It's true that 2022 has seen an excessive number of video games originally planned for it delayed, with their release dates pushed back to 2023 and beyond. But despite this, 2022 has also seen its fair share of high-quality new game releases. In fact, there are numerous new game releases that have earned widespread positive reviews from fans and critics alike, ensuring fans of all genres have had something fresh to play this year.
Review aggregate site OpenCritic keeps a running list of all the highest-rated new game releases of the year. We've trimmed it to remove remasters, remakes, DLC, and enhanced ports of existing games, focusing entirely on the brand-new releases of 2022.
Here are the top 20 highest-rated video games of 2022 so far.
Best Video Games of 2022 So Far
- Elden Ring - 95
- Freshly Frosted - 91
- NORCO - 90
- Neon White - 90
- Not for Broadcast - 89
- Rogue Legacy 2 - 89
- Horizon Forbidden West - 88
- Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - 88
- Gran Turismo 7 - 87
- Retro Bowl - 87
- Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge - 87
- Strange Horticulture - 86
- Total War: Warhammer 3 - 86
- AI: The Sominum Files - nirvanA Initiative - 86
- Will You Snail? - 86
- OlliOlli World - 86
- Tunic - 85
- Wanderer - 85
- Floppy Knights - 85
- Kirby and the Forgotten Land - 85
To the surprise of no one, FromSoftware's Elden Ring currently holds the top spot with an impressive 95 rating. Elden Ring earned near-universal acclaim when it first launched earlier this year, with the game standing as not only one of the highest-rated games of 2022, but one of the highest-rated games made to date. Elden Ring has been praised for successfully converting the Dark Souls formula to an open world setting, and for making important quality of life improvements on that formula.
Joining Elden Ring in the 90 or above club are a diverse selection of games. Puzzle game Freshly Frosted, where players are tasked with building conveyor belts and frosting donuts, has an impressive 91 rating. Point-and-click adventure game NORCO has 90, as does Neon White, a unique first-person shooter game where players have to use cards to perform special actions.
The high-80s have some notable games, including some of the biggest new game releases of the year. PlayStation exclusive Horizon Forbidden West has an 88 rating, as does Nintendo Switch exclusive JRPG Xenoblade Chronicles 3.
Needless to say, there are plenty of new video game releases for 2022 that have earned high praise from critics, so anyone needing something new to play should consider checking these games out.
Source: OpenCritic