The Best Video Games of 2023
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With how great a year 2022 was for gaming, it's insane that 2023 might just be the medium's best year of all time. Just a little under a year ago, we were still raving about Elden Ring and God of War: Ragnarok. This year, Nintendo said move over. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom was the Breath of the Wild sequel everyone dreamed of and more. Xbox's Starfield let players experience the feeling of actually being in space, and we all lost countless hours of sleep in Diablo IV.
2023 didn't stop there. We saw another amazing sequel in Spider-Man 2, a new 2-D Mario game that made us feel like kids again, and multiple frog-based games such as Time on Frog Island, Shoulders of Giants, and A Frog's Tale. (If you let me play as a frog, our money is yours.) We also finished the year with two massive hits: Baldur's Gate 3 and Alan Wake II. But now that we've finished awarding our favorite games in the 2023 Esquire Gaming Awards, we've devoted some more precious screen time to clue you in on all of our most beloved titles of the year. Enjoy, gamers.—Josh Rosenberg
Alan Wake II
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC
Esquire's Game of the Year and a mind-bending horror experience, Alan Wake II took everything that made the original cult survival game great—and upped the ante for next-generation consoles. Alan Wake II follows two detectives as they attempt to solve ritualistic murders surrounding a dream-like dimension known as The Dark Place. It's almost a playing a Steven King novel.—J.R.
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Spider-Man 2
Platforms: PlayStation 5
Forget how awesome it feels to swing around the city as Spider-Man for a second: What's most impressive about Spider-Man 2 is how much of the comic book hero's history is packed into one game. Insomniac's sequel tells the best Spider-Man story we've seen in years. OK, now we can acknowledge that the swinging also feels great.—J.R.
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Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC
It's safe to assume that a lot gamers didn't pick up Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon simply because of its complex title alone. But the custom-robot action title from the makers of Elden Ring is one of the fastest-paced and heart-attack-inducing games of the year. The boss fights are just as challenging as you'd want them to be, and the level of customization is vast, making it a blast to try out every combination.—J.R.
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Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Nintendo threw a thousand strands of spaghetti at a wall for Super Mario Bros. Wonder and every little noodle stuck. Mario can become an elephant, the environment changes and moves around you, and the new art style perfectly complements this post-Mario Movie wave for Nintendo.—J.R.
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Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
It's been unbelievable to watch Cyberpunk 2077 go from unplayable at launch to a celebrated sci-fi title just three years later. Now with Idris Elba on the cover for the Phantom Liberty expansion, Cyberpunk 2077 not only finally works, but it's loaded with even more content than before.—J.R.
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Hellboy: Web of Wyrd
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC
Though some gamers left Hellboy: Web of Wyrd wanting more for the comic-book hero, fans of the series have enjoyed the art style's transition to a playable action rogue-like video game. Web of Wyrd also features the late Lance Reddick as Hellboy in one of his final voice acting roles.—J.R.
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Baldur's Gate 3
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC
A love letter to Dungeons & Dragons gameplay, Baldur's Gate 3 is the kind of game that proves that taking the time to make something you're proud of is worth the wait. Not only did it add turn-based combat to make gameplay more like the beloved table-top experience, but the roleplaying elements and flexible quest system has left players with hundreds of hours of enjoyable content.—J.R.
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Bomb Rush Cyber Funk
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
Fans of the cult-classic rollerskating game Jet Set Radio will find a world of nostalgia in Bob Rush Cyberfunk. The new title's similar art style and gameplay draws heavily from that era of 2000s SEGA titles, especially since its another fast-paced graffiti gang skater.—J.R.
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Like a Dragon: Ishin!
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
A remake of the Yakuza spinoff, Ryū ga Gotoku Ishin!, the Japan-only samurai action game was originally a launch title for the PlayStation 4 back in 2014. Like a Dragon: Ishin!, the official 2023 remake for a worldwide release, also comes with heavily improved graphics, enhanced combat, and two new songs for the karaoke mini-game.—J.R.
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Cocoon
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PC
One of the best puzzle-based games of the year, Cocoon features a beetle protagonist on an alien world who discovers a mysterious orb. Within that orb exists another world, and the game allows the player to hop in and out of the orb's world to complete various puzzles. Think Inception but with a Hollow Knight-esque art style. Plus, the whole thing can be completed in just around 3-4 hours.—J.R.
