Midyear progress report: Here are the best games of 2022 so far

digitaltrends.com:

We’re already nearly halfway through 2022, and it’s been an unusual year when it comes to new video game releases. The first quarter of 2022 was loaded with massive hits that eclipsed 2021’s holiday season. Major releases slowed to a drip after March though, creating a front-loaded year for gamers. Even with a slower cadence, however, each month has brought some excellent new titles — some of which were easy to miss.

The midway point of any year serves as a good excuse to stop and take stock of what’s launched so far. You likely already know the biggest releases (such as the Radahn-sized elephant in the room), but there’s a whole sea of vibrant games worth catching up on during this slow summer. Here are the best games we’ve played so far this year.

Let’s get this out of the way up top: Elden Ring is the game of 2022. Even if it’s not your favorite game that’s launched this year, it undeniably produced the biggest moment for the industry as a whole. FromSoftware’s open-world epic perfects the company’s signature Dark Souls template, creating the most approachable entry in an otherwise impenetrable franchise. That’s helped introduce more players than ever to FromSoftware’s dark, alluring style of RPG action. Even if there are better games that launch this year, nothing will impact the next decade of gaming as much as Elden Ring. ~ Giovanni Colantonio

Horizon Forbidden West had the misfortune of launching right before Elden Ring, which left it lost in FromSoftware’s shadow. However, we can’t write Sony’s standout open-world game off. Aloy’s second adventure is even better than her first, giving players another gorgeous, postapocalyptic world to explore. With better combat and impressive environmental puzzle design, Horizon