Over the next eight days, Hardcore Gamer will be revealing its Best of 2022 Awards leading up to our Game of the Year. Today we present you with the Best PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch and Handheld Game.

Neon White

While Angel Matrix’s insane shooter is a blast to play on either PC or Switch (and by the time you read this, PlayStation), Neon White’s gameplay benefits from precision aiming in order to skilfully wipe out each level of enemies as quickly as possible in order to earn the top medals, hence why a mouse and keyboard setup feels like a natural fit. Be it trying to aim at the right angle in order to pull off that perfect rocket jump or attempting to pick off an enemy from across the level while taking a shortcut, Neon White never stops delivering the type of fast-paced action where you glide around effortlessly like in a classic FPS. It’s the type if intense thrill that any PC gamer should check out, especially for those looking for a challenge that will keep one captivated for hours as they try to shave a few seconds off their time.

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God of War Ragnarök

PlayStation is well-known for their myriad of franchises. It’s the home of Uncharted, The Last of Us, Marvel’s Spider-Man, Horizon, Gran Turismo, LittleBigPlanet and Ghost of Tsushima among others. Before that, however, it was the home of God of War. Whether it be on PS2, PSP, PS3, PS4 and now PS5, God of War has consistently delivered that type of title players have come to expect from publisher and console manufacturer. Big and bold, excellent storytelling, engaging combat and a beautiful presentation. Out of all of 2022's titles, God of War Ragnarök best exemplifies what makes PlayStation so great, delivering stellar action, a heartwarming story and engaging gameplay all wrapped up in a beautiful presentation. Santa Monica Studio built a near perfect game that stands proudly amongst the best and brightest on the platform. 2022 was a strong year for PlayStation titles, but it’s God of War Ragnarök that stands out from the crowd.

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Tunic

Not for the first time has the Xbox platform found its biggest hitters and most prominent associates been that of non-AAA releases. Cuphead, Ori, Death’s Door, Outer Wilds; you can’t argue that Xbox fans haven’t had their fair share of smaller-scale releases with grand-scale ambition over the years. From right across the spectrum of genres no less. And now you can add Tunic and its top-down, isometric adventures to that growing list. A game that debuted on Xbox’s stage at E3 way back in 2018 and four years later, was well worth the wait. A color palette that popped from out the screen, a near-complete lack of hand-holding as to what to do and where to go, a combat loop while familiar was never shy of throwing up its fair share of challenge. And if that wasn’t enough: a fond respect for players genuinely enticed by its embedded air of mystery. Whether it was something you took a fancy to through Game Pass or otherwise, Tunic may not be entirely alone when it comes to proof of Xbox’s continuing commitment to highlighting independent games’ more diverse, curious and appealing efforts. But in 2022, it was easily the stand-out title for the platform.

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Xenoblade Chronicles 3

Monolith Soft was the best representation of the Japanese RPG genre in 2022, releasing their best, most original game in over a decade. This is a beloved franchise that spans nearly twenty-five years that, like Final Fantasy, delves into similar elements while telling drastically different stories. With the third iteration into the Xenoblade subseries (fourth if you count Chronicles X), Monolith Soft brings their A game, returning to their roots and creating a story of great intrigue. Having political warring factions with a mysterious force and council looming over the world, we’re put through an adventure that has us traversing a mature and surprisingly dark story. This also introduces an open world ripe for exploration, even getting the player into trouble by allowing access to overpowered parts of the world, ensuring they’ll never get bored. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is not only one the best Nintendo Switch game of the year, but it’s also one of the best JRPGs of 2022 as well. If you’re looking for a 100-hour anime adventure that will have you enthralled throughout, you’ve found it right here.

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Horizon Chase 2

The original Horizon Chase was one of the best arcade-style racing games ever and kept getting better as time went on. Its console Turbo-charged version added more content and the core gameplay was exciting. The announcement of an Apple Arcade timed-exclusive while the original game was still getting a ton of new content added into it was a great sign, but the final product wound up being even better than one could imagine. Horizon Chase 2 expands the scope of the adventure to include a greater variety of environments and includes more realistic-looking cityscapes. Beyond just better graphics, things like overpasses allow it to feel like a part of a living, breathing world. New content has already been added mere months after release, including new Japanese content that features new tracks and cars. AQUARIS has another classic in the making.

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