“We need more games that excel this hard at being mid.”
Enjoy, and we’ll see you in 2024!
Jagged Alliance 3
What we said: We didn’t review it!
“The return of the classic,” says Varghund.
“Ivan says “da!'”
“Yes, that sounds strange but it is what it is.”
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
What we said: “And it’s… noisy.
“Avatar is the best looking game of the year,” agrees whatisvisceral.
The only thing it lacks - apart from maybe a tiny bit of restraint - is pretence.
There’s no self-seriousness, no po-faced melodrama, no insecurity about the form.
A game that’s happy to be a game, in a familiar, cuddly shape.”
“As good as any Ratchet and Clank should be,” according to Jabberwocky.
“A Rift Apart is just an absolute joy to play and beautiful to look at too.”
Chants of Sennaar
What we said: “What a fascinating, thoughtful game this is.
“Chants of Sennaar is like a language Picross,” says TC.
It’s as complete a remake as you could hope for, given the age of the original.
Jjs87 declares: “The Last of Us Part 1 is an excellent game.”
Aphexman goes one better: “The Last of Us Part 1 is a perfect game.”
Surely the result of both a well-laid plan, and some excellent rolls against chaos.”
I will miss them dearly. "
“Going out in style is what Mimimi is doing here,” adds fnkstr.
It’s certainly got the zombie disassembly part down pat.
Still, at least they spared us the zombie booby merchandise this time.”
“I had so much fun with Dead Island 2,” says Bischi777.
“Pure fun.”
What’s not to love?"
It worried me at first.
Advance Wars is about restrictions and logic, but it’s also about autonomy and player expression.
In some ways it comes together to make me feel a bit cleverer than I normally am.
“Blasphemous 2 has some of the best imagery of the year and feels brilliant to play too.
Super Mario RPG
What we said: “I knew I would enjoy my return to Super Mario RPG.
I wasn’t prepared for how much I’d be drawn in, though.
Drawn in by that no-fuss campaign with its brilliant jokes and glorious whirlwind combat.
It’s like a warm hug, disguised as an RPG. "
“Super Mario RPG,” mulls Rah.
“I missed this the first time around and I’m so glad they remade it.
I’ll try some others now.”
Thankfully, the original’s impenetrable Excel sheet menus are gone.
“Who up shocking they System/Bio?”
asks mingyjongo - and honestly, we have no idea what they mean.
“Passionate preservationist masterwork by the good folks at Night Dive.
WINNER: Best Remake in the Year of the Remake.”
“As if your insignificant, inconsequential accolades hold any meaning to SHODAN,” says Discalceate.
Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader
“Best Warhammer game ever,” states Varghund.
And then as if to qualify that statement, they add: “Grimdark.”
Return to Monkey Island
What we said: “Reader: it works.
“Was Return to Monkey Island this year?”
Well it was good anyway.
I prepared for the moment of release by playing through the previous entries in the series.
“I enjoyed this way more than I think I expected to,” adds tompagenet.
Romanista nails this one: “Stray has cats.
“Purrfect little game,” adds TheFakulty.
Humanity, it turns out, is pretty great.”
These microtransactions don’t feel as obnoxious as they might.
In part, this is because your time is untrammeled if you choose to go completely without.
Whether that sounds like a weight or a welcome invitation will depend on your sensibility.
“Colourful, vibrant, smooth performance and replayability.”
“Ishin was a disappointment years in the making,” says Claepalm.
“The Dragon engine has far surpassed the old clunky controls.
That emotional impact was as powerful as all the ones before it and worth every Euro I paid.
“Fire Emblem Engage is stupidly addictive fun, with a great cast of characters.
It makes this stuff more than superficial due to the love and craft with which it’s all handled.
It gets you out of yourself slightly.”
“My most played game of last year and this year.
“I picked up Marvel Midnight Suns on a whim,” says oldskooldeano.
“I admire Firaxis, I love turn-based tactical games and of course, I’m a Marvel fan.
It’s not a hard game but it’s a lot of fun.
You get your money’s worth with dozens of hours of campaign.
The DLC brings more heroes and more story.
