Shacknews Most Anticipated Games of 2022

One of the most exciting parts of the new year is thinking about all of the games that we’ll get to play before this trip around the sun is up. 2022 is shaping up to be a heavy hitter, with a plethora of games set to launch this calendar year. Before things get into full swing, here are the games that Shacknews is most excited about in 2022.

Shacknews Most Anticipated Games of 2022

Elden Ring

It’s Elden Ring. It’s one of the most highly anticipated games of 2022, if not the most anticipated. People who have never ventured into a Soulsborne game are looking at what FromSoftware has created with Elden Ring and are preparing to rise to the occasion. Everyone is excited for this game.

Kirby and the Forgotten Land

Kirby and the Forgotten Land was such a tasty surprise announcement in 2021 that we gave it the Shacknews Best Surprise of 2021 award. It's not far off around the corner in 2022 either, set for a Spring release. There's so much weirdness going on, what with the modern and broken-looking world. That said, it also looks like it has all of that Kirby charm, stuffed into an open-world 3D platformer. We can't wait to see if the Forgotten Land delivers another magical Kirby adventure.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2

Could this finally be the year in which The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild sequel makes its appearance? Nintendo seems to think so if the year on the back end of its E3 2021 trailer was anything to go by. We've been waiting a long time for pretty much any details on the game. What's going on with Link? What's happened to Zelda? Who's that crispy looking ghoul? Why are parts of the world floating to the sky? There are so many questions to be answered and we can't wait to see if Nintendo is finally able to answer them with another Legend of Zelda adventure this year.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus

Pokemon Legends: Arceus looks to offer something that fans have long dreamt of - a fully open-world Pokemon game. Taking clear inspiration from games like Breath of the Wild, Legends: Arceus looks like a departure from the standard Pokemon formula. Regardless of how it turns out, it's exciting to see Game Freak taking a swing with gaming's biggest property.

Horizon Forbidden West

Horizon Zero Dawn was one of the biggest games to come out in 2017, both in terms of popularity and the size of the game world. It was well-received by both critics and fans, and anticipation for Horizon Forbidden West gets more intense by the day. We won’t have to wait long for Aloy’s next adventure, as Horizon Forbidden West will arrive on PS4 and PS5 on February 22, 2022.

Sifu

Frantic, action-packed, Kung-Fu fighting is nothing new to video games. Where Sifu separates itself from the herd is in its approach to how you gain those made Kung-Fu skills. When you get your butt kicked in Sifu, you’ll have to sacrifice your youth for a second chance at avenging your murdered martial arts master. Die too many times and your age will catch up with you and you’ll have to start the whole thing over. It’s an interesting concept to say the least. When you add in some awesome backdrops to all the action like night clubs and hallways just thirsting for Daredevil-inspired combat and you’ve got a formula that’s sure to appeal to fans of Kung-Fu action games and films alike. Our own Ozzie Mejia seemed to get a kick out of it when he got some hands-on time with Sifu last year. Players don’t have long to wait to find out if Sifu Kung-Fu’s is strongest, as the game is set to launch Feb 8, 2022.

Saints Row

When a game franchise has taken you from a street gang to conquering the universe in four installments, there’s not really anywhere else for it to go other than back to its roots. And that’s just what we’re getting in from Saints Row (2022). It’s a whole new city where players will take control of a whole new Saint’s crew as they once again go from a rag-tag gang of scrubs to being the baddest mofos on the block. While the names, faces, and places may be changing for the reboot, the same core open world gameplay, insane action, and raunchy humor appear to remain intact. Hopefully, this new Saints Row is just as badass as its predecessors. We should know one way or another soon as the game is set for an August 23, 2022 launch.

Gran Turismo 7

Xbox and PC players are still enjoying Forza Horizon 5, and PlayStation owners are next to get their racing fix with Gran Turismo 7. Arriving on March 4, 2022, Gran Turismo 7 will feature 4K resolutions and 60 frames per second for those on the PS5. Drivers can expect to get behind the wheel of more than 420 vehicles and 90 tracks with dynamic weather conditions.

