Rival consoles – more of 2022’s upcoming games

Horizon Forbidden West PlayStation 4/5

The sequel to 2017’s hugely successful Horizon Zero Dawn, Forbidden West will again see players take control of Aloy, as she explores a dystopian world of animalistic machines. The original was one of the games of the year when it came out and hopes are high for the sequel – given it will arrive on a more powerful console in the PS5, and introduce a number of new features, such as water exploration. As a new franchise and a PlayStation exclusive, it is likely to be one of the biggest releases of the year, with Sony hoping it offers enough compelling reasons to go for a PS5 over an Xbox.

Elden Ring

Xbox, PlayStation, PC

One of the more intriguing game collaborations sees director Hidetaka Miyazaki link up with Game Of Throne s author Ge org eRR Martin, to create a brand new open world for gamers to explore. Fans of Miyazaki’ sprevio us games–including notoriously punishing titles like Dark Souls and Bloodborne – will probably expect a serious challenge, although there have been hints the difficulty may have been dialled down a notch or two. Meanwhile, an in-depth backstory constructed by fantasy world-builder extra or din a ire Martin may tempt those previously turned off by Miyazaki’s signature punitive style to jump in.

Starfield

Xbox Series X/S, PC

Starfield is likely to be the next big open-world role-playing exploration game and has even been described as ‘Skyrim in space’ by makers Bethesda – and they should know, they made Skyrim. Due to be released next November, the game sees players assume the role of a character in space exploration organisation Constellation, in the wake of a civil war in the solar system. Bethesda is promising an expansive, epic universe filled with such a range of quests and activities, that every player’s experience is different. And on next-gen console and PC, it should be quite an experience.

Lord Of The Rings: Gollum PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch

An intriguing prospect for fantasy fans, this curious release will look at the backstory of one of the genre’s most famous but least understood characters. While you might expect epic battlesand bloodthirsty action, the makers are promising something a little different, with gameplay focusing instead on stealth and parkour elements. Crafting also promises to feature strongly, while players will experience the inner struggle between the two sides of Gollum’s personality. With appearances from new and much-loved familiar characters, it could be one of the year’s more interesting offerings.

GAME CHART

1. FIFA 22

2. Mario Kart 8 Deluxe

3. Call Of Duty: Vanguard 4. Pokémon Brilliant Diamond 5. Just Dance 2022

6. Animal Crossing: New Horizons 7. Minecraft

8. Marvel’s Guardians Of The Galaxy

9. Mario Party Superstars

10. Pokémon Shining Pearl

Ukie Games Charts ©, compiled by GfK