Sometimes it feels like looking forward to games is even more fun than actually playing them. That feeling you get when you don’t have to add a shiny new game to your mental or physical backlog yet, and can simply bask in some pre-release hype and fool yourself into thinking you’ll have the time to conquer all the new titles. But 2022 positively demands you figure a way to invent more time, because there is a veritable cornucopia of titles that require your attention. So break out the flux capacitors and start messing with the time space continuum, it’s the only way we’re going to get through it all. The WellPlayed team sat down to sift through what’s got them most excited this year, and jorts are once again on the endangered species list.
A Plague Tale: Requiem
Developer: Asobo Studio | Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Platform: PS5/Xbox Series X|S/Switch (Cloud)/PC | Release: 2022
Easily one of my favourite games of last gen was A Plague Tale: Innocence, which was a master craft in emotive storytelling. Amicia and Hugo’s journey continues in A Plague Tale: Requiem and it looks like it will take the series to even greater heights with an even greater number of rats. There appears to be a bigger focus on combat this time around which is exciting, but if Asobo Studio can give us another narrative worth remembering then Requiem could be one of the games of the year.
Zach Jackson
The only reason I played A Plague Tale: Innocence was because WellPlayed Managing Editor Zach Jackson basically forced me to at knife point. I’m glad he did (although I don’t think the knife was truly necessary), because it was an amazing experience that married my love of fighting rats with fire and protecting children that find themselves at the mercy of a cruel and unfair world. Given the positive reception to the original, I think Asobo Studio will double down on what made it strike such an emotional chord, and if the title is anything to go by then our pint-sized heroes may have some sad times ahead. I’ll do what’s in my power to help them though, and I relish the chance in 2022.
Kieran Stockton
Atomic Heart
Developer: Mundfish | Publisher: Mundfish
Platform: PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC | Release: #######ber 2022
Equal parts BioShock and Fallout 4, I am deeply curious about what the actual fuck this game is. It has piqued my interest enough to actually invoke my most sacred of rituals – avoiding further marketing in order to keep my experience as blind as possible. This means no developer deep dives, first impressions – hell, no cinematic trailers. Total blackout baby. I have managed to keep myself quite unscarred from this ritual, so I am unsure if that speaks to my taste, but I am hoping that Atomic Heart manages to cement itself as a great surprise from developers Mundfish.
Ash Wayling
Bayonetta 3
Developer: PlatinumGames | Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Switch | Release: 2022
Bayonetta is my favourite video game character in the modern era, so it is no secret I have my eye on the long developed third entry for the Nintendo Switch. Bayonetta 2 in particular is a blast and while PlatinumGames can be hit or miss, I have full confidence that when they’re involved with Bayonetta, it’s going to own.
Joshua Rizk
Bye Sweet Carole
Developer: Little Sewing Machine | Publisher: Little Sewing Machine
Platform: TBA | Release: 2022
Bye Sweet Carole should be on every horror fans list as far as I’m concerned. The latest brainchild of Italian gaming auteur Chris Darril (creator of the Remothered series, two flawed but deeply fascinating re-imaginings of classic horror games), Bye Sweet Carole ditches the PS2-era nostalgia for Disney Silver Age animation aesthetics and adventure game puzzles. So far only a scant few screenshots and a short trailer have been released but the game looks stunning and Darril’s proclivity for queer, experimental horror storytelling makes this one my most anticipated title of 2022.
James Wood
The Day Before
Developer: Fntastic | Publisher: Mytona
Platform: PS5/Xbox Series X|S/PC | Release: 21/06/22
I don’t care what people say about the market being saturated, I’m a sucker for post-apocalyptic zombie games. However, it’s been far too long since a multiplayer-based game pulled me in, but The Day Before from Fntastic has all the makings of doing just so thanks to its The Last of Us and The Division inspired gameplay. It looks promising, so hopefully it can live up to its potential.
Zach Jackson
Destiny 2: The Witch Queen
Developer: Bungie | Publisher: Bungie
Platform: PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC | Release: 22/2/22
It’s been a long ride, Guardian, but we’re finally set to hit an important narrative milestone within the world of Destiny, and I can’t wait. While the future of Bungie is in flux (who knows what Sony has in mind), there’s no doubt we’ve reached a point where Destiny is finally paying off on some of its biggest story beats, along with some major and hopefully positive gameplay shake-ups. It’s going to be wild, but I’m all in for some good times and deadly new weapons.
