2022 has been an incredible year for gaming. Not only did some of the most highly-anticipated AAA titles of all time finally launch, but plenty of indie titles also fought their way to perfect scores and critical acclaim. Obsidian's Pentiment may have taken the top spot for Screen Rant's Game of the Year 2022, but there are lots of other firm favorites across the gaming editor team, with each deserving its own GOTY nod.
This year saw PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles become more readily available, while the much-coveted Steam Deck's successful launch quickly saw it become a must-have console for many. Studios also ramped up the release of upgrades for last-gen games, with The Witcher 3:Wild Hunt and countless other games finally getting a fresh lick of current-gen paint. Meanwhile, the award-winning Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarok have dominated hearts and headlines even months after release. While the heavy-hitting FromSoftware and Santa Monica Studio games became instant classics, there's plenty of other 2022 releases that deserve recognition.
To celebrate the end of 2022 and prepare for whatever 2023 might bring, below are the Best Games of 2022 as selected by Screen Rant's gaming editors. This is not a ranked list and is in no particular order, consisting only of what we feel were the best games released throughout 2022.
Lara's Best Game Of 2022 - Pokémon Violet
Selected by Lara Jackson, Screen Rant's Lead Gaming Editor.
2022 saw some fantastic industry-shaking releases in the likes of Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarok, but it's the cozy and simple pleasures of Pokémon Violet that make it my Game of the Year. Pokémon Violet gave me exactly what I was looking for in 2022: a game in which I could roam around with my Pokémon pals and make sandwiches. Yes, the game is (at the time of writing) still plagued with bugs, but having not properly touched a Pokémon game since Blue's release, it was a fresh and new experience to try an open-world monster-catching title, and Legends: Arceus is now next on my list.
Austin's Best Game Of 2022 - Chained Echoes
Selected by Austin King, Screen Rant Lead Features Editor
In a year full of major AAA releases, Chained Echoes proved that indie titles can make for some of the best gaming experiences. As a love letter to classic JRPGs from the SNES and PS1 eras, Chained Echoes still manages to feel new and fresh. It plays with conventions and tropes while paying homage to games like Chrono Trigger, Xenogears, and Final Fantasy 6. Released near the end of 2022, Chained Echoes was a pleasant surprise. It effortlessly blends a loveable cast of characters, great music, pixelated graphics, and excellent turn-based combat inside a compelling and sprawling narrative. It's a must-play for anyone who loves fantasy RPGs.
Cody's Best Game Of 2022 - Pentiment
Selected by Cody Gravelle, Screen Rant Reviews Editor
The best argument for Pentiment is also the most opaque - it is utterly unlike any other game in existence, and must be played to understand. It’s the same sort of reasoning that saw the divisive Death Stranding frequent Game of the Year selections, and it’s understandably frustrating to outside parties. That said, it’s also true, perhaps never moreso than in Obsidian’s surprise masterwork. As explored in Screen Rant's Pentiment review, the game is an egotistical undertaking in granular genius, the sort of game that’s smallest revelations feel like the last threads being woven back together in a spiraling detective tale. The ego is justified. Play this game.
Ewan's Best Game Of 2022 - Elden Ring
Selected by Ewan Paterson, Screen Rant Features Editor
Souls games have never been my thing. Despite most of FromSoftware’s library occupying the narrative genres that I love - whether that be medieval fantasy in Dark Souls or gothic horror with Bloodborne - I could never get over their punishing openings, which I (admittedly) misconstrued as prohibitive. When hype began to swell for Elden Ring - and I found myself getting sucked in by its trailers - I dreaded the prospect of once again deluding myself into buying a new FromSoftware effort, only to have my lunch handed to me by NPC peasant #5 after exiting the tutorial. That still happened due to Elden Ring's difficulty, but there was something about the Lands Between that compelled me to keep going - and I’m so glad I did.
