The last year in gaming can be defined in one simple word – exceptional. And while there are countless titles that all deserve your attention, below is a list of 10 of the best games across all genres...

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STRAY

Winning big at this year's Game Awards, Stray is at the crossroads of a puzzle, adventure, and cat simulator. It is single-handily the biggest and best surprise to gaming in 2022.

You play as a nameless feline hero who stumbles into a dark, dystopian underworld filled with adorable robots and life-destroying blob monsters known as "zurks."

Your task is simple – find a way back to the surface, all the while helping improve the lives of your robotic friends and solve the mystery of their existence.

Curiosity won’t kill this cat, as, throughout the game, you’ll climb, crawl, jump and scratch your way through a variety of beautiful, mysterious, and otherworldly levels. If there’s a ledge nearby, no doubt you can climb it. A pile of books? Paint cans? Better knock them over. You are a cat, after all.

As relaxing and hilarious as Stray is, the game can instantly become serious when it wants to and pulls on your heartstrings throughout its dynamic storyline, captivating dystopian world, and it’s ingenious starring feline.

Stray is available to play on Playstation 4 & 5 and PC.

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HORIZON FORBIDDEN WEST

With jaw-dropping graphics, high-octane action, and a storyline that continues to surprise, Horizon Forbidden West is an adventure not to be missed.

Shortly after the first game's events, Aloy sets out once again to help restore Earth’s failing biosphere. Left with no other choice, she ventures into unknown territory for a solution. But nothing can prepare Aloy for the evil she will encounter, the truth she learns about the planet’s origins and of herself.

Whether it’s the myriad of new killer robots to fight or the wheelhouse of weapons Aloy can cycle through on a whim, combat is and of itself a cinematic tour-de-force.

And with a brand new VR game Horizon Call of the Mountain, and a DLC Burning Shores, set to be released next year, now is the perfect time to get familiar with one of gaming’s greatest series.

Horizon: Forbidden West is available to play on Playstation 4 & 5.

LEGO STAR WARS: THE SKYWALKER SAGA

Ambitious, creative, and utterly hilarious, LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is a faithful collection of one of the world's greatest franchises.

Expect spoofs, gags, and plenty of lightsaber bravado as you play through all nine films and relive some of cinema’s most iconic scenes like never before.

Nearly 400 playable characters ensure you can always use your favourite heroes (and villains) to wage war against the galaxy in style. Whether using weapons or the Force itself, the carnage you’ll inflict on the Empire is as satisfying as it gets.

LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is available to play on PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC & Nintendo Switch.

POKÉMON LEGENDS: ARCEUS

It's hard to believe that in the incredible year of gaming, three Pokémon titles were released. But back in January of this year, one title truly redefined the legacy franchise for a brand new era in gaming; Pokémon Legends: Arceus.

The story sees you travel back in time to help create the very first Pokédex. Gone is the typical gym leader and Elite Four battle route; instead, you’ll catch, re-catch, and train a variety of different Pokémon variations, all in an effort to pool together ground-breaking research.

As the first open-world game, Arceus puts you in the thick of the action. Whether it’s stealthily approaching a Starly or Eevee from behind to catch them off-guard, to dipping and diving for dear life from a rampaging Gyrados, you’ll always keep your wits about you and your Pokéballs close by.

Pokémon Legends: Arceus is available on Nintendo Switch.

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THE LAST OF US PART 1

Since 2013, The Last of Us has set the standard for characters, action gameplay, and dystopian worlds. Rebuilt using modern technology, cutting-edge animation, and 4k resolution, The Last of Us Part 1 enhances virtually everything that made the original a masterpiece.

Expect the same calibre of action, attention to detail, jump-scare moments, and gut-wrenching storylines that immortalized this game.

And with the HBO live-action TV series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey scheduled for January 2023, now's the perfect time to reintroduce yourself to this classic.

The Last of Us Part 1 is available on PlayStation 5.

