It’s a great time of the year to be a gamer. Not only has awards season come and gone, which affords us the opportunity to look back on a year of releases and reflect on what we loved while identifying which bonafide classics we might have missed, it’s also the time when gamers everywhere are receiving new games and consoles as gifts, or gift cards and cash to go and acquire new ones during the big Boxing Day sales.
To that end, we figured we’d celebrate both by taking a look back at our favourite and best-reviewed games of 2022 and trawling the internet for the hottest deals on them while sales are still on to help you pick up any gems you might have pissed at the best possible price. Take a look at our recommendations below:
The Callisto Protocol
Our Score: 8/10
“The Callisto Protocol is a modest starting point for what I hope will flourish into another heavy-hitting horror franchise. It’s gory and gratuitous, with an endlessly satisfying combat system.”
The best Black Friday deal:
The Callisto Protocol Review – A Satisfyingly Tense Newcomer
Evil West
Our Score: 8.5/10
“An all-round excellently paced main campaign, ridiculously fun combat, and flexible character progression make for one of 2022’s best games, and one of the best third-person shooters in recent years.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII Reunion
Our Score: 9/10
“Whether you managed to catch it on the PSP or you’re diving in for the first time – this is without a doubt the definitive way to experience the excellent prequel to Final Fantasy VII.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Crisis Core –Final Fantasy VII– Reunion Review – Absolutely Worth A Revisit
Need For Speed Unbound
Our Score: 7.5/10
“I loved the commitment to modern car culture aesthetics, events like the takeover are a great addition along with the distinct visual and musical style choices.”
The best Black Friday deal:
God of War Ragnarök
Our Score: 9.5/10
“God of War Ragnarok is a triumph. Santa Monica Studio has successfully taken everything that was great about the last game and amplified it while correcting just about every problem area and then some.”
The best Black Friday deal:
God Of War Ragnarok Review – A Triumph Of Godlike Proportions
Sonic Frontiers
Our Score: 7.5/10
“It’s not perfect, but it tries its heart out and I came away with warm memories of an uneven game.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Pokémon Scarlet/Pokémon Violet
Our Score: 7.5/10
“New ideas, some quality of life improvements, and some excellent new Pokémon designs make the trip to Paldea worthwhile.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Pokémon Scarlet And Violet Review – A Tantalising Lens Into The Future
The Chant
Our Score: 7.5/10
“The Chant combines a unique setting and premise with striking art direction to offer an experience that feels wholly unique as a game.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Bayonetta 3
Our Score: 9/10
“Bayonetta 3 successfully reinvents itself in many ways to offer an experience that feels worthy of the title of sequel.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II
Our Score: 7/10
“As a sequel to the Modern Warfare reboot, Modern Warfare 2 feels like both a celebration of the series’ original trilogy as well as “the team” at its core.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II Campaign Review – Playing It Safe
A Plague Tale: Requiem
Our Score: 8.5/10
“Smart iteration on established mechanics and pitch-perfect pacing lead the way to a journey across some breathtaking locales that ups the ante in nearly every way by its shocking conclusion.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Gotham Knights
Our Score: 7.5/10
“Gotham Knights is both something different and something familiar for Batman fans. While the new role-playing elements create some pacing issues throughout the story, the breadth of abilities and ease of progression stop the experience from being as tedious as it could have been.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Mario + Rabbids Sparks Of Hope
Our Score: 9/10
“While Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope is a markedly different game than Kingdom Battle, it’s a more than worthy sequel that successfully steps into its own space within the realm of turn-based strategy. It’s undoubtedly one of the best games on the Switch, and one of the best showings from Ubisoft in recent years.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope Review – An Adventure Worth Raving About
Splatoon 3
Our Score: 8.5/10
“This is the most feature-complete and tightly designed Splatoon to date, and you’d be missing out if you choose to pass it up.”
The best Black Friday deal:
The Last of Us Part I
Our Score: 9/10
“The Last Of Us: Part I is without doubt the most definitive version of The Last of Us on the market.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Saints Row
Our Score: 7/10
“The new Saints Row doesn’t break any new ground, however it’s still a relatively fun time. If you’re a fan of the series, there’s no reason not to give this one a spin.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Two Point Campus
Our Score: 8/10
“Two Point Campus is another excellent entry from Two Point Studios that showcases not only more of the team’s penchant for humorous and accessible management sim gameplay but genuine love for the genre.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Our Score: 8/10
“Whether you’re new to the series or a veteran, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is stylish, intriguing, super fun, and well worth checking out for RPG fans.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Review – A Darker Expansive Adventure
Stray
Our Score: 9/10
“Stray is a brisk and relentlessly charming adventure that offers a very unique window into a gorgeous sci-fi world. It won’t challenge your mind or your reflexes too much but it’ll absolutely delight your senses. Importantly, it’s a video game with a dedicated ‘meow’ button, and what could possibly be better than that?”
