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Best New Games Coming in December 2022
By Michael Vane - News Published: , Last Updated:
Between beach days and family bonding, the holidays are also great for locking in some dedicated screen time. And the best new games launching in December 2022 ensure that the year goes out with a bang! Sadly, they’re launching too late for Best Black Friday Deals: A Complete Guide sales but early enough to drop a hint on your family, friend or significant other. We’re talking specifically about Need for Speed Unbound, The Callisto Protocol and Marvel’s Midnight Suns, which all drop on December 2. We’re also checking out High on Life from the creator of Rick and Morty. There’s a remake of a Final Fantasy spin-off and an Aussie indie game that’s channelling those deliciously nostalgic Game Boy vibes. Find all of this and more by completing the simple gesture of scrolling.
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1. Need for Speed: Unbound
Need for Speed: Unbound pits you against souped-up street racers, courageous cops and more as you shift, speed and drift your way to riches and recognition. Burnout developer Criterion Games are under the hood of this upcoming racer that looks set to revive those mid-2000s NFS Underground vibes. The open world of Lakeshore is brimming with races, speed traps, jumps, challenges and collectables, so it looks as though players are never short of options. Realistic cars are paired with an optional style inspired by street art and anime for what could be the most original NFS to date. Players can also choose from hundreds of cosmetic items to make each ride their own.
Want to learn more about the new Need for Speed: Unbound? Check out our full guide.
Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Release date: December 2
2. High on Life
If the voices in the trailer sound familiar, it’s because High on Life comes from the mind and vocal cords of Rick and Morty creator Justin Roiland. Fresh out of high school with no job and no ambition, you’re given purpose when an alien cartel invades for the purpose of getting high on humanity. Paired with a team of charismatic talking guns, you answer the hero’s call and rise to become an intergalactic bounty hunter. High on Life is a unique and comedic first-person shooter that sees you travel the cosmos visiting alien planets, blasting gangs of goons, collecting loot and meeting the bizarre characters one expects in the works of Roiland and co. High on Life will likely go down as the funniest game of the year and is a welcome change from the plethora of serious titles doing the rounds.
Platforms: PC, Xbox
Release date: December 13
3. The Callisto Protocol
Inspired by the horror classic Dead Space, one of the creators returns to the genre they helped define in The Callisto Protocol. This space horror experience is set 300 years in the future on Jupiter’s moon Callisto where you’re forced to escape a maximum security prison brimming with deadly secrets. When inmates begin transforming into monstrosities, the prison is thrown into chaos. Using a unique blend of gunplay and close-quarters combat, the rapidly evolving creatures force you below the moon’s surface to unravel a dark mystery at the heart of this survival horror title you won’t forget anytime soon.
Featured Video from Man of Many
Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Release date: December 2
4. Marvel’s Midnight Suns
Explore the dark side of the Marvel universe in a turn-based strategy game from the creators of XCOM. In Marvel’s Midnight Suns, players lead a team of heroes, including Iron Man, Wolverine, Blade and Ghost Rider, against the demonic Lilith, her horde of warriors and the forces of Hydra. Create a squad that suits your playstyle and strategise throughout the tactical campaign unleashing signature moves while resisting the darkness. Between battles, spend some downtime strengthening personal bonds in your mystical base.
Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox
Release date: December 2
5. Sports Story
In March 2017, the Nintendo Switch launched alongside a string of acclaimed titles, including the hit indie game Golf Story. This old-school golf RPG stood tall thanks to its addictive gameplay and laugh-out-loud Aussie colloquialism. Fasttrack to December 2022, and Sidebar Games are finally unleashing the follow-up Sports Story. The new title is described as a game about sports, but not always. Beyond the competitive and casual tennis, cricket, golf, volleyball and fishing, players delve into dungeons, perform stealthy infiltrations, play minigames and make friends on a pixelated quest for sporting excellence.
Platform: Switch
Release date: December TBA
6. Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII – Reunion
Less than a remake but more than a remaster, Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII – Reunion revives the classic action RPG and adds enough enhancements for it to complement the modern Final Fantasy contemporaries. Featuring new graphics, an updated combat system, reimagined UI and a remastered soundtrack, the new Crisis Core resembles something closer to 2020’s FFVII Remake than the 2007 original. The story follows Zack Fair, an ambitious Shinra operative tasked with tracking a missing soldier. But as his adventure unfolds, Zack discovers the dark secrets of Shinra’s experiments and the monsters they create.
Platforms: PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
Release date: December 13
December 2022 Video Game Release Dates
- Gundam Evolution (PS5, PS4, XBX/S, XB1) – December 1
- Romancing SaGa -Minstrel Song- Remastered (PC, PS5, PS4, Switch) – December 1
- The Callisto Protocol (PC, PS5, PS4, XBX/S, XB1) – December 2
- Marvel’s Midnight Suns (PC, PS5, XBX/S) – December 2
- Need For Speed Unbound (PC, PS5, XBX/S) – December 2
- Swordship (PC, PS5, PS4, XBX/S, XB1, Switch) – December 5
- Kukoos – Lost Pets (PS4, Switch) – December 6
- Alaskan Truck Simulator (PC, PS5, PS4, XBX/S, XB1) – December 7
- Hubris (PC) – December 7
- Togges (PC, PS5, PS4, XBX/S, XB1, Switch) – December 7
- The Rumble Fish 2 (PC, PS5, PS4, XBX/S, XB1, Switch) – December 8
- Witch On The Holy Night (PS4, Switch) – December 8
- Dragon Quest Treasures (Switch) – December 9
- IXION (PC) – December 12
- Wavetale (PC, PS5, PS4, XBX/S, XB1, Switch) – December 12
- Crisis Core –Final Fantasy 7– Reunion (PC, PS5, PS4, XBX/S, XB1, Switch) – December 13
- High On Life (PC, XBX/S) – December 13
- Nakara: Bladepoint (XB1) – December 22
- Sports Story (Switch) – December TBA
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General FAQ
Race into December 2022 with new games, including Need for Speed Unbound, horror title The Callisto Protocol, silly shooter High on Life, Marvel’s Midnight Suns RPG and more!
The cartoonish graffiti-like visual effects in Need for Speed Unbound can be switched off entirely if you’re a racing purist. They can be tweaked and customised to your liking.
The Callisto Protocol is a brand new IP with a look, feel and subject matter similar to Dead Space, but features an original story, setting, characters and monsters. The Creative Director of The Callisto Protocol was also an Executive Producer of Dead Space.
Featured Video from Man of Many
