10 Best Video Games Of 2022

4. Sifu

What do you do after perfecting a "martial arts Dark Souls" live-service action game called Absolver, where legions of players practiced against each other, growing stronger with each deflection, counter and roundhouse kick straight to the jaw?

You take ALL that player data; all that immaculate choreography and feel to combat, and you funnel it into the most brutally efficient martial arts brawler known to gaming.

Sifu is nothing less than the digital equivalent of learning a fighting style from a sensei determined to turn your face into a fine paste. Getting the counter system and ability to sway out the way of moves entirely is one thing, but the game's true ending requires a specific way of pacifistic thinking that you'll have to really study your teachings to unlock.

Sifu felt like a real moment for action games this year. A fresh, relentless martial arts game with a killer art aesthetic and story that gets more rewarding and detailed the more you explore each level. For such a small-budget indie title in the grand scheme of things, it's as refined and effective as a well honed martial artist.