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Forza Motorsport
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S
Technically the thirteenth entry in the Motorsport franchise, Forza Motorsport is being treated as a next-gen racing reboot to rival Sony's long-heralded Gran Turismo series. By comparison, both games run exceptionally well. Still, there's something about Forza's realistic ray-tracing and the feeling of weight the game is able to capture for its cars that makes Forza a worthy racing competitor.—J.R.
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Starfield
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC
Hyped as Skyrim in outer space, Starfield is Bethesda's long-awaited "space game." You can be a bounty hunter, a cargo hauler, a starship dogfighter, a planetary explorer, or truly anything else you set your mind to in this world. I chose to be an old man who smuggles goods for a criminal faction named The Crimson Fleet. I even bought a cool house to store all my stolen goods! Whatever life you want to lead in Starfield, it's up to you. Thank you, Todd Howard.—J.R.
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Chants of Sennaar
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, Playstation 5
With the goal of ascending a large tower, the only way to advance in Chants of Sennaar is for players to speak with the locals and learn their language. Every new alphabet and symbol you receive is kept in your character's notebook, and deciphering the languages through context clues and interactive story elements is your key to the next floor. Outside of actual language-learning apps such as Duolingo, it's the most fun I've ever had with a puzzle-solving language game.—J.R.
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Citizen Sleeper: Purge
Platforms: PC, Nintendo Switch, XBox Series X|S, Playstation 5
One of the most inventive text-driven role-playing games since Disco Elysium, last year's amazing Citizen Sleeper brought me back with a stellar round of free DLC content, ending with March 2023's Purge. Where the initial game saw my character searching for an escape plan from a Blade Runner-esque starship, Purge turned the tables and forced me to fight for the friends I (selfishly) left behind.—J.R.
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Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: The Teal Mask
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
The Teal Mask DLC may not improve Pokémon Scarlet and Violet's various technical issues, but it does add an insane number of returning Pokémon to the latest entry in the celebrated Nintendo franchise. There's also a new half-matcha half-ghost Pokémon named Poltchageist. What's not to love?—J.R.
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Pikmin 4
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Though Pikmin 4 is not the most challenging entry in the franchise, it's certainly the best the game has ever looked. Pikmin 4 was clearly designed as a jumping-on point for a new generation of players, but I'm not knocking it! There are a bunch of late-game challenges for dedicated Pikmin masters. Plus, I'll never get tired of launching those cute little guys.—J.R.
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We Love Katamari REROLL + Royal Reverie
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
To me, Nothing is more nostalgic in the world of video games than Katamari. We Love Katamari may have debuted back in 2005, but this remastered version for the Nintendo Switch comes with updated graphics and five brand-new challenges dubbed the "Royal Reverie." If you're as romantic for rolling around a big katamari as I am, this is the throwback for you too.—J.R.
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Pokemon Sleep
Platform: Mobile
Half sleep tracker and half Pokémon collector, Pokémon Sleep follows Pokémon Go as the new thing I obsess over—and ultimately pick up—when I probably shouldn't be playing video games. Still, Pokémon Sleep demands very little of your time. It may even help fix those all-night gaming habits.—J.R.
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Street Fighter 6
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Playstation 5, Xbox Series S|X, PC
Is this finally the modern-gen Street Fighter game we’ve been waiting for? Looks like…yes! At last, we have a brand-new Capcom fighter that boasts the style and thrill of classic Street Fighter titles—but without all the annoying microtransaction/DLC stuff of past entries. (I’m looking at you, Street Fighter 5.) That’s not to say there isn't a lot of content to look forward to with this one. Capcom is already rolling out new fighters, and we’re here for it. Haidouken!—Dom Nero
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Homebody
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Playstation 5, PC, Xbox Series S|X, Nintendo Switch
This indie horror game has flown a little under the radar since it dropped in June, but we absolutely love it. Think of it as the Skinamarink of horror games (if you’re familiar with that delightfully demented lo-fi film from earlier this year). It’s a throwback to the PS1-era graphics, with a legitimately haunting setup that calls to mind all the nightmares of your childhood… if you were, like me, a scaredy cat who played PS1 games as a kid.—D.N.
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Final Fantasy XVI
Platform: PlayStation 5
Final Fantasy... but make it Game of Thrones! is surely what the minds at Square Enix when they were planning Final Fantasy XVI. In the wrong hands, the franchise's newest direction would've flopped. Thankfully, Final Fantasy XVI is a blast—and absolutely up there with its 15 (!) predecessors.—Brady Langmann
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Diablo IV
Platforms: Xbox Series X/S, Playstation 4, Playstation 5, PC
Diablo IV's success had so going much against it, that Esquire published a nearly 4,000-word story about the making of the game. Rest assured, it seems like Blizzard is finally moving in the right direction. And, yes, Diablo IV is as delightfully hellish as we hoped it would be—and a bonafide hit.—B.L.