Triangle Strategy

Tomoyo Asano and his team at Square Enix thoroughly knocked it out of the park in 2018 when they launched the impeccable show of JRPG style that was Octopath Traveler. Now, Asano and crew have the room to do it again in another familiar direction with Triangle Strategy. Built as a strategy JRPG in the vein of Final Fantasy Tactics, this game is also looking like it will hit all the good notes on nostalgic gameplay style and looks. Not to mention, it looks to be packed full of choices that allow players to take the story in vastly different directions. Put all of that together and Triangle Strategy looks like a game we'll play again and again.

Tiny Tina's Wonderlands

Tiny Tina's Assault on Dragon Keep is arguably one of the best DLC packs ever for the Borderlands series as a whole. So, as you could imagine, a lot of fans were hyped when Gearbox announced the D&D-inspired DLC would be getting its own game in the form of Tiny Tina's Wonderlands. While the game looks to maintain the looter-shooter mentality along with its trademark sense of humor, it also appears that it will be treading some new ground as well. This will be the first time Borderlands players will be making up their own characters and selecting their class or even making them multi-class. Throw in an all-star voice cast that includes the likes of Will Arnett and Wanda Sykes, and this new chapter (or perhaps spin-off) in the Borderlands series is looking like it might roll a natural 20 straight into our hearts. As of writing this, Tiny Tina's Wonderlands is set to launch on Mar 25, 2022 across multiple platforms.

Starfield

It's been many years since we got a single-player RPG from Bethesda. This year, the Skyrim and Fallout 4 creator will introduce us to a brand new universe with Starfield, an RPG that will find players among the stars. Details about Starfield's story and characters are still under wraps, but the tidbits of information we've learned are enough to have us pumped. We look forward to seeing what Bethesda has learned and applied to its approach to developing RPGs.

Thirsty Suitors

They say there aren't enough games where you can both skateboard and cook. Well, Outerloop Games and Annapurna Interactive will not let that slide any longer and are bringing the new action RPG Thirsty Suitors to a PC or console near you. This turn-based combat adventure has stylish looks and promises to deliver the quality narrative Annapurna is becoming known for.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp

There have been a lot of imitators that have captured various aspects of what made Advance Wars good, but few have done it quite like the original. Moreover, if anyone can be trusted to handle that vintage style with reverence while also polishing it to modern expectations, WayForward would be quite far up on that list. Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp isn't just a repackaging of the first two classics of the series, it's also a thoughtful remaster of them with all sorts of new bells and whistles, and we can't wait to overtake the battlefield in both the stories and against other players in turn-based military strategy yet again.

Baldur's Gate 3

Baldur's Gate 3 has been in early access since 2020, and it's shaping up to get its full release sometime this year. What we've played in the game's EA state is enough to make it one of the year's most anticipated releases. Larian Studios has a D&D game that perfectly adapts everything that makes the TTRPG so fun to play. Whether you're going solo or playing with a party of friends, there's seemingly a countless number of ways to experience Baldur's Gate 3.

Bayonetta 3

There are few characters badder than the witchy wonder that is Bayonetta in the gaming world and fans have been patiently waiting for the third installment in her action-packed adventures for quite some time now. Last year was the first time we’d gotten a glimpse at any details beyond the teaser trailer that was revealed way back in 2017 and it has fans drooling for more. If the trailer is to be believed it would appear that Bayonetta 3 may add some Kaiju brawling action to her list of sado-masochistic-inspired fighting techniques this time around. Hopefully, it will still be full of all the over the top beat ‘em up combos and shoe-gun blasting action of the first games as well though. The series has a strong following and fans have been waiting patiently for the next installment, and while there’s no release date for Bayonetta 3 just yet, everyone is hoping that it will be coming to the Nintendo Switch in 2022.

Darkest Dungeon 2

Even in Darkest Dungeon 2's early access, it has improved upon the first game in a grand number of ways. Riding by caravan towards your objective, your team of adventurers faces the rogue-like gauntlet ahead like a Lovecraftian Oregon Trail. Each branching path brings opportunities for fortune or failure and every stop grows weightier with the difficulty of the quest, the strength of your foes, and the shifting good or bad bonds between your characters. The original Darkest Dungeon was iconic in its grim dark rogue-like style. The sequel is keeping all of that intact while evolving it thoughtfully in a new direction and we can't wait to see more.