Mark Isaacson
Dustborn
Developer: Red Thread Games | Publisher: Quantic Dream
Platform: PS5/Xbox Series X|S/PC | Release: 2022
A story-driven game about travelling around a dystopian America as an undercover folk-punk band where your goal is to transport a package across the country, where you use the power of words (literally) to take on those that get in your way, and maintain your disguise by learning to play your own tunes. It’s also got a branching dialogue system and a stunning art style. What’s not to love?
Zach Jackson
Elden Ring
Developer: FromSoftware | Publisher: Bandai Namco
Platform: PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC | Release: 25/2/22
It’s difficult to put into coherent words how ready I am to get lost in another FromSoftware game. The worlds that FromSoft craft, from the fantastical to the macabre, are consistently engaging not just because of the mechanical pedigree but also thematic and aesthetic density. Basically, FromSoftware has yet to make a game that doesn’t absolutely slap and Elden Ring already seems to be no different. Taking lessons from past FromSoftware titles as well as Breath of the Wild, Elden Ring is positioned to dominate my time for the first half of the year. Also, there’s a playable class called Astrologer – that’s already cooler than 90% of games releasing this calendar year.
James Wood
I was lucky enough to get my hands on this one during a closed network test, and can confirm it is a testament to the unerring strength of a studio that continues to evolve and innovate with every game they release. Open-world games are a dime a dozen these days, but Elden Ring will stand head and shoulders above the humdrum empty checklisters with its dark and foreboding world, brutal combat and deep RPG mechanics.
Kieran Stockton
FromSoftware can do no wrong and Elden Ring may just be my most anticipated game from them yet. I’ve been watching people fail constantly on the network test and got the platinum trophy in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice because I can’t wait to get my filthy little hands on this game. While I am a self-proclaimed fan of Breath of the Wild, God of War, Horizon Zero Dawn and Dying Light, I have surprised myself by the fact that Elden Ring is without a doubt my most anticipated game of 2022.
Joshua Rizk
Evil West
Developer: Flying Wild Hog | Publisher: Focus Entertainment
Platform: PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC | Release: 2022
Cowboys are cool. So are supernatural monsters. It’s a no-brainer to put these together. I absolutely love games that seamlessly meld the mundane and the magnificent to create a weird alt-history that reads like a forgotten chapter of our past. So yeah, bugger it – the wild west was far eviler than we imagined, and I am ready to slang a big iron to conquer it. Not to mention, it is coming from Flying Wild Hog, a studio that consistently ups its game and delivers an experience full of creative fun and brilliant tone.
Ash Wayling
Cowboys and vampires are a criminally underused combo – I mean if you’ve ever played Darkwatch you’ll know what I am talking about. Flying Wild Hog is tapping into this market with its upcoming bombastic action game Evil West, which sees players play as one of the last agents of a vampire-hunting institute. Featuring fast-paced and visceral combat where players can go full gunslinger, utilise an electric-charged gauntlet or use a combination of both, as well as a story that can be played solo or in co-op, Evil West looks like it’ll be an incredibly fun time and I’m confident Flying Wild Hog has the chops to pull it off.
Zach Jackson
Ghostwire: Tokyo
Developer: Tango Gameworks | Publisher: Bethesda
Platform: PS5/PC | Release: 25/3/22
Despite not enjoying The Evil Within at all, Tango Gameworks managed to hook me with The Evil Within 2 and I largely attribute that to how the game was structured with its semi-open world and neat horror vignettes, even if I still had little interest in the game’s setting or story. Ghostwire: Tokyo looks set to give me what I loved from that game and marry it to a setting that I’m far more interested in, while also throwing in a curiously eclectic mix of new ideas that I’m incredibly keen to get my hands on. Time will tell if it works, but I predict I’m going to have a good time cleansing Tokyo of spooky yokai either way.
Kieron Verbrugge
If I’m honest, after Evil Within and its sequel managed to scare and entertain me in equal measure, and anything from Tango Gameworks would’ve caught my attention. With that said, the initial trailer for this spooky action title was more than a little intriguing. Since then we’ve seen more of the mystical title, which has detracted a number of those previously keen, but it’s had the opposite effect on me. The supernatural abilities and interesting looking setting are more than enough to have me counting down the days until March 25.