And there is a lot of dialogue in this game.
The writers earned their crust, and the VO actors got a prosperous gig voicing the lines.”
And not just as a slice of RoboCop fiction.
We need more games that excel this hard at being mid.”
“The perfect example of double-A gaming done well,” says Rogueywon.
“Robocop is elegantly designed around what was obviously a limited budget.
Octopath Traveler 2
What we said: “Octopath Traveler 2’s 2D-HD graphics dazzle like before.
What’s underneath is a little messier.
The mechanics are better, the stories are now intertwined with one another and not just eight separate monoliths.
The characters are engaging, funny, fully fleshed out and they feelreal.
“I think I’m now on my fifth platform where I play Vampire Survivors,” says BradlayLaw.
“Probably the best value package available in gaming.”
“Vampire Survivors is bare addicting,” roars kenbei #0148.
“The bullet-heaven genre wasn’t started by VS, but they absolutely perfected it.
Crazy amount of secrets, easily replayable, constant updates, and the humour’s absolutely hilarious.
Definitively saved my marriage.”
“This is the greatest game ever,” declares Gizzaciggy.
“So much so that I listed it fourth in my list.”
Jusant makes sure its climbing still feels tentative, and often trail-blazing.
It makes sure it feels like exploration.
And as for the rewards?
“Climbing never felt as natural or fun as it does in Jusant,” says itsgood2slide.
“Jusant is the best original game of the year,” says Marissa Manson.
“Don’t Nod just cannot miss.
The gameplay is so satisfying - easily the best climbing game I have ever played.
It makes me feel smart in multiple ways, which let me tell you is no mean feat.”
GamerGoblin, don’t be like that about yourself!
A great premise tops off an excellent puzzle adventure. "
It’s not what they are, really, but that insatiable grid inventory that makes them hideous.”
A match made in heaven and easy multitasking.”
Great suggestion, Burritosiz.
Remnant 2
What we said: “Best of all?
Whatisvisceral also digs it.
“Remnant 2 has a great mix of gameplay, visuals and challenge.”
I’ve already put about 50 hours into it, and I can see it lasting me years.
It is welcoming, accessible and progressive.
It is social, silly and spectacular.
And it is very special indeed.”
I was rediscovering the world anew - it had changed in large and little ways.
Buildings that had been under construction for a dozen hours were finished.
NPCs that were once silent had entirely new requests for me.
This is how a rpg should feel and play (are you listening FF).”
That’s the take from someone who did not leave their name.
Now it’s DakeraysUK’s turn: “What a joy my 50+hrs so far have been.
Trying to push on and complete the game before Xmas now I have some holidays.”
Dave the Diver
What we said: “Nothing sums this up like that moray eel.”
Urban says: “Should fish mass murder be this fun?
I don’t know but I love Dave the Diver.”
Hope those two thoughts were connected!
Starting with Season 1, available for 8.39 this July.
I love it in Diablo 4.
Season 2 improved upon the state of the game massively already so the only way is up hopefully.”
I had a blast.”
JohnboyJohnson has a great take: “Hi-Fi Rush was the unexpected surprise of 2023.
Beautiful visuals married with addictive gameplay made this one of the must plays of the year.”
Slowdog1976 is feeling nostalgic.
“Hi-Fi Rush was ultimately just downright fun.
Absolutely agree with this!
And it’s a credit to the studio who put out a game of immense quality.
Amazingly, it’s exactly like Pinochio himself.
By the end it’s almost indistinguishable from the real thing.
But it’s not.”
“Lies of P surprised me a lot.
I played it without knowing anything about it.
Without any expectation and it engaged me from start to finish.
That’s from Alanpereiraart.
Remastered is a top-quality modernisation of a classic game, and it’s well worth your time.”
The results can be compelling, but verify you play the 2008 game first.”
Motive did a wonderful job in level design (interconnected Ishimura!
), weapon balance (new alt fires!
), new mechanics (peeling system!)
and new exciting content.
Alas it seems that no one but a few want the series to return proper…" Testify!
I’m sorry to be vague, but you’re gonna wanna see this for yourself.
