The 10 best games of 2022 (so far)

2022 has been a quieter year for gaming than most; outside a few high-profile releases—and one massive, medium-sweeping bulldozer courtesy of FromSoftware—major releases (at least, from the big-budget studios) have been few and far between.

But that, of course, only calls for deeper curation, and so The A.V. Club is here with a look at the best games published in the first half of 2022, whether smaller indie titles, Elden Ring, or big-budget games forced to exist in the unfortunate shadow of Elden Ring. Our list runs the gamut from open world epics to small-scale emotional adventures, and from obscurity-soaked love letters to the latest adventures of everyone’s favorite pink vore monster. But all our picks are united by one thing: These were the games we liked—and why—in the first half of 2022.

Card Shark

I liked Card Shark, because it is clever and vulnerable. It’s light, but still bracing, simulation of card tricks puts you constantly on the edge of failure. One incorrect flick of the thumbstick will lose you a round, or worse, reveal your plot. The hangman might await you. Pulling off a scam, especially on the powerful, takes a lot of risk. Success might make you feel invulnerable, but in every step you are anything but. The game’s emphasis on historically marginalized people underscores that vulnerability. But cheated victory unveils what possibilities could be stolen from those who do not deserve their fortunes. [Grace Benfell]