Seeming like a repeat of last year, the video games industry was at the mercy of the global pandemic for a lot of its releases this year. While it’s true that the industry had to adjust to working remotely, that didn’t mean that we didn’t have the hits like Resident Evil Village and The Medium arrive for us to enjoy. That being said, some titles that were gearing up for release in 2021 just either needed more time or for one reason or another are mired in the unknown. So yes, there are some titles that are repeats from last year for our anticipated 2022 releases. But there’s also plenty of new blood to get us excited all the more. Above all else, good things come to those who wait, as they say.
Quantum Error (TeamKill Media, TBC for PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series)
TeamKill is still hard at work on this cosmic horror shooter, which showed up at this year’s Future Games Show after being announced back in 2019. The game strikes a few similarities with DOOM, though Doomguy was never a firefighter at an offshore research facility. Nevertheless, the game’s atmosphere appears to be worth the wait.
Paranoid (Madmind Studios, TBC for PC)
With Succubus out the door this year, Madmind now turns its attention to Paranoid, which has been quiet for much of this year. The game takes place in the 80s, and puts you in the shoes of Patrick, a recluse suffering from deepening paranoid schizophrenia, who after many years is leaving his apartment to reunite with his sister. Of course, the question is, is this is real, or something more sinister?
Ghosts (Jed Shepherd, February 2022 for PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC)
The team behind 2020’s breakout horror film hit Host are back together to cook up a live-action interactive horror movie where the player is running a supernatural television show and is tasked with looking after its hosts and crew (played largely by the cast of Host) while something sinister occurs during filming. Interestingly, Ghosts will only work at 10 pm local time, and if you quit before finishing, every remaining character will die. It’ll be fascinating to see if this lofty ambition pays off.
Dark Fracture (Twisted II Studio, Late 2022 for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series)
Bloober Team’s subsidiary Feardemic snagged the publishing rights to Dark Fracture this past summer. Given Bloober Team’s penchant for horror, it’s a perfect fit for this psychological horror ditty. Not to mention that the game will draw inspiration from Zdzisław Beksiński and H.R. Giger.
GhostWire: Tokyo (Tango Gameworks, Spring 2022 on PS5, Xbox Series, and PC)
One of the many titles that have been bitten by the pandemic, GhostWire still doesn’t have that definitive date. But, the idea of battling spirits based on Japanese folklore with your own paranormal abilities is intriguing. Not to mention that this is from the folks behind The Evil Within, after all.
Scorn (Ebb Software, October 2022 on PC, Xbox Series)
Development hell is alive and well with Scorn. The title has seen several delays since it was announced way back in 2014 and has had a difficult production ever since. It sure looks good, but the question is will we finally see it this year? Ebb Software has turned to monthly progress updates for fans, but the question of will fans be sticking with the title leading up to its release is the bigger question.
The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (Gun/Sumo, 2022 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC)
Friday the 13th: The Game creators Gun Media had been teasing a new horror project for a while when it casually dropped the Texas Chain Saw bombshell at The Game Awards. Without the legal nightmare of Friday the 13th to strangle development, hopefully, this latest stab at asymmetrical multiplayer encased in horror franchise flesh has a shot at being more successful.
Sons of the Forest (Endnight Games, May 20, 2022, for PC)
After going dark for much of the year, Endnight surprised us all with the release date for Sons of the Forest just last month. There’s still little to go on for the sequel to 2014’s The Forest, other than expanding upon the base-building mechanic found in the previous game, so hopefully, Endnight drops more than just a trailer the next time we hear from them about this title.
System Shock (Nightdive Studios, 2022 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC)
After the lengthy development, 2022 will finally be the year that Nightdive delivers on the remake of one of the most beloved cult first-person titles ever. It’s been a long time coming, and judging from the demo released this past year, it’ll still be worth the wait for many. But after having been in development since 2016, will that interest still remain strong?
Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2 (TBC on PC, PS4, and Xbox One)
After jettisoning original developer Hardsuit Labs at the beginning of the year, Paradox Interactive hasn’t been forthcoming on the turbulent development of Bloodlines 2. It’s still in development, but as to who’s handling it, Paradox isn’t saying. That doesn’t exactly inspire confidence for fans of the 2004 original, but seeing as how many of the games in this series have seen their fair share of troubled development, it’s, unfortunately, par for the course.
Dying Light 2 (Techland, February 4, 2022, on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series)
Once again, another title that has seen a handful of delays. Thankfully, Techland announced last month that Dying Light 2 had finally gone gold. So unless something catastrophic hits, fans will finally be able to parkour and bludgeon zombies to their hearts’ content in the new year.
The Outlast Trials (Red Barrels, 2022 for PC)
Another COVID-related delay, Red Barrels did make an appearance this past summer at Gamescom with a new trailer for the Saw/Escape Room-esque title. The Outlast Trials will drop the single-player focus in favour of being co-op centred title akin to a TV series. Which, coincidentally with the success of Fall Guys and Netflix’s Squid Game, that’s some cool foresight.
Unholy (Duality Games, 2022 for PC)
We haven’t heard a heck of a lot out of the Duality Games camp regarding Unholy, which was first announced back in 2018. The good news is that apart from a devlog posted back in September on Steam, the listing was updated to have a release date of ‘2022’. Still, more info on the first-person stealth horror title’s development would be greatly appreciated.
State of Decay 3 (Undead Labs, TBC for Xbox One and Xbox Series)
Undead Labs and Microsoft still haven’t announced a release date for this third entry, nor have they said a heck of a lot about it (other than Saints Row 5‘s Art Director joining the development). We don’t have many titles out there where you’re killing zombified humans and animals in a frozen landscape, so that area’s still very much ripe for the picking.
Martha is Dead (LKA, February 24, 2022, for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and PC)
Okay, all of you who have made the Batman v Superman jokes won’t have much longer to make them regarding Martha is Dead. The psychological horror title has seen a few updates this year, namely the addition of Udo Kier to the game’s cast, and a time-limited demo. The idea of setting the game against the backdrop of WWII is horror enough for some, but there’s always room for more.
Once Upon A Time In Roswell (Quarter Circle Games, TBC on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One)
Another title that seems to be stuck in development hell, the title formerly known as The Peterson Case has been kicking around since 2018, with multiple delays to boot. The Roswell Incident is one that ticks many a sci-fi horror fan’s boxes, so you have to hope that Quarter Circle Games sees the same opportunity for something cool.
Atomic Heart (Mundfish, TBC on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC)
Mundfish’s weird Dystopian Soviet shooter is still being worked on, with Mundfish claiming earlier this year that production is in the final stages. Once again with the BioShock comparisons, players will have multiple endings to go for, along with a crafting system and some RPG elements.
Bayonetta 3 (PlatinumGames, 2022 for Nintendo Switch)
PlatinumGames finally came through this year with a trailer for the long-awaited Bayonetta 3. This is after fans have been clamoring for any news on the third entry for years. Executive director Hideki Kamiya says (in between Twitter blocks) that the game will exceed fans’ expectations, so here’s hoping.
Borneo: A Jungle Nightmare (Fantastico Studio, 2022 for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series, and Switch)
Originally scheduled for a Summer 2021 release that came and went with no announcement, Borneo‘s Steam page has now been updated to the nebulous “2022” release date. The idea of a modern adventure game sequel to Cannibal Holocaust is one many fans are looking forward to, especially with Deodato himself being involved in the production.
FAITH: The Unholy Trinity (Airdorf, SOON™ for PC)
Technically, FAITH was released back in 2017, but we’ve been waiting on the third chapter for a while now. The last we’ve heard was a “final preview trailer” that was released back in September, so it (hopefully) shouldn’t be much longer. Players will once again be in the shoes of John Ward, this time searching for a woman named Lisa.