Diablo 4

To say that Diablo is an important franchise would be underselling it. The series has been a major part of so many players’ lives, and now we’re on the cusp of experiencing Diablo 4. From what we’ve seen of the story trailers and gameplay reveals, it looks like players are in store for a horrific and brutally visceral game that is bound to show us once more why Diablo is the king of the ARPG genre.

Ghostwire: Tokyo

Ghostwire: Tokyo has long looked like an interesting endeavor from Tango Gameworks under Shinji Mikami and former creative director Ikumi Nakamura. We still don't have a release date, but the game is shaping up extremely interesting as an action-horror title that will feature paranormal elements, martial arts, and psychic powers. If drop-kicking a terrifying ghost wasn't enough to get you on board, we don't know what will, but we're interested to see if Tango Gameworks can deliver another solid exclusive out of Bethesda for the PS5 in 2022.

God of War: Ragnarok

God of War (2018) was a banger of a video game that mixed a satisfying story with top-notch gameplay. The experience was presented in a continuous shot with no camera cuts or loading screens, which was all very impressive on the PS4. God of War: Ragnarok is scheduled for 2022, but that’s as close to a release date as we’ll get. Still, a single reveal trailer back in September of 2021 that gave us a glimpse of Kratos and Atreus 2.0 was enough to put this game high on almost every most-anticipated list for 2022.

Hollow Knight: Silksong

The original Hollow Knight burst onto the scene and nearly rewrote the book on what a modern metroidvania game could be. Featuring stellar map design, art, and one of the best soundtracks of the decade, Hollow Knight stands tall above its peers. The developers at Team Cherry have their work cut out for them in this upcoming sequel. Those who are afraid of spiders should proceed with caution.

Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope

While Super Mario Odyssey and Breath of the Wild gobbled up all the headlines back in 2017, one of the best games ever released for Nintendo Switch nearly snuck by unnoticed. Mario + Rabbids: Kingdom Battle saw Nintendo trust Ubisoft with the Mario license to outstanding results, marrying tactical RPG action with arguably the lushest visuals ever produced by the handheld console. The sequel, Sparks of Hope is scheduled to land in 2022.

Anacrusis

There’s something so addictive and moreish about getting a few of your friends together and trying to survive against hordes of unspeakable evil monsters. Anacrusis offers just that, a co-op survival against hordes of humanoid alien beings aboard a 60s-themed starship. With an AI Driver that controls the flow and pacing of the fight, each new match will be entirely unique. Expect to see Anacrusis hit Steam Early Access in January.

Perfect Dark

With the Xbox consoles often criticized for their lack of exclusive games, fans have long waited for Microsoft to revive the Perfect Dark franchise. Finally, Joanna Dark is set to return in a brand new Sci-Fi shooter experience for Xbox platforms. What's more, the game is being developed by The Initiative, a brand new Xbox studio that's comprised of industry veterans. Not only does Perfect Dark mark the return of a classic franchise, but it could also be first of many releases from a highly-talented developer.

Prodeus

Prodeus has been in early access for a minute and it has been an incredible journey even as an unfinished game. A Doom/Quake-style fast-paced shooter, Prodeus has a visual look that shares more in common with the original System Shock games. Moreover, it has a host of satisfying weapons including a shotgun that will chunk foes into pulp and a railgun that will rip through them like a hot knife through butter. Prodeus still has some time to bake in the oven, but it's already shaping up to be one of the most satisfying retro-style shooters out there in 2022.

Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2

Ninja Theory hit a grand slam with the release of Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice back in 2017. Marrying a haunting narrative with innovative sound design, Hellblade stood tall amongst its peers. Now under the Xbox team umbrella, Ninja Theory is crafting the sequel with the full backing of Microsoft. We expect the next Hellblade to be a showcase for the Xbox ecosystem when it launches.

Shadow Warrior 3

Do you want to wash Wang or do you want to watch Wang wash Wang? Born in the mid-90s and built on the success of Duke Nukem 3D, the original Shadow Warrior mixed outstanding action with now-inappropriate language and themes. The recent franchise reboot has been nothing short of stellar and the third installment appears to be the FPS fever dream we need in 2022.