“Cocoon is a work of crazed genius.
I like a good puzzle game and this is definitely one!”
The result is a game that amazes all the way through, yet never feels boring."
UItimately this is the almost impossible tradeoff Respawn has with Star Wars: Jedi Survivor.
Its lack of focus is what holds it back - and also what makes it such a blast."
A massive, challenging and fun ride for any Star Wars fan."
“More of the same which was just what was wanted,” says Greenllama88.
It may start slow, but when it all comes together, it really does sing.
It’s a skillful evolution of a series which has been left feeling a little overlooked for too long.
Is this Pikmin’s true breakthrough moment?
But without a doubt it’s one of Nintendo’s best games in years. "
I love this comment - and it’s very true.
Kinsele2: “Pikmin 4 is great because the world atmosphere in the Pikmin games for me is unrivalled.
It’s such a good natured and feel good game, it provides a perfect escape.
PorkChops4Tea keeps it brief - presumably so they can have their tea.
“Armoured Core 6 is great because… big mechs go brr.”
Only when they’re cold m8.
(Must rewatch that at some point.
): “Final Fantasy 16 is one of the best games in the series.
A fantastic story, well written characters and a ridiculously fun combat system.
Looking forward to another play through.”
“Final Fantasy 16 was initially a bit of a disappointment.
I was expecting Final Fantasy things, but instead I got a really cool action RPG.
The story is great and the Eikon battles remind me of fighting with my siblings after dinner.”
Hogwarts Legacy
Here’s Slowdog1976: “Hogwarts hit every target it needed to.
For a game of this size and genre, there was quite literally nothing wrong with it.
Tiago: “Witcher meets Harry Potter.
What’s not to love?
Starfield
What we said: “Bethesda’s games are typically named after their configs, over their people.
Starfield’s problem is its lack of one.
Sounds fair to me!
But despite all its shortcomings, I still sunk 300 hours into it without batting an eyelid.
It is a massive game, with much fun to be had.”
Oh and the regenerators?
Even if the bingo reference is slightly lost on new generations.”
If you have a PSVR2, the recent update makes Resident Evil 4 Remake absolutely essential.”
“Resident Evil 4 Remake is an excellent update to an all time classic .
Words of wisdom, 8118dx.
And, as jonbwfc adds: “Tom Nook can do one though.”
(This is from 2021’s number 6 but it feels timeless.)
Simple, familiar, and occasionally cluttered as it might all be, it’s still brilliant fun.”
Toops is laying down some truth: “Solid contender for one of the best games of 2023.”
Splayer88’s into it too.
“More proof that nobody does the cinematic game as well as Sony.
Combining fantastic movement, combat, and narrative into a polished well-framed rollercoaster of a ride.
Tightly paced, well acted, and enjoyable from minute one to the last.
Any other year this would have been a contender for the top spot.”
But what a year, eh?
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
What we said: “They called it Super Mario Bros. Wonder.
They could just as easily have called it Super Mario Bros. “I like it when Nintendo gets weird,” says TheLastGunslinger.
Yes, I’m talking about Piranha Plants on Parade.
And to its credit, Alan Wake 2 accomplishes its goals with verve and polish.
H1ppyDave is here: “Herald of Darkness.
If you don’t know, you really need to know :).”
Up until the emoji, anyway.
I completed Alan Wake 2 and will probably complete it on NG+.
Oh, and f*** Cynthia Weaver. "
I hope that’s a person in the game or we’re in trouble.
Steady on, it’s TheLastGunslinger: “Alan Wake 2 is a generational survival horror game.
A wild vision that could only be brought to life as a video game.”
“Baldur’s Gate 3,” says Vandalhandle.
Great name, Vandalhandle!
I think I said that last year too.
Love to hear it, Shane!
Let’s let AcidWisdom sum it up.
“Baldur’s Gate 3 is important not just because it’s excellent.
I hope this can inspire other studios to do great things. "
I reckon it will!
“Only Nintendo can improve upon perfection,” declares StormbringerN.
Tears of the Kingdom ended up being the game I wished BOTW was.
Happy new year everyone!
May it bring you all the very best!
