Games of the Year 2022

Sneaky Sasquatch is an adventure game where you sneak around in campsites and try to find food from coolers and picnic baskets without getting caught.

Sneaky Sasquatch is an adventure game where you sneak around in campsites and try to find food from coolers and picnic baskets without getting caught. From this simple premise grows a game with endless ways to play and explore its open world: race, play golf, ski, scuba dive, find buried treasure, rent an apartment, get a driver's licence or just find some books to read.

Webbed is a running and jumping game with a twist - you play a spider who can make webs, swing, climb and all the while creating music as she goes.

Webbed is a running and jumping game with a twist - you play a spider who can make webs, swing, climb and all the while creating music as she goes. It follows the story of our happy little spider on an adventure to save her boyfriend from a big dumb bowerbird.

Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales is an action-adventure game based on the Marvel Comics superhero Miles Morales.

Before Your Eyes is a narrative game about an 11-year-old boy revisiting his life before "crossing over" to the other side.

Before Your Eyes is a narrative game about an 11-year-old boy revisiting his life before "crossing over" to the other side. You play by exploring scenes that represent snapshots of his life.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a go-kart racing game where you race against Nintendo characters around different circuits, picking up power-ups, attacks and speed boosts.

Mario Kart 8 Deluxe is a go-kart racing game where you race against Nintendo characters around different circuits, picking up power-ups, attacks and speed boosts. It is frantic and chaotic but still requires skills to do well.

Stray is an adventure traversal game about a cat lost in a futuristic city where robots live.

Stray is an adventure traversal game about a cat lost in a futuristic city where robots live. You guide your feline friend in and out of buildings, across roads and generally poke your nose in to see what is going on.

It Takes Two is a running, jumping and exploring game that tells the story of a young girl, Rose, whose parents are divorcing.

It Takes Two is a running, jumping and exploring game that tells the story of a young girl, Rose, whose parents are divorcing. The girl creates two dolls to represent her parents, which unexpectedly traps the clashing couple in them.

Bugsnax is a whimsical adventure where you track, trick, catch and eat anthropomorphic food in all shapes and sizes.

Bugsnax is a whimsical adventure where you track, trick, catch and eat anthropomorphic food in all shapes and sizes. But as you do, you literally become what you eat.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is the latest in a series of Star Wars-themed games where you run, jump, break and build worlds made of Lego.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is the latest in a series of Star Wars-themed games where you run, jump, break and build worlds made of Lego. You work your way through all nine of the Star Wars films unlocking new locations and characters as you go.

Apico is a simulation game where you play a beekeeper and conservationist.

Apico is a simulation game where you play a beekeeper and conservationist. You explore environments, breed rare bees and release them into the wild while growing your business.

Dorfromantik is a peaceful village-building strategy puzzle game for one player, inspired by tile-based board games like Carcassonne.

Dorfromantik is a peaceful village-building strategy puzzle game for one player, inspired by tile-based board games like Carcassonne. You have a stack of hexagonal tiles and work to match their edges while creating areas of towns, forests and fields to score points.

Horizon Forbidden West is a post-apocalyptic action-adventure where you explore an overgrown landscape with now-crumbling remnants of modern life.

Horizon Forbidden West is a post-apocalyptic action-adventure where you explore an overgrown landscape with now-crumbling remnants of modern life. The story of Aloy continues as she sets out to investigate a plague terminating from an arcane frontier known as the Forbidden West.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a role-play game and an expanded version of the DS game Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn.

Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch is a role-play game and an expanded version of the DS game Ni no Kuni: Dominion of the Dark Djinn. In it, you play a young boy who travels between worlds and battles enemies in an attempt to save his mother.

Elden Ring is a role-play game set in a fictional world created by fantasy novelist George R.

Elden Ring is a role-play game set in a fictional world created by fantasy novelist George R. R.

Lil Gator Game is an action-adventure set on an island playground where a young brother invents exciting games to try and get his older sister to play like they used to.

Lil Gator Game is an action-adventure set on an island playground where a young brother invents exciting games to try and get his older sister to play like they used to. You guide your waddling gator to explore the world as you bop cardboard baddies, climb mountain peaks, glide, fling and jump around.

Loop Hero is a dungeon-exploring adventure game where you use cards to create a world for your character to survive.

Loop Hero is a dungeon-exploring adventure game where you use cards to create a world for your character to survive. Rather than control the hero yourself, you are tasked with playing cards to create a level that is hard enough to be rewarding without killing your hero character.

Submerged Hidden Depths is an adventure game where you sail, climb and explore the ruins of a sunken world.

Submerged Hidden Depths is an adventure game where you sail, climb and explore the ruins of a sunken world. With light puzzle-solving and no combat, you discover a drowned city, crumbling skyscrapers and deserted villages.

Lost In Play is a feel-good adventure about a brother and sister exploring their dreams.

Lost In Play is a feel-good adventure about a brother and sister exploring their dreams. Lost in their imagination, Toto and Gal must solve puzzles to journey back home.

Wilderless is a traversal and exploration game where you are left to discover a fantasy world at your own pace without the usual hindrances.

