The Most Exciting New Reveals from The Game Awards 2022
Although The Game Awards are mainly about celebrating achievements in game development throughout the year, there was also the expectation that news about upcoming projects would be shown off (thanks mostly to teases made by organizer Geoff Keighley). So, was this expectation met? Considering the array of new titles revealed- indie and AAA alike- I’d say this was the most impressive Game Awards yet. So, without further delay, let’s take a look at the games that stood out from the pack at this year’s show.
Note that we’ll only be looking at the new announcement rather than those already revealed to give the new guys time to shine.
Hades II
Kicking off the show on an exciting note, the sequel to the 2020 indie game of the year didn’t waste time showcasing its fast-paced hack-and-slash gameplay. The first game was the target of a lot of praise thanks to its brilliant blending of storytelling and gameplay as Zagreus tried to fight his way out of the underworld. It achieved this so well, in fact, that many fans herald it as the greatest roguelike of all time. Full of style and polish, the developers managed to create something extraordinary in their first plunge into Greek mythology. So far, SuperMassive Games haven’t let fans down with any of their projects, so I have no doubt that Hades II will be incredible. Given the new main character, setting, and cast, anyone remotely interested in the first game should find something to love here. Hades II is set to be launching in early access next year.
Judas
A completely new IP was revealed in the form of ‘Judas’, which looks to blend sci-fi powers with a unique old-timey setting with a post-apocalyptic theme. If that sounds somewhat familiar, it’s because it should. Judas is being helmed by the creator of Bioshock- Ken Levine. The last Bioshock game (‘Infinite’) was released all the way back in 2013, leaving fans of the steampunk action series craving more from the worlds of Rapture and Columbia. While not in the same world, Judas seems to be taking heavy inspiration from these settings. A mixture of crazy people, insane magic powers, and a strong sense of foreboding already give fans of the original Bioshock trilogy (the first two especially) a reason to check out Ghost Story Games’ new project. Judas is set to launch sometime in 2023.
Horizon: Forbidden West- Burning Shores
A DLC announcement for one of the game of the year contenders wasn’t exactly too much of a surprise reveal, but it was welcome nonetheless. The ‘Burning Shores’ trailer shows Alloy flying through a completely new location in Los Angeles: Hollywood. This setting is surprisingly rare in post-apocalyptic games- and Horizon: Forbidden West is the perfect game to portray this land with new robot dinosaurs and sweeping landscapes to explore. Although it didn’t win any awards, Horizon: Forbidden West was still praised for its excellent guerilla combat and good execution of a tired open-world formula. With ‘Burning Shores’, however, let’s hope developers Guerilla Games can innovate and take some inspiration from Breath of the Wild and Elden Ring to see what an open world game can truly be. The first Horizon: Forbidden West expansion will launch on April 19 2023.
Banishers: Ghost of New Eden
A completely new action RPG by the creators of the emotionally gripping Life is Strange, Banishers: Ghost of New Eden looks to be a Witcher-type ghost-fighting adventure. With swords and magic (along with some supernatural powers) this looks to follow a lot of trends set by third-person action RPGs, but its premise does mean it stands out quite a lot. With a ghostly companion in the vein of Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor and a dark fantasy setting, this could prove itself to be a new IP to watch out for. On top of that, from the trailer shown to us, it seems that the storytelling prowess from Life is Strange is most definitely being brought across to this project. Banishers: Ghost of New Eden is set for a 2023 release.
Earthblade
From the developers of the extremely popular platformer Celeste, Earthblade was revealed to have many of the qualities of their debut game. With tough but rewarding platforming, Celeste really left its mark on most players- but especially speedrunners). That’s why Earthblade is so exciting for those craving a return to some of that 16-bit goodness. With the addition of enemies and combat too, Earthblade seems to be more of an evolution of Celeste than merely a follow-up. For anyone pulled in by the tight platforming and surprisingly great storyline of Celeste, this one is for you. Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait a bit longer since Earthblade is set to release sometime in 2024 (that’s if there aren’t any delays).
So, those were five of the most exciting announcements made at last night’s Game Awards. With a wide range of genres and studios, the upcoming year is shaping up to be one of the best of the decade so far. Although the ceremony is set up as a celebration of gaming’s achievements from the past year, it’s also been a forum for so many promising new projects. With so much on the horizon, let’s hope that the 2023 awards will be even better.
