 |
| By Insomniac Games - https://blog.playstation.com/2023/06/08/marvels-spider-man-2-arrives-only-on-ps5-october-20-collectors-digital-deluxe-editions-detailed/, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=73989403 |
I played so many video games in 2023 that I can actually write a top-10 list on my best games I played in 2023. Just a reminder, this is NOT my top-10 list on games released in 2023, but rather my top-10 games I played in 2023. Some of these games came out before 2023 (though most of these games are from 2023).
Like A Dragon: Ishin! is a Yakuza-series spinoff set in 19th century Japan. Ishin plays almost exactly like the mainline Yakuza games with its fantastical story and numerous and interesting side quests. The problem with this game is its staleness, because I have already played Yakuza games many times.
Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe is the remake of the original Kirby's Return to Dream Land for the Nintendo Wii back in 2011. This game is a comfortably fun and familiar experience of traditional Kirby gameplay. I also really enjoy the Merry Magoland feature where you can play many classic Kirby mini-games.
Okay, now on with the list:
10: Cassette Beasts (review)
Cassette Beasts was such a breath of fresh air after playing numerous Pokemon games with its tired gameplay mechanics, and Cassette Beasts' gameplay mechanics felt like that sorely-needed evolution to the monster-taming RPG genre. Add in a decent story and a kick-ass 80s aesthetic and you have a solid indie game that is absolutely worth playing.
9: Metroid Prime Remastered
I have not played much Metroid in my life, and my experience with playing the original Metroid Prime on the GameCube came from playing the demo on one of the TVs at Best Buy when I was a kid. Metroid Prime Remastered feels like one of the most faithful remakes ever made, and properly captures the unique spacey atmosphere of the original, with updated visuals of course. The only reason why this game is so low on my list is because I am not much of a fan of the "Metroidvania" genre of video games, but I am glad I played this one.
8: Psychonauts 2
The Psychonauts series (and particularly the first Psychonauts game) are the definition of "cult-classic" games. The first game was a commercial failure despite the game getting solid reviews. The second Psychonauts game improves on the first game considerably with its inventive and creative level design, excellent writing and dialogue, and an overall fun setting and atmosphere. Here is hoping for a Psychonauts 3 on the horizon.
7: Sea Of Stars (review)
Sea of Stars is the best modern interpretation of the 16-bit Super Nintendo RPG. There are many gameplay elements that Sea of Stars has borrowed from classic SNES RPGs that make this game feel comfortable to play. I also enjoy the 16-bit style visuals, while feeling familiar, have been beautifully updated for modern systems.
6: Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (review)
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 felt like they took some of the best parts from XC1 and XC2 to create one of the best JRPGs on the Nintendo Switch. There is an improvement from XC3 over XC2 in terms of its character writing, development, and overall likability. There are also continued quality-of-life improvements with menu management and tracking quests/tasks. XC3 still has that amazing soundtrack that shines during the story's more significant moments.
5: Spider-Man 2
I only finished playing the new Spider-Man 2 very recently, and my main thought coming out of playing this game is that Insomniac played it safe with this release. You still had the high-quality Spider-Man story (but now you can play as TWO Spider-Men), numerous side content, and even the combat felt a tiny bit improved from the last installment. I did not feel like the Spider-Man 2 was enough of an improvement from the last game, even though the game itself was great. I also had a number of glitches while playing this game that really negatively affected my experience with this game, but I will chalk this up to my game disc itself. I have not heard of anyone else having this same issue.
4: Final Fantasy XVI (review)
If I was basing this list strictly on visuals and cutscenes, then Final Fantasy XVI would take my top spot. FFXVI's action cutscenes are the best cutscenes you will ever see in a video game, and this is why I ranked FFXVI so high up on this list. There is also a strong story and lore in FFXVI, with solid character performances as well. The gameplay is not the greatest, with repetitive combat and boring side quests, but the positives more than make up for the negatives.
3: Super Mario Bros. Wonder (review)
Super Mario Bros. Wonder nails what I consider to be the pillars of 2D-platforming. SMBW has precise controls, an inventive level design, eye-catching visuals, and a memorable soundtrack. I will view SMBW as highly-regarded as classic Mario 2D-platformers such as Super Mario Bros 3 and Super Mario World.
2: God of War: Ragnarok (review)
God of War: Ragnarok is probably the best and most satisfying gaming experience I had this year. My entire playthrough felt perfectly lengthy (not too short but also not too long) with an excellent pacing of the story. Also, the side content felt like it was perfectly woven with the main story so I never felt like I was going out of my way to do something. Add in an solid narrative and outstanding character performances and you have probably the best PlayStation exclusive on the system.
1: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (review)
I placed Tears of the Kingdom in the top of my list because this game is the best example of perfecting what I consider to be the most important aspect of a video game, which is the gameplay. I did not think it was possible to significantly improve on a game like Breath of the Wild, but Tears of the Kingdom did just that. There is seemingly more of everything: exploration, storylines, quests, enemies, and abilities. Tears of the Kingdom was an absolute joy to play, and it is my number one game I played this year.
No comments:
Post a Comment