It’s been a roller-coaster year for video game releases. Early in the year, 2022 felt like it was shot out of a rocket with games like Elden Ring and Horizon Forbidden West. And then, suddenly, the release schedule fell off a cliff until the fall months. But on the whole, it’s been a solid year across the board for AAA blockbusters, little-known indies that exploded in popularity, and deeply imaginative narrative games.
If you recently built a new desktop PC, were gifted a gaming laptop, or have some Steam gift cards burning a hole in your pocket, we’ve got a helpful list. While there are many great games you can spend your time with, here are 10 absolute bangers across a variety of genres and price points you won’t want to pass up.