Maybe 2021 games didn’t have a masterpiece that overwhelmed others. Still, there’s plenty to inspire gamers, from the latest additions to popular franchises like Halo Infinite, Metroid Dread, and Resident Evil Village, to groundbreaking new IPs like It Takes Two, Deathloop, and Inscryption. You can’t deny that it’s been years.
However, the fact that we can’t wait for the sequel to “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild”, “ELDEN RING”, and “Ghostwire Tokyo” has not changed since last year. In addition to these, there are many newly announced blockbusters such as “Starfield” and “Pokemon Legends Arceus”, and Japanese titles such as “Disco Elysium” and “Life is Strange True Colors”, which have already been highly praised overseas. Waiting for localization. There’s no doubt that there are more games to look forward to than ever before, and it’s safe to assume that many of them will likely arrive in 2022 rather than years away. From among them, we would like to collect the votes of IGN JAPAN writers again this year and introduce the most anticipated games.
* Excludes titles that have not been announced for release in 2022.
20. Triangle Strategy
Scheduled to be released for Nintendo Switch on March 4, 2022.
“Triangle Strategy” respects the tactics RPGs of the 90’s such as “Tactics Ogre” and “Final Fantasy Tactics” and revives them in the present age. The beautiful graphics of the visual style “HD-2D”, which is a fusion of polygons and dots, are splendid, and the profound war story that shows the conflict between the three great powers from multiple angles is also interesting. However, above all, players who like strategic thinking will be fascinated by the carefully crafted tactics that make use of the unique abilities and height differences of each character, with different terrains and tricks for each map. I also want to pay attention to how the story and gameplay are connected by a new system called “Balance of Belief” that decides the next action of the main characters by voting. —Clave Esra
19. Kirby Discovery of the Stars
Scheduled to be released for Nintendo Switch in the spring of 2022.
Nintendo’s popular franchise “Kirby of the Stars” boasts a history of 30 years at the earliest. Kirby’s Dream Land Discovery, which is scheduled to be released in the spring of 2022, will be Kirby’s first 3D title. The post-apocalyptic stage “New World” and the “Beast Corps” that stands in front of Kirby hint at adventures that are a little different from the past, but the design that seems to adopt only a limited depth is a game. It seems to be easy to play even for beginners, and in that respect it can be said that it is like “Kirby of the Stars”. The familiar gameplay of inhaling, exhaling, flying, and copying is still alive, but how is it evolving in a new dimension? —Clave Esra
18. Bayonetta 3
Scheduled to be released for Nintendo Switch in 2022.
In 2022, “Bayonetta 3” will not be forgotten as a light and highly addictive action game. About five years have passed since the development was announced at The Game Awards 2017, but it seems that the time has finally come to see the light of day. At the Nintendo Direct in September of this year, along with the announcement that it will be released in 2022, a flashy action scene set in a real-life Shibuya-like location was revealed. In addition to the new action of summoning a large monster called “Demon Slave”, we can expect developments that will draw a line from the “Bayonetta” series, which has been set in a fantasy world so far. In addition, at the beginning of the PV, Rappy, the police dog mascot of “Astral Chain”, which also recorded a smash hit as a Platinum Games x Nintendo title, appeared. As a Nintendo fan, you can’t miss these relationships. ――Ichigo Game Beat
17. “STRANGER OF PARADISE FINAL FANTASY ORIGIN”
Scheduled to be released on March 18, 2022 for PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X/Xbox One/PC.
Jointly developed by Square Enix and Team NINJA, this title is as if “Final Fantasy” and “Nio” were born. While maintaining the soul-like aspect of the speedy development of “Nio”, it mixes familiar elements of FF such as jobs and abilities. It also supports cooperative play with up to three people. Character customization, of course, but if the design that plays with different roles such as attacking and supporting roles fits well, it will lead to unique gameplay. Watch what happens. It has been revealed that the main character, Jack, is Garland, the boss of the original FF, but there seems to be an even more surprising mechanism just because it is “ORIGIN”. –Yoshiki Chiba
16. Hogwarts Legacy
Scheduled to be released for PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X/Xbox One/PC in 2022.
