With releases like Elden Ring, Bayonetta 3, Signalis, and more, 2022 was a good year for gaming. Elden Ring even earned the Game of the Year Award at the 2022 Game Awards, beating strong competition from games like God of War: Ragnarök. Plenty of games earned 3 or 4 stars from the Screen Rant team, but a handful set themselves apart to earn a full 5/5 stars from Screen Rant.
Game reviews can be subject to the influence of opinions, but the team here at Screen Rant does its best to take an objective look at game releases and give a fair rating. As 2022 draws to a close, players might be looking forward to game releases in 2023, such as the anticipated release date of Hogwarts Legacy. However, it can also be a good time to take a look back at the games that earned 5 stars in 2022.
Five Games Earned 5-Star Reviews From Screen Rant In 2022
Screen Rant's choices may not be the same as the Game of the Year nominees, and several other games almost earned 5 stars, coming in at 4.5 stars instead, such as World of Warcraft: Dragonflight, Dragon Quest Treasures, God of War: Ragnarök, Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, and more. In cases like Pokémon Scarlet and Violet, it was technical and performance issues that kept it from a full 5-stars; however, five games managed to set themselves apart and earn perfect reviews from the Screen Rant team.
Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes
A spin-off of Fire Emblem: Three Houses, Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes blends combat, narrative, and side activities into a rewarding journey. Playing as characters who have just left The Officers Academy, the game isn't lacking when it comes to building relationships. Expeditions let players spend time one-on-one with characters and see special cutscenes, bonding moments, and dialogue options, taking the immersion in the world to another level. The turn-based combat isn't lacking either, as players can easily switch between characters to allow for a smooth fighting experience. Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes is a spin-off game that received the development efforts of a main title.
Chained Echoes
Chained Echoes is available on Xbox Games in December 2022, which is an opportunity for players to try this gem of a game if they haven't yet done so. Chained Echoes was positively reviewed. The game offers players enough hints to help them along, and its turn-based combat was done excellently. It also won't let players leave areas without completing necessary plot points, making the intriguing story of Chained Echoes easier to pick up and play than it might initially seem.
Pentiment
Pentiment is a game for players who enjoy a historical story, offering multiple storylines and an in-game encyclopedia to help with the historical information. shows how gaming narratives can still be used in novel ways to tell stories. The game is reading-heavy, however, since it has an emphasis on narrative with a lot of dialogue and journal entries for players to go through, which might not make it the best fit for every player. For players willing to give the game a chance, it's a piece filled with fictionalized history and fun puzzles.
Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 is a must-play JRPG, having learned and improved upon the past entries in the franchise. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 removed or improved the parts that players didn't like as much while focusing on the elements that players enjoyed from the Xenoblade games. The story focuses on six main characters, and that story stays compelling even when it seems like it might veer into unrealistic, or trope-laden territory. The story is rounded out by a flexible combat system that allows for a lot of customization with classes. Overall, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 finds itself among the best JRPGs and receives a 5-star rating.
Elden Ring
This may be the least surprising inclusion on this list, but that doesn't make Elden Ring any less deserving of its 5-star rating. Combining the best elements of Dark Souls, FromSoftware's Elden Ring might be the most accessible game to players who haven't played other titles from FromSoftware while still offering the experience that keeps longtime players returning. Elden Ring was written with help from Game of Thrones author, George R.R. Martin, and the story has a depth that keeps players finding new information almost a year after its release.
Gameplay, too, offers a lot of variation for players with the ability to build their characters in a way that suits their play style. Players can choose to fight many extra bosses, or stick to the mandatory bosses for a faster playthrough. With over 200 bosses in the game, players can sink plenty of hours into Elden Ring however they decide to play. There was a lot of competition for 2022's Game of the Year, but Elden Ring's win wasn't undeserved, which is exactly why it received 5/5 stars from Screen Rant.
Source: Chained Echoes/YouTube