Adam Ryan
God of War Ragnarok
Developer: Sony Santa Monica | Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PS5 | Release: 2022
As someone who fell off the series wagon with the third and fourth-ish entries, 2018’s soft reboot God of War quickly rocketed up to be one of my favourite games of all time. Naturally that means I’m super keen for the follow-up, although I’m admittedly tentative about what it’ll lose by virtue of not being a complete surprise this time around. At any rate, I’m sure the continuation of the characters I grew to love will grip me just as tightly and I’m pre-salivating already at the prospect of how it’s going to look and play on the mighty PS5.
Kieron Verbrugge
If this one isn’t high up on your most anticipated list, then I don’t understand you and we can’t be friends. This will have the full weight of an extremely talented studio and dedicated publisher behind it, and I guarantee jaws will be dropping the world over when it finally lands. I am dying to see what’s next for the series, and at the very least I’m keen to pick up some parenting tips from Big Daddy Kratos.
Kieran Stockton
A real shocker this one is, I know. Honestly though, I would want someone to check my pulse if I didn’t show signs of excitement for the follow-up to the best game of the eighth console generation. Not only did God of War (2018) have some of the best third-person combat around, but it managed to tell a genuinely mature and captivating narrative that was centred around a character that, until that point, had been little more than muscle and rage. Of course, I’m itching to swing the Leviathan Axe once more, but the continuation of Kratos’ and Atreus’ tale is the real reason that I’m brimming with anticipation.
Adam Ryan
Gotham Knights
Developer: WB Games Montreal | Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC | Release: 2022
Batman: Arkham Origins isn’t my favourite entry, but that doesn’t mean that it’s a dud, in fact, it’s got the best one-on-one boss fight in the series. Moving on from the Arkhamverse, WB Games Montreal looks to carve out its own legacy in the DC universe with a co-op campaign focused on the bat family rather than the Dark Knight himself. Am I certain that this move to multiplayer will pay off? Not entirely. But the idea of playing as Red Hood alongside a friend fighting as Nightwing sounds like a dream as a fan of the Bat. More importantly, the excellent cabal of villains known as the Court of Owls will be making their video game debut, so the game’s story already has enough to have me hooked.
Adam Ryan
As an avid fan of the Arkham series, a game focusing on the other members of the bat family will be great. Being able to play as the different characters will hopefully add great variety to the gameplay and add new challenges. At the very least I’m keen to dive into a good Court of Owls story.
Holly Buckley
Gungrave G.O.R.E
Developer: Iggymob | Publisher: Prime Matter
Platform: PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC | Release: 2022
Gungrave is a franchise that holds a near and dear place in my heart. My first ‘brand new’ console was a PlayStation 2, bought for no other reason than JAPANESE GAME CONSOLE WILL HAVE NINJA GAMES ON IT – which was mostly true. With my meagre child monies, I would often raid second-hand stores for games to play – discovering mostly crap and the odd forgotten treasure. One such piece of crap was an anime-styled game simply titled Gungrave. With cantankerous gameplay and a plodding, nonsensical narrative about a zombie man with guns, I rapidly lost interest and had every intention of reselling it. Somehow, it escaped my wrath and was banished to a shoebox of unloved games. Eventually I moved to a small country town for work, and with no internet connection and zero close friends nearby I resorted to my PS2 for entertainment. With my extremely limited options, I rediscovered Gungrave and battled my way through to its conclusion out of necessity. And…I didn’t hate it. What spooked me out, however, was that this country town had a barren buy-and-sell store that somehow had a copy of the game’s sequel. It was fate. This was all over two decades ago, and I am still yet to find someone in my life that has played these games – but now there is a nu-gen sequel coming? To the PlayStation FIVE? Sign me the fuck up, I love playing new entries to long-dead franchises. Welcome back, Beyond the Grave.
Ash Wayling
Hogwarts Legacy
Developer: Portkey Games | Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC | Release: 2022
Harry Potter has been a substantial part of my childhood and I’ve always said I wanted a Harry Potter-themed RPG and here it is. I just need some more information. Please Warner Bros., I am begging.
Holly Buckley
Horizon Forbidden West
Developer: Guerilla Games | Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PS5/PS4 | Release: 18/02/22
‘Dino-Riders but make it open world with AAA polish’ is still a pitch I can hardly believe was fully realised in 2017 with Horizon: Zero Dawn. My only desire for improvement on the tense stealth gameplay would be to finally mount and lead a colossal cyborg beast. If the writing and plodding plot spends even less time getting in the way of the best-in-class combat, it will be a GOTY contender for me.