The best Black Friday deal:
Mario Strikers: Battle League Football
Our Score: 7.5/10
“Mario Strikers: Battle League is a fun time that is easy enough for anybody to pickup and play but still with enough depth to mean it should keep players engaged for a long period of time.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Mario Strikers: Battle League Football Review – Full Of Personality
Nintendo Switch Sports
Our Score: 7.5/10
“Nintendo Switch Sports feels familiar, yet still remains fun after all these years, especially when played with groups of friends.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga
Our Score: 8.5/10
“I’ve been around the block(s) with TT’s games for some 15 years now, and this is without a doubt the best thing they’ve ever snapped together. If you’re a gamer who’s young or young-at-heart-container, I’d be very surprised if this didn’t instantly click with you.”
The best Black Friday deal:
LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga Review – Feel The Co-Op Within You
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands
Our Score: 8/10
“While Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands doesn’t offer a vastly different experience from what came before, it does venture outside of its comfort zone enough to establish its own identity. It’s an excellent extension of the already great Assault On Dragon Keep, and is a worthwhile adventure for any fan of the series, with extensive build crafting, an entertaining cast of characters, and a world worth exploring.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands Review – More Than A One Shot Adventure
Ghostwire: Tokyo
Our Score: 7.5/10
“A compelling concept and a beautifully realised world, Ghostwire: Tokyo leverages Japanese folklore and a unique combat system to provide a unique open-world experience.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Kirby and the Forgotten Land
Our Score: 8.5/10
“Kirby and the Forgotten Land takes the Kirby franchise to new heights in new and interesting ways.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Gran Turismo 7
Our Score: 9/10
“Gran Turismo 7 is a car-lover’s dream. Whether you love cars already or have just started your journey into being a car person, GT7 wants to welcome you to the community with open arms, get you up to speed and give you everything it can to help you enjoy cars in whatever ways it’s able.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Elden Ring
Our Score: 9.5/10
“Elden Ring is without a doubt, FromSoft’s most ambitious undertaking yet, and like Dark Souls before it, I believe it will leave a permanent mark on both the open-world genre and the games industry in general.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Horizon Forbidden West
Our Score: 10/10
“Horizon Forbidden West is an exceedingly clever sequel, a deep and addictive action RPG, a dense world that unfolds with an impeccable sense of pace, a visual tour de force and the masterful delivery of a promising concept.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Horizon Forbidden West Review – An Exceedingly Clever Sequel
Dying Light 2 Stay Human
Our Score: 8/10
“Dying Light 2 Stay Human is a solid step-up from Dying Light in almost every way.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Dying Light 2 Stay Human Review – A Fluid & Frenetic Adventure
POKEMON LEGENDS ARCEUS
Our Score: 8/10
“While it might not provide the visual fidelity and exploration we might wish for in an open-world-esque Pokémon game, it does provide a satisfying and addicting gameplay loop, alongside a surprisingly enjoyable narrative to boot.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Pokémon Legends: Arceus Review – The Evolution We’ve Been Waiting For
Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection
Our Score: 9.5/10
“Naughty Dog’s finest shine on the PS5 hardware and if you haven’t played these games, you’re in for an absolute treat, and if you’re returning to these games, you can expect to be blown away all over again, if not for the enhanced visuals alone.”
The best Black Friday deal:
Uncharted: Legacy Of Thieves Collection Review – A Visual Delight
FIFA 23
Our Score: 8/10
“This year’s FIFA is a comprehensive package for football fans thanks to HyperMotion 2, big reworks to FIFA Ultimate Team and the introduction of the FA Women’s Super League and the French Division 1 Feminine.”
The best Black Friday deal:
NBA 2K23
Our Score: 8/10
“Refinements to core aspects of NBA 2K23’s gameplay make for some of the most fluid and enjoyable action seen in some years, and it’s all capped off with the excellent Jordan Challenge.”
The best Black Friday deal:
