Game of the Year 2023 | Aarsal’s Top 10

Hey everyone, Aarsal (SoulBlazerz) here and I don’t think I need to tell anyone just how crazy of a year 2023 has been. And while that goes for the numerous fantastic games we’ve had this year, it also goes for just how awful of a year it’s been for the gaming industry itself, with record layoffs and other problems.

I could talk on this for a while, but we’re here for games and so games is what we’ll get! Keep reading to see which ones I thought were able to stand out inside a remarkably stacked year.

Honorable Mentions

So before we fully dive in, there was a surprise even to me as I was making this list. My top 10 is completely missing smaller games. This of course doesn’t mean that there were no good indie or non AAA games this year, but instead that 2023 was so packed with great larger titles that I simply didn’t have room for them in my top 10. I’d feel remiss if I didn’t at least mention them and some other games though, so here’s a quick look of some of the games I played this year that I enjoyed, but didn’t quite make it to the top.

• Dredge
  • One of the best indies I played this year, Dredge is quick to pick up and is hard to let go. With an almost addictive gameplay loop of catch, sell, and catch more, the game’s Lovecraftian atmosphere and story kept me engaged to the very end.
• Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
  • From Team Ninja, the best thing about Wo Long was how “bite-sized” it was. You didn’t need to dedicate hours at a time and the small levels were focused and missing the bloat more open games often have. Couple that with good combat and bosses, and this game is an easy recommendation to anyone looking for a smaller but still impactful experience.
• My Time at Sandrock
  • I was a big fan of My Time at Portia, so it should come as no surprise that I also really enjoyed the next game in the series. Sandrock is both familiar and new in how it does things, but it has the exact same “homey” feeling that made playing Portia so easy.
• Monster Hunter Rise
  • This was the game that dominated most of my time earlier in the year. World (and Tri years back) made me a fan of the franchise, but Rise was when I truly played the series with a group. Fun, innovative, and always a great time, MHR is one of the best games released on Xbox this year.
• Halo Infinite
  • Considering how fantastic of a year 2023 has been for Halo Infinite, I really wanted to include it in my main list. But alas this year has also been fantastic for simply too many other games. That being said, with the addition of literally dozens of new maps, Firefight KOTH, The Bandit Evo and more, Halo Infinite is shaping up to become one of the best multiplayer experiences out there. Bring on year 3!

#10 Super Mario Bros. Wonder

While it may just barely be making my list of top ten games this year, Super Mario Bros. Wonder was a fantastic time and a great return to 2D Mario for older fans and newcomers alike. Full of creative level design, charming characters, and breathtaking artwork, Wonder constantly surprises and delights.

The issue, then, with the game is that it’s too inconsistent. There would be levels that provided a good level of challenge that I’d enjoy progressing through, and then there would be levels where I would hold the right thumbstick for a minute and it would end. This isn’t something I can fully blame on the game of course, as the nature of it being a children’s game means it has to have a path of completion for younger audiences, but it did make the experience a bit of a rollercoaster. This being said, I still recommend the game to anyone who’s been itching for a new 2D Mario that takes steps to make changes to the formula and that doesn’t overstay its welcome.

#9. Immortals of Aveum

Fantasy? Check. FPS? Check. A magic user fighting on the front line? Also check. Immortals of Aveum is a game that almost perfectly encompasses my ideal class fantasy, so it should come as no surprise that I liked it a fair bit more than most others. Sure the game isn’t perfect, and yeah it runs at a low resolution on consoles, but the mix of first-person shooting with the fantasy of slinging spells at enemies gives it a unique flavour that’s getting rarer and rarer in the industry.

In a time where every game demands your full attention for weeks, a single-player only, no MTX, sub 15-hour game was exactly what I needed to play between some of the bigger titles this year. If you’re a fan of the genre and don’t mind a pretty cheesy story, Immortals of Aveum is a fantastic game that’s been overlooked by too many, especially if you can pick it up on sale.

#8. Final Fantasy 16

I liked FFXV. I know, I know, and I also really liked the big Leviathan fight in FFXV. So when I realized that FFXVI was essentially that Leviathan fight transformed into a full-fledged game, I knew I was going to be in for a great time.

This game has had many complaints online, and most of them are true. The regular combat can feel too basic, too easy (the hardest difficutly should have been playable from the start), it’s sometimes more spectacle than substance, the story can be hit or miss, the character designs a little too bland, etc, etc. Yes, there are many valid complaints about this game. But I genuinely couldn’t bring myself to care about them at all as I was playing through some of the grandest set pieces I’d ever seen. The sheer scale of the Ikon battles in the game made the various flaws melt away, especially when they were bolstered by one of the best OSTs I’ve heard in a game.

Do you remember thinking how damn cool the summon cutscenes were in FFIX? Well, now we play those moments.

#7. God of War Ragnarok: Valhalla

I suppose one of the benefits to doing things last minute is that you get to add shadowdrops to your list! God of War Ragnarok made my list last year, even though I had some complaints about the game. But this latest DLC, Valhalla (which was released completely for free) was a very pleasant surprise.