The Harry Potter series fascinated many people not only with its thrilling and detailed story, but also with the setting of the dream-filled boarding school “Hogwarts”. Like Harry, many readers dreamed that one day they would receive an invitation to Hogwarts in their homes. “Hogwarts Legacy” is an open-world RPG that fulfills the fan’s dream of becoming a Hogwarts student. Players take on the role of Hogwarts students in the late 1800s as they train and study to become wizards. The main character seems to have a special talent for mastering ancient magic, and a large-scale original story involving dark magic is also being prepared. It will be interesting to see how this work fits into the epic Harry Potter history. — Shuka Yamada
15. Horizon Forbidden West
Scheduled to be released for PS5/PS4 on February 18, 2022.
A sequel to the open world RPG “Horizon Zero Dawn” released in 2017. In the far future of the post-apocalypse where mechanical beasts roam the majestic nature, Aloy, a female hunter, unravels the mystery of her world destruction. The creation of the open world was extremely standard, but the details related to playability were designed in a well-balanced manner, making it a highly complete work. The battle style that handles hunting tools such as bows and arrows enhanced by lost ancient technology characterized this work, but the sequel “Horizon Forbidden West” will add underwater exploration and glide. Expectations are also high for gameplay that expands with new elements such as shield wings. And the most attractive feature of this series is the tough and smart Aloy character. Aloy, who once saved the world, ventures into the unknown land of the West, and what will she find there? — Shuka Yamada
14. God of War Ragnarok
Scheduled to be released for PS5/PS4 in 2022.
The previous work “God of War” depicts the growth of a father and son through a journey to mourn for his mother. In addition to the high quality of the action, the series has grown greatly with the main character Kratos, skillfully depicting the exquisite distance between father and child. At the end of the previous work, a mystery that will lead to this work is shown, and I am concerned about how it will approach with the title “Ragnarok”. The world, which has a reputation for beauty, can now visit all nine worlds (the previous work had six), and his son Atreus has grown greatly, including his appearance. The fate left in the previous work seems to be the key to the story, and I’m looking forward to what kind of activity Kratos, who leaves the remnants of “incarnation of violence”, will play and what kind of decision he will make. –Yoshiki Chiba
13. Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League
It will be released for PS5/Xbox Series X/PC in 2022.
The charm of villains that appear in DC comics has become known to many people through various media. Harley Quinn, King Shark, Deadshot, and Captain Boomerang, who appeared in the two movies “Suicide Squad”, are set as playable characters, and flashy action is aimed at the heroes who have been stained with evil. . Developed by Rocksteady Studios, which worked on three main series in the “Batman: Arkham” series. I’m really looking forward to seeing how they, who have built a new world while fully expressing the charm of the original work, will portray the success of Task Force X. We hope that multiplayer with up to 4 people will be an unforgettable “party” for everyone who experiences it. — Gabriel Ito
12. Sonic Frontier
Scheduled to be released for Nintendo Switch/PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X/Xbox One/PC in Winter 2022.
“Sonic Frontier” is said to have an open zone design rather than an open world. It’s not that everything should be an open world, but the experience of letting a hedgehog run at the speed of sound in a wide field is strangely exciting. Everything depends on “how the field is used”, but from the escape scene where you decide the direction of escape to the challenge of moving at high speed along the ring, I feel a huge amount of possibilities. Like “Sonic Adventure”, which can be said to be the root of 3D Sonic, it is easy to add exploration and story elements. Sonic is rising in popularity in movies, but Sonic Frontier may open up a new future for 3D Sonic. No, I want to believe it will. —Clave Esra
11. Pokemon Legends Arceus
Scheduled to be released for Nintendo Switch on January 28, 2022.
