The Best PlayStation Games of 2022

by Jason Dietz, Metacritic Features Editor – January 3, 2023

Which PS5 and PS4 games impressed professional reviewers the most during the past year? We rank the best-reviewed PlayStation 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. If a game appears on both PlayStation platforms, only the version receiving the higher quantity of critic reviews (typically the PS5 version) is eligible for inclusion. (All scores listed here are from December 31, 2022.)

9 of 14 photo by Crows Crows Crows

89 The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe

(#5) It's not often that we get to include a game whose reviews are incorporated into the actual game, but that's the case with this new version of an existentialist adventure set in an office where all workers other than your character, the titular Stanley, have suddenly vanished. Over a decade ago, a mysterious indie game called The Stanley Parable —itself a stand-alone version of a Half-Life 2 mod created by a 22-year-old gamer-turned-developer in 2011—quickly became a hit with gamers and critics alike. This year brought a revised version of the game that not only updates the visuals to modern standards—and brings Stanley to consoles for the first time—but also expands the game with new content, new endings, and a bucket.

“Visually it's definitely an improvement, although it's behind the curve by modern standards. It makes up for that by doubling the size of the game with all-new content, alterations to existing endings, and more that fans will adore. If you've played The Stanley Parable before, Ultra Deluxe gives you lots of reasons to revisit the experience. If this'll be your first time, well, lucky you. Once the element of surprise is gone, there's little reason to return — but while it lasts, this is easily among gaming's most unique and memorable journeys.” —Push Square

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