Wilderless is a traversal and exploration game where you are left to discover a fantasy world at your own pace without the usual hindrances. You run, jumping and glide your way around the landscape that unfolds beautifully before you.

Hindsight is a narrative point-and-click game where you revisit the past by finding objects that trigger memories.

Hindsight is a narrative point-and-click game where you revisit the past by finding objects that trigger memories. Play involves exploring each scene, locating objects and listening to the story as you move the camera to look within what you've found and be drawn into the memory it represents.

The Tomorrow Children is an online strategy game where you collaborate with other players to build, explore and develop communities.

The Tomorrow Children is an online strategy game where you collaborate with other players to build, explore and develop communities. Unusually, it uses social economics and a Soviet Union-themed post-apocalyptic dystopia as the setting.

Wobbledogs is a pet simulation where your dogs not only need care but are rapidly mutating different behaviour and appetites.

Wobbledogs is a pet simulation where your dogs not only need care but are rapidly mutating different behaviour and appetites. You breed new dogs (from eggs), create and decorate a home for them, feed them and see how they evolve.

Paradise Marsh is an insect-collecting game where you explore a marsh to find magical bugs that bring stars back to the night sky.

Paradise Marsh is an insect-collecting game where you explore a marsh to find magical bugs that bring stars back to the night sky. You wander an endless wetland and collect creatures, skim stones and eat mushrooms as the weather and seasons change.

Pilgrims is an adventure game where you collect cards to help the characters you meet.

Pilgrims is an adventure game where you collect cards to help the characters you meet. As you progress you assist them to complete their little stories by offering the right cards to the right people.

Wayward Strand is a narrative game about Casey Beaumaris, an intrepid teenage journalist.

Wayward Strand is a narrative game about Casey Beaumaris, an intrepid teenage journalist. You visit an airborne hospital, uncover the airship's mysteries, and explore the lives of its inhabitants.

Sail Forth is a sailing simulation where you take charge of a ship in a vast ocean whose ancient depths have swallowed the key to the mysterious past.

Sail Forth is a sailing simulation where you take charge of a ship in a vast ocean whose ancient depths have swallowed the key to the mysterious past. You play by working with the wind and sails to explore, take on tasks, fight pirates and slowly develop your craft.

Phantom Abyss is a running and jumping game where you charge through temples to get to the exit.

Phantom Abyss is a running and jumping game where you charge through temples to get to the exit. Your only tool is a whip that interacts with objects and can propel you forward.

The Case of the Golden Idol is a point-and-click adventure set in the 18^th century, where you attempt to solve 12 gruesome deaths.

The Case of the Golden Idol is a point-and-click adventure set in the 18^th century, where you attempt to solve 12 gruesome deaths. You play by investigating each scene to gather information in the form of words that you piece together to make statements to solve what happened.

Citizen Sleeper is a role-play game set in the ruins of interplanetary capitalism.

Citizen Sleeper is a role-play game set in the ruins of interplanetary capitalism. You are an escaped worker exploring a lawless space station, making friends, and (ultimately) trying to escape your past.

ElecHead is a running and jumping puzzle game where you control a character who is a source of electricity.

ElecHead is a running and jumping puzzle game where you control a character who is a source of electricity. With this power, you activate the platforms you need to progress in unusual and puzzling ways.

JellyCar Worlds is a puzzle game about a car made of jelly traversing a squishy world.

JellyCar Worlds is a puzzle game about a car made of jelly traversing a squishy world. You use the physics properties of the car and the objects in the world to get from A to B.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a lighthearted and more approachable version of the popular Dragon Quest role-play games.

Dragon Quest Treasures is a lighthearted and more approachable version of the popular Dragon Quest role-play games. Along with the exploration, light battles and resource collection is a central monster-hunting hide-and-seek challenge where you get clues to their location and steadily home in on where they are.

Young Souls is a side-on fighting game about two drop-out teenagers whose mentor disappears.

Young Souls is a side-on fighting game about two drop-out teenagers whose mentor disappears. Gameplay is divided into two distinct worlds: the modern human world and a dark, twisted world of goblins and monsters.

Brok The Investigator is a point-and-click narrative adventure set in a cyberpunk future where animals have replaced humans.

Brok The Investigator is a point-and-click narrative adventure set in a cyberpunk future where animals have replaced humans. Play is an unusual combination of finding and combining items along with action fights and exploration.

Lonesome Village is a simple dungeon adventure that also simulates life in a cosy mysterious village.

Lonesome Village is a simple dungeon adventure that also simulates life in a cosy mysterious village. You play by exploring, collecting and talking to the other villagers, before heading to solve the puzzles of the adventure.

Kinsplant is an adventure about searching for a fabled artefact buried somewhere in one of the four realms.

Kinsplant is an adventure about searching for a fabled artefact buried somewhere in one of the four realms. Play is like a retro adventure game where you move around, fight enemies and hunt for an ancient artefact.

Overwatch 2 is a shooting game where the focus is on teamwork and skill rather than violence.

Overwatch 2 is a shooting game where the focus is on teamwork and skill rather than violence. In teams of five, you communicate and work together to take out the other team and complete your objective.