Zack’s Personal Favorite Games from 2023
2023 was a surprisingly good year for me, but was it a good year for new releases? Let’s find out.
Honorable Mention #1 – The Making of Karateka
This was a weird one to place, because it’s more of an interactive documentary than a video game. Though there are several versions of Karateka within it, the meat of why you’re here is the wonderful story of Jordan Mechner. It was a shockingly in-depth study and history of one of my favorite game creators ever, and a beautiful step forward for preserving the medium of games.
Honorable Mention #2 (Or 2023’s 2022 Game of the Year) – Weird West
Every year I like to give a big shout out to a game from last year I didn’t get around until playing this year. The honor this time goes to the first game from Wolfeye Studios. It blends immersive sim game design with an isometric viewpoint, and ties it together with a compelling mystery storyline. I loved this universe and hope to see more stories in it.
#10 – Dust & Neon
I’m not into a great deal of roguelikes, but a cowboy robot does a lot of the work to get me interested. Dust & Neon isn’t going to knock your socks off, but its exciting boss battles kept me coming back for more.
#9 – Fort Solis
A very unique game that makes you take your time. The fastest you can explore is a walk, but that worked wonders to engross me into this Mars space station. I got to know its layout intimately, and there was a fun, creepy storyline to discover. The powerful lead performances really helped sell a wonderful cast.
#8 – This Way Madness Lies
I’ve never really been into magical girls or Shakespeare, but somehow the fusion of the two was music to my ears. This game is overflowing with charm, as is standard for Zeboyd Games, and all of the characters were a lot of fun. It also got me to learn about the bard, so that’s a nice plus!
#7 – Wanted: Dead
Did you like the games of the Xbox 360/PS3 era? Then don’t miss out on Wanted: Dead. It felt like a love letter to that particular era of video games, which is something I’ve been craving. It also gets weird as hell on more than one occasion, and what isn’t fun about that?
#6 – Sea of Stars
I’m not usually blown away by graphics, but Sea of Stars was beautiful on a whole other level. And while that’s what caught my eye initially, it was the combat that really got its hooks into me. I never tired of fighting at any point, and the accompanying exploration was nonstop fun. There was so much to do on the side, as well, and all of it was engaging.
#5 – Hogwarts Legacy
I despise open-world checklist games, or so I thought. While Hogwarts Legacy is filled with systems I don’t like such as randomized gear with useless stats or a boring skill tree, I was nonetheless drawn in. It felt like the books come to life, and as a big fan of those books, I couldn’t help but feel the magic. I hope to hop back in and clear up some remaining side activities. Gryffindor for life!
#4 – Dead Space
Dead Space is one of the best horror series, so I was nervous about a new team remaking the first entry. While it’s still crazy that Visceral’s corpse is barely cold, I can’t deny the quality of this effort. A lot of fixes happened here, whether it was improving zero-g gameplay or giving Isaac a voice. At many points, it felt like an entirely new experience. And that’s the power of a video game remake; it can easily blend the new with the old.
#3 – Alan Wake II
Thirteen years in the making, it’s almost surreal to be playing a sequel to Alan Wake. A lot of the gunplay wasn’t particularly good, in stark contrast to Remedy’s other games, but Alan Wake II is more than the sum of its parts. As a work of art in the video game medium, it is unlike anything I have ever experienced. It blends nearly every creative expression out there, which is appropriate for a video game about the power of fiction. A disappointing ending can’t ruin an otherwise unforgettable experience. Show me the champion of light.
#2 – Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew
Wow, talk about a rollercoaster. I only discovered Mimimi Games when I played Desperadoes III (which is one of the best stealth games I’ve ever played) earlier this year. So I was very excited for Shadow Gambit (also one of the best stealth games I’ve ever played), and it did not disappoint. While it’s a lot different than the developer’s earlier stealth games, it was no less exquisite. I played dozens of hours just experimenting with the different characters and their fun skill sets. It’s an absolute shame Mimimi is closing their doors, because I would’ve happily played another hundred games like this one. A sad rollercoaster ride.
#1 – Resident Evil 4
While some would argue working from a base as strong as the original Resident Evil 4 makes this remake’s quality a guarantee, I disagree. For a game I hold as beloved as RE4, I was ready to nitpick any and all differences. Yet, I was stunned at how they nailed each and every aspect. It’s different enough in interesting ways that it doesn’t replace the original, but stands proudly alongside it. Every single minute of this game is incredible, and I couldn’t put it down. New boss fights, reworked levels, and even tighter gunplay put me in a state of sheer bliss. The decision to focus more strongly on Leon and Ashley as characters recontextualizes a lot of the narrative for the better. It’s easily one of the best third-person shooters I’ve ever played.
I had such a great time this year by allowing myself to focus on older games instead of always chasing new releases. Even with that, I had an amazing time with the new releases I did chase. Every game on this list was a fun time. I know 2023 is one of the best years of releases ever for a lot of people, and I can’t really argue against that. It was a wonderful year for video games, though a terrible one for the industry itself. Let’s hope 2024 can be great for both.