Somerville

Somerville is another studio debut that's set to launch this year. Jumpship is made up of former Playdead developers who look to bring their experience to a brand new adventure. Somerville follows the story of a family torn apart after an apocalyptic event.

Splatoon 3

Splatoon is one of the most underrated Nintendo franchises in recent history; at least in the United States. The series will become a trilogy this year with the release of Splatoon 3, and we're hoping that it can build upon what made the first two games so unique. The Switch isn't exactly the go-to place for shooters, but Splatoon 2 was a perfect fit on the hybrid console. Nintendo is also teasing some sort of campaign or single-player experience in Splatoon 3 as well, which just adds to the excitement.

Sonic Frontiers

In a year where a lot of popular franchises seem to be embracing the open-world genre, Sonic Frontiers also looks to be bringing something quite fun to the table. While the Sonic Team has a pretty spotty record on paper, Sega is actually giving them the time they need to spruce this one up, which is already out of the ordinary from some previous rush jobs. With the open-world element attached, Sonic will also have free reign to do what he does best and go fast through a lush land on his newest adventure. Hopefully, the extra time will pay off and we can look forward to a good game to go with the latest upcoming movie.

Stray

Give me a video game about a cat on a journey through a cybercity trying to get home, and I’ll give you my money and time. Stray might not get the marketing push of massive open world titles, and it’ll end up overlooked by some, but what we’ve seen of this single-player adventure from BlueTwelve Studio and Annapurna Interactive has us stoked. We’re not sure when in 2022 Stray will arrive, but we’ll be sure to mark it on our calendars when it does.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge

If you were to ask a child of the 80s about their favorite arcade cabinets from the formats golden age in the early 1990s, we'd wager that most would mention the outstanding Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles beat-em-ups from Konami. These games and their console ports were as popular as anything else on the market and now fans can look forward to a proper tribute by way of the folks at Dotemu. After their work on Street of Rage 4, our anticipation for Shredder's Revenge is sky high.

Warhammer 40K: Darktide

Of all the Left 4 Dead clones to come along over the last decade, FatShark's Vermintide series has been one of the best, matching the frantic horde action with satisfying melee combat. As the team takes the action into the Warhammer 40K universe, expectations are at an all-time high. Even if we die, we die with honor - for the Emperor.

Trek to Yomi

We've been seeing more and more samurai in games over the past few years, whether it's from Ghost of Tsushima or Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Developer Leonard Menchiari, along with publisher Devolver Digital and the crew at Flying Wild Hog, would like to dive in next with Trek to Yomi, which fully embraces the classic samurai film aesthetic. From the black-and-white visuals to the somber soundtrack, Trek to Yomi looks fascinating and we're eager to see what Devolver Digital brings to the table when their samurai clash swords.

Valheim

Iron Gate absolutely blew audiences out of the water with its open-world viking adventure when it came to early access and Valheim has continued to be a place where players can craft and pursue their nordic dreams. Whether you run it alone or form a clan, building a simple house or a grand hall or castle, Valheim offers a lot of activity to those thirsty for glory in the plane between Earth and Valhalla. And this is all just in early access. Valheim is set to launch fully sometime this year.

DokeV

Every time we see DokeV, we have no idea what to expect. This game is a K-pop potpourri of ridiculousness that always features catchy music, a myriad of activities including monster capture and battle, and all sorts of other wildness. Not to mention, the trailers always have some kind of wild song that makes them seem just as much like a music video as a game ad. With all of that wild color and silliness going on in DokeV, we're actually pretty interested to see how it turns out. Good or bad, it should at least make for a pretty eclectic time.

Total War: Warhammer 3

The Total War series and Warhammer franchise smashed together back in 2015, and ever since then, fans of the two have eagerly awaited each entry in the series. Two years after the first game, the sequel arrived, and now about five years later, we’re finally getting a third entry in the trilogy. The game is marketed as the “cataclysmic conclusion” so fans can definitely expect a whole lot of epic moments as they command legions of their favorite race throughout the Realm of Chaos.

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2

Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 marks an epic moment for long-time fans of the original. It’s been over a decade since the first game released, and now players get to jump back into the bulky armor of a Space Marine and take the fight to the Tyranids.

