The best games of 2023… so far!
Bank accounts across the world, rejoice. 2023 has been a flurry of blockbuster game launches, but the rest of summer is looking mercifully quieter — meaning now is the time to catch up on all of the fantastic games that have already launched this year.
The peace and quiet won’t last long: the likes of Baldur’s Gate 3 and Starfield are already plotting to devour your free time later in the year, and you could spend a lifetime working through the phenomenal games that have launched in recent months. From long-awaited sequels to revisited classics and surprise hits, 2023 has already been an exceptional year for gaming — so join us in celebrating some of the best games we’ve spent the last few months immersed in.
Words: Andy Brown
Cassette Beasts
It’s hard to label Cassette Beasts, but that’s what made Bytten Studio’s indie gem so compelling. In this gorgeous 2D open-world game, players wandered the world clearing dungeons, building relationships, and catching monsters to wield in combat. Was it influenced by Pokémon? Persona? Zelda? Arthurian legends? Who can say: by the time Cassette Beasts had you in its clutches, you couldn’t think of anything else for a long time.
For fans of: Pokémon Emerald, The Legend Of Zelda: Link’s Awakening
Company Of Heroes 3
Company Of Heroes 3 was a generous triple-helping for real-time strategy (RTS) fans. Returning to World War 2, developer Relic offered an impressive two campaigns — a mission-based journey through Africa and Total War-style sandbox across Italy — along with the bombastic multiplayer battles the series is known for. A phenomenal step forward for the series, it’s no surprise it landed a five-star review at NME.
For fans of: Total War, Men Of War: Assault Squad 2
Dead Space
Whose idea was it to make Dead Space scarier? When this survival horror remake launched in January, EA subjected a whole new generation of gamers to the USG Ishimura’s terrifying atmosphere. A complete upgrade over the original, this year’s Dead Space brought improved gore, guns, and — most importantly — scares to a game that was spooky enough. Leave off!
For fans of: The Callisto Protocol, Alien: Isolation
Diablo 4
Announced in 2019, Diablo 4 proved to be worth the wait when it launched this summer. Whether you were a returning fan of Blizzard‘s isometric RPG series or this was your first time stepping into its gothic universe, Diablo 4 had so much to offer — though for all of its high-stakes story and scenery-chewing cinematics, its real draw was killing hordes of baddies and rifling through their pockets for sweet, sweet loot.
For fans of: Path Of Exile, V Rising
Final Fantasy 16
Final Fantasy 16 wore its Game Of Thrones inspirations on its sleeve: a rich medieval fantasy stuffed with intrigue, war, and the occasional hand getting lopped off. In tandem with its refined hack-and-slash swordplay, Earth-shaking Eikon battles, and all-around good boy Torgal, Square Enix managed to create one of the long-running series’ most memorable entries yet
For fans of: Devil May Cry 5, Xenoblade Chronicles 3
Fire Emblem Engage
33 years after the first Fire Emblem hit consoles, Intelligent Systems and Nintendo launched Fire Emblem Engage, proving there’s no end in sight for their long-running strategy series. Iconic characters from across the Fire Emblem universe returned en masse to save yet another world, and with three decades of history crammed into one show-stopping Switch title, the results spoke for themselves.
For fans of: Persona 5 Royal, XCOM
Hi-Fi Rush
Surprise! In January, Tango Gameworks unexpectedly launched Hi-Fi Rush: a rhythm-based action game where players bopped and bashed their way through a dystopian future to the tune of The Black Keys, Nine Inch Nails, and plenty more. Beats per minute took on a whole new meaning while fighting robots to The Prodigy, and Hi-Fi Rush‘s earworms lingered long after the game’s credits rolled.
For fans of: Jet Set Radio, Bayonetta 3
Octopath Traveler 2
If you jumped into Octopath Traveler 2 when it launched in February, there’s a good chance you’re still picking your way through the world of Solistia. This sprawling RPG brought refinements to the turn-based combat and eight-protagonist formula that first made Octopath a hit with fans, while a gorgeous lighting system made Octopath Traveler 2 one of the best-looking games on the Nintendo Switch.
For fans of: Final Fantasy 7 (1997), Triangle Strategy
Resident Evil 4
While horror fans were still recovering from Dead Space, Capcom brought back another nail-biting classic with its Resident Evil 4 remake. Set in a spooky European village (not that one), Resident Evil 4 took original horror himbo Leon Kennedy on a trip to rescue the U.S. President’s daughter from cultists. A perfect blend of scares and action-packed thrills, Capcom’s Resident Evil 4 remake was a shot of botox for one of gaming’s finest.
For fans of: The Evil Within, Dead Space
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Not content to rest on the laurels of 2019’s Fallen Order, Respawn Entertainment returned to a galaxy far, far away with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Picking up five years after Jedi Cal Kestis’ first adventure, Survivor offered a far darker glimpse of life under the Empire. Refined combat and a gripping story meant the force was strong with this sci-fi odyssey, even during the toughest of boss fights.
For fans of: Star Wars: Knights Of The Old Republic 2, Dark Souls 3
Street Fighter 6
Talk about a one-two punch: after a jaw-dropping reception to Resident Evil 4, Capcom returned in June to blow minds with Street Fighter 6. An all-out slugfest, Street Fighter 6 delivered a fantastic experience for hardcore fighting fans and fresh-faced newcomers alike. With slick fights, tons of customisation options and reams of style, Street Fighter 6 was a round-winning knockout.
For fans of: Tekken 7, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
Sunshine Shuffle
On all fronts, Sunshine Shuffle was a creative joy: a narrative poker game about bank heists and the horrors of capitalism, parcelled up with cutesy Animal Crossing-style graphics. Hilarious, gripping, and at times quietly devastating, Sunshine Shuffle burned through its four-hour runtime like a getaway driver with a foul-mouthed capybara in the passenger seat.
For fans of: Poker Night At The Inventory, Space Warlord Organ Trading Simulator
System Shock
In yet another victory for remakes, Nightdive Studios’ eight-year development cycle paid off with a phenomenal remake of 1994’s System Shock. With a new lease of life, this groundbreaking sci-fi game looked fantastic for a whole new audience, while the story of a rogue AI turned villain felt painfully prescient in 2023 — Elon Musk, take notes.
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom was a magical experience, and each minute passed in Hyrule was better than the last. This long-awaited Breath Of The Wild sequel exceeded its predecessor in every way, and reams of innovation cemented Link’s return as one of the greatest triumphs of Nintendo’s 133-year history.
For fans of: Minecraft, Elden Ring
Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun
A Doom-style shooter with charming retro graphics, Boltgun turned Warhammer 40K’s ultraviolence up to 11 by dropping players into the shoes of a hulking Space Marine. Relentlessly fast-paced, Boltgun was a gory blessing for anyone craving a good shooter this year, and proved that now more than ever, there’s never been a better time to be a Warhammer fan.
For fans of: Doom (2016), Metal: Hellsinger
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