exciting moment needed to propel "Destiny 2" on its fifth year, and all signs point to this at least aiming for the high caliber seen in some of the series more memorable expansions. From the beginning of the superpower rework that will occur year round, more emphasis on having a campaign worth raving about (where Bungie literally threw names like "Titanfall 2", "Doom" and "God of War" with what they're aiming for quality wise with their newer campaign), and the introduction of new quality of life elements like weapon crafting, "Destiny 2: The Witch Queen" sounds like the big deal. With all of this, I can't wait for nothing else mattering after this thing releases late February!

1. Horizon: Forbidden West

If there is one game with the the biggest possibility of taking the template of an original entry and fulfilling its potential with a sequel, it doesn't get bigger for me this year than "Horizon: Forbidden West". I unapologetically loved the original "Horizon: Zero Dawn" so much when it came out in late February 2017. It's close proximity of release to a game changing game like "The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild" blunted the game's impact a bit and its a shame, 'cause how "Horizon: Zero Dawn" was able to be a showcase of a studio in Guerrilla Games successfully migrating into a different genre after being a first person shooter studio for so long is the kind of transition that doesn't happen often and with that level of success. And the fact they were able to transition while mostly doing a good with their first open world game with only a couple of "baby's first open world" problems is the kind of perfect set up for a potential follow up to clean up its act and deliver on the full potential of the whole thing.

Simply put, based on some of the things Guerrilla has previewed when it comes to combat and open world design, it's funny thinking how that original game came out before Zelda, because this new game makes it clear it looked at "Breath of the Wild" for some inspiration in how to evolve the game into something more dynamic while still retaining some of the unique aspects that made the original game such a standout. I'll always maintain the mixed aesthetic of the futuristic robotic technology paired with a civilization that reverted back to its pre-civilized age in a post-post apocalypse is a fresh take on what's becoming a tired trope, and continuing that unique take with a more polished, more dynamic game sounds like perfect fodder for a much improved sequel. The jump from the first "Assassin's Creed" towards "Assassin's Creed 2" remains one of my favorite gaming moments ever, and everything Guerrilla has shown paints a similar kind of evolution. I can't wait to see if they fulfill the game's potential and clean up the original game's more wanting elements, mainly around some stiff, "always on the ground" movement, and a combat engine that shone with long distance combat, but was lacking in the "up close and personal". And with the game being so close to releasing on February 18th, 2022, I hope it's the moment that'll allow most audiences to think of the "Horizon" franchise with much higher regard.

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And those are my most anticipated games of the year! What are yours? Let me know!