2023 has been firing on all cylinders off the bat with the games that have been released this year, to the point where I genuinely think it’s one of, if not the best year for games ever. We got some absolute bangers in practically every genre, and I’d be shocked to see someone argue nothing worthwhile released this year. Oh and don’t think you can escape a movie recommendation list this year either. Here are some of my favorite films from last year: Godzilla Minus One, Barbie, They Cloned Tyrone, When Evil Lurks, Talk to Me, Blackberry and Bottoms.
10. RoboCop: Rogue City
This game has no right being as good as it is and Teyon needs to be studied for how hard they were cooking in the kitchen with this one. Robocop: Rogue City perfectly captures the vibe of that original Verhoeven film from the overall grimy aesthetics of dystopian Detroit, to the sound design and even lumbering feel of Robo himself. I found myself absolutely engrossed in patrolling the streets of Detroit, stopping petty crimes or even helping my fellow officers whenever I was at the precinct. You’d think playing as a slow moving tank like Robocop would be dull in this era of fast-paced shooters, but it totally works and really makes you feel like the guy. Seeing junkies uselessly shoot at me as their bullets ricochet back at them, then picking them up to toss out a window or blasting their limbs off with Robocop’s signature Auto-9 and all while Robo himself is shooting off some of his classic lines; top to bottom this is a Robocop ass Robocop game. I genuinely can’t think of a better game that embodies “best surprise” than Robocop: Rogue City.
Highlight: Picking up a scumbag and yeeting them 20 feet in the air
9. Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
Functioning as both a sequel to Yakuza 6 and an in-between game for 7 and 8, Like a Dragon Gaiden is a great reminder that Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio isn’t planning on forgetting about the series’ previous brawler gameplay before its recent transition to turn-based combat or its series star Kiryu. Along with that, it was great to get a Yakuza game in a brisk 10-15 hour burst and can very much see these types of shorter, side-story games releasing between the bigger mainline ones. Gaiden is just a blast from start to finish, all leading to a gut punch of a finale with a reminder of why Kiryu is one of the most beloved gaming characters around. Read our review.
Highlight: The emotional ending
8. Dead Space
This should be the new standard of how a remake should be done. A disgustingly amazing visual overhaul, while modernizing the gameplay without changing what worked and adding new content that improves the overall experience without feeling like filler added for the sake of it. Dead Space is the kind of remake where I genuinely can’t see any reason to play the original release, because what Motive Studio did here was take what worked and elevate it while fixing the pieces that didn’t work as well before.
Highlight: The phenomenal sound design
7. Trepang2
YOU LIKE F.E.A.R.? YOU MAD THAT NOBODY’S MAKING A SHOOTER LIKE THAT ANYMORE? PLAY TREPANG2 THEN CAUSE IT FUCKING RIPS.
Highlight: SHOOTING
6. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
I wasn’t the biggest fan of Breath of the Wild; I just didn’t have enough series nostalgia to get all the callbacks and the entire affair felt a bit repetitive for the most part. Tears of the Kingdom however had me absolutely hooked to the point where it ruined my sleeping schedule which hasn’t happened to me with a game in years. The Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts style building is absolutely the game changer for me, because it was the first time since Scribblenauts where I felt like I was truly able to find my own solution to a puzzle that the developers hadn’t intended for me. I was actively seeking out shrines to complete, unlike before where I’d skip them. I was completely enthralled with the world this time around in a way that completely surprised me since I’m not really the biggest fan of the series. Something about Tears of the Kingdom really clicked with me though and it’s a game I’m eager to keep coming back to.
Highlight: Discovering the depths and proceeding to get scared and lost in there
5. Dave the Diver
There’s certain games that justify buying a piece of hardware like the Steam Deck, and Dave the Diver is one of them. It’s the perfect game to relax to, and fits into that space of “I only want to play something for like 20 minutes real quick and bounce out”. The vibes are as immaculate as the dishes Bancho serves up, which speaking of, the way the game perfectly balances the restaurant management with the fish hunting is fantastic. I’m not really one to really be into the sim parts of a game, but I was totally hooked to checking which events were coming and focusing on getting that specific fish, along with finetuning my staff and the rush of the actual kitchen gameplay. It’s a fabulous frenzy to balance the lowkey nature of the actual fish hunting that precipitates the restaurant side of the game.
Highlight: Betting on seahorse races
4. Turbo Overkill
God, this really is a year of games that just fucking rip man. I know I said it earlier with Trepang2, but Turbo Overkill also really fucking rips and the pun is fully intended. This is easily the best boomer-shooter since Dusk, and honestly probably one of the best of all-time. The gunplay is some of the tightest you’ll ever see, all of the weapons are really fun to use, the soundtrack is absolutely killer (that I’m still listening to), it has some of the most inventive levels I’ve seen in the genre, and being able to slide around with chainsaw legs is one of the sickest things I’ve ever been able to do in a game. You really can’t call yourself a fan of the genre without playing Turbo Overkill.
Highlight: The vehicle levels
3. Baldur’s Gate 3
For a solid two months Baldur’s Gate 3 had a grip on me in a way I’ve not had a game do in years. When I wasn’t playing Baldur’s Gate 3 I was thinking about it, and when I was playing it all I was thinking about was “how late do I want to stay up tonight”. I was completely immersed in its world, exploring every inch of it to find any random fight to get into or quest to discover. The entire cast was just wonderfully written as well, and always had me wanting to chat with everyone at camp to see what they were up to and making sure to progress their quests even if they weren’t in my active party. And one of my favorite things about the game is how unique my experience was compared to my friends. We all went at it in varying different ways, which made comparing adventures really fun. Baldur’s Gate 3 genuinely set a new standard for how a CRPG should be, because it is that genre at its peak. Read our review.
Highlight: Getting through Act 2 by convincing practically every boss to kill themselves
2. Hi-Fi RUSH
Hi-Fi Rush was such a delightful surprise to kick the year off with. I’ll always be a sucker for a well done stylish action game like this or Devil May Cry, but making it a rhythm game was such a novel idea that worked too damn well. Having to fight to the beat works not only in the gimmick of the game, but is a fantastic way to train newcomers to this genre on understanding combo/frame timing skills to then use in other similar games. Pair that with a killer soundtrack and a really fun, lighthearted cast of characters, Hi-Fi Rush is a charming game that’s definitely going to be in my regular rotation of games I replay every couple of years.
Highlight: Fighting a mecha werewolf in a Scrooge McDuck money vault
1. Alan Wake 2
Right off the jump you realize that you’re playing something really special and unique in Alan Wake 2; it’s a person’s fully realized creative vision without anyone holding it back or sanitizing it for mass audiences. Not only that, but it weaves itself together narratively with Control in a way that feels organic without coming off as creating a connected universe because it’s trendy. It’s one of the most engrossing games I’ve played in my life, and one of the best horror games ever made on top of that. When I wasn’t playing Alan Wake 2, all I could think about was digesting what I had just played and thinking about where the game was going from there. Remedy pulls things off in this game I’ve never seen another game successfully attempt, and it’s doing this constantly, repeatedly surprising you in multiple ways. I guarantee you’ve never played a game like Alan Wake 2 before and you’d be robbing yourself of a truly unique experience. Read our review.
Highlight: SHOW ME THE CHAMPION OF LIIIIIGGGHT
