2023 was an incredible year for gamers, thanks to countless back-to-back big releases. Even though I wanted to try my hand at all the titles that were released this year, I couldn’t. However, I did my best and played more new titles than I did last year, and thank god for that. I try not to get attached to one or two specific genes — from Shooter to RPG to Open World, I like to try games from every genre. And well, every genre had somethinggreatto offer this year, which is something that I don’t often see.
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It’s been a storied year for gaming.
I’ll be honest, several other titles from this year could’ve earned a spot on this list, but I can’t talk about a game I haven’t experienced myself. So, don’t get infuriated if you don’t see titles likeBaldur’s Gate 3andTears Of The Kingdomon this list. Regardless, if the coming year isn’t as crazy as this year in terms of releases, I’d totally like to play these gems from 2023.
10The Finals
The “Destructive” FPS
The Finalssurely surprised me in a lot of ways. I’m a big fan of multiple FPS shooters, and before this one,Valorantwas the only game that could quench my thirst for a competitive experience. Over time, we’ve seen a lot of multiplayer competitive shooters fail to challenge the might ofWarzone,Apex Legends, etc. I mean, I had high hopes for Rogue Company, but I couldn’t hold onto that game for too long.
The fact that I can destroy buildings to bring down the enemy team is so awesome.
Embark Studios' The Finals is a different beast, though. The fact that I can destroy buildings to bring down the enemy team is so awesome. Also, it’s the movement of The Finals that is completely broken (in the best way). The fast-paced gameplay has me on the edge every time I launch the game. The game mechanics allow me to carry out many cool maneuvers, and I don’t think I’ll ever get bored with that.
The Finals
9Assassin’s Creed Mirage
A Good Old AC Experience
Judge me if you will, but I didn’t like the last fewAssassin’s Creed games, includingValhalla. I loved the good old AC games that focused on delivering a solid narrative (without the RPG element, of course) and stealth-focused gameplay. Well, that’s the main reason why I was excited aboutAC Miragesince this title took the franchise back to its roots. Of course, the narrative wasn’tthe best, but Ubisoft sure delivered in terms of gameplay.
I had a lot of fun exploring every part of the map, and I still launch the game every few days simply to experience the beauty of Baghdad.
Mirage made me feel like I was actually wearing the skin of an assassin as the game forced my hand toward stealth. The gameplay was actually punishing every time I revealed myself to more than 4-5 enemies, which I absolutely loved. Also, compared to the places we explored in the last few AC games, Baghdad felt so much more alive. I had a lot of fun exploring every part of the map, and I still launch the game every few days simply to experience the beauty of Baghdad.
Assassin’s Creed Mirage
A “Jump Scary” Surprise
Yes, I am one of those gaming enthusiasts who knew aboutDead Spacebut didn’t get a chance to play the original. And in all honesty, playing themuch-awaited Remakewasn’t in the cards, either. But guess what? My wife loves horror games. So, I had no choice but to buy the game, and I’m so glad I did. I always knew Dead Space was an iconic game, and playing the Remake made me realize why.
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If someone says Dead Space isn’t scary, they are absolutely lying. I can’t remember how many times the game got my heart pounding with its jump scares. Of course, things got a little predictable after a while, but what’s impressive is that even then, the dark and gritty atmosphere made me scream (a little). It’s funny how I got obsessed with a title that I never intended to buy in the first place.Dead Space Remake got 8.9/10from our reviewer, Elijah, who said, “Dead Space Remake is damn good fun, with interesting ideas and an appreciation of the greater franchise that most remakes lack.”
7Resident Evil 4 (Remake)
A Perfect Remake
Unlike Dead Space, I actually played the originalResident Evil 4when it came out in 2005. It’s one of those rareSurvival Horror gamesthat I actually enjoyed, and initially, I was reluctant to try this one since there were so many new releases that deserved my attention. However, my experience with Dead Space Remake served as a motivation factor for me to actually play RE4 Remake. And, well, a few hours into the game, I realized that this Remake isn’t anything like the original. From combat to inventory management to story, experiencing every element of the Remake was refreshing.
Initially, I was worried when I heard that CAPCOM made some changes to the story, but to my surprise, every change worked in Remake’s favor. With fewer bosses than the original, Remake delivered a condensed experience, and I am not against that. I actually didn’t want to experience a 1:1 copy of the original just for visual upgrades or some new gameplay mechanics. I wanted the game to add more depth to the side characters while also delivering an abridged version of the story, and that’s what I got from RE4 Remake.Resident Evil 4 Remake earned a 7/10 from my friend Elijah, who sums up his thoughts in his review: “Where Resident Evil 4 is timeless, Resident Evil 4 Remake is profoundly a product of its time.” For me personally, it was definitely an 8/10.
Resident Evil 4
6Hi-Fi Rush
A Musical Marvel
Hi-Fi Rushis possibly one of the biggest surprises for me in 2023. I am a big fan of Tango Gameworks’Ghostwire Tokyo,which I scored 8/10, and I never imagined the same developer delivering a flamboyant rhythm-based action game like Hi-Fi Rush. The game came out of nowhere, and I didn’t know anything about it, but I have a soft spot in my heart for Tango Gameworks, so I had to play the game. Honestly, the environment and visuals of the game, especially the use of colors, reminded me so much ofMy Hero Academia.
I absolutely loved the characters because of the fabulous voice acting and the vibrant outfits.