Marvel's Midnight Suns

The XCOM 2 developers creating a turn-based strategy game set in the Marvel universe is all we needed to hear for Marvel's Midnight Suns to immediately become one of 2022's most anticipated releases. Trailers and deep dives have shown an original story that brings together an unlikely crew of Marvel heroes, as well as an original character made just for the game. Firaxis has also made it clear that it's using new mechanics in order to differentiate Midnight Suns' combat from its beloved strategy games.

Dying Light 2

Dying Light’s popularity is undeniable. A first-person game that features excellent parkour, crafting, and hordes of infected that get infinitely worse at night. All Techland had to do to get us excited for Dying Light 2 was make it a reality, and that’s happening when it releases on February 4, 2022. Not only is Dying Light 2 one of the most anticipated games of 2022, but it’s also coming in less than a month. We’re excited to be terrified.

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl gave us a scare when they tried to go all NFT, but fans quickly helped GSC Game World course correct. Things are looking good for the survival horror sequel, but perhaps not so good for those of us that frighten easily. We have a little over four months to ready ourselves, as S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl hits PC and Xbox Series X/S on April 28, 2022.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

The Lego Star Wars games have consistently been some of the most joyful and clever adaptations of the blockbuster IP. Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga looks to deliver the ultimate Lego Star Wars experience, with all three trilogies being represented, and the biggest playable roster in the series to date.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Superhero games have been all the rage lately, so we're excited to get a story about the villains in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Characters like King Shark, Captain Boomerang, and Deadshot get to finally step into the spotlight, and it's always a bonus when Tara Strong's Harley Quinn is around. We look forward to taking down Superman, The Flash, Green Lantern, and the rest of those pesky Justice League members later this year.

Gotham Knights

A Batman game where you don’t play as Batman? Sure you could think of Gotham Knights in those terms. But really it’s better to think of it as a BatFam game, and frankly, it’s about damn time we got one. As much as the Bat is known for his rogues gallery of villains, he’s also known for having quite the extended network of other bat-based crime fighters and former Robins and they’re finally getting their own chance to shine in a video game. Players will get to take on the roles of Nightwing, Red Hood, Batgirl, and Robin (the Tim Drake version) in an open world Gotham City full of crime. While the Arkham series of games from Rocksteady were great single-player experiences, the opportunity to have a co-op experience like it is very enticing and the chance to finally play as someone beyond Batman in a full game also bring a lot of promise to expand the franchise. Gotham Knights doesn’t have a solid release date just yet, but it’s currently slated for a 2022 release. 

Metal Slug Tactics

There's a certain expectation that comes from Metal Slug games. It's been one of the most reliable shoot-'em-up games of the past several decades. With that said, what happens when this classic series moves into the real-time strategy genre? Part of the anticipation with this game is in the sheer curiosity of how this will even work and, because of that, we can't wait to see it.

Forspoken

When it comes to fantasy RPGs, Square Enix has settled into a formula that has worked for decades. Now I'm imagining how the publisher will dive into an RPG that centers around a Black woman from the modern era. Forspoken takes the central idea from Mark Twain's "A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court" and applies it to a Square Enix action RPG. How will it pan out? There are some intriguing ideas at work here, so we're excited to find out.

You can learn more about Forspoken by checking out our recent preview.

Redfall

As far as we're concerned, Arkane Studios can do little wrong. Coming off of the splendid success of Deathloop, Redfall is already looking excellent in of itself. At the very least, we know it's an up-to-4-player co-op shooter in which characters with varied super natural powers take on vampires and other dank creatures of the night. It's a very different style of game from anything we're used to with Arkane, but it also make quite the imprint during Xbox's E3 2021 presentation, standing out as one of the cooling reveals there. It will be interesting to see if Arkane can nail down a proper co-op shooter, but they've more than earned the right to try and, good or bad, Redfall looks like it will oozing style every step of the way.

Windjammers 2

We've been waiting so long for Windjammers 2 and it's finally almost here. Dotemu has poured style and polish into every corner of this game from the larger-than-life character designs to the colorful arenas. That said, the delay on this game that pushed it back so they could add rollback netcode is likely going to be a real winner among Windjammers 2's players and fans. This is a game that's going to require pinpoint reflexes and skill in the higher up matches and that netcode is going to matter a lot in keeping matches stable. All the while newcomers get an awesome disc-chucking experience to explore. It's been a long time coming, but we're ready to hit the field and proving ourselves the best of the sport.