GOD OF WAR RAGNAROK

Making a sequel to one of the most critically claimed games of all time was no easy feat. But God of War Ragnarök is proof that there is a way to elevate perfection.

The game continues the story of Kratos and Atreus as they battle the elements of Fimbulwinter. No matter how hard they try to escape their fate, the father-son duo can't help but be put into the thick of prophecies and Norse God drama.

Tasked with traveling across the Nine Realms for answers, Ragnarök dials the high-stakes action and storyline up a gear. The impending end of the world brings out the ferocity in Kratos, and you’ll be able to eviscerate enemies in several new and bloodthirsty ways.

The iconic Levithan Axe, alongside a host of new abilities, adds a certain gore and pizazz to every fight. New iterations of Thor and Odin prove that Norse mythology is one of the most captivating pantheons out there.

Nestled between every battle are puzzles, side-quests, and exploration that will have you stop, hit pause, and marvel at how beautiful, intricate, and life-like game design has become.

God of War Ragnarök is available to play on PlayStation 4 & 5.

MARVEL'S MIDNIGHT SUNS

Blending turn-based strategy to the backdrop of Marvel's rich vault of superheroes and the supernatural, Marvel’s Midnight Suns is every tactician gamer’s delight.

Playing as the brand new character, The Hunter, you’re tasked with stopping the Mother of Demons, Lilith, from enacting an ancient prophecy. Joining you are a treasure trove of Marvel staples, including Iron Man, Captain America, Scarlet Witch, and Wolverine, as well as often overlooked characters like Blade, Nico Minoru, and Ghost Rider.

Combat is dictated by deck-building and turn-based mechanics, rewarding ingenuity, quick thinking, and using your environment to your advantage.

The game offers sizeable challenges and an abundance of character lore between fights to satisfy the appetite of any gamer, comic-book lover, and more.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns is available on Playstation 4 & 5, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

THE QUARRY

The litmus test for any horror game is how often you play behind your hands. Suffice it to say, The Quarry has these moments in spades.

It's an interactive narrative game with horror, scare, and gut-wrenching decisions to make. You play as a merry band of classic horror stereotypes, including the 'Instagram girl, the alternative loner, the artistic wallflower, and the class clown.

Their mission? Have one final party by the lake. Your mission? Keep them alive.

With over 186 unique endings, multiplayer options including couch-co-op, and an incredible cast including Brenda Song and Scream star David Arquette, The Quarry will terrify and delight you in equal measure.

The Quarry is available to play on PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X & S, and PC.

SPLATOON 3

Splatoon 3 is an action-packed third-person shooter which, like its predecessors, asks players to paint, paint and paint some more. The goal? To out-paint their opponents, of course.

Games are chaotic, fast-paced, and absolutely hilarious as players use a range of weapons, including paint pistols, buckets, and paint rollers, to spread the ink and earn the win.

Several game modes ensure something for everyone, including a brand-new single-player mode that transforms the game into a puzzle, problem-solving, and boss challenge extravaganza.

Splatoon 3 is available to play on Nintendo Switch.

ELDEN RING

Winner of this year's Game of the Year award, Elden Ring is an action role-playing adventure that has become the new industry standard in open-world fantasy.

You play as your own unique character, tasked with repairing the enigmatic Elden Ring and becoming the new Elden Lord. But minutes into exploring this dark, haunting world, you’ll soon realize this is no easy task.

Everything will, at some point, try to kill you. And you’ll become quite well-versed in dodging, sprinting, and picking fights with the plethora of enemies hiding in the shadows.

You will die. And then die some more. This is inevitable in a game that relishes your frustrations. With Game of Thrones' George RR Martin at the design helm to help cement this fantasy world, you’ll quickly become engrossed in the lore.

With enough composure and perseverance, you can forge a path through whatever trials the game has in store for you. But with hints of a DLC being released in the future, you may even expect a quick return to Elden Ring, even after besting the storyline.

Elden Ring is available to play on Playstation 4 & 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.