Best games of December 2022: best games on PC, Xbox, PS5, and Switch - from Callisto Protocol to Midnight Suns

As we inch towards the festive season, the video game release slates start to thin out a little, with blockbuster games occupying the release schedule of months recently past.

That being said, December does still have a few notable releases up its sleeve, ones that you’ll no doubt want to add to your Christmas list if you want to find them beneath the tree on the morning of the 25th.

Here are five brand new video games to keep your eye on over the course of December 2022.

The Callisto Protocol

PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

What is it? An atmospheric sci-fi horror that looks sure to have you cowering behind your controller as you slowly explore a Jovian prison overrun with unspeakable terrors.

The Callisto Protocol takes place in 2320 at Black Iron, a prison colony run by the United Jupiter Company on Jupiter’s moon Callisto.

The player assumes the role of Jacob Lee (voiced by American actor Josh Duhamel), a prisoner incarcerated at Black Iron who finds himself in the midst of an alien invasion that appears to have been orchestrated by the prison’s warden.

When can I play it? 2 December

Marvel’s Midnight Suns

PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

What is it? Marvel’s Midnight Suns is a tactical role-playing game that includes characters from many Marvel Comics titles, including the Midnight Sons, Avengers, X-Men, and the Runaways. Players design their own superhero, dubbed ‘The Hunter’, with over 40 potential abilities.

The game’s combat is turn-based, akin to the XCOM series, and in between combat missions, players will manage their upgradeable base of operations known as ‘The Abbey,’ which they can wander around in third-person to explore the grounds and connect with other heroes.

Interaction with other characters, for example, will affect the gameplay and the abilities of the heroes. At the outset of each new mission, players are able to select one of three heroes to accompany them, and are given a deck of random ability cards that they can use during the mission.

When can I play it? 2 December

Need for Speed Unbound

PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S

What is it? Where Need for Speed games that have gone before have presented a self-serious tone and pushed for realism in their visuals, Unbound appears to be embracing the ‘arcade racer’ theme and going for a much more cartoonish look.

In-race graphics will be peppered with graffiti-style overlays, which certainly gives a stylish flair to proceedings. Players will be rewarded with Burst Nitrous boosts for stylish driving for instance, and triggering one of these looks to plaster the screen with colourful artwork.

The game will be set in another Need for Speed open-world, known as Lake Shore and loosely based on the real-life Chicago. Of course, the local police department plays a large, antagonistic part in the game, and will be on your case if you break too many traffic rules.

When can I play it? 2 December

High on Life

PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

What is it? This comedic “biopunk” first-person shooter is created by Rick & Morty’s Justin Roiland and is set in a science fiction universe. It also includes talking weaponry, each with their own distinct personalities, who will join you on your adventure and comment on the action unfolding ahead of you with typical Roiland humour.

Its premise is predictably bonkers too. An alien mafia has captured the vast majority of humanity to use as drugs, and you as a bounty hunter must explore the galaxy to save mankind by employing weapons known as Galatians to take out the threats.

With designers describing the game as somewhere between The Muppets and Blade Runner, trailers suggest this is one video game (a medium which, for all its good work, often struggles to be genuinely funny) that will manage to get some real laughs out of even the most serious of gamers.

When can I play it? 13 December

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

PS5, Xbox Series X/S

What is it? If you’re thinking, ‘hang on, didn’t The Witcher 3 come out years ago?’ you’d be right. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an action role-playing game first released in 2015.

This version of the game is a current-gen upgrade for fans playing on Xbox Series X/S and PS5 consoles, and is available as a free upgrade for those who already own the existing PS4, PC and Xbox One versions of the game - or as a separate purchase.

Faster loading times, ray tracing and all previously available downloadable content are expected to be included, including new downloadable content based on the Netflix TV series adaptation.

When can I play it? 14 December