Fable

Xbox peeps love them some Fable. Microsoft knows this and has put possibly its best and brightest on the job. The folks over at Playground Games, most famous for the Forza Horizon games, have been chosen to build a next-generation Fable. We don't really know much about the game at all, but we suspect Microsoft will not let this one out of the oven until it's ready to turn heads. This could potentially have the best frog tech of 2022.

Wonder Woman

As one of the most storied development houses in the history of the medium, Monolith has produced countless classics, most recently making a global smash hit out of a pair of Lord of the Rings games. The studio has been quiet over the last few years and we just learned that they are finishing up work on a Wonder Woman game for Warner Bros. While we have no clue what the actual game will be like, we trust the Monolith pedigree (and that awesome Nemesis system).

Forza Motorsport

It's been five years since Turn 10 released Forza Motorsport 7 for Xbox One and PC. In the time since, Microsoft introduced the Xbox Series X and Forza games have always been used to show off the power of the hardware. We expect to see the series rebooted and making use of the Series X CPU to deliver the most realistic looking and feeling driving game ever made for Xbox consoles.

The Division Heartland

Ubisoft surprised more than a few folks last year when they announced The Division Heartland. Set in the same universe as the previous games, this excursion will be of the free-to-play variety and set in flyover country. With the other Division games taking place exclusively in urban metro locations, Heartland could be just the kick to spice this series back up.

A Plauge Tale: Requiem

The original Plague Tail title was a harrowing journey through rat-infested lands, and now we get to be mentally scarred all over again with A Plague Tail: Requiem. Judging by the trailer, it looks like players will need to traverse ruined locations, use fire to keep the swarm of rats at bay, save those you care about and kill those who would do you harm.

The Calisto Protocol

When The Callisto Protocol was first shown to us, it was so delightfully disturbing that we thought it was Dead Space. It's not, but it looks like it will scratch that same itch with an adventure through tight corridors full of twisted and brutal alien monsters. It's a shocker that this is being brought to us by the same group behind PLAYERUNKONWN's Battlegrounds, and the game is even apparently set in the PUBG universe. That said, If Callisto Protocol is even a smidge as atmospheric and horrifying as that initial trailer was, it just might be enough to whet our appetites as we wait for the actual Dead Space remake coming later.

Evil Dead: The Game

The upcoming Evil Dead title isn’t the iconic horror/comedy franchise’s first foray into the world of video games, but it may be its most promising. The game looks to take the co-op survival action of Left 4 Dead and mix in the asymmetrical PvE features of titles like Dead by Daylight. Players will be able to take on the role of Ash and his oh-so-groovy chainsaw hand as well as several other iconic characters from the films and TV series to form a four-player team who have to survive through the night. It will be up to one lucky player to take on the role of various Deadites and swallow their souls once and for all. If the game is able to inject the same balance of humor and gore of the movies and TV show, we could be in for a real treat. It definitely helps that the one and only Bruce Campbell will be reprising his role as Ash either. We won’t have to wait long to find out as Evil Dead The Game is coming to swallow your soul in Feb 2022.

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum is such a strange proposition, not because Gollum isn't an interesting character, but because who would ever think to base a game specifically on him? Daedalic Entertainment it turns out. This is a stealth-action adventure through Mordor from Gollum's perspective as he seeks to recover the One Ring and regain his "precious." But Gollum is no burly fighter. He's going to have to use his cunning and feral nature to outwit orcs, goblins, and other servants of Sauron. We certainly don't know where this adventure will lead, but at least Gollum's two personalities should make for some fantastic banter along the way.

Two Point Campus

After the major success of Two Point Hospital in 2018, it was never in doubt that Two Point Studios’ next game would be highly anticipated. Enter Two Point Campus, where players will have to build an academic institution, hire staff, and manage all the ins and outs of post-secondary education. Our guts tell us this will be a good one.

