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It was a rough year for the video game industry with so many studio closures, many rounds of layoffs industry-wide, cyberattacks on studios, and more. Saying this though, for the actual gamers, 2023 had so many, and I mean MANY, fantastic game releases. I haven’t played every single game from 2023 yet; including Resident Evil 4, Armored Core VI, Final Fantasy XVI, a bunch of indies, and a few more AAA games that unfortunately fell to 2024 in my backlog, or ones I am choosing not to play. If you want to look at all the games I played, here is a thread of them all. From what I have played though, I have ranked my favorites from 2023.
15. Persona 5 Tactica ~ P-Studio & Atlus
I absolutely love the cast and crew of Persona 5, P5 Royal, and P5 Strikers so much. I had very, very strong hopes for Persona 5 Tactica that when I ultimately played the game, it was unfortunately a bit of a disappointment for me. I thought the game was definitely very solid in terms of many elements including the combat, but there were also some issues that I thought the game had. I did end up getting the Platinum trophy on PlayStation which means I did like it enough to practically play through the game twice to get a few Personas in NG+, but unfortunately, it’s not at the top of my list for this year. I reviewed it and you can check it out here.
14. Viewfinder ~ Sad Owl Studios & Thunderful Games
First-person games are not one of my favorite categories since I can get a bit of motion sickness while playing them for some reason. FPS games are the major issue since you have to be constantly moving to avoid dying; however, puzzle games or adventure games with very little to no combat is an entirely different feeling to me. They are creeping up the list of my favorite games to play, and I never thought that would happen. Viewfinder was an absolutely terrific puzzle game that isn’t perfect (no game is to be honest though), but a huge amount is going for what Sad Owl Studios crafted with one of the games that I consider to be a sleeper hit of 2023. If you want to read my full review, it is here.
13. Bramble: The Mountain King ~ Dimfrost Studio & Merge Games
This game was one that ever since I saw the announcement of the game, I knew I wanted to play it. I unfortunately never got around to it until much later since it came out in late April and I was in the midst of playing other adventures at the time. I eventually played it thanks to it being on PC Game Pass and it was during the spooky month of October. I was very happy to play it then because it has strong references to other great spooky games while having its own twist on Nordic fables. If you liked the Little Nightmares series, this game is one that you should not overlook. I liked it so much, that I went out and purchased a physical copy for my PS5. Bramble: The Mountain King is definitely not a game to be missed from the large pool of 2023 titles that came out.
12. Pizza Possum ~ Cozy Computer & Raw Fury
Does anyone remember Untitled Goose Game and all of the crazy situations in that game? Well, crazy situations, stealthy gameplay, causing havoc, and eating as much food as you possibly can are just some of the things you can do in Pizza Possum. It isn’t a long game or one that takes a lot of skill to beat, rather it’s a game that is more simplistic but just an all-around fun arcade-style title. It is a game that I knew I was going to like immediately after I saw the first trailer, and I was not disappointed with the game at all. It honestly is a hidden gem of 2023 and a title that nobody should miss, especially if you have someone to play the game with as it also has couch co-op for more fun! My review for the game dives in deeper, in case you wish to check it out. $7 for this game is an insane value for this game. BUY IT!
11. After Us ~ Piccolo Studio & Private Division
A game that talks about many different themes involving environmental issues and can craft a good story that isn’t just shoehorned in isn’t extremely common. After Us thankfully made the concept of connecting many areas of the environmental issues the true focal points around GAIA and the Devourers. Exploring deforestation, water and land pollution, global warming, factories, and other concepts in the game left me in awe of how creative each of the areas were. The gameplay, art, and audio designs in the game were very well crafted. With that said, finding some of the collectibles in the game were tougher than it could have been. It made my top 10 backlist back in May when I reviewed the game; if you want to see my review, click here. Unfortunately, it was just slightly pushed out of that, but it did still make it to number eleven.
10. Bomb Rush Cyberfunk ~ Team Reptile
Jet Set Radio on the original Xbox will always hold a place in my heart for how good the game was. Well, thanks to the folks at Team Reptile we ended up getting a game that has the feeling of JSR again. The joy of going around the city, mall, suburbs, and more with a spray can and causing police to chase after you, is back! The gameplay in Bomb Rush is good on its own accord; however, when you combine that with the absolutely fantastic soundtrack that was crafted, it is an absolute delight. I ended up reviewing this game too, and the game overall was extremely solid, and less predictable than I originally thought it would be. Feel free if you want to check out my review here.
9. Super Mario Wonder ~ Nintendo EPD & Nintendo
I absolutely love platformer games. I prefer 3D platformers to that of 2D ones by a large mile, but I still really liked Mario Wonder. I never saw the same exact Wonder power that you use. Sometimes the level will be like a musical number, sometimes it would make green pipes move, balloons will show up, bubbles will make you rise, and the list goes on and on. There are so many levels that I was floored at how creative the team made the game. It was a joy to play this game and to get all of the Wonder Seeds. The music was great, the art was stunning, and the gameplay was terrific. The story is the same old Bowser is evil shtick that is always with these games and is a done to death that I wish they did something different though. Repetitive bosses were probably my other super big gripe with the game, but there were some other little annoyances. A great Nintendo game from 2023, but not my favorite one.
8. Cocoon ~ Geometric Interactive & Annapurna Interactive
I played other great puzzle games this year, but none of them really made my mind think as hard as Cocoon did. I said this in my original thoughts on the game, but if a physical got released for this title, I would need to pick it up because it’s that great. The story is shown to you throughout the game. There is no dialogue which when done correctly is fantastic and in this case, it was. I think the art and the audio design here were also extremely well crafted considering this is the first game from Geometric Interactive. The studio was created by former Playdead employees, with Playdead being known for Inside and Limbo. I think you should check out the game if you’re interested, cause it will make you use your brain to solve its clever puzzles.
