For a story-led action adventure, start with God of War Ragnarök: it won PlayStation Blog readers’ 2022 vote for Best PS5 Game. If you would rather explore a dangerous open world, hunt machines, or try a distinctive indie adventure, Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West, and Stray offer very different reasons to play. This is a retrospective shortlist, not a universal ranking: reader awards reflect one poll, while PlayStation Store charts reflect downloads in particular regions.
Best PS5 games of 2022 at a glance
| Game | Best fit | 2022 evidence |
|---|---|---|
| God of War Ragnarök | Story-led action adventure | PlayStation Blog reader-voted PS5 Game of the Year; also won the poll’s story, accessibility features, and DualSense categories. |
| Elden Ring | Demanding open-world action RPG | Gold in the PlayStation Blog reader-voted PS5 Game of the Year category; fourth in the cited US/Canada and EU PS5 download charts. |
| Horizon Forbidden West | Exploration and machine combat | Silver in the same reader-voted award category; eighth in both cited regional PS5 download charts. |
| Stray | Distinctive, character-led indie premise | Bronze in the same reader-voted award category. |
The awards are reported by PlayStation Blog’s 2022 winners article; the download positions come from its regional 2022 PlayStation Store charts. Neither kind of result is a universal measure of quality.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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007 First Light - Specialist Edition - PlayStation 5 | $69.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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MARVEL’S SPIDER-MAN 2 – PS5 Standard Edition | $44.75 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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MLB® The Show™ 26 – PS5™ | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Marvel's Wolverine PS5 | $69.00 | Buy on Amazon |
Which PS5 games from 2022 are worth playing?
God of War Ragnarök: choose it for a cinematic, story-led adventure
God of War Ragnarök is the strongest starting point if you want a focused action-adventure built around its characters and story. PlayStation’s official game page lists its PS5 and PS4 release date as November 9, 2022: God of War Ragnarök on PlayStation.
Its top place in the PlayStation Blog poll was not its only recognition: readers also voted it the winner for story, accessibility features, and use of DualSense. The award article says Santa Monica Studio described the game as offering “70+ accessibility features.” That is a studio-reported figure published by PlayStation Blog, not an independent audit. Award recognition alone cannot tell you whether a particular control, visual, or other feature meets your needs, so check the game’s specific feature details before buying.
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- SPYING, YOUR WAY - Go silent or go loud. Whether fighting with fists or firepower, using gadgets to infiltrate, or bluffing your way past guards, the approach is entirely up to you.
Elden Ring: choose it for open-world discovery and demanding combat
Elden Ring is the contrasting pick for players who want a large world to explore and challenging action RPG combat. PlayStation’s 2022 preview describes a true open world, varied weapons and skills, horseback combat, deep combat options, and a significant challenge. The game took gold in PlayStation Blog’s PS5 Game of the Year vote. That award recognition does not make it a better fit than Ragnarök if you prefer a more directed, story-led adventure.
Horizon Forbidden West: choose it for exploration and machine hunting
Horizon Forbidden West suits players drawn to exploration, new machines, and combat against mechanical threats. PlayStation’s 2022 preview describes Aloy’s journey west, with new tribes, machines, and threats; it lists a February 18, 2022 release date. It placed silver in the PlayStation Blog reader-voted PS5 Game of the Year category.
Rank #2
- Spider-Men, Peter Parker and Miles Morales, return for an exciting new adventure in the critically acclaimed Marvel’s Spider-Man franchise. Swing, jump, and utilize the new Web Wings to travel across Marvel’s New York, quickly switching between Peter Parker and Miles Morales to experience different stories and epic new powers, as the iconic villain Venom threatens to destroy their lives, their city, and the ones they love.
- An evolution of the Spider-Man story: The incredible power of the symbiote forces Peter and Miles to face the ultimate test of strength, both inside and outside the mask, as they balance their lives, friendships, and their duty to protect those in need.
- Experience two playable Spider-Men: Quickly swap between both Spider-Men as you explore an expanded Marvel’s New York. Experience Peter’s new symbiote abilities and Miles’ explosive bio-electric venom powers, and discover upgradeable, high-tech equipment that enhances the combat experience for extensive gameplay depth and variety.
- Battle iconic Marvel Super Villains: Fight against a variety of new and iconic villains, including an original take on the monstrous Venom, the ruthless Kraven the Hunter, the volatile Lizard, and many more!
Stray: choose it for a distinctive indie premise
Stray offers a different kind of appeal: its central character is a cat, and PlayStation Blog awarded the game bronze in its PS5 Game of the Year vote. The same awards article named Cat the gold winner in its Best New Character category. Those details make it a distinctive alternative, though the award results do not establish a particular playtime or price.
What PlayStation’s 2022 awards and download charts actually show
PlayStation’s two kinds of year-end recognition answer different questions. The Game of the Year results reflect votes from PlayStation Blog readers. Gillen McAllister, Manager, Content Communications at Sony Interactive Entertainment, wrote, “The polls are closed and your votes counted for the PlayStation Blog Game of the Year 2022,” in the awards announcement. The results are evidence of that poll’s preferences, not an all-player consensus or a professional review aggregate.
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The PlayStation Store’s 2022 download charts, published separately for US/Canada and EU, show regional download rank—not sales totals, review quality, or a worldwide order. Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II ranked first in the US/Canada PS5 chart, while FIFA 23 ranked first in the EU chart. God of War Ragnarök ranked second in US/Canada and third in EU; Elden Ring ranked fourth in both; Horizon Forbidden West ranked eighth in both. These figures come from PlayStation’s January 17, 2023 chart report, which covers 2022 downloads.
The chart leaders are reasonable additions if popularity is part of your shortlist, but the rankings do not establish that either is critically better than the award-listed games. The regional difference also shows why a single “most popular PS5 game of 2022” claim needs a clearly stated region and metric.
Rank #4
- Marvel’s Wolverine is a new action-packed adventure from Insomniac Games
- Play as Wolverine and Ravage enemies with explosive brutality and unleash razor-sharp adamantium claws to deploy fast, fluid attacks and overcome impossible odds
- An Original, Emotionally Charged Story. Beneath Wolverine’s gruff exterior and violent temperament is a man fighting for a cause greater than himself
- A Global, Adrenaline-Fueled Journey where you slice into enemies across detailed locales such as the frosted Canadian Wilderness, the narrow streets of Tokyo, and the high and low districts of the island nation of Madripoor
How to pick the right 2022 PS5 game for you
- Choose God of War Ragnarök for a character- and story-led action adventure, or if award-winning accessibility features are a priority and its specific feature set suits you.
- Choose Elden Ring for open-world exploration and demanding action RPG combat.
- Choose Horizon Forbidden West for exploration centered on machines, new tribes, and threats.
- Choose Stray for a more unusual, cat-led indie premise.
- Consider Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II or FIFA 23 if you are interested in games that led one of the cited regional download charts, keeping in mind that chart position measures downloads rather than quality.
These are 2022 releases and year-end results. Prices, editions, and subscription access can change, so check the current details for your region and platform before purchasing.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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