Nathan Hennessy
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Developer: HAL Laboratory | Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Switch | Release: 25/3/2022
An open-world Kirby game? I never thought I’d see the day. I’ve got a soft spot for the ol’ pink puff (he’s my Smash main, after all), but after a few half decent 3DS entries in the series, Kirby and the Forgotten Land looks bigger, bolder and amazingly beautiful in what we’ve seen so far. It could very well be another big hit for the Switch, and we won’t have very long to find out, but I’m just happy to have more Kirby. Happy Anniversary indeed.
Mark Isaacson
I have been playing Kirby games since I was a little kid, and the pink puffball is one of my favourite Nintendo characters and platformers. The last few games have been easy, but a chill, cute game can be a nice escape after a hard day. Kirby has always been a 2D platformer, after 30 years he is getting that important next dimension in Kirby and the Forgotten Land. I don’t care if this game is also easy, it looks so frigging beautiful in 3D that I’ll play the heck out of it anyway, I just want to inhale it now.
Eleanore Bleareau
The Legend of Heroes: Trails from Zero
Developer: Nihon Falcom | Publisher: NIS America
Platform: PS4/Switch/PC | Release: 2022
It is a divine shift in gears that we are continuing to see a rise in older, non-localised JRPGs making their way westward. Sporting the sprite-based isometric style of the earlier localised The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky, Trails from Zero is a bold choice for localisation in 2022 considering the dated visuals. If Zero can maintain the strength of its companion titles’ writing and story, such as in Trails in the Sky and Trails of Cold Steel, Zero could very well be the year’s JRPG hidden gem.
Nathan Hennessy
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2
Developer: Nintendo EPD | Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Nintendo Switch | Release: 2022
Please? It feels like a lifetime ago when Nintendo confirmed a direct sequel to arguably the best video game they’ve made in years, and there’s every chance it might not even make it to store shelves in 2022 either. I’m fine with waiting as long as it takes, but if Breath of the Wild 2: Electric Boogaloo (title TBC, but can you imagine?) does launch this year, it’s going to have massive shoes to fill despite how good it may turn out to be. Either way, attach it straight to my veins.
Mark Isaacson
I don’t think I’ve never not liked a Zelda game, but the wait to return to the beautiful world of Hyrule after Breath of the Wild has been agonising. It was such an easy world to sink hours upon hours into and it felt so alive. To be able to return and see it diversify even further in Breath of the Wild 2 (or whatever it ends up being called) with new areas including islands in the sky is exciting. There are so many things I still want to know about this game, but I won’t have to wait another year to find out, right?
Eleanore Blereau
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Developer: TT Games | Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Platform: PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/Switch/PC | Release: 05/04/22
God, it’s been too long since I’ve wanted to head back to that galaxy far, far away. Star Wars has hit a saturation point over the past few years as Disney+ shows have largely consumed the content slate for the saga. Mileage varies, of course, but nothing draws me back into that iconic war among the stars like Rey and her Sequel Trilogy cohorts – and now I get to play as them in a wholesome, vibrant recreation of the films. LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is drawing upon over forty years of iconic heroes, villains and locations to craft what is sure to be the best celebration of the franchise to date.
Martha is Dead
Developer: LKA | Wired Productions
Platform: PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC | Release: 24/2/22
If there was a game award for trailers, Martha is Dead would have multiple nominations, with some of the creepiest and most compelling pre-release trailers I have seen. Thankfully it’s not just smoke and mirrors, as the game’s premise sounds very promising. It’s a dark psychological thriller set in Italy during the Second World War, where a young girl must deal with the loss of her sister while the war goes on around her. Sounds good right? Well even better, given LKA’s Italian heritage the game will feature Italian music from that era, while Italian will be the default language for added authenticity. Non vedo l’ora.
Zach Jackson
Midnight Fight Express
Developer: Jacob Dzwinel | Publisher: Humble Games
Platform: PS4/Xbox One/Switch/PC | Release: 2022
You’d think that after playing Sifu and getting my arse handed to me that I’d want a break from high-intensity brawlers, but you’d be wrong. With an isometric view and some truly brutal looking combat, Midnight Fight Express feels like the lovechild of the aforementioned Sifu and Hotline Miami. Now, I’m not a kid person, but that sounds like a hell of a good time. Oh, you can also hit people with a double dropkick, so I’m in by default.