The Dark Pictures Anthology: The Devil in Me (Supermassive Games, TBC on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series)
First teased even before House of Ashes was released, the next chapter in The Dark Pictures Anthology hasn’t had an official synopsis or plot detail revealed just yet, though it’s being touted at the “season one finale”. Something about a mad surgeon is always a cool concept, so it’s something to look forward to in the new year since that’s about the turnaround time for these entries.
Evil Dead: The Game (Saber Interactive, February 2022 for PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series and Nintendo Switch)
Again, we never saw this coming when the trailer dropped during The Game Awards in 2020. Since then, we’ve had reveals for characters across the entire Evil Dead franchise being in the game. Saber Interactive has shown itself to be more than capable of handling multiplayer horror with the superb World War Z game, so taking that gameplay and adapting it to work with Ash and company shouldn’t be a problem. Just please, give us a demo!
A Quiet Place (Saber Interactive, TBC 2022)
Another “out of left field” announcement, Saber Interactive hasn’t revealed much about the game, other than it being a single-player, story-driven horror adventure title with an original story based on the A Quiet Place franchise. One would hope that the game contains stealth-action elements reminiscent of Alien: Isolation, which is a no-brainer, in my useless opinion.
Deathground (Jaw Drop Games, TBC for PC)
That original Q3 2021 release date was missed, but when a game looks as good (and as promising) as this, we can let it slide. The idea of mashing up Alien: Isolation gameplay with Dino Crisis is still something we’re all in on, and Jaw Drop Games have been keeping up with the regular updates on the game’s development, so fingers crossed we see it next year.
Saturnalia (Santa Ragione, TBC for PC)
Yep, another title that apart from a Halloween gameplay teaser, we haven’t heard much more of in terms of its development. Taking a cue from the one that started it all in Sweet Home, this stylized Survival Horror title has the permadeath mechanic for members of your group, so you’d better work to keep them alive as you navigate the maze of this seemingly abandoned village off the coast of Italy. Well, it’s home to shadow monsters, so it’s not quite abandoned.
AFTERMATH (ONE-O-ONE Games, 2022 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series and PC)
This psychological thriller popped up early this month and looks to scratch that survival itch while focusing on story. Playing as engineer and astronaut Charlie Gray, you’re on the search for your daughter after a series of events cause some otherworldly beings to invade our world. It also helps that Suspiria‘s concept artist Alessandro Bavari is involved with the design of AFTERMATH.
Dread Delusion (Lovely Hellplace, 2022 for PC)
Dread Delusion’s vibrant retro look is reason enough to give it a longing glance, but the fact it’s an occult-flavored fantasy RPG full of floating towns, magic, and monsters gives even more reason to look forward to this DreadXP-published open-world adventure.
Thymesia (OverBorder Studio, 2022 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series and PC)
Another soulslike title, Thymesia takes the dark medieval setting and puts you in the boots of Corvus, who true to his Plague Doctor guise, must harness the power of the plague to slay monsters. Thymesia promises to be a grueling action RPG with fast-paced combat to go along with its plague power system. Originally scheduled for release at the end of December, it was probably wise to hold off until after Elden Ring releases.
Resident Evil Re:Verse (Capcom, 2022 for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series and PC)
Capcom just doesn’t seem to have the best luck when it comes to taking Resident Evil online. Originally set to be released the same day as Village, Re:Verse has seen multiple delays for various reasons. The idea of playing as characters from across the series to take on the various bioweapons from across the series in five-minute deathmatches has potential, but that’s contingent on Capcom finally getting it right.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl (GSC Game World, April 28, 2022 for Xbox and PC)
Another poster child of development hell in the industry, though fortunately there’s light at the end of the tunnel for S.T.A.L.K.E.R. fans after over a decade of development Not much in terms of the story have been revealed, but you’re once again thrust into the Exclusion Zone, this time as a stalker named Skif. Expect the usual battles between factions, mutants, and other weird anomalies.
