From long-awaited sequels to new ideas nobody saw coming, these are the very best games of 2023.
Largely unchecked greed robbed many of their dream careers and more of their dream games.
Yet, its nearly impossible to not be impressed by the quality of 2023s greatest games.
Though I stand by that description, it also feels painfully inadequate in some ways.
Darkest Dungeon 2
Its remarkable to look at all of the ways thatDarkest Dungeon 2deviates from its predecessor.
This recipe creates an adventure that encourages participants to perfect level runs and beat their own high scores.
Once you taste whatPizza Toweroffers, you wont soon forget it.
Aaron Greenbaum
27.
Sam Stone
26.
However, that game never really came close to reaching its full potential.
Octopath Traveller IIis something else entirely.
By improving upon nearly everything its predecessor tried to do,Octopath Traveller IIsuccessfully forges its own identity.
Longtime fans thought it was curtains for series protagonist Kazuma Kiryu until Sega surprised everyone yet again.
Unlike other games that were remade for 2023,Metroid Prime Remastereddoesnt add much to the original experience.
Crucially,Metroid Prime Remasteredis the same genre-twisting mix of FPS action and Metroidvania progression it always was.
This refined rerelease demonstrates that if it aint broke, dont fix it.
AG
22.
Thats certainly true ofLies of P: a game that wears itsBloodborneinfluences with little shame.
Of course, Soulslike fans know that is the quality that often actually defines these monumental modern experiences.
Admittedly, not all of its risks pay off.
Plus, the awesome kaiju-inspired Eikon fights between massive beasts are a spectacle to behold until the end.
Chris Freiberg
20.
Starfield
Starfieldis already aclassic Bethesda RPG: janky but intoxicating.
Margaret David
19.
Cocoon
The spirit of an outsider has long defined the indie gaming scene.
In some ways,Cocoonis the embodiment of that kind of experience.
After all, its a challenging puzzle adventure game with an oblique narrative and minimalist UI.
You could use many of the usual indie game terms to describe it.
Yet, one of the most remarkable things aboutCocoonis that it never really feels alienating.
MB
18.
Diablo 4
Diablo 4s various controversies should not be ignored.
Despite everything,Diablo 4offers an exceptional ARPG experience.
It is shockingly easy to lose hours and hours toDiablo 4s brand of ARPG action.
MB
17.
That is the power of truly exceptional video game remakes.
TheSuper Mario RPGremake fills both checkboxes.
Super Mario RPGflawlessly recreates the charm and magic of the SNES original.
AG
15.
CF
14.
A sci-fi rhythm action title made by a studio mostly known for their horror games?
Good luck with that.
Hacking and slashing to the beat never looked, sounded, or felt quite so good.
MB
13.
That combination of concepts is too unique and fascinating to possibly ignore.
Well,Dredgeis indeed so much more than that.
MB
12.
It settles for knowing its limits, giving us a comfy trip down memory lane.
Its a colorful world of pixel people and a well-honed, lightly familiar battle system that genuinely scratches thatChronoitch.
Ignore the reviews that snidely call it derivative.Sea of Starsknows precisely what its doing with its nostalgia.
Its meant for the child in you, not the tired adult.
Even the music is on point, including almost a dozen tracks by the legendaryChronocomposer, Yasunori Mitsuda.
Its 2023s inaugural winner of the Warm Blankie award.
MD
11.Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Sometimes, more is more.
The level design is tighter, too, which makes exploration feel more rhythmic and engaging.
Bernard Boo
10.Dead Space
TheDead Spacefranchise is one of EAs most famous and beloved series.
Thankfully, we were scared for no reason.
Much like theResident Evilremakes, theDead Spaceremake brings the original game into the current console generation.
However, these additions dont affect the games atmosphere of horrifying isolation and foreboding.
Heres hoping theDead Spaceremake results in subsequent remakes that maintain this level of polish.
AG
9.
Through it all, the games unfiltered joy warms your heart and soul.
Every head, jet booster, missile pod, and pair of legs impacts the robots combat performance.
AG
7.
Helping us into the next phase is Idris Elba as a semi-retired secret agent.
Maybe it takes us out of the fiction a bit to see real-world stars in digital form.
Maybe, considering the fragile nature of Night Citys sanity, thats the entire point.
ButWonderis every bit as imaginative as its 3D counterparts.
This is the best 2DSuper Mariogame sinceYoshis Island, which says just about everything you should probably know.
BB
5.
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4.
Marvels Spider-Man 2
$69.99 is a big chunk of change.
However,Marvels Spider-Man2 is one of those rare games that justifies its premium price point and then some.
This is an unprecedented achievement for a video game adaptation and speaks to how extraordinary the game truly is.
BB
3.
Alan Wake 2
The power of a creative voice is becoming an unfortunate novelty in modern gaming.
Well,Alan Wake 2is very much that kind of game.
Yet, Tears of the Kingdomseemingly manages the impossible and somehow improves on perfection.
While open-world games are nothing new in 2023,Tearsstill finds ways to push the genre forward.
CF
1.
Along the way, though, that started to feel beyond the point.
What happens if I follow that path?
Do I want to fall in love with a vampire or a mage?
It is one thing to raise and maintain the illusion of such possibilities.
It is that triumph of technical achievement and creative ambition that only the greatest games can be.
