2022 has been a fantastic year for PC games. It has seen a wealth of PC game releases across genres, from competitive shooters and MMORPGs to open-world adventures and platformer titles.
Listed below are some of the most innovative and creative PC games to hit the market this year.
Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer. The PC games are not ranked in any particular order.
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Elden Ring, Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands, and 8 other amazing PC games released in 2022
1) Stray
Genre: Indie open-world adventure
Stray is considered to be one of the biggest PC game revelations of the year. It is an open-world adventure title in which players get to control a cat on the streets of a futuristic city where humanity has been wiped out. The cyberpunk-themed, neon-lit urban sprawl is filled with sentient robots and AIs.
Stray has a simple yet engaging plot where players have to reunite a lost cat back with its family. The story ends up being deeper than one expects.
Stray has been nominated for the Game of the Year award at the Game Awards set to be held next week. It also has four other nominations: Best Game Direction, Best Action/Adventure Game, Best Indie Game, and Best Debut Indie Game.
2) Neon White
Genre: Indie FPS adventure
Rated 10/10 on Steam, Neon White is a fast-paced first-person shooter created by independent American developer Annapurna Interactive.
The game is one of the most pleasant surprises of 2022. Players take on the role of a white assassin named Neon White, who takes part in a demon-slaying competition in heaven.
Neon White has excellent running and jumping mechanics, an impressive level design, addictive gameplay, as well as an overarching narrative, making it one of the best PC releases of the year.
3) Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection
Genre: Action-adventure and puzzle-solving platformer
This year, Naughty Dog merged two of its most iconic titles, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Uncharted: Lost Legacy, into one comprehensive package — Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection.
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection allows players to relive both storylines with much-improved frame rates. It features a lot of treasure-hunting, puzzle-solving, and bloody gun violence.
4) Elden Ring
Genre: Open-world action-adventure
With seven nominations at the 2022 Game Awards, Elden Ring is the second-most nominated title at the gala event behind God of War Ragnarok.
In terms of open-world exploration, Elden Ring has set the standard for future PC games. With an array of weapons and character customization options, players can embark on a journey across a vast open world with no overarching narrative. Instead, they get an environment filled with rich lore and a variety of boss encounters to tackle.
5) Ghostwire: Tokyo
Genre: Open-world action-adventure
Ghostwire: Tokyo brings a fun twist to its open-world action-adventure concept by introducing some horror elements into the mix.
In this RPG, players take on the role of a paranormal detective who has to hitchhike his way through a haunted version of Tokyo. The city is surrounded by ghosts and spirits inspired by Japanese folklore.
Ghostwire: Tokyo is a truly unique experience with lots of gun violence and sword action.
6) Sonic Frontiers
Genre: Open-world action-adventure platformer
Sonic games have been around for over three decades. Ever since the first entry, the franchise has seen many peaks and low points in its history.
This year’s Sonic Frontiers is the first game in the series to incorporate an open-world environment into the fast-paced, dash-and-move gameplay. The title is set in the vibrant and colorful Starfall Islands, featuring unique monsters, cool powerups, and a ton of items to collect.
7) Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered
Genre: Action-adventure platformer
Launched on August 12, 2022, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered is a retrofitted version of Sony PlayStation’s old Spiderman title.
The title has managed to retain its core gameplay mechanics with enhanced frame rates, which makes traversing the skyscrapers of New York an absolute pleasure.
From collecting hidden artifacts and taking part in side quests to dealing with Marvel’s most iconic supervillains, Marvel’s Spider-Man Remastered has plenty to offer.
8) Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
Genre: First-person shooter-looter adventure
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands has everything that Borderlands fans want, from flashy animated action and good humor to brilliant voice-acting performances. It is a visually stunning shooter looter title featuring vibrant locations and an emotionally compelling storyline.
The game is fun and upbeat from start to finish. It has managed to keep the core essence of the Borderlands series alive while introducing new gameplay that will serve as a foundation for future titles.
9) Sifu
Genre: Fighting game
Arguably the most underrated PC game on this list, Sifu is a beat-em-up title known for its bloody hand-to-hand combat that takes competitors across various contemporary urban settings.
Sifu is not a fighting game for casual players. It has plenty of combos and layers of tricks to learn and get accustomed to.
The game's developers have done an incredible job recreating kung fu and other martial arts with incredible precision and smooth animations on PC.
10) LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Genre: Open-world action adventure
It's difficult to imagine a better representation of the Star Wars saga in a PC game than LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga.
However, this action-adventure title is so much more than just a recreation of the nine Star Wars films. It is an incredibly well-made open-world title set in an intergalactic open-world environment, with several puzzles to solve and side quests to undertake.
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is humorous and charming, making it one of the most beloved PC games of the year.
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