Adam Ryan
Redfall
Developer: Arkane Austin | Publisher: Bethesda
Platform: Xbox Series X|S/PC | Release: 2022
Look, I am willing to admit that I am a sucker for a co-op experience. Particularly a shooter. My wounds are still fresh from Back4Blood, with a hefty dose of disappointment lingering in my rear-view. So of course I have my gaze firmly set on what comes next – and baby, I am READY to get HURT AGAIN. But this time, it’s the team at Arkane Studios ready to play with my heart. They have displayed a mastery of first-person ability-based shooters – the idea of sharing it with mates, AND slamming vampires? I am sure my heart can take it.
Ash Wayling
Arkane? Check. Vampires? Check. Co-op? Check. Just show me some gameplay and give me the goods and we’ll be sorted.
Holly Buckley
Replaced
Developer: Sad Cat Studios | Publisher: Coatsink
Platform: Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC | Release: 2022
Another title that blew me away when it debuted at E3 2021, Replaced looks like the Blade Runner video game I’ve always wanted. Coupling 2.5D platforming, rich and dark pixel art and all the 80s sci-fi retro-futurism that Cyberpunk wished it had, Replaced is high on my must-play list and will hopefully deliver on its gritty aesthetics later this year.
Mark Isaacson
Scorn
Developer: Ebb Software | Publisher: Ebb Software
Platform: Xbox Series X|S/PC | Release: 2022
When I think back to when Scorn was first announced/showcased, I have fuzzy details on what time period I was in. It has been THAT long since I became interested in this crazy Giger-esque monster shooter. Evoking a natural feeling of unease is a hell of a feat, and everything Scorn-related has just been saturated in this aesthetic – with all manner of alien genital-things and ribbed organs pervading the grim, lonely world. I just hope that it actually releases this year…
Ash Wayling
Somerville
Developer: Jumpship | Publisher: Jumpship
Platform: Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC | Release: 2022
One title that caught my attention at E3 last year was Somerville, an upcoming indie debut for UK studio Jumpship that promises a dark and mysterious sci-fi adventure akin to critically praised titles Inside and Limbo. That makes perfect sense given Jumpship’s co-founder, Dino Patti, worked on both titles, so the chances of it being just as engaging and enjoyable are high. Here’s hoping it does drop sometime this year.
Mark Isaacson
Sons of the Forest
Developer: Endnight Games | Publisher: Endnight Games
Platform: PC | Release: 2022
Straight up, this is my dream co-op experience. A good friend and I have dabbled in several survival-horror experiences in the lead-up to Sons of the Forest, but nothing has scratched the itch the way I expect this one to. Co-existing in a world that is dead set on eating you and your mate as you argue over the placement of hastily crafted garden plots and home decorations is my ideal Friday night. The game has seemingly ratcheted up every aspect of the first that worked too – from outlandish monsters to gorgeously rendered wilderness, Sons of the Forest looks to die for.
James Wood
Splatoon 3
Developer: Nintendo EPD | Publisher: Nintendo
Platform: Switch | Release: 2022
I’m not a fan of shooters, period. That was until Splatoon happened in 2015. I love the colour, the fashion, the community and the accessibility. Coupled with a great story mode in both iterations, how could I not be excited for Splatoon 3 and the now fluffy octo-enemies? We’ve seen only a few morsels of the game, but what’s on display gives me the same feels as the past two games did, so my hopes are high.
Eleanore Blereau
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl
Developer: GSC Game World | Publisher: GSC Game World
Platform: Xbox Series X|S/PC | Release: 8/12/22
This is the big one (that barely any of us here expect to land in 2022). S.T.A.L.K.E.R 2: Heart of Chernobyl has some enormous shoes to fill, with the last game landing in 2010. Storied by a tumultuous development cycle in the lead-up to this series originally, accompanied by egregiously broken game builds, there is some trepidation that history may repeat and player’s goodwill may be tested. But many of us are travel-deprived, and there’s something familiar and extraordinary about a virtual excursion into The Zone.
