It has been another blockbuster year for video games, as AAA exclusives and indie darlings have raised the bar for quality. From lush remakes to astonishingly original titles, the PlayStation library grew this year with the addition of these titles, and we've rounded the best of the best together according to the critical numbers gathered from GameSpot's sister site Metacritic.

2022 has been bookended by two of Sony’s strongest console-exclusive games, Horizon Forbidden West and God of War Ragnarok, while the months between have also seen a massive shift towards releasing older first-party games on PC. With Nixxes leading the way, PC players have managed to get their hands on Spider-Man, God of War, and Uncharted games that have been enhanced on that system.

Rounding out the list of new releases has been a selection of strong third-party games as well, encompassing a wide range of genres and themes. Some have been wonderfully weird, others have been iterative updates, and we’ve seen some fantastic retro compilations launch this year.

The list below encompasses both PS5 and PS4 releases. This cross-gen approach this year has allowed for a more cohesive and combine list of top-scoring games. We've listed these games from highest Metascore to lowest.

Elden Ring

Unsurprisingly, From Software's Elden Ring has been hailed as one of the games of the year thanks to its richly detailed world, unforgettable boss fights, and a layer of elegance that permeates the entire experience. It's the Souls-like formula amplified to the highest level possible, and in a sandbox that always offers something new to discover with each playthrough, Elden Ring has easily risen to the top of the charts.

Metascore: 96 | Read our Elden Ring review

God of War Ragnarok

The biggest PlayStation release of the year, God of War Ragnarok is easily the best example of the PlayStation-exclusive formula. Packed with brutal action, loaded with storytelling that'll take you on an emotional rollercoaster, and looking phenomenal in the graphical department, the sequel to 2018's God of War is a blockbuster for the ages.

Metascore: 94 | Read our God of War Ragnarok review

Persona 5 Royal

Persona 5 has long been one of the best JRPGs that you can get into if you're willing to commit dozens of hours to it, and this upgraded version is the definitive edition of the Atlus-developed masterpiece. A host of excellent gameplay refinements builds further on the incredible foundation of the original PS4 game for this PS5 release, tweaking the experience to deliver an adventure that can easily run for more than a hundred hours.

Metascore: 91 | Read our Persona 5 Royal review

The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe

At first glance, The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe might strike you as the same game, but better. Throw in some new content, spruce up the graphics, and call it a day, right? Not exactly, as this wonderfully strange director's cut of the original game functions more like a full-blown sequel thanks to its wealth of new content, thought-provoking themes about the illusion of choice, and a layer of witty commentary that's sharper than a scalpel.

Metascore: 89 | Read our The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe review

The Last of Us Part I

Technically, there's not much that's genuinely new in The Last of Us Part I if you've already played through Naughty Dog's groundbreaking post-apocalypse tale. But for anyone who has yet to experience the heartache and mystery of this game, the PS5 upgrade is a must-play title. The gameplay and storyline remains the same here, but with the full power of the PS5 behind it, this masterpiece of storytelling feels and looks better than ever, and it features a wealth of welcome accessibility features to boot.

Metascore: 88 | Read our The Last of Us Part I review

Horizon Forbidden West

When it comes to maximum bang for your buck, Horizon Forbidden West doesn't shy away from giving you as much content as it can possibly squeeze within the borders of its gigantic sandbox. All the elements of the previous game are still here and better than ever, but it's the gargantuan expansion of open-world exploration, memorable characters, and skillfully crafted diversions that makes this sequel a standout title on PS5.

Metascore: 88 | Read our Horizon Forbidden West review

Return to Monkey Island

Return to Monkey Island is a love letter to the golden age of point-and-click adventure games, a welcome return of a classic franchise that is soaked in delightful nostalgia. While the game could have easily rested on its laurels, series creator Ron Gilbert, writer Dave Grossman, and developer Terrible Toybox have managed to create a swashbuckling sequel that merges new and old ideas together to create an engaging and thrilling tale of high seas thrills and buffoonery.

Metascore: 88 | Read our Return to Monkey Island review

Gran Turismo 7

There's no denying that Gran Turismo 7 had some engine troubles on the starting grid this year, but after spending some time in the garage, it's once again firing on all cylinders. It's a petrolhead's dream of a game in its current state, a showcase of V8 horsepower that's amplified by incredibly precise driving gameplay, sublime graphics that you could gawk at all day, and a constant push to always be the best driver that you can be when you hit the track.

Metascore: 87 | Read our Gran Turismo 7 review

Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection

A pair of excellent treasure-hunting adventures tales in one convenient package, Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves is the best version of Uncharted 4: A Thief's End and Uncharted: Lost Legacy. With a trio of impressive visual upgrade options to choose from, this collection of tight platforming and free-form action shines on newer hardware as it fires off emotional haymakers that always find their mark.

Metascore: 87 | Read our Uncharted: Legacy of Thieves Collection review

Destiny 2: The Witch Queen

Whenever a new expansion rolls around for Destiny 2, you can rest assured that it'll have major ramifications on the evolving sandbox of that sci-fi universe. This year was no different, as Bungie finally pulled the trigger on a story that was years in the making and introduced plenty of new fascinating gameplay mechanics in the process. An 11th-hour twist, a compelling antagonist, and a paradigm shift made this expansion unforgettable, but it's the tight gunplay, new tools of destruction, and brand-new game modes that helped morph Destiny 2 into its best shape yet.