The Exorcist Legion VR: SIN (Pocket Money Games, 2022 for Oculus Quest, PSVR 2)
Publisher Fun Train is returning for this one, though Wolf & Wood won’t be handling development. Instead, Pocket Money Games is tackling this sequel, which will feature cooperative multiplayer. SIN will also feature a solo option for those who prefer to go at it alone. Though when “SIN” stands for “Safety In Numbers”, you might want to heed that.
The Twilight Zone VR (Pocket Money Games, 2022 for Oculus Quest, PlayStation VR)
In addition to The Exorcist Legion VR sequel, Fun Train and Pocket Money Games are also developing a VR game based on the 1959 series. And much like the TV series, the game will feature three self-contained single-player episodes that range from pure sci-fi to psychological horror.
Bramble: The Mountain King (Dimfrost Studio, 2022 for PC)
A fan of Pan’s Labyrinth and Mundaun? Dimfrost Studio’s horror-adventure title should be of interest. Bramble: The Mountain King combines Norse mythology folklore with inklings of Del Toro’s dark fairy tale that combines stealth, combat and puzzle-solving. The story sees you journeying through the mythical land of Bramble to find your sister, all the while encountering various monsters and creatures.
Luto (Broken Bird Games, 2022 for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, PC)
If you get serious P.T. feelings from this one, you’re not alone. This psychological horror title sees you trapped in your own home, unable to escape due to feelings of loss, and the resulting mental anguish. The mind can be a prison, and Luto certainly looks to exploit it.
Hidden Deep (Cogwheel Software, January 24th, 2022 for PC)
While Carrion fulfilled our dreams of playing as the alien antagonist last year, there’s still the allure of playing as the humans battling “strange anomalies of unknown nature”. This is where Hidden Deep comes in. Using The Thing as a reference, but also Aliens and Half-Life, the action/exploration sci-fi thriller has you and your team of researchers being sent into an underground mining facility to investigate and rescue anyone who’s still alive from the first team, who broke contact after making a strange discovery. Best of all, Hidden Deep sports a variety of co-op options, including local co-op!
Sker Ritual (Wales Interactive, Q2 2022 for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series)
Instead of continuing with Maid of Sker‘s single-player adventure, Wales Interactive has opted to make the sequel a four-player co-op survival fps. Details are still to be revealed for the game, though you’ll be able to play solo, or team up with 3 other players to “survive the supernatural onslaught of the Quiet Ones.”
Lies of P (Round8 Studio, 2022 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC)
A soulslike take on Pinocchio through an alternate timeline of Europe? Sounds like a cool idea! The game has you playing as Pinocchio who must track down Mr. Geppetto. To get there, Pinocchio must fight through other mechanoids while scavenging supplies, crafting new weapons, and utilizing unlockable skills. Of course, Pinocchio must also lie to people in order to survive, while also becoming more human in the process. There’s always a price, however.
Sucker For Love: First Date (Akabaka, Jan 13, 2022, for PC)
While eldritch horror dating sim Sucker For Love promises ‘no horror element or danger whatsoever’ I think it’s fair to say horror fans can find plenty of appeal in a game with such a delightfully offbeat premise. Perform rituals to get smooches from your tentacle-faced beau? Why, it’s every cosmic horror fan’s dream! No?
Elden Ring (From Software, February 25, 2022 on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series, Xbox One, and PC
From Software rarely disappoints with its soulslike games, and with the addition of George R.R. Martin’s input, Elden Ring is one of the early must-haves for 2022. Taking place in the realm of the Lands Between, you’re on the hunt for the shards of the Elden Ring in order to restore it, and claim the title of Elden Lord. Of course, you’ll have to deal with tough-as-nails gameplay and the offspring of Queen Marika the Eternal, which now rule the realm.
Instinction (Hashbane Games, 2022 on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series and PC)
Another Dino Crisis-inspired title (which is never a bad thing) that hasn’t had many details revealed, other than a slick-looking trailer that gives off some Tomb Raider vibes while focusing on the survival aspect. Hey, when you’re running from dinos, that only makes sense.