2021 was a big year for games, despite challenges imposed on studios by the pandemic. As it begins to wane, companies are preparing to crank out a series of titles for 2022 that hopefully will become hits. Some are sequels to established industry tentpole franchises, while others are brand new IPs with a lot to offer in terms of story and immersion.
Multiple genres, from real-time strategy and survival horror to first-person action titles and third-person character tales, will serve as foundations for these new PC-bound releases, and they may signal a return to form for a video game industry eager to get back on track.
Homeworld 3
Veteran PC gamers know full well the legacy of the incredible Homeworld series, which breathed new and inventive life into the real-time strategy formula. The franchise is a work of art that blends a gripping narrative, awe-inspiring atmosphere, and incredible tactical gameplay into one cinematic experience.
Homeworld 3 is hotly anticipated for fans of the series, but new gamers are advised to go back and play the originals – available via the Homeworld Remastered collection – to see what all the fuss is about. The games have aged remarkably well, which means the third in the series can only build on what is essentially a timeless foundation.
Overwatch 2
Legendary developer Blizzard has been staring down the barrels of one scandal after another for the last few months, and the company is feeling the impact. That makes games like Overwatch 2 even more important if the company wants to stay afloat. The first game was a cultural megahit, at least until Fortnite stole its thunder.
The sequel is expected to drop sometime in late 2022, though there’s every possibility that Blizzard’s turmoil may push it back. It remains to be seen whether the company will maintain the foundation of the original, or attempt to tack on different game modes and new maps that will rival the original Overwatch.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart Of Chernobyl
The original S.T.A.L.K.E.R. debuted way back in 2008, and it hasn’t aged very well when compared to similar successors like Metro. That’s why S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is so important, as it can modernize the existing formula while capitalizing on graphics technology that has reinvented itself several times over the last decade.
It is said that S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2’s open world will be massive, and that’s good news for gamers who like non-linear titles where exploration is a core theme. Screenshots show a very detailed and vivid-looking game world where lighting takes on a prominent visual role. It’s radioactive in all the right ways.
Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II
The tale of Senua continues in this sequel to the flat-out amazing Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice, which was released a few years back. That game was the first to tackle the issue of mental illness head-on and with the utmost respect.
Hellblade concluded with Senua conquering her inner demons, and the trailer for the sequel portrays her as a much more confident and bold individual. What capacity her past plays into her story has yet to be revealed, but it’s quite possible Senua is still battling her trauma in some manner.
The Callisto Protocol
Fans of survival horror games should get a kick out of The Callisto Protocol, which looks quite promising. At first glance, it looks like a cross between Resident Evil VII and Dead Space, with a large focus on the latter’s theme of horrific monsters in the cold vacuum of deep space.
The story takes place on Callisto, one of Jupiter’s moons, and studio lead Glen Schofield has indicated that players will begin the game with nothing but the clothes on their back. Judging from the hair-raising debut trailer, it could very well be the spiritual successor to games like Dead Space and the terrifying semi-sequel Alien Isolation.
Starfield
Bethesda recently dropped more info about its upcoming sci-fi epic Starfield, and the reception among the fan base has been a mixed bag. Some believe it will be a Mass Effect killer, while others are afraid that the company hasn’t grown past the antiquated gameplay of Skyrim and Fallout.
Studio head Todd Howard has been fairly cryptic about the game, other than the fact that it’s utilizing an updated version of the Creation engine. Graphically, it looks like a blend of Mass Effect, Star Citizen, and Fallout. The game is slated for a November 2022 release.
God Of War
Sony’s experimentation with releasing PlayStation titles on PC went over well with Horizon Zero Dawn, and now the company is bringing their killer franchise God of War to the platform. Finally, PC gamers will get to experience the definitive version of this 2018 instant classic with the highest possible visual clarity.
God of War was a soft reboot of the series that picked up on Kratos’ life following his destruction of the Greek gods. He’s now raising a young son while battling the mythological Gods and monsters from Norse culture. The gameplay has also been reinvented to stand apart from the original series, and the critical response was extremely positive.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
Tribute Games partnered up with Dotemu, the publisher responsible for the amazing Streets of Rage 4, to produce this sequel to the classic TMNT arcade game. It takes its cues from the 1980s animated Ninja Turtles series and builds on the classic spinoff side scrollers of the 90s.
Shredder’s Revenge is a throwback to the decade, with pixelated-on-purpose graphics, exciting beat-em-up action, and simultaneous 4-player co-op. If the game is given as much love as Streets of Rage 4, gamers should expect to get some decent replay value out of it.
Ark 2
The original Ark: Survival Evolved carries the torch when it comes to open-world survival games, and it was one of the first to popularize the genre. It was also very light on story, which is where Ark 2 may try to change things up a bit. Gamers can expect more of the same mixture of survival tactics, progression trees, and of course, dinosaurs galore, all packed within a new engine.
Hopefully, Ark 2 manages to tighten up the weak points of the original, which were only solvable through the use of mods. If the game can up the ante in terms of immersion and gameplay mechanics while offering gamers more of a story, Ark 2 may become the survival title to beat for the foreseeable future.
Elden Ring
As of this date, Elden Ring is arguably the most anticipated title of 2022. It’s currently slated for release sometime near the end of February, fate willing, and that’s good news for fans of the fantasy action genre, not to mention Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin.
Elden Ring is strongly influenced by J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings novels, focusing on the remnants of a destroyed ring that corrupts the minds and hearts of the various demigods that rule the land. In terms of gameplay, it takes its cues from third-person hack and slash RPGs like Dark Souls and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
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