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The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Platform: Nintendo Switch
It’s here. The vastest, most mind-boggling approach to a Zelda game has finally emerged. You can… fly? Rewind time? Attach mushrooms to your sword? Nintendo has officially out-weirded itself and brought its trademark zaniness to a whole new level. Tears of the Kingdom has changed the way we think about Zelda forever. Read Esquire's review here.—D.N.
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Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Playstation 5, PC, Xbox Series S|X
Hope survives! Well, kind of. The Jedi order may be utterly annihilated. But Cal Kestis and his crew of scrappy space rebels is very much still fighting the good fight. Survivor refines the Fallen Order setup and improves upon nearly every aspect of the first game—finally creating the laser swordfighting experience of our dreams. But like… Cal is gonna die, right? How much longer can EA make these games?—D.N.
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Dredge
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Playstation 5, PC, Xbox Series S|X, Nintendo Switch
Finally. An eldritch terror fishing game that feels like Animal Crossing meets The Lighthouse. Who knew this was everything we ever wanted? Dredge is legitimately one of the most unsettling video games in recent memory. You’d never expect a fishing sim to plummet to these depths (pun intended) and Dredge is very aware of that. By subverting a commonly peaceful and comforting gaming experience, the terror feels all the more jolting. I may never swim in the ocean again.—D.N.
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Laya’s Horizon
Flying! On your phone! Remember those exhilarating flight sequences from Skyward Sword? The developers of beloved mobile title Alto’s Odyssey (you should give that one a shot too), have returned, this time courtesy of Netflix Games. Laya's Horizon is a gorgeous and immersive third-person flying experience that feels very much in line with the colorful, ancient world of Skyward Sword. It’s as close to perfect as a mobile game gets. And it’s free to play with a Netflix subscription!—D.N.
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Resident Evil 4 Remake
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Playstation 5, PC, Xbox Series S|X
The original Resident Evil 4 was already pretty magnificent. How do you remake something that still holds up so well? Refine, refine, refine. Capcom really cleaned up the experience of Resident Evil 4 and delivered an all-timer in the horror genre with this remake. The controls are tighter, traversal is loose, and the whole experience feels modern. At last! Leon Kennedy, current gen!—D.N.
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Tchia
Platforms: PlayStation 4, Playstation 5, PC, Xbox Series S|X
We didn’t set out to make a list that was so Zelda-centric. But somehow, 2023 has become a year of Zelda tributes (and sequels). Tchia wears its Breath of the Wild influence proudly. You can go anywhere. Climb anything. Glide through the sky. And… turn into rodents? This game, which is based in the lush region of New Caledonia, is an expression of joy. Indebted to Zelda or not, it’s one of the most brilliantly transporting experiences you can have on a gaming console in 2023.—D.N.
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Dead Space
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Steam
Remakes and remasters, baby! They’re the hottest trend in gaming right now. If you want to see your favorite 2000s-era video games restored in glorious 4k resolution, look no further than this gory space thriller from EA. This is not just one of those remakes where the game got a facelift, though–this return to the USG Kellion has been restored from top to bottom. Boy, does it look good. (And fucking gross.)—D.N.
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Fire Emblem: Engage
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Fire Emblem games have made for some of the best tactical role-playing experiences since the franchise’s debut in the early '90s. The last entry, Three Houses, may be the game I’ve put the most hours into in my lifetime since raising little Chao in Sonic Adventure 2: Battle as a kid. Engage brings back classic battle mechanics and endearing ways to build support with you fellow warriors, making for another satisfying strategy game. There’s also a “maddening” difficulty for those willing to spend just a couple more hours navigating upgrade menus than I did.—J.R.
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Hi-Fi Rush
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC, Steam
What if Baby Driver was a video game? And what if that video game looked like a Scott Pilgrim comic book? Hi-Fi Rush hits so many nostalgia checkboxes that I feel like growing out emo bangs and loading up my iPod Nano again. It’s a beat-em-up-meets-rhythm-game in the most satisfying way, and it’s hard to imagine we’ll get to the end of 2023 without this one being close to the top of my final games of the year list.—D.N.
