Even though many of the highly anticipated games in recent years, notably Cyberpunk 2077 and Battlefield 2042, have been massive flops, it doesn't change the fact that gamers are always looking forward to the next best thing. 2022 will see the release of many hyped-up original games such as Elden Ring and Starfield, and as it is every year, there are also many sequels to fan-favorite games coming out. Among sequels that have been already released, Horizon Forbidden West has been met with critical praise, and hopefully others that are coming out soon will face a similar reaction.
Some of these upcoming sequels have yet to create much buzz, such as Sons Of The Forest, while others are tremendously anticipated, like Breath Of The Wild 2.
Gran Turismo 7 - March 4, 2022
Xbox Game Studios has Forza as its flagship racing video game series, and Playstation has Gran Turismo. The first game in the series is one of the best racing games on the original PlayStation, and over the years Gran Turismo has grown to be the highest-selling Playstation game franchise. The games feature some intricately detailed vehicles and locations, and the amount of customization possible is unparalleled.
GT7 will be using the full power of the PS5 to boast some beautiful ray-traced graphics, and will also bring back the classic "GT Simulation Mode", along with hundreds of cars to buy at the in-game store.
Sons Of The Forest - May 20, 2022
After spending years in early access, The Forest, one of the most ultra-difficult survival games that is only for the pros, was released in 2018. The game sets players loose on a forested island where they have to build shelter, look for resources to survive, and stay safe from the mutant cannibals that live on the island.
The sequel, Sons Of The Forest, is being developed by the same indie team and is expected to release in mid-2022, and fans are expecting the return of the gameplay mechanisms that the first one used and much more.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl - December 8, 2022
The S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise enjoyed mass popularity in the late 2010s era when it came out on PC, and since then has obtained a cult following. A fourth installment in the series had been in development hell since 2009 until recently when its gameplay was revealed during E3 2021.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 will be an open-world game and will take players back to the radioactive and horror setting of the original games, the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone inhibited by mutated monsters and scavengers. It is being developed with the upcoming Unreal Engine 5, so incredible graphics are almost guaranteed.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II - 2022
One of the best Norse mythology-inspired games of all time, Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice weaved an unforgettable narrative experience that remains a shining example of what a story-based game can be. Through its central character Senua, who suffers from a unique case of psychosis, the game told the story of a girl who makes her way to Helheim to bring back her dead lover.
Hellblade II has much to live up to, although from what has been revealed, it is shaping up to be a worthy sequel. The first game was a solo journey for Senua, but in the trailers for Hellblade II she seems to be part of a tribe now, fighting against giants.
A Plague Tale: Requiem - 2022
An underrated gem, A Plague Tale: Innocence is a tragic story set in 14th century France during the Plague and revolves around a young boy and his elder sister as they try to survive being hunted down because of the powers in his blood. Puzzle-solving and stealth made up a big portion of the first game's gameplay, and combat was not the focal point as the siblings try to avoid fights instead of engaging them.
The trailers for Requiem show Amicia sporting a crossbow, and taking her brother's "rat powers" into account, it can be assumed that the sequel will be relatively more aggressive.
Splatoon 3 - 2022
Splatoon can be described as playing paintball virtually, which allows for the kind of actions and activities that really wouldn't be physically possible in a real game. The games are fun in the truest meaning of the word and popular across all demographics, so it is a no-brainer that Splatoon 3 is one of the most highly anticipated Nintendo Switch games coming out in 2022.
Playing as "Inklings" and "Octolings", players will get to hurl paint at each other across various maps in online multiplayer using different kinds of weapons and abilities. Even though the multiplayer aspect might be what everyone is looking forward to, there will be a single-player campaign as well.
Bayonetta 3 - 2022
Featuring a fun and iconic protagonist, Bayonetta was created by Hideki Kamiya, the developer behind the popular Devil May Cry series. The titular character Bayonetta, or Cereza, is a centuries-old witch of immense magical and physical power, which she uses to fight monsters called demons. The prime attraction of the series lies in its fluid, combo-oriented flashy combat moves, and Bayonetta 3 has teased much more of it.
Fans have been waiting for the sequel for 8 years, and considering the long development cycle, hopefully it will at least fix the issues from Bayonetta 2.
Hello Neighbor 2 - 2022
Even though the game currently sits with an average score of less than 40 on Metacritic, at the height of its popularity, Hello Neighbor was being enjoyed by many around the world and was drawing in millions of views on Youtube. The game's popularity was enough to launch a series of spin-offs, toys, and even books.
Hello Neighbor 2 will find players once again stalking their neighbor Mr. Peterson, who is an AI-run character that reacts to player patterns. A key difference from the first Hello Neighbor will be a bigger explorable map and access to other houses.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath Of The Wild 2 - 2022
Breath Of The Wild is often hailed as one of the greatest games ever made, and it is definitely one of the Switch exclusive games that make the console worth buying. In the shoes of the series' staple hero Link, players got to explore the huge open-world map of Hyrule filled, with more activities to do than anyone can count.
Much remains unknown about the sequel, including its title, but one thing that has been revealed is that it will introduce a flying mechanism that will form a big part of the gameplay and story, meaning even the skies of Hyrule will be explorable now.
God of War: Ragnarok - 2022
2018's God of War served as the inception of a new phase for the franchise and found Kratos in the midst of Norse mythology (instead of Greek like the previous games) on a journey with his son Atreus. Following the events of the first game, in which Kratos killed Baldur and accelerated the coming of Ragnarok, the game will continue Kratos' conflict with the Asgardian Gods.
Epic boss fights and cinematics accompanied by spectacular gameplay are assured, but there are some questions that fans hope God of War: Ragnarok will answer as well.