We're halfway through 2022 already, and as always, we have had some great ups, with the likes of "Elden Ring," which might be the greatest game of all time, according to some. On the other hand, we have had some terrible downs, like the "Diablo Immortal" – the most shameless and blatant attempt to rob people of their money and the biggest setback to mobile gaming in a decade for some. But, that is the state of gaming – current and always – with lots of ups and downs, but mostly downs. So, let's look at the rest of 2022 and see what the year's second half promises.

Spoiler alert: Tons of remakes and return of familiar faces but a few original ideas sprinkled along as well – original in their gameplay, setting and story. Keep your hopes in check and don't pre-order anything – that's my motto. So, even though some of these games might look exciting and refreshing, I suggest taking every promotional material with a pinch of salt and waiting till the release of said games to better understand them from unaltered gameplay videos or video game critics.

That said, here are 15 of the games that I am looking forward to for the rest of the year.

Stray

One of my personal most anticipated games of 2022, "Stray" comes out tomorrow – July 19 – and I for one couldn't be happier. If the game is as good and quirky and unique as I wish it to be, then I can be much happier.

"Stray" is a single-player adventure game developed by BlueTwelve Studio and published by Annapurna Interactive, which follows the story of a stray cat who falls into a world populated by robots, machines and viruses and sets out to return to his family.

The game's visuals from the trailer look stunning. The game looks set to deliver the neon-infested cyberpunk feel that piques the interest of so many while also scratching the itch of playing as a cat that I imagine most of us have wanted to do at some point in time.

BlueTwelve Studio appears to have perfected the art of the cat with its movements so precisely resembling that of a real cat as those with felines at home would attest.

Apart from our main character – the stray cat – the world and the setting also looks beautiful and dripping with mystery.

Here's to hoping that it delivers on the hype.

Rollerdrome

This third-person action shooter indie game seems set to please the hearts of those looking for some nostalgia. Combining high octane, visceral combat with fluid movement and tricking mechanics, all while riding rollerskates, what more can one ask?

The cell-shaded graphics provide the game with a truly unique aesthetic; it seems the futuristic setting is a perfect marriage for the gameplay. The soundtrack promises to be a stellar collection as well.

For those interested in such games, "Rollerdrome" might be a highlight of 2022, we shall wait and see.

Saints Row

The great fun and absurd open-world series return this year with a remake of its first entry.

Remakes are a tricky tightrope to walk on: Do you reinvent the game with modern gameplay elements or stay faithful to the original? "Saints Row" seems to be going down the middle with a blend of both, updating the graphics and general gameplay mechanics while retaining the original's true ridiculous open-world mayhem.

Fans of the original and fans of the genre will be – and have been – waiting anxiously for the Aug. 23 release date, but remember: No pre-orders!

The Lord of the Rings: Gollum

Fans of the literary masterpiece and its cinematic equivalents "The Lord of the Rings" have been crying out for truly immersive video games for decades now, with only a couple of attempts capturing the attention of gamers and none without its problems.

"The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth" – such a mouthful title – and its sequel were great strategy games with potential. A potential that suffered a tragic death in licensing limbo.

"Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor" and its sequel "Middle-earth: Shadow of War" were truly fun games to play as you hacked your way through hordes of orcs. However, story-wise they were nothing more than simple fan-fiction stories – bad ones.

Now comes a game – namely "The Lord of the Rings: Gollum" – that solely focuses on its titular character: Gollum.

Who asked for this game? Who was waiting anxiously for an action-adventure game focused on stealth where you occupied the twisted mind of Gollum? Who is this game for?

These are all questions that burn my mind, but someone thought it was a good idea to make a game like this, so all we can do is wait to see if they were right? Maybe a healthy dose of infighting between Smeagol and Gollum was just what J.R.R. Tolkien fans were looking for. So on Sept. 1, we'll see.

I must say I highly doubt it.

The Last of Us Part I

The original "The Last of Us" was a grounded, realistic and dramatic take on the zombie genre that took audiences by storm, becoming one of the best games of PlayStation 3 back in 2013. Now, not even a decade since its release, developers Naughty Dog are preparing to release its remake on Sept. 2 for PlayStation 5 – and also PC shortly after.

A remake of "The Last of Us" doesn't particularly excite me as the original game is not even that old and still holds up. However, what does excite me is that Sony will finally release the game on PC.

As a fan of the game who has never gotten the chance to play it because I don't own a PlayStation, I am eager to finally experience "The Last of Us" once it comes to PC – and I imagine so are countless others.

As for the remake, there isn't much to say really. It looks really nice graphically and aesthetically, it seems to blend the gameplay elements of the original and the sequel "The Last of Us Part II" while giving them a fresh modern code of paint.

I hope we won't have to wait months for it to come to PC after its PlayStation release as we have already waited nine years.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

When it first came out, "A Plague Tale: Innocence" was a truly welcome surprise. The story followed the grim tale of young Amicia de Rune and her ill little brother Hugo on a heartrending journey through the 14th-century France during the Hundred Years' War while trying to survive the hunt of the French Inquisition and also hordes of rats that are spreading the black plague.

It was a unique blend of stories with interesting characters and enjoyable gameplay mechanics.

Come Oct. 18, the sequel "A Plague Tale: Requiem," promises a worthy follow-up to the story of the original.

If they manage to make the gameplay more enjoyable and varied while retaining the beautiful atmosphere of the original, which they seem to have perfected according to the footage so far released; in that case, we might have a great game in our hands.

One must keep in mind that it can turn out to be a lazy sequel made to maximize the popularity of the original, but one would be very cynical to think that. So, let's keep it cautiously optimistic.

Gotham Knights

Batman is dead! That's a great opening line, and it is true for "Gotham Knights," an open-world, action RPG set in Gotham City.