The first impression is an open-world Pokemon! “Pokemon Legends Arceus” is full of new elements that have never been seen before. An adventure in a different era than the goal of being inducted into the Hall of Fame. A battle with “King” & “Queen” Pokemon that the trainer himself also performs actions such as avoidance and fights. Capturing Pokemon that can be done on the field that makes you happy with realism. A Pokemon from the jade region that meets the new battle style “Swiftness” & “Strength” for the first time. There are new experiences waiting for you everywhere, and the excitement doesn’t stop even with advance information. I’m looking forward to witnessing the new challenge of Pokémon, which has come to break through the conventional wisdom head-on. –Yukiyo Tan
10. Dying Light 2 Stay Human
Scheduled to be released on February 4, 2022 for PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X/Xbox One/PC.
An open-world action game where you fight zombies brilliantly with parkour, what a dream work. “Dying Light 2: Stay Human” is a game that has just evolved from the previous work. Not only can you move freely and quickly on a wide map with just your body, you can also fly around between buildings with a paraglider, and you can take control of any power. The story also changed depending on whether they cooperated. A dangerous night when the infected become agile, co-op play with up to four people, brutal battles that make your blood boil, and you can enjoy your own violence while pitying the dying world would be –Takuya Watanabe
9. Disco Elysium – The Final Cut
Scheduled to be released for Nintendo Switch/PS5/PS4/PC in the spring of 2022.
In the world of movies, slogans such as “impossible to visualize” are commonplace, but in the world of games, the word “impossible to localize” would not fit as well as “Disco Elysium.” This work has been acclaimed by various media since its release in 2019, and the Metascore of The Final Cut version has marked an amazing 97 points. However, it is not a work that will appeal to everyone, and is a top-down adventure game set in a dark and eerie cityscape. The peculiarity of the game is that almost everything in the game consists of text and choices, and the protagonist, who plays the role of a detective, has conversations not only with the residents of the city, but also with his own mind. Furthermore, since the design has a high degree of freedom, including skill distribution and equipment selection, the amount of text in this work has become enormous. And since a large part of the work’s evaluation is based on the quality of these texts, it even seems “localizable”. The work has already won overwhelming praise overseas, but the Japanese version may fall either way depending on whether the localization is good or bad. In that sense, it’s definitely a work to look forward to. — Susumu Imai
8. “Ghostwire Tokyo”
Scheduled to be released for PS5/PC in 2022.
A store sign on a familiar topography. A Tokyo landmark called Shibuya is invaded by youkai and ghosts. Objectively, it’s a scary situation, but the world is so beautiful that I can’t help but be drawn to Ghostwire Tokyo. Anyway, the world view is attractive, and the match between the world that was normal until a few hours ago and the abnormal existence that is an extraordinary existence is exquisite. It’s nice to mix old-fashioned things such as shrines, temples, and Hannya with the modern townscape, and the hero’s skills, which are colored in neon colors, match the urban background, giving you a sense of cyberpunk. good. The enemy characters also have a familiar design, such as Hanako-san in the toilet and teru-teru bozu motifs, high school girls and office workers in suits. There are many things that have not been clarified, such as the composition of the field and the game system, but it is a work that I would like to play as soon as possible. –Yukiyo Tan
7. Life is Strange True Colors
Scheduled to be released on February 25, 2022 for Switch/PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X/Xbox One/PC.
“Life is Strange: True Colors,” the latest installment in the now standard adventure game series, was released overseas ahead of the competition, and has been praised for its best-in-class story and characters, intriguing supernatural abilities, and excellent choices. there is In this work, the player becomes a female character named Alex, and the story begins when she comes to a rural town deep in the mountains of Colorado, where her brother lives. And she will uncover the secrets hidden in this town. The Japanese voice is still of high quality, but the English voice actor of Alex is also highly rated, so there may be a playstyle with English voice and Japanese subtitles. —Clave Esra
6. STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl
Scheduled to be released for Xbox Series X/PC on April 28, 2022.
