2023 has been a rollercoaster year of gaming, with massive releases such as Mortal Kombat 1 & Baldur’s Gate 3 creating quakes in the industry. As well as shockingly poor outings such as Kong and The Walking Dead. It truly has been a year filled with mountainous highs and cavernous lows, but let’s look at the Best Games of 2023…
Best Games of 2023 – 7: Hogwarts: Legacy
Allowing players to attend the legendary Hogwarts, Hogwarts Legacy was a big hit with fans. With a large amount following every inkling of information about the game in the years building up to it’s release. Avalanche has shown they are one of the best studios at handling other media medium’s IPs. Being faithful to them whilst producing a stellar product that both critics and fans have warm responses to. The studio has truly brought the magical world of Hogwarts to life like no other outing has done so far, the excellently performed, amazingly designed, game has lots to offer.
Best Games of 2023 – 6: RoboCop: Rogue City
RoboCop: Rogue City was one of the sleeper hits of the year, seemingly coming from nowhere to release to great fan and critic reception. RoboCop RC also sees Peter Wheller return as the titular character. Reprising his roles from the movies. It’s clear playing the game that the developers’ hold such a deep love for the franchise. This shows in the story, the gameplay, and the overall approach to the project. Setting the game after the most well received films this allowed RoboCop RC to capitalize on the die hard RoboCop fans whilst appealing to a new audience. One that might have just been introduced to the cyborg cop.
Best Games of 2023 – 5: Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter 6 was for many a return to form, having received such a mixed reception for 5. Containing its own unique story mode, called World Tour. Street Fighter seemingly came to rival Mortal Kombat’s crowning feature- their story modes. Their unique take being an open world Yakuza like experience where players can create their own fighters. Adding a sense of ownership that little fighting games do anymore. With very little allowing players to create their own characters anymore.
Best Games of 2023 – 4: Dredge
A love letter to Lovecraft, Dredge is a Lovecraftian inspired fishing game. Which somehow manages to be as relaxing as a nice warm bath, and as tense as a piranha then entering said bath. You will find yourself exploring the vast ocean in the day and fishing till your can’t haul anymore fish. However, when night falls you will be haunted by something that seemingly glows in the distance.. floating eyes, wandering tentacles that reach out from the deep depths to grab your boat. The world of Dredge is filled with Lovecraftian inspired monsters that create obstacles for you to overcome. Most monsters have a way to defeat them, or at least temporary make them dormant. All of which can be done by completing the quests for each section of the map.
Best Games of 2023 – 3: Mortal Kombat 1
The third reboot of the franchise, Mortal Kombat 1 saw the timeline once again rebooted. This time by Liu Kang. NeverRealm Studios really went above and beyond in revitalizing old characters. This time in a much more unique and create way. Story is where NRS shine in comparison of other fighting games such as Tekken and Street Fighter. MK1 is no exception to that, being the best MK story for decades. Although it folds in on itself at the end and contains a few instances of over the top cringy fan service, the story is solid.
MK is one of the few games I always complete the day of getting and often replay it the next day too. MK1 was the first time I did it three times. The actual acts and setup for fights where so much more creatively brought upon. A great example of this is Jonny Cage’s chapter. In which we fight some monster on a film set, parodying Indiana Jones.
Best Games of 2023 – 2: Cassette Beasts
Set in the Wirral and filled with tons of Scouse slang, Cassette Beasts is a Pokémon like game released early this year. The charming aesthetic is gorgeous on the Steam Deck. Colors and the effects of attacks pop vibrantly. It truly is a work of art filled with the creatively designed CBs. Cassette Beasts features more of an open dynamic compared to early linear Pokémon games. Allowing the player to venture forth and complete various side quests and multiple ongoing main missions. In any order they wish, depending on some variables. As like most Pokémon esque games some of the world is blocked of to you until you unlock certain abilities, CBs, etc.
Featuring unique mechanics such as 2on 2 battles and allowing the player to fuse their two active CBs. This feature in particular is a massive selling point of the game. With tons of combinations, you will find yourself sinking countless hours into seeing which fusions are best. Or just to see what whacky fusions you can create.
Best Games of 2023 – 1: Dave the Diver
Dave the Diver was hands down my best gaming experience, I loved how vast this little game was. Having essentially three different games within it, a RPG, an underwater fishing game, and a restaurant/cooking simulator. I loved every second of it. I eagerly kept jumping back into Dave the Diver wherever I was. Something my Steam Deck made very easy. I purchased it in Early Access early this year and fell in love with the limited build. Little did I know the game was going to explode in content and even quality and deliver one of the best gaming experiences of all time!
The sheer enthralling charm of the world and its characters will entice you to keep coming back to Bancho Sushi. Few games rival the sheer depth of Dave the Diver and its even priced lower than most sitting at around £17. If you haven’t for some reason played it yet, such as living in a bunker all year, YOU NEED TO! Dave the Diver is hand’s down my game of the year for 2023.
Summary
So those are my Best Games of 2023 Ranked. What’s yours? Let me know in the comments.
Links
Latest Articles
Ghost The Musical – Empire Theatre, Liverpool
Lost Soul 2: Smigger’s Wrecked Head Review – Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool
Hairspray Review – Empire Theatre, Liverpool
Movie Review: Hundreds of Beavers (Cheslik, 2022)
Alien: Romulus review
