You can already get a good idea of how 2022 has been a great year for RPGs by remembering that such an example was awarded the top trophy at The Game Awards! But not only from Elder Ring lived the last 12 months: from titles that mix adventure and action to JRPGs, we had options for all tastes.
It was with that in mind that we’ve put together this list of 10 great RPGs released between January and December 2022. Note that these are just recommendations from Voxel’s writing, not a list in order of quality. The idea is to celebrate video games and highlight what’s best on our consoles and PC, so check out the selection below!
Elder Ring (PC, PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One)
FromSoftware is, today, one of the most celebrated video game studios, and rightfully so! Despite decades of great games being somewhat ignored by the masses, it came from Demon soulsor who knows Dark souls, that the company started to stand out more among the general public, gaining more fans with each title released. No one has mastered the Soulslike formula like its creator, director Hidetaka Miyazaki, and in Elder Ring the style has come close to perfection incorporating the open world and more building options and gameplay customizations than ever before.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 ( Nintendo Switch )
For those who enjoy a root JRPG with hundreds of hours of content, great characters and a superb soundtrack, there is probably no better game released in 2022 than the splendid Xenoblade Chronicles 3one of the biggest gems in Big N’s hybrid console library!
Stranger from Heaven: Final Fantasy Origins (PC, PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One)
Kill the chaos. That’s all that matters, so if you’re really a brother to Jack and his friends, then take this journey with us! But before you leave, know that this is a prelude to Final Fantasy 1 is much more than a sea of memes: with thrilling fights and a fun job system, this journey still has a very surprising and exciting story in its final stretch.
At the harvest (PC, Nintendo Switch)
Who doesn’t love a good farm game? In History of the seasons a Stardew Valley, it is almost always a pleasure to spend time taking care of the countryside. And in 2022, the one who nailed this formula was Square Enix, who wisely brought the genre to an aesthetic very much in line with Final fantasycombining the best of both worlds in one beautiful package!
Live live ( Nintendo Switch )
It’s not every day you get to see a remake of a game released exclusively for the Super Famicom (the Japanese version of the SNES), so this is a golden opportunity to get to know or revisit one of the console’s best JRPGs! The art style is quite similar to dazzling Octopathic traveller it also goes a long way in capturing the imagination of gamers.
The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt next-gen patch (PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S)
Maybe we’re cheating a little here? That may be the case, but certainly the millions of fans of the wizard scattered around the planet weren’t complaining in the slightest when CD Projekt Red announced a free update that brought one of the best games of the last generation to current hardware. Anyone who loves RPGs has no reason to leave this revamp of the Sorcerer 3 beat the beat!
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion (PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One)
And while we’re on the subject of redesigns, how about this remaster that feels more like a Square Enix remake? The beloved PSP classic comes to virtually all platforms with a fresh new look, whilst maintaining the story that has won so many fans for the charismatic Zack! Like it praised in our reviewthe package improves even more with the addition of voices to all dialogues, as well as the beautiful adaptation of the menus and systems to better dialogue with Remake of Final Fantasy VII!
Chained echoes (PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One)
Launched 45 minutes into the second half, but just in time to appear in our retrospective, Chained echoes it ended up going viral and pleasing the players because it was an RPG full of nostalgia, magically taking us back to the simpler times of 16-bit, home to some of the best representatives of the genre. It’s a big request for the most nostalgic!
Pokémon Legends: Arceus ( Nintendo Switch )
One of the biggest complaints from fans of Pokémon in recent generations it has been the franchise that has seemed a bit stagnant, even if it has always brought good regions and creatures. Therefore Archaeus came out to shake things up, bringing more open worlds, more exploration possibilities, and more organic and free-flowing controls, with real-time encounters and battles. A great success of the year and the promise of a more exciting future!
Pokémon Scarlet and Purple ( Nintendo Switch )
We know, just as you know, that the optimization of these pocket monster games left a lot to be desired, and that the graphics aren’t even the eighth wonder of the world. In fact, there are so many problems here that it’s almost a miracle Scarlet and Violet be so good anyway! But they are, and this is a testament to the greatness of the formula, which has been taken even further with great innovations that make up for its shortcomings by a great deal.
And those were our recommendations for 10 great RPGs released during 2022! Of course, a lot of cool stuff has been left out for lack of space, but if we forgot to mention something you love, how about you comment and celebrate more great games with us at Voxel’s social networks?