Metascore: 87 | Read our Destiny 2: The Witch Queen review

Inscryption

There's been no shortage of deck-building card games in recent years, and while many of them have put new spins on familiar ideas, few can compare to the atmospheric tension of Inscryption. Wasting no time with its opening moves, Inscryption plays a strong hand with its incredibly well-designed card mechanics, the twists that it throws at players in later acts, and a superb presentation.

Metascore: 87 | Read our Inscryption review

Cult of the Lamb

Packed with sects and violence, Cult of the Lamb is a delightfully weird roguelike where you spend just as much time slaying demons as you do managing your fledgling community of like-minded acolytes. Sinister in the best way possible, it looks like a Saturday morning cartoon designed by a committee of death metal games and it packs a punch with its well-honed gameplay.

Metascore: 86 | Read our Cult of the Lamb review

Tactics Ogre: Reborn

It's not easy to improve on tactical-RPG perfection, but Tactics Ogre: Reborn comes pretty close to recapturing the magic of one of the greatest strategy games of all time. While the new coat of graphical paint may be uneven in this rebirth of tactical royalty, everything else about Tactics Ogre: Reborn is a knockout blow of genre excellence. Tight storytelling, riveting tactical combat, and in-depth character-building makes this one of the best remakes of the year.

Metascore: 86 | Read our Tactics Ogre: Reborn review

Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course

2022 has been a fantastic year to be a Cuphead fan, as the Netflix animated series has been an absolute delight and the original game got a fantastic extra serving of content. The Delicious Last Course builds on the hand-crafted artistry of that game, dropping in a new playable character in the form of Ms. Chalice, new parry-focused fights to shake up the formula, and new weapons to wield in this digestible slice of DLC.

Metascore: 86 | Read our Cuphead: The Delicious Last Course review

Crusader Kings 3

A game where your choices have tangible consequences, Crusader Kings 3 tasks you with running a kingdom and avoiding an untimely acupuncture session with sharpened knives. Intricate and elegant storytelling that you're in charge of, the depth and complexity is only heightened by its fusion of several genres to tell a captivating tale.

Metascore: 85 | Read our Crusader Kings 3 review

Atari 50

It's a golden age for classic game compilations, as more of these games have begun transforming into digital museums. Atari 50 joins a growing number of retro video game collections that invite you to spend just as much time learning about these classic titles as you do playing them, creating an interactive archive that is both entertaining and educational.

Metascore: 85

OlliOlli World

Skateboarding games have entered a Renaissance period as of late, but amongst the many simulators of the shredding arts, OlliOlli World best captures the spirit of that lifestyle. Able to switch between meditative grinds and intense attempts to defy gravity, Roll7's brightly colored 2.5D skateboarding is an easygoing blast of fun that knows exactly when to dial up the challenge.

Metascore: 84 | Read our OlliOlli World review

With Firaxis at the helm, everyone was expecting a comic book game that featured deep and engaging combat. Marvel's Midnight Suns brings the heat in that action-packed department, but it's the inclusion of a rich and layered relationship system that adds emotional impact behind each mighty blow. Plucking at both the heart and brain strings, Marvel's Midnight Suns shows just how fun and satisfying superhero games can be when developers are allowed to play to their strengths.

Metascore: 84 | Read our Marvel's Midnight Suns review

The Entropy Centre

Looking like a tribute to Portal, The Entropy Centre starts off with a few ideas that are very similar to Valve's first-person puzzle-shooting action, but it still manages to put its own spin on a genre that has been neglected for far too long. Cunning time-manipulation puzzles will leave you scratching your head regularly, but once you solve them, that euphoric feeling of accomplishing the seemingly impossible can't be beat.

Metascore: 83

Stray

It's easy to look at Stray as just another platforming game that leverages the unstoppable power of cute cats to shift numbers, but beneath that obvious appeal, this game is captivating thanks to its solid design. Stray leans hard into its idea of controlling a plucky feline trapped in a dangerous world, building on its fascinating world with puzzles that are satisfying to solve and platforming that's enhanced by thrilling momentum.

Metascore: 83 | Read our Stray review

Moss: Book II

With a second generation of virtual technology on the way, Moss: Book II feels like the perfect send-off for the original PlayStation VR. An effortlessly charming game with quirky characters and sensational adventure elements, this sequel to Moss gives you a gorgeous world to explore that you won't want to leave anytime soon.

Metascore: 83

Infernax

Infernax looks like it was plucked from the 8-bit era of gaming, as this brutal platforming RPG takes plenty of inspiration from the likes of Castlevania and classic Legend of Zelda to create an experience that is sadistically fun. You'll need an all-or-nothing mentality to survive the overwhelming odds stacked against you in this gory and brutal odyssey, but those classical elements mixed with a few clever modern touches makes for a bloody good time.

Metascore: 83