The story wasn’t the main selling point of Hi-Fi Rush (though it was charming enough). For me, the combat is what really hooked me. Doesn’t matter how repetitive it got; the amazing sound design made me try out different combos — It just felt refreshing every time. I didn’t care about the narrative, but I absolutely loved the characters because of the fabulous voice acting and the vibrant outfits.
Hi-Fi Rush
5Star Wars: Jedi Survivor
Lightsaber Fights Could Never Bore
As much as I love TV shows and movies, I don’t really care for Star Wars (don’t hate me for it); however, I love Respawn Entertainment’s Star Wars games. I didn’t playFallen Orderwhen it released in 2019, but the first trailer forStar Wars Jedi: Survivorintrigued me, so I launched Fallen Order, hoping that I’d like it. Well, let’s just say that the game surpassed my expectations and got me excited for Jedi Survivor.
Jedi Survivor came four years after Fallen Order, and it was in every way an improvement over the first game. The combat and movement were more fluid, and the narrative was great enough to keep me engaged in the story. The game provided the perfect balance between combat and story, as I was emotionally invested in the characters' struggles while also enjoying the moment-to-moment gameplay. It’s a great game overall, so it’s no wonder my good friend Jeffscored it 8.9/10, saying “Between the stellar writing, exploration, traversal, and combat, Survivor offers a powerful experience, and one well worth having.”
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
4Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Night City Never Fails To Impress
Cyberpunk 2077got a lot of slack from the community when it first came out, and, well, the game was indeed broken in many ways. However, CD Projekt Red dealt with the criticism, and even though it took a long time, the developers actually fixed the game. The 2.0 update made the game what fans expected it to be on release, and that’s why it was the perfect time for the studio to release the highly anticipatedPhantom Liberty DLC.
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I am a big fan of Idris Elba’s movies, and I loved Cyberpunk 2077’s gameplay and story, so I gave Phantom Liberty a shot. Well, I am not scared to say that this DLC — and Cyberpunk 2077 after the 2.0 update — is a technical marvel. Night City feels more alive, and the NPC AI has improved significantly. Obviously, I very much loved the lore and new firearms that came with the DLC, but the side quests were also engaging enough to keep me invested in the game.Phantom Liberty scored 9/10 in our review, with Vlad sharing how the remarkable DLC “clearly shows just how much more untapped potential still resides in Cyberpunk 2077.”
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
3Final Fantasy 16
Bombastic Boss Battles
Final Fantasy 16is a masterpiece, and I will totally fight someone who thinks it’s not (just kidding — I only fight in games). It hascountless characterswith enthralling story arcs, but I would have liked to see more depth to characters like Hugo, Dion, and Barnabas. The story grabbed my attention by the hook right from the beginning. The combat? Well, the first fight between Eikons gave me just a taste of the spectacle that was to come.
No matter how good the gameplay got over time, I loved FF16 for its emotional depth.
Over time, the combat got a little repetitive, but even then, I was never bored with the game. I kept switching between different Eikon abilities whenever I felt like I needed a change. No matter how good the gameplay got over time, I loved FF16 for its emotional depth. I personally loved the grandeur of the boss battles in FF16, and I can’t ever get over the epic battle between Clive and Hugo. It was Clive and Hugo’s fight that made me say out loud that I love this game even more thanGod of War Ragnarok.Final Fantasy 16 earned a 9/10from Matt O’Dwyer, who loved his time with the game: “In a year full of breakaway hits, Final Fantasy 16 still manages to stand tall among them and stake its claim.”
Final Fantasy 16
2Starfield
Unforgettable Space Adventure
Starfieldkeeps on surprising me with something new every time I launch it. It’s crazy how massive this game is, and sure, this grand exploration game feels empty sometimes — especially when I step on some faraway planets — but it never feels boring. It’s one of the best titles I’ve played in the last few years just because it allows me to do and explore so much in the game.
Space is fascinating, and that’s why I have a sweet spot for space movies like Gravity. Of course, we keep on getting great space movies/TV shows every year, but very few games take advantage of the setting’s variety potential. AfterNo Man’s Sky, I was waiting for another good Space game, and, well, Starfield delivered what it promised. The movement and gun mechanics are great, and the story is engaging, but it’s the space exploration that keeps motivating me to launch this game every few days.Starfield was scored 9/10by our all-rounder Evergreen Editor, Emma, who stated: “Starfield is truly something special that delivers a new standard for space RPGs sure to be talked about for the next decade.”
1Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
My Game Of The Year
When it comes to superhero games,Spider-Man 2is the best one I’ve ever played, period. It’s a technical marvel that kept on surprising me with its smooth transition between cutscenes and gameplay. The opening battle sequence against Sandman sent chills down my spine, and Venom? Well, Spider-Man 2 gave us the best version of Venom when compared to otherMarvel video gamesor even movies.
Honestly, it was a pity that this masterpiece was nominated for so many categories at The Game Awards but left empty-handed. There wasn’t a single moment in the game where I felt like, “Okay, they could’ve done this better.” The gameplay is as impressive as it was in the first game, but it never overshadows Spider-Man 2’s incredible story. I never doubted Insomniac’s ability to deliver more masterpieces like this, but let’s just say that after playing Spider-Man 2, my expectations forWolverinehave reached the skies.Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 earned a 10/10from our own Matthew O’Dwyer, who summed it up perfectly: “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is as close to a perfect game as I have ever played.”
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
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2023 was a massive year for video games! With top-notch titles in just about every genre, there was a little something for everyone.