The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me

The Dark Pictures Anthology has gotten better with every release. Supermassive Games has shown tremendous growth since Until Dawn, and it's all culminating in The Devil in Me, the final installment in the first season of The Dark Pictures Anthology. These games are always a joy to play around Halloween, and we look forward to unraveling the story of a serial killer when The Devil in Me arrives this Fall.

Kerbal Space Program 2

We've been patiently waiting to get our hands on Kerbal Space Program 2 for years, before it was even announced at Gamescom 2019. Finally, we may get our chance in 2022. The original game delivered an excellent space flight simulation experience, and we can't wait to see what Intercept Games has in store for us wit the sequel.

Dyson Sphere Program

Playing city management and 4X games are some of our favorite pastimes. Being able to construct a city to our exact personal preference is great, but you know what’s better? Designing an entire Dyson sphere. For those not in the know, a Dyson sphere is a megastructure that encompasses a star. As the name suggests, the Dyson Sphere Program is a game that lets you design and build your own awe-inspiring construct. It’s currently in Early Access on Steam with plans to release in January!

System Shock

While it feels like we’ve been waiting for the System Shock Remake for ages, 2022 is the year that we may finally get to experience this classic game with beautiful new visuals. For those that might have never had the opportunity to play the original, the remake will offer updated mechanics, visuals, and AI to give newcomers a chance to see what all the fuss is about. We can’t wait to show SHODAN what we’re made of.

Grounded

For a game that’s not out yet, we’ve played a whole lot of Grounded. The game is currently in Early Access, but 2022 marks the year that it is set to go gold. If you’ve been living under a rock, let me tell you about Grounded – where you can live under a rock. In Grounded, you and up to three friends must survive the dangers of a backyard in a Honey, I Shrunk the Kids kind of adventure. You’ll craft weapons and tools, construct bases, and go on epic journeys in the koi fish pond, the bone dry sandbox, and maybe even explore the spider-filled hedge. Being smaller than a quarter isn’t easy, so you’ll need to work together to survive.

Frostpunk 2

11 Bit Studios crafted what might be the ultimate misery simulator when they launched FrostPunk. Tasking players with guiding a small group of survivors through unimaginable hardship, the strategy-sim was as addicting and rewarding as the best in the genre. For the sequel, 11 Bit says steam is gone and the age of oil is soon upon us. Might wanna wear a few extra layers of clothing this time around.

Contraband

We don’t know exactly what Contraband is, but what we do know is enough to excite us. The game is currently in development by Avalanche Studios, the team behind the explosive Just Cause series, and will feature co-op in an open world environment that is set in a fictional 1970s Bayan. We also know it has something to do about smuggling. It all sounds like a concoction for a great time.

Ready or Not

Ready or Not kind of appeared out of nowhere late in 2020 and saw an early access release on PC via Steam. It quickly began to spread via word of mouth and became the platform's global top seller, even during massive holiday discounts on all the biggest games of the year. As a spiritual sequel to the iconic Swat series, Ready or Not tasks teams with defusing intense situations and getting out of encounters alive and with admissible evidence. Or maybe just sprinkle some crack on 'em (probably not an actual option... hopefully).

Tunic

Xbox has been teasing this adventure for years, but there finally appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel for Tunic. There's no denying that this is a game that's heavily inspired by The Legend of Zelda, but if you're going to imitate, you'd better do it well. It looks like publisher Finji is doing just that with the sword and shield combat, dungeon design, fearsome monsters, and massive overworld filled with secrets. Heroism calls and we can't wait to finally answer in March.

Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six Extraction

Ubisoft Montreal assembled a gem of a tactical shooter with Rainbow Six Siege. Now they're taking that world and shifting it towards PvE, as a hostile race of aliens threatens humanity in Rainbow Six Extraction. The name of the game isn't simply survival through firepower. This is a much more tactical approach to the cooperative shooter formula and when combined with Siege's acclaimed physics engine, it makes for an experience like few others.

We recently had a chance to check out Extraction, so you can learn more from our recent preview.

Those are our most anticipated video games of 2022. If you've got any games you're looking forward to that didn't make our list, we'd love to hear about them!

Shack Staff

Shack Staff stories are a collective effort with multiple staff members contributing. Many of our lists often involve entires from several editors, and our weekly Shack Chat is something we all contribute to as a group.