After enjoying the Arkham offerings of Warner Bros. – namely "Batman: Arkham Asylum" and "Batman: Arkham City" – another Gotham game piques the interest of many fans. The previous entries in the series had pioneered or rather perfected the hand-to-hand combat mechanics and gameplay elements in the beginnings of the 2010s that have become a staple of the genre.

"Gotham Knights" looks set to improve, or at the very least retain, the fun aspects of previous games while offering a different spin and focus on things: Co-op gameplay.

Set to be released on Oct. 25, fans are probably justified to be excited. What I'm most interested in is the story though, I wonder where the plot will take us this time around.

High on Life

Talking guns – that's the two-word summary of the entire premise of "High on Life." That may not be enough to excite most players, but knowing that Justin Roiland conceived the game – the mastermind behind "Rick and Morty" – I don't need much else to be at least interested.

Set as a comedic biopunk first-person shooter and developed by Squanch Games, "High on Life" promises a colorful, absurdist science fiction world and features anthropomorphic talking guns. What more do you need?

The visual themes look to be beautiful vistas and the gameplay seems good. What will make this either great or terrible is the comedic aspect? Will they be able to make the jokes funny? I trust Roiland to make the writing sharp and provide plenty of laughs, but we shall see on Oct. 25 when the game releases.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II

Yet another remake is "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare II," releasing on Oct. 28 as one of the most hyped games of the year. If I can be truly honest, I am not that excited as I was never a fan of the Call of Duty series apart from the very early entries – I have always been a more "Battlefield" gamer, though I might change royalties after the "Battlefield 2042" disaster, if things don't pick up in upcoming months.

Even after admitting to that I must give credit where credit is due: The graphics of the game look absolutely stunning and the gun-play of Call of Duty has been stellar for a good few years now, so it looks like a lot of fun.

Fans have been eagerly awaiting the remake ever since the remake of "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare" back in 2019 and they will finally have their wish this year.

Atomic Heart

Set in the Soviet Union in an alternate 1955, "Atomic Heart" is a close-world action RPG developed by Russian studio Mundfish.

The game visually offers a unique style while the story maintains a nice intrigue around its mystery. There aren't many games set in Russia; however, going by the examples we have – mainly "Metro 2033" and its sequels and "S.T.A.L.K.E.R." – the setting can be a potentially great one with a seriously appealing atmosphere.

No release date is yet set on "Atomic Heart" apart from Fall 2022, but I, for one, will be sure to keep an eye on this project.

Skull and Bones

After 2013's "Assassin's Creed IV: Black Flag" and its outstanding naval gameplay which made one truly feel like a pirate lord and gave us the "Pirates of the Caribbean" game we never got, most people, myself included, were happy to hear that Ubisoft was developing a game inspired by the naval battles of Assassin's Creed and would focus solely on the sea.

Nine long years later, we might finally be getting that game if they actually release it on the Nov. 8 release date and don't delay it.

So, where are the excited crowds craving "Skull and Bones" back in 2013? They probably justifiably have moved on to other pastures or are playing the likes of "Sea of Thieves" that scratch the same itch.

This is a prime example of a game that had the opportunity to reach an enormous potential of countless players but missed its time. In 2013, there was a perfect storm that could have put this game on top of many players' lists. Nine years later, it is fair to say it lost its steam.

However, some are still excited that they will finally be able to get their hands on this project.

God of War Ragnarök

Maybe the most anticipated game of the rest of 2022, "God of War Ragnarök," is set to have its grand release on Nov. 9 as we approach the year's end.

It will be the ninth installment in the God of War series, and will continue the story of 2018's "God of War," set in ancient Scandinavia and based loosely on Norse mythology.

I think everyone knows what to expect gameplay-wise, as this is the ninth game in the series – lots of smooth, clean, high-octane combat mechanics with spectacular visuals. But, on the other hand, the story is likely to be one of the more interesting ones in the series, featuring, as always, the series protagonists Kratos and his teenage son Atreus.

Serving as the finale to the Norse era of the series, the game will cover Ragnarök, a series of events that bring about the end of days, and depicts the deaths of some of the Norse gods, which was foretold to happen in the previous game.

Company of Heroes 3

There is a serious lack of good real-time strategy games in the industry. So, I was adequately excited to see "Company of Heroes 3" getting announced and eagerly waiting for the Nov. 17 release date.

The previous two games in the series were a lot of fun, and scratched that RTS itch perfectly. The third entry will continue the series' trademark gameplay mechanics while offering much better graphics and gameplay elements as it will offer a setting in the Italian and North African theaters of World War II.

The Callisto Protocol

"The Callisto Protocol" is a single-player, fun action survival horror video game brought to us by former creators of the Dead Space series, which is the main reason to be excited about it.

Set in 2320 at a prison colony located on Jupiter's moon Callisto, the player takes the role of a prisoner, finding themselves amid an alien invasion that the prison's warden appears to have engineered.

The Dead Space series was a breath of fresh air in the survival horror genre – at least the first one was – and fans have been crying out for another entry in the series or at the very least another such new game.

They will get their wish on Dec. 2, and we will see if they should have been careful what they wished for.

Hogwarts Legacy

It's been so long since the last game set in the world of Harry Potter, so one can say "Hogwarts Legacy" is long overdue. That is why this game is so hyped up because people – me included – love the world of Harry Potter and would like nothing better than an immersive game set in that world.

"Hogwarts Legacy" promises to transport players into the titular wizarding school in the late 1800s, following a student starting at Hogwarts in their fifth year. So far, for me, the trailers and gameplay footage perfectly capture the same magical feeling I had when playing the PlayStation 2 era games that adapted the world of Harry Potter so uniquely into video games.

Here's to hoping "Hogwarts Legacy" – set for a December release – delivers on the hype.