Elden Ring exemplifies everything that is great and unique about video games as a medium, serving also as a breath of fresh air that foregoes all the noise and clutter that’s become part and parcel of the open world genre. It is both innovative and a great throwback, encouraging players to explore and piece together the history of the Lands Between through environmental storytelling and epic enemy encounters, which were made all the better by in-game player messages. That sense of shared discovery and community post-release has become a cherished gaming memory for me, as has finally clicking with FromSoft’s impish gameplay quirks. (Just don’t make me kill my Living Jar best friend next time, okay?)
Kyle's Best Game Of 2022 - Elden Ring
Selected by Kyle Gratton, Screen Rant Features Editor
Elden Ring feels like the culmination of a long and incredibly memorable journey that began when I first picked up Dark Souls in 2011, and further cements something I’ve believed for a long time - FromSoftware is in a league of its own. The incredibly precise but varied combat combined with the endlessly breathtaking world of the Lands Between has resulted in not only my favorite game of 2022, but one of the best games I’ve ever played.
After more than two years of unprecedented excitement leading up to its release, Elden Ring became a cultural phenomenon, dominating gaming discourse for months post-launch - not only living up to the hype, but miraculously exceeding it. It has deservedly gone on to become FromSoftware’s best-selling title, bringing countless new fans to understand the devotion of those who near-rabidly anticipate every one of the studio’s new releases since 2009’s Demon’s Souls. I might consider Elden Ring a once-in-a-lifetime game, if I weren’t so confident in FromSoftware's next game outdoing itself again.
Tash's Best Game Of 2022 - Stray
Selected by Tash Martell, Screen Rant Features Editor
My happy and relaxing game this year was Disney Dreamlight Valley, but as that’s still in early access and has some way to go before it’s fully realised, my game of the year would have to be Stray. I wasn’t expecting to like Stray as much as I did. The titular ‘stray’ cat was always going to be popular, but combined with simple yet enjoyable platforming, fun little puzzles, and a surprisingly heart-wrenching story, it was better than I expected. With some simple text-based dialogue, the game manages to completely draw you into the journey of a robot and cat in a post-apocalyptic world. (No wonder Screen Rant gave Stray a perfect score.)
William's Best Game of 2022 - Vampire Survivors
Selected by William Cennamo, Screen Rant Guides Editor
Surrounded by the epic releases of AAA games like Elden Ring and Pokémon Legends: Arceus, a small beacon of indie pride released itself onto the world in 2022. Shining bright with its simplified gameplay, addicting upgrade system, and the purest feeling of "just one more run" ever, Vampire Survivors is the only true choice for GOTY. From my humble beginnings as a whip-slinging Antonio in the Mad Forest to the monster-dominating area-control fanatic Dommario in the Bone Zone, Vampire Survivors continues to be a game that I will return to over and over again, perfecting each new run the best I can.
There were certainly games released this year that had better graphics or more complicated gameplay mechanics, but in the end, after we defeat The Elden Beast, after we perfect our MCPR-300 Loadout, even after we 'Catch 'em All,' we'll always return to the masterful simplicity and never-ending runs of the genre-defining Vampire Survivors.
Akshay's Best Game of 2022 - Triangle Strategy
Selected by Akshay Bhalla, Screen Rant Guides Editor
Triangle Strategy might not have won any accolades at this year’s The Game Awards, but it was still my favorite game of the year. Not only did it scratch the itch of classic Tactical RPGs, but it also delivered a nail-biting narrative that warrants multiple playthroughs. The “convictions” and voting system add a new layer to a classic formula that directly impacts the story and what happens on the battlefield. While Elden Ring and God of War Ragnarok were among my favorites this year (as seen in my God of War Ragnarok review), I had the most fun learning about the world and the characters of Triangle Strategy.
Chris' Best Game of 2022 - Pentiment
Selected by Chris Teuton, Screen Rant Updates Writer
Pentiment is the Game of the Year. The only people who don't think Pentiment is the best game of 2022 are people who have not yet played Pentiment. Thankfully, Pentiment is easily available on Xbox Game Pass for both consoles and PC, and players with both can utilize Game Pass' cloud save functionality to play Pentiment right now on whichever platform they are currently closest to and then pick it up later without losing progression.