Post-apocalyptic setting, intricately constructed character AI, and horrifyingly grotesque mutants. There are a number of similar games, but there is probably no world as precisely calculated as this work. Scheduled for release on April 28, 2022, STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl is the fourth installment in the STALKER series developed by Ukrainian game developer GSC Game World. Players will head to the interior of the “zone” as a “stalker” who performs a mission as a bounty hunter in an area called “zone” where mutated mutants roam. With graphics that pursue the highest level of open-world reality in the series, and a game experience in which the story is guided by your own choices, we expect this to be an experience that will go down in gaming history. In addition, the developer has announced that this work is being developed with Unreal Engine 5. Everyone will be fascinated by the graphics of next-generation consoles and PC-only games that are finally going into full swing. ――Ichigo Game Beat
5. “FORSPOKEN”
Scheduled to be released for PS5/PC on May 24, 2022.
FORSPOKEN is an open-world action RPG of magic, by magic, for magic. It runs around the field with its magic-based movement action, “Magic Parkour”, and in battle, it hits opponents with various magic. Square Enix’s Luminous Engine, which was also used in FINAL FANTASY XV, is nimble, and you can expect an exhilarating movement action that runs freely around the beautiful world. Frey, a girl who lives in modern times, is suddenly sent to another world, Asia, and learns that she can use magic. If you only ask about this, it might sound like a mere “reincarnation in another world”, but it’s interesting that modern lifestyles are involved, such as being able to enhance Frey’s magic with nail art. I would like to look forward to the unique world view of this work that fuses the elements of “modern” and “fantasy”. –Ryuichi Kataoka
4. Splatoon 3
Scheduled to be released for Nintendo Switch in 2022.
The “Splatoon” series conveyed its appeal to people who had never heard of competitive shooters. “Splatoon 3” will be released in 2022, and it seems that new battles will make us hot again this time. The third installment, “Splatoon 3,” seems to bring about major changes, with a world of chaos where everything has collapsed and mixed together, special weapons that are both exciting and seem to have been well-balanced, and hair all over the body. There are only interesting elements such as Kebaink that grows and “Return of Mammals”. How far will it evolve as a competitive shooter? Ah, I want to melt the 4-digit play time with a cool battle as soon as possible. –Takuya Watanabe
3. “Starfield”
Scheduled to be released for Xbox Series X/PC on November 11, 2022.
For those who like sci-fi and adventures set in outer space, the concept of “Starfield” as a “space version of Skyrim” cannot be beaten. In the released video, you can see the inside of the crafted spaceship, creating a space that seems to exist from many details. This work is an action RPG, and it is a fantasy world that follows the actual science. The setting is 2330, 20 years after the galactic war between rival powers. Players will explore the farthest reaches of the solar system on a scale that surpasses even “Skyrim,” seeking answers to questions that humans have asked since ancient times. Exploration on an ambitious scale, exploration of intriguing mysteries, and everyday life in space. “Starfield” seems to be a work that can be immersed in many ways, and I want to leave immediately. –Robson Daniel
2. Sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Scheduled to be released for Nintendo Switch in 2022
The sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild has yet to be officially titled, and only one trailer was released this year. The previous work became a hot topic as Zelda’s first open world game, and it became a masterpiece recognized by the whole world for its creative combination of physics elements and groundbreaking climbing. This sequel seems to have taken over the visuals and the basic setting that are reminiscent of watercolor paintings, but according to the trailer, this adventure will extend above the clouds, “free fall”, “rewind time”, and “objects”. There seems to be a new element such as “pass through”. It’s still a mysterious title, but I’m looking forward to seeing how these elements create new experiences. —Clave Esra
1. ELDEN RING
Scheduled to be released on February 25, 2022 for PS5/PS4/Xbox Series X/Xbox One/PC.
Last year, “ELDEN RING”, which was second in this ranking, took the top spot from Zelda, and that’s no wonder. Unlike the same work, which still has little specific information, “ELDEN RING” has been network tested and many people have actually played it. Although the contents were mostly within the range of my imagination–as you can see from the fact that they overwhelmed the others in this vote–I definitely got the feeling that they answered my expectations head-on. A death game that unfolds in a vast field is just that exciting, and the highly flexible customization elements and wide range of options seem to enable various play styles. Immerse yourself in the “Royal Evolution of Dark Souls” presented by Hidetaka Miyazaki, and you can’t help but look forward to experiencing the myths drawn by George R.R. Martin, the original author of “Game of Thrones.” . —Clave Esra