7. Bayonetta Origins – Cereza and The Lost Demon ~ Platinum Games & Nintendo
Taking an established action, hack-and-slash game, and turning it completely on its head is something that’s not super common anymore, but that’s exactly what Platinum Games has done with Bayonetta. Going backward in time, you are playing as a young Cereza who is trapped in a magical forest and needs to get out. To do so, you have to work with Cheshire, a demon that took over your stuffed doll and work together to do some platforming, puzzle solving, and also action combat during certain sections. I wasn’t sure about the game at the beginning but once it picked up steam with the great story and growing gameplay variety, I could barely put it down until I rolled credits. Check out the game on the Switch if you like the Bayonetta franchise.
6. Sea of Stars ~ Sabotage Studio
My indie game of the year (the highest indie on my list) has got to be Sea of Stars. The action turn-based battles and it being a classic RPG with modern day elements was terrific. The art was stunning throughout the entire game, the music was extremely well created and fit the different areas of the world, and the animations all worked for each of the individuals. The story was a tad predictable in a couple of areas, but then it also had a good number of surprises as well; however, the story as a whole was very well made. The combat was very, very good with you having to actually think about your actions when it came to your turn and even during the enemy’s turn. I backed this game on Kickstarter originally, and I absolutely do not regret that.
5. Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed (DLC) ~ Monolith Soft & Nintendo
Is it wrong to have a DLC as one of my favorite games this year? Well, tough if you think that is the case. DLC is supposed to enhance a game in some way shape or form. That is exactly what it does with Xenoblade Chronicles 3. The Xenoblade Chronicles games are so good that when they released the DLC that brought back the two main protagonists from XC1 and XC2 with a newer twist, I knew it was going to be a punch in the gut. I was right and this DLC is a terrific way to round out the trilogy with a nice bow. I am not going to spoil it, but I can say that from the many DLCs I have played in 2023, I think this has to be my favorite one, and it has enough content for it to be considered a solo game. I wish Nintendo did a physical release for this one like they did with Torna: The Golden Country.
4. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom ~ Nintendo EPD & Nintendo
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (BotW) was, in my opinion, not as good as everyone claimed it was. I thought there were many faults with the game but it was indeed a well-crafted title. Tears of the Kingdom took a lot of those problems I had with BotW and basically got rid of them; albeit adding a couple of small gripes. Tears of the Kingdom is bigger than BotW since you can now explore the sky in certain spots, the underground Depths (which are HARD), and also the full world of Hyrule from the original game. The shrines are back again, but there is so much more variety in terms of them that I never said, “Oh this is a similar one to a shine I already completed”. For how big of a world there was to explore, it just breathes life this time around, unlike how I felt about BotW. I thought the game was great, even if it wasn’t my favorite of 2023.
3. Hi-Fi Rush ~ Tango Gameworks & Bethesda Softworks
Rhythm games are one of my favorite types that I like to play. Action-adventure games are another massive one. What happens if you combine the two genres? Well, you get Hi-Fi Rush… a game that came out of nowhere and shocked the world. Revealed and shadow dropped on the same day back in January 2023, this title was one that quickly grew on many people’s favorites list and was the reason I ended up subscribing to PC Game Pass. This game has so much heart and soul, with a great story, fantastic music, terrific gameplay, solid art, wonderful voice acting, and so much more that I was shocked at how good it was. Bethesda and Tango Gameworks have created a phenomenal game that nobody should ever overlook. If they ever came out with a physical copy of this game, I would instantly purchase it. Check out my thoughts on it here, and after you do… GO PLAY IT!
2. Spider-Man 2 ~ Insomniac Games & Sony Interactive Entertainment
I played this game and Platinum Trophy hunted it, and I still was sad to leave after the credits rolled. The innovation that Insomniac Games has built upon every iteration of the Spidey games is outstanding. Spider-Man 2018 was great, Spider-Man: Miles Morales was even better, and now SM2 has to be my favorite game in the franchise. With multiple playable characters, great story moments, fantastic artwork, meaningful side quests with story intertwined, an almost perfect feeling of the world, and so much more make this game terrific. It is not perfect as I had many bugs that took out some excitement from the game, but it is definitely a trip to take if you haven’t already done so. I thought this was my GOTY, and it was very close, but the bugs and crashes that happened to me made it drop down a spot.
1. Octopath Traveler II ~ Acquire Corp & Square Enix
Finally, the number one game of the year from me is Octopath Traveler II. I said it before, and I will say it again; it is a masterclass RPG! If you are a fan of traditional turn-based RPGs with both new and old-school elements, this is a title that nobody should pass on! The adventure of the eight playable characters is absolutely fantastic with the story of certain ones permanently ingrained in my memory. You will come across various themes, many emotions, and so much more making this story my favorite of the year. All of the issues that I had with the first Octopath Traveler have been squashed, and the greatest thing about this game is you can go right into this one without playing the first. I even imported the physical soundtrack since the music is just about perfection. Feel free to check out my review here, but more importantly… PLAY THIS GAME!
Everyone has a list of their favorite adventures and games that they play, and that should be respected. I believe that everyone’s pick for Game Of The Year can be different, and that is okay. Some people might not have all the consoles and can’t play everything. Some people might hate RPGs, and that’s okay too. Everyone has their own feelings and favorites, which is terrific. If everyone liked the same game, there would be no variety and well clearly, there is plenty of variety to go around. Are there any games in 2023 that I missed or should explore? I have a growing number of titles from last year to play still, but would always love more suggestions!
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