Guides & Editorial

The ultimate PlayStation review of 2022

From the endearing indies that took us by surprise, to the blockbuster hits that blew our socks off, get a rundown of the best games on PS4 and PS5 in 2022.

Stunning sequels

Returning characters

This year saw the return of several familiar faces, both in brand-new adventures and incredible recreations of prior landmark outings.

God of War Ragnarök

Kratos & Atreus

God of War's Norse saga concludes in breath-taking fashion in Santa Monica Studio's critically-acclaimed sequel to 2018's God of War. As Fimbulwinter deepens, Kratos and Atreus are forced to reckon with past choices and make difficult decisions about their future.

Horizon Forbidden West

Aloy of the Nora

Having saved the city of Meridan from an artificial intelligence gone rogue, Aloy travels deep into the Forbidden West in search of answers about the past and a way to overcome deadly new threats. Corrupted machines, embattled factions and mysterious new adversaries make braving America's western seaboard a truly treacherous ordeal.

Available as a Game Trial with PlayStation Plus Deluxe.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

Amicia & Hugo de Rune

Orphaned siblings Amicia and Hugo return in search of a cure for Hugo's strange affliction, escaping the plague-striken lands of A Plague Tale: Innocence and heading south towards the Mediterranean. However, trouble is not far behind, with old threats and new stalking their every move.

The Last of Us Part I

Joel & Ellie

Unforgettable characters Joel and Ellie return in a stunning remake of 2013’s The Last of Us, tuned to take full advantage of the cutting-edge features of PlayStation 5. Retelling the beloved story of a brutal journey across a ravaged, post-pandemic United States, The Last of Us Part I elevates every part of the original story, from character performances to gameplay flow, all underpinned by a range of new accessibility features.

Outstanding multiplayer

Friends and rivals

Whether head-to-head or side-by-side, 2022 was a great year for games where allies triumphed and victors claimed the spoils.

Competitive shooter

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II

Call of Duty returned this year with the sequel to 2019’s blockbuster Modern Warfare. Featuring the return of iconic team leader Captain John Price, fearless "Soap" MacTavish, seasoned Sergeant "Gaz” Garrick, and the lone wolf himself, Simon “Ghost” Riley, witness what makes Task Force 141 the legendary squad it is today.

Competitive racer

Gran Turismo 7

Gran Turismo returned in 2022 with the seventh mainline entry in a series spanning almost a quarter of a century. Filled with hundreds of cars, and dozens of tracks and tuning options, Gran Turismo 7 combined the acclaimed multiplayer of GT Sport with the classic single-player experience the series is celebrated for to deliver a tour-de-force driving experience.

Team shooter

Overwatch 2

This year, Overwatch 2 finally arrived as a free-to-play, live service game featuring new content rolling out on a seasonal basis. Moving forward, Overwatch 2 will continue to deliver new heroes, modes, maps and a slew of other great gameplay experiences. Squad up, choose your hero and jump in now for free to experience epic team-based action.

Online brawler

Rumbleverse

In 2022, Fortnite creator Epic Games launched a brand new 40-person, free-to-play brawler with a twist. A hybrid of fighting, platforming and battle royale, Rumbleverse unleashes players onto the streets of Grapital City and has them to duke it out on rooftops, in alleyways and everywhere in between until only one is left standing.

A new era for PlayStation Plus

PlayStation Plus got a major makeover this summer, with masses of new features, new membership tiers and more reasons than ever to be a subscriber.

Game Catalogue

Choose from hundreds of must-play blockbuster titles, unmissable indie gems and fan favourites from PS4 and PS5. Download all direct to your console and play for as long as you like while they remain on the service.

Game Trials

With Deluxe membership, download full games and trial them for a limited period to get a real feel for the characters, setting and gameplay before you decide to buy.

PlayStation Classics

Connect with PlayStation's vast gaming legacy with the Classics Catalogue. Download iconic titles from PlayStation, PlayStation 2, along with modern remasters of well-loved classics.

Other great benefits

On top of this, you’ll have access to a range of monthly games, yours to keep as long as you're part of the service, 100GBs* of cloud storage to back up your game saves and access to extra discounts, special savings and exclusive bonus content.

Choose from one of three membership tiers to make sure you get the plan that best suits you.

*Max 1000 save files for PS4

Adventure & exploration

Bold new worlds

From far-flung space colonies to fantasy kingdoms, this year there we plenty of exciting new locations to explore and absorb.