Focused on developing Kratos as a character by exploring his past, Valhalla is a rogue-like DLC to the main game, meant to be played after the story. It mostly reuses assets we’ve already seen, sure, but it does so in a way that captured the charm and pull of some of the best roguelikes in the industry. I could talk about this a fair bit more, but the gist of it is that Valhalla was a fantastic experience and a great addition to Ragnarok, elevating the entire game by a considerable margin.

#6. Starfield

There’s something about BGS games. They always feel so… Cosy. Even when they take place in a post-nuclear war wasteland, or at the top of a snowy mountain, I always feel comfortable and (mostly) relaxed. Starfield was no different, and heck if anything the amount of love and care that went into the ambience, and the space related infrastructure (like the various doors etc) dialed up the cosiness even more.

Couple that with the best gunplay in a BGS game, a universe full of fun and touching stories to explore, and an intriguing plot that really made me want to know more, and it should be no surprise that I liked the game as much as I did.

#5. Tears of the Kingdom

Okay so this one is a little weird. This year I didn’t just play Tears of the Kingdom, I also finished BOTW for the first time. Only a few weeks before Totk released. I bring this up because Totk is very much a “Botw 2.0”, so to speak. It uses the same world (though altered, of course), the same combat system, the same cooking system, a similar crafting system, and more. But it of course also adds new things to the mix, such as a different take on the previous abilities, new areas to explore, and of course the much-acclaimed building system.

With the games being so similar in ways, the two have kind of merged together for me, with both of them having their strengths and weaknesses. I found the narrative and shrines to be stronger in Botw, for example, but the crafting system and new areas to explore in Totk give it a significant edge too. Overall it was a fantastic game and I wish I could place it higher on this list. But as a huge Zelda fan, the lack of focus on the temples/dungeons was a big disappointment. Hopefully the next game goes back to the roots of the franchise.

#4 Hi-Fi Rush

A genuine shadowdrop that started this year off with a bang, Hi-Fi Rush was exactly the game we all needed. Vibrant, full of life, and focused on being fun, it was refreshing to play something that wasn’t focused on being gritty, realistic, or dour. Hi-Fi reminded everyone that a game can just be a game but still be fantastic. With top tier visuals, great music choice, and sound design that was out of this world, Hi-Fi Rush is must play for anyone who enjoys action or adventure games.

#3. Dead Space

For years and years I was told “You need to play Dead Space! It’s one of the best games ever!” And for years and years I said “Hell no, it’s too scary.” Well, I wasn’t wrong. But neither was everyone else.

A remake of the 2008 game of the same name, Dead Space (2023) elevates what was already a top tier horror experience into something truly unforgettable. With a perfect mix of dread and action, Dead Space was able to simultaneously scare the living hell out of me while also providing some much needed stress relief as I tore enemies apart, literally.

As one of the best games released this year, it’s been almost criminally underrepresented in these lists, and with it being available on Game Pass, it’s absolutely a must-play experience, horror fan or not. Just watch out for some unconventional jump scares, like maybe a random water pipe bursting above you…

#2. Lies of P

I’ve played almost every “Soulslike” to release and it’s rare that I like them enough to even make it to the end. Lies of P was very much an exception, and for good reason. With an intriguing story, a fantastic setting, and some of the tightest combat in the genre, there’s a reason this game was liked by so many.

While it does slow down a little in the second third with repeated enemy types and narrow levels, by the end of the game it brings everything back together with some of the best boss fights in a “soulslike” game, a fitting conclusion to the story, and a NG+ with a lot of incentives.

But why is the game so far up on my list? Simple, when I finished Lies of P, my very next thought was to start up another playthrough. And in a time where I was swamped with so many games to play, this gave it an edge over most everything else, ranking wise.

#1. Alan Wake 2

If you told me a year ago that I’d not only play two horror centric games, but rate them this high, I’d have called you crazy. See, I didn’t do horror games. Movies, yeah sure, especially with a group, but games? Waaaay too personal and intimate, so the level of fear can get a little too high. This started to change little by little, and by the time I finished the Alan Wake remastered for the first time earlier this year, I knew I was fully on board with the sequel, horror or not.

See, Alan Wake sold me on Remedy’s writing, characters, and settings in a way that their previous games hadn’t. Control did get close with a great atmosphere and lore, but the gameplay was a little too repetitive. With all of this, I went in expecting a great game and man, Alan Wake II did not disappoint.

It’s a crazy game, one that I think few other studios could have made and few other publishers would have let them. While at times it can be light on the “gameplay” side, as combat isn’t super common at the start, the narrative, the performances, and especially the voice work by Matthew Porretta as the titular character all mix together to form an unforgettable experience. Remedy also finally found the perfect method to mix live action into their games, to the point where I stopped and watched a 15 minute film at a cinema in-game.

I could go on and on about Alan Wake II, but I’ve already written a mini-review of sorts. The gist of it is that the game is creative, scary, smart, bombastic, and a heck of a lot of fun throughout. If you’re a fan of Remedy or any of their games, then you owe it to yourself to try this latest release. Just, uh, watch out for some of the more unexpected jump scares…