Summary
The gaming world never stops evolving, and with each new title that graces a genre, fans expect to see marked improvements over previous releases. 2022 was headlined by the likes ofElden RingandGod of War: Ragnarok, and gamers were rightfully skeptical about 2023’s ability to live up to the previous year’s lofty standards. However, 2023 has blown expectations out of the park, as developers have delivered hit after hit in what some call thebest year for gamingsinceGTA 5andThe Last of Usmade their debuts in 2013. In light of 2023’s exceptional performance, 2024 has an uphill climb to perform at an even remotely close level.
Hogwarts Legacy’s release in February really got the ball rolling for the 2023 gaming calendar, and since the title broke Steam sales records in short order, the year hasn’t looked back in terms of stellar fan reception. Although there were a few games that failed to live up to pre-release expectations, likeRedfallandForspoken, most have enjoyed success to some degree. Making a selection of the best-performing games in 2023 would be a tall order for gamers due to the quality of several options cutting across genres, fromFinal Fantasy 16’s touching protagonist taletoMarvel’s Spider-Man 2’s web-weaving dynamics. 2024 has some high-profile titles likeTekken 8already lined up, but the year has some big boots to fill after 2023’s expansive gaming experience.
MetaCritic Rating (out of 100)
96
94
93
92
91
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
90
It’s tough to definitively say which game has been the best in 2023, butThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomandBaldur’s Gate 3are neck and neck in scores.Tears of the Kingdomexpanded on the story of Link in his fight to rescue Princess Zelda, and the construction mechanics were a driving factor behind its popularity. Featuring creative freedom more associated with games likeMinecraftandValheim,Tears of the Kingdomsold an incredible 18.5 million copiesin two months, even outpacingElden Ring’s figures at the time.
Dungeons and Dragonsis often considered somewhat niche, even in its current popular state, butBaldur’s Gate 3’s adoption of theD&D5e rulesbroke barriers and appealed to a much wider audience than ever before. Much of its success can be attributed to an extensive run in Early Access, andBG3gave gamers room for specialization by featuring a staggering 46 subclasses. Given the popularity ofBG3andTears of the Kingdom, many expect the titles to rack up a few wins at The Game Awards 2023 in December.
Survival Horror and Fighting Games Appear at their Best
The survival horror scene has not been left out of the fray, and the remake of the classicResident Evil 4has rejuvenated the genre in the past few months.Alan Wake 2followed suit at the tail end of October, and the title has received tons of praise for its suspense and shock factor in the short time since its release. Additionally, the fighting genre has experienced a new lease of life throughStreet Fighter 6andMortal Kombat 1’s gruesome fatalities, although the Capcom series has enjoyed wider fanfare.Diablo 4andMarvel’s Spider-Man 2were some of the most highly anticipated titles coming into the year, and they delivered as well as fans thought they would.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder,Turbo Overkill,Metroid Prime Remastered, andSea of Starsround out the selection of 2023’s best games statistically. High-profilegames likeFinal Fantasy 16andHogwarts Legacyare notably missing from the premier selection, and that speaks to the quality on offer this year. 2023 will go down as one of the best years for gaming in history, and 2024’s calendar faces an uphill climb to surpass or even match the firepower with its titles.