Stray

The Android City

BlueTwelve's atmospheric action adventure was probably most notable for its charming feline protagonist, but the adventure wouldn't have been quite so memorable had it not been for the neon-drenched, cyberpunk setting, inspired in no small part by Hong Kong's famous Walled City of Kowloon.

Available on PlayStation Plus Extra and Deluxe.

ELDEN RING

The Lands Between

FromSoftware delivers a unique open-world take on its classic 'Souls' formula and in so doing creates one of most memorable game worlds of recent years. The Lands Between is an immense space of varied environments, teeming with deadly combatants, hidden secrets, untold stories and game-changing discoveries.

Ghostwire: Tokyo

Post-apocalyptic Tokyo

The bustling Japanese capital - famed for its dense population - as you've never seen it before: totally deserted. In Ghostwire: Tokyo, The Evil Within creator Tango Gameworks invited players to explore a supernatural rendition of the world-famous city where human life has all but vanished and only malevolent, otherworldy spirits remain.

Available as a Game Trial with PlayStation Plus Deluxe.

The Callisto Protocol

Black Iron Prison

A gruelling survival horror experience, The Callisto Protocol transports you to the little-known fourth - and second largest - moon of Jupiter, Callisto. A gloomy, labyrinthine penal colony filled with the most unimaginable monstrosities, only by braving the grisly environments can you hope to escape.

2022 saw the launch of PlayStation’s new loyalty program that rewards players for – well, playing! Make the most of your gaming experience by earning unique rewards while you play.

Innovative indies

Small but mighty

2022 was an incredible year for indies, with small developers making big ripples across a range of genres.

Intense combat

Sifu

Channelling the slick visuals and blistering combat of classic martial arts movies, Sifu is a stylish tour-de-force in which pugilistic, skill-driven combat is married with a unique narrative mechanic that causes the player character to age each time you die.

Blackly comic

Cult of the Lamb

Part action roguelike, part management sim, Cult of the Lamb is the year's most darkly tongue-in-cheek game. Take on the role of a possessed lamb and work to build you own cult of devoted worshippers, subduing false prophets and sacrificing non-believers to appease your dark deity.

Beat 'em up legends

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge

A loving tribute to the franchise's arcade-style beat 'em up legacy, Shredder's Revenge brings the series' classic side-scrolling action to the modern gaming scene, with up to four player co-op locally (or six players online!) and playable fan favourite characters like April O'Neil, Master Splinter and Casey Jones.

Flips and tricks

OlliOlli World

A third-dimensional evolution of its cult 2D skater, Roll7's OlliOlli World takes all the finger-twisting challenge of the side-scrolling originals and re-imagines it as a three-dimensional, multi-levelled skating paradise, creating perhaps their most addictive game to date.

Available as a Game Trial with PlayStation Plus Deluxe.

Editor's Choice

Check out the year's top picks from the in-house experts at PlayStation, including massive blockbuster hits and unmissable indies.

See the full Editor's Choice collection

Family friendly

Something for everyone

There was plenty for families and younger players to enjoy this year, with exciting new adventures from LEGO, Star Wars and Disney.

Live magically

Disney Dreamlight Valley

Disney Dreamlight Valley is a life-sim adventure game rich with quests, exploration and fun activities featuring Disney and Pixar friends, both old and new. Once an idyllic place, Night Thorns grew across the land and severed the wonderful memories tied to this magical place. Now it’s up to you to discover the stories of this world and bring the magic back to Dreamlight Valley!

Build your dreams

Autonauts

Build, create and automate. Start by establishing a settlement, crafting bots and teaching them via 'scratch-style' programming to build an ever-evolving autonomous paradise of agriculture, industry and enlightenment.

Colourful action

Sonic Frontiers

Sonic went bigger than ever in 2022, with a new 'open-zone' approach to design that let players explore five massive Starfall Islands, with high-speed platforming challenges to overcome, larger-then-life bosses to defeat and, of course, a trove of Chaos Emeralds to collect.

A galaxy far, far away

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga

Play through all nine Star Wars saga films in a brand-new LEGO video game. Experience fun-filled adventures, whimsical humour and the freedom to fully immerse yourself in the LEGO Star Wars galaxy. Want to play as a Jedi? A Sith? Rebel, bounty hunter or droid? LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga features hundreds of playable characters from across the galaxy.