Fast Forward To 2022
Even with the avalanche of alphas, betas, and previews we’ve been able to get our hands on this year, this last week was one of the most memorable for me by a long shot. Trying to temper my expectations were difficult with a trifecta of promising titles sitting in front of me but in the end, I came away not only extremely satisfied after some quality time with each game, but extremely excited for just a few of the many titles planned for a 2022 release. This isn’t a comprehensive list by any means but three titles that are on the top of my wish list, especially after recent test/beta sessions.
Without further ado, let’s jump into the details for a quick glimpse of why our excitement level has reached a boiling point. 2022 is shaping up to be one of the biggest years in gaming thus far.
Elden Ring
February 2022
For Soulsborne/Sekiro fans, nothing is more exciting yet at the same terrifying to see what the geniuses at FromSoftware are going to pump out next. Not because I believe it’s not going to turn out good but whether it can live up to their incredible track record. Either way, after diving into the latest Network Test for the game, I was immediately struck by how much it looked and felt like a newer version of Dark Souls III. After leaving the initial cave area though, the differences and improvement jumped out and slapped me in the face very quickly. Elden Ring is absolutely gorgeous with a sprawling, detailed open world flow that not only works, it absolutely screams exploration, overflowing with nooks and crannies filled with secrets and a near-perfect mix of both old and new gameplay elements.
Beauty, mystery, terror, and being struck by awe were just a few feelings and emotions experienced during this test and if rumors are true, it’s just a small chunk of a massive world that awaits us. Without spoiling anything further, let’s just say that even though this latest test was network-focused, it absolutely lit the fires of excitement and quickly has become my most anticipated title of 2022.
Diablo Immortal
First Half of 2022
I have written several times about how Diablo Immortal is not only shaping up to be a great mobile game, it’s poised to become an extremely solid entry to the series as a whole. The latest Closed Beta has just cemented that even further with a slew of new content, improvements, tweaks, and levels of polish. I honestly don’t have much more to say than this is becoming the game that Diablo III should have been and I am pretty sure that any mobile game skeptics, (myself included), will quickly change their tunes after even the opening five minutes of the game.
Tested across multiple phones and devices, Immortal looks, sounds, and just feels way better than I ever imagined. I cannot wait to get my hands on the final version and play till my fingers bleed.
Lost Ark
March 2022
Last and certainly not least is a title that has been released around the world but finally making it’s way to an English language translation and launching in North America with some big improvements. Lost Ark is not an easy game to explain or corner into a certain category or genre. If I had to describe it, it feels a little like a mix of Diablo, New World, and several other titles that I just can’t put my finger on. If you are confused, that’s because it’s basically a story-driven online ARPG/MMORPG hybrid that features a ton of amazing spells, combat, and exploring in a massive, detailed world.
While the game is still being polished, the closed beta lifted any fears about the Amazon-led charge to bring this into the English language and to a massive chunk of players that had to rig VPNs, translators, etc to bring it from other areas of the world. This game not only has a ton of content to sink your teeth into, it breaks barriers across genres and is not only stunning to look at, it’s a ton of fun to play whether you prefer gunners, mages, or just flat out meatshield melee tanks. This could be the sleeper hit of 2022 and well worth your time to look at as it will be free to play at launch! That being said, you can still pre-purchase Founder’s Packs with varies goodies before launch.
