With a new year comes new games, and today we want to take a look at ten games that are ones to watch this year, and why you may like them. Games that were mentioned on our list from last year but were delayed to 2022 are not included again, though an honourable mention from last year did make the leap.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Kirby has been a beloved series for years but has always stuck to 2D or 2.5D adventures. That all changes with Kirby and the forgotten land, the first full 3D platformer in the franchise, and one that takes a bold step. Kirby and the Forgotten Land looks to do for Kirby what Super Mario 64 did for the Mario franchise when it reinvents the series on Nintendo Switch in March.

Triangle Strategy

The latest from Square Enix’s  HD-2D line, Triangle Strategy is a unique strategy RPG taking cues from classics like Final Fantasy Tactics. The game will be both character-driven, and full of new twists on the Strategy RPG genre, taking into account elements from the Bravely Default series as well. Set in an interesting world and complete with mechanics to help breathe new life into the Strategy RPG genre, Triangle Strategy will shine on the Nintendo Switch in March.

Elden Ring

The next evolution of the Dark Souls formula, Elden Ring will take the gameplay of previous titles and expand it to a new open-world setting. From Software has said this game will cause less stress to players without cutting down on the difficulty, and new innovations in the controls are good changes to the set gameplay formula. Elden Ring will swing its way onto PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series in February.

The King of Fighters XV

A previous mention last year, King of Fighters was an honourable mention because it had no set date and can therefore be included in this year’s list.  King of Fighters XV looks to bring the gameplay to the next generation of systems with refinements to the combat, returning favourites and new characters alike, and improved online play as well as a story mode. Fans can punch their way into King of Fighters on PC, Xbox Series PS4 and PS5 this February.

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope

Mario+ Rabbids Kingdom Battle was a game that seemed ridiculous when it was leaked and yet quickly won over many people with its detailed strategy RPG gameplay and fun humour.  The game captured the feel of classic Mario RPGs, even with the change in genre, and Sparks of Hope looks to recapture that feeling with what they are referring to as a spiritual sequel. The devs have described this as a new take on the tactical genre with new combat mechanics, and it will blast its way onto Switch this year.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl

It has been a long road to get here, but S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl is really coming this December for Xbox Series and PC. The game will take full advantage of next-gen technology to create a fully immersive first-person survival horror experience set in the infamous region of the Ukraine. S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl will take fan feedback into account in the development and the developers have shown that is not just talk with their abandonment of NFT plans. Fingers crossed, that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl will have a smooth launch at the end of the year.

Horizon Forbidden West

Aloy’s adventures continue in this action RPG sequel to the hit game Horizon: Zero Dawn. This time, the map will be much larger and have new explorable areas, while having ruined versions of a number of real-world locations. The devs are hyping up underwater exploration as a major aspect of the game as well, in addition to enhanced climbing and new skills. While Horizon Forbidden West will release for both PS4 and PS5 this February, the PS5 version will be a far more improved version of the game, and is the one to keep an eye on more.

God of War Ragnarök

The conclusion to the current God of War saga, God of War Ragnarök looks to take what was established in God of War for PS4 and build on it in new ways. The story will get bigger as more features of Norse mythology are brought in, including a showdown with Thor, but the relationship between Kratos and his son will be a main draw still. God of War Ragnarök will bring the adventure to an explosive end when it launches on PS4 and PS5 this year.

Bayonetta 3

Bayonetta’s first two outings were the peak of 3D Action video games, earning countless accolades. The third entry drops this year on the Nintendo Switch and promises to be bigger and better than before, with new abilities for the main character, including merging with her summons and taking direct control of them in some sequences. With an intriguing new story,  Bayonetta 3 has a lot of pedigree behind it and is definitely one to watch this year.

Starfield

Bethesda Game Studios is known for The Elder Scrolls and Fallout, so a new IP from the studio has been met with great anticipation. Described as NASA-punk, this new RPG will see players explore the stars in new ways, in an adventure Todd Howard described as Skyrim in space. With backing from new owners Microsoft, including new quality control, Starfield will be an absolute must-play when it launches on November 11.

Honourable Mentions:

While it did not make the list, we wanted to mention Shadow Warrior 3, which looks to be the best in the series yet, and a true expansion of everything that came before, while taking the series down a new path.

Warhammer 40 000 Space Marine II: This game does not have a set release year, so we could not include it in the 2022 list. This is a long-awaited sequel to one of the best 40K video games and will hopefully live up to all the expectations.

As with last year, we will take a look at the end of the year and revisit the list to see how these games actually fared.