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Metroid Prime Remastered
Plattform: Nintendo Switch
They finally did it. After years of rumors and leaks, Nintendo finally dropped this glorious throwback to the legendary 3D shooter/platformer from the GameCube days, Prime. And. It. Rocks. Stepping into Samus’s shiny boots once more, the Switch finally has a 3D Metroid title to pair with its fantastic 2D side scroller, Metroid Dread, which released in 2021. Let’s hope they continue to drop Metroid games–at this rate, we could get Metroid Prime 4 before the Switch’s run over.—D.N.
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Shoulders of Giants
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PC, Steam
So, in Shoulders of Giants, you play as a Frog. Who sits on top of a robot. The robot has a big-ass sword. And the frog has a laser gun. When you switch from the frog to the robot, the perspective shifts from an over-the-shoulder shooter to a big, wide-open hack and slasher. Playing this game for the first time, you wonder how this setup hasn’t happened before. It’s one of those novel concepts that feels somehow both brilliant and simple at once. My only complaint? The frog and the robot are both such good friends of mine, it’s impossible to decide who I like better.—D.N.
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Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe
Platform: Nintendo Switch
There should be a new (or in this case, old) Kirby game released every year. It’s like that saying from Twin Peaks. “Every day, once a day, give yourself a present.” Kirby is a gift to humankind and we all deserve a little Kirby in our lives. This game originally premiered on the Nintendo Wii, so it’s high time it got another run. And it feels right at home on the Switch. Which reminds me: I gotta play some more Kirby and the Forgotten Land soon. Maybe that’s my present for today.—D.N.
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Blanc
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC, Steam
Some games take weeks, maybe even months to complete. Blanc takes just a few hours, and it also looks amazing. The hand-drawn indie cooperative adventure about a small fawn and a wolf cub trying to find their way through the wilderness is simple, nice to look at, and certainly nothing you’ve ever seen in video games before. While Blanc may not be the most challenging, the journey is certainly worth the short time it takes to complete—especially if you’ve got a buddy to play along with you.—J.R.
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Pizza Tower
Platform: PC
At last, we’ve crossed the threshold–developers are making video games inspired by Wario Land. NOT Mario. Wario. That’s right. Pizza Tower is a disturbing and high-voltage ode to the Wario titles of old (specifically the Game Boy Advanced era) and it sure does feel like a welcome return. Just one note: needs more garlic.—D.N.
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Age of Empires II: Definitive Edition
Platform: PC
Why did it take me this long to get back into Age of Empires? For one, I don’t have a proper PC setup, and downloading Steam on my work laptop always seemed dubious. But also—crucify me for this, if you’d like—I much prefer consoles. Sitting on my couch and playing on my TV is the only way I really care to game. Even though gathering resources, not to mention structuring a siege, is 1000 times more convoluted without a mouse and keyboard, this is what I want. This release and the scheduled console release of Age of Empires IV later this year are meant for me and the armies of console gamers I stand alongside.—Luke Gillory
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Sea of Stars
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, PC, macOS, Steam
Chrono Trigger made a huge impact when it debuted in 1995. Almost 30 years later, we’re still seeing why. Sea of Stars is a heartfelt send-up to the Square JRPG and, like many games of the genre, wears its inspiration on its sleeve. The distinction here, though, is that Sea of Stars is fucking beautiful. The 2D pixel art is absolutely gorgeous, making for some of the most striking imagery we’ve seen in the genre in years.—D.N.
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Season: A Letter to the Future
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC, Steam
This indie title from Scavenger Studio is a tragic and resonant tale of a world coming to an end, told through the eyes, and photo lens, of a young woman on her bicycle. Its art style looks like something between a watercolor painting and Into the Spider-Verse—with a hint of The Last of Us’s emphasis on the grandeur of a natural world reclaiming the Earth. We’re very much here for it.—D.N.
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Horizon Call of the Mountain
Platform: PlayStation VR2
You have to treat Horizon Call of the Mountain like a screening of an Avatar flick. You're not going to get the best story! You might hate the main character after 10 minutes! But damn, it's gonna look good. Like, so good that you may drool and/or mutter wow over and over again like you're Owen Wilson in need of a battery replacement. So yes, the much-hyped PlayStation VR2 delivered a winner on launch day. Now, can we have more games? Please?—B.L.
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Forspoken
Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC, Steam
Although it was initially met with a bit of derision from critics and players, Forspoken deserves some praise for just how ambitious the developers at Square Enix were with the size and scale of this world. Since everything in pop culture these days is so, so IP-driven, we don’t often get completely new franchises. Even when we do, they end up being overlooked because they don’t feature Luke Skywalker or Tony Stark in them. Sure, it’s not a perfect game, but I respect the merits of Forspoken. But the combat…it does get seriously fun.—D.N.
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