The Best PC Games of 2022

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – January 1, 2023

Which PC games impressed professional reviewers the most during the past year? We rank the best-reviewed titles released between January 1, 2022 and December 31, 2022 by Metascore. Games must have at least 7 reviews from professional critics to be eligible for inclusion. (All scores listed here are from December 31, 2022.)

5 of 14 photo by Raw Fury

89 NORCO

(#9) Earning praise for its style and narrative prowess, the first title from indie studio Geography of Robots is a Southern Gothic (with a hint of sci-fi) point-and-click adventure set in suburban southern Louisiana, home to oil refineries, swamps, and strip malls. There, your character is caught in a rapidly expanding mystery that kicks off with the disappearance of your brother. Accompanied by the occasional puzzle, the highly original (and often weird) storyline reveals itself through text accompanied by atmospheric pixel art graphics and an electronic score.

“NORCO somehow strikes an incredibly challenging balance in storytelling: it tells enough of a narrative to create a coherent, believable story, but it also sows a lasting tale by respecting the player’s intelligence and leaving much to their imagination. Its story can absolutely be a conversation piece among enthusiasts. I already want to reflect on what I’ve done in NORCO and realize themes or subtleties I missed while playing; this story will stick with you. If you’re a thoughtful gamer who doesn’t mind mysticism and a tale that leans toward depressing, NORCO is an absolute, unequivocal must-play. We need more capable storytellers like this in games.” —RPG Fan

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