Nathan Hennessy
Star Ocean: The Divine Force
Developer: tri-Ace | Publisher: Square Enix
Platform: PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC | Release: 2022
Star Ocean is the awkward, sci-fi nerd cousin to the great fantasy JRPG epics we’re used to seeing come out of Square Enix. Yet Tri-Ace’s long-running JRPG set across alien worlds has carved out its niche among genre fans for its real-time battle systems and absurd character-driven stories. The Divine Force sees a turn towards the growing trend of open-world adoption in the Japanese JRPG sphere and the traversal shown in the gameplay trailer looks tasty.
Nathan Hennessy
Starfield
Developer: Bethesda Game Studios | Publisher: Bethesda
Platform: Xbox Series X|S/PC | Release: 11/11/22
I never, not once, thought that I’d contribute to one of these year-ahead-hype lists with a Bethesda Game Studios-developed RPG but here we are. Both The Elder Scrolls and Fallout series lost steam with me as soon as the Microsoft-owned publisher and developer started slotting them into its Creation Engine-powered formula, but there’s just something about the hard sci-fi setting of Starfield that makes me think they’ll nail it. We still know almost nothing about how the game will actually play, but there’s an ambition there that I appreciate and there really just aren’t enough games around that tackle this particular subsection of the sci-fi genre. Maybe I’ll eat these words come November, but hopefully not.
Kieron Verbrugge
I am as excited for Starfield as I am cautious. On one hand, Bethesda’s formula is proven and unmatched in very specific things the team does well. On the other hand, Fallout 4 wasn’t the leap their past titles always were. I wasn’t as wild about it the way I was with Oblivion, Fallout 3 or Skyrim. In addition, Fallout 76 was disappointing while the concept of Starfield itself seems very ambitious for what the team has done previously. A sci-fi epic with fully explorable planets while balancing the depth of the map design and freedom Bethesda usually offers while making some much needed changes to its engine and production values is a tall order. But I say shoot for the stars and wait for the final product before judgment.
Joshua Rizk
Stray
Developer: BlueTwelve Studio | Publisher: Annapurna Interactive
Platform: PS5/PS4/PC | Release: 2022
Cats. Robots. Annapurna Interactive-published indie adventure games. If that’s not a winning formula then I don’t know what is. Stray sunk its proverbial claws in me from the first teaser trailer and has continued to do so with every subsequent and more detailed showing. Not enough games cast players as cats for one, but Stray just has that perfect low fuss, weekend-binge linear adventure vibe that I’m absolutely here for and the ridiculously enticing setting and adorable main character are just extra gravy.
Kieron Verbrugge
Tiny Tina’s Wonderland
Developer: Gearbox | Publisher: 2K
Platform: PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC | Release: 25/3/22
It’s actually rare that I bother with DLC unless it’s tacked on in a definitive edition, but the Tiny Tina’s Assault on Dragon’s Keep DLC for Borderlands 2 is one of my absolute favourites. Genuinely funny in the way it both championed and lampooned Dungeons and Dragons-type fantasy, it also had a surprising amount of heart. As a spinoff I hope it manages to recapture that magic, and offer a twist on the established Borderlands formula that, while awesome, is in need of a bit of a shakeup.
Kieran Stockton
Trek to Yomi
Developer: Leonard Menchiari/Flying Wild Hog | Publisher: Devolver Digital
Platform: PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X|S/Xbox One/PC | Release: 2022
Paying homage to classic samurai cinema is a very quick way to my heart. Trek to Yomi features some beautiful black and white visuals that somehow manage to heighten the brutal nature of the swordplay. Mix in a tale of duty and honour and you’ve got a title that seemingly speaks directly to me.
Adam Ryan
We Are OFK
Developer: Team OFK | Publisher: Team OFK
Platform: PS5/PS4/PC/Mac/Linux | Release: 2022
There are probably more than a few artsy, indie narrative titles that I could put on the list that are headed our way in 2022 and I solemnly regret each one that I can’t fit in, but I think We Are OFK takes the cake for having the most elements that speak to me. It’s episodic, it’s interactive, it’s hip, it’s queer, it features a stellar voice cast and the art is super clean. Most of all, it’s a medium-spanning virtual band project and even has a lead single that’s available to listen to now titled Follow/Unfollow. It’s almost like Gorillaz by way of Deck Nine in its ambitions and I can’t wait.
Kieron Verbrugge
We may have been a little late to the party, but there you have it, WellPlayed’s most anticipated games of 2022.
What did you make of our list? Any games that we missed? Let us know in the comments or on social media.
