In closing out 2023, that momentous phrase we’ve all heard a thousand times has almost grow to be a cliche. “It’s been an incredible 12 months for gaming.” I don’t understand how again and again I’ve uttered it in reverence to the jam-packed 12 months filled to the gills with 9s and 10s.
This 12 months has truly felt just like the phoenix rising from the ashes of the COVID years, and let me inform you, gaming is back.
From top to bottom, 2023 has been overindulgent. Delectable indies have taken us to the underside of the ocean, flown us to strange planets with dark hallways full of lethal monsters, and sprung us between worlds inside worlds. Scrumptious motion adventures have given us high-octane mecha fights, magical broom rides through wisping trees, and worlds amongst the celebs explored with blasters and blade. All this, and I’ve not even hinted at PC Invasion’s 2023 Game of the Yr, runner-ups, and honorable mentions.
PC Invasion’s 2023 Game of the Yr winner: Baldur’s Gate 3
What a surprise Baldur’s Gate 3 was! I expected Tears of the Kingdom or Starfield to brush the competition when it got here to 2023 game awards, but, like the most effective Rogue construct, Baldur’s Gate 3 snuck up and stole our hearts.
What may be said about Baldur’s Gate 3 that hasn’t been said already? The characters, the in-and-out-of-combat mechanics, the alternatives, the principal and side quests, the race and construct customization, the multiplayer, the lore, the bosses — every little thing about Baldur’s Gate 3 is phenomenal.
My favorite part about Baldur’s Gate 3 is the player-lead narratives and silly shenanigans you may stand up to with a bunch of friends. Just the opposite day, my little Bard Halfing was snuggling as much as my friend’s Owlbear-form Druid Elf on a stone bed when my Rogue Elf friend decided to show off the candles to set the mood while my Paladin Tiefling friend warned him that the candles were outlined in red. Well, Balthazar didn’t like that; he began a fight, one which we won. As a bunch, we decided not to avoid wasting scum that back since the narrative we created was too sensible. Moments like these repeatedly flood the web and certain will for years to return — the communal longevity of Baldur’s Gate 3 speaks volumes about its excellence.
PC Invasion’s GOTY 2023 runner-ups
Though Baldur’s Gate 3 won PC Invasion’s Game of the Yr 2023, there have been a number of notable runner-ups value shouting out. In second place is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, in third place is Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and in a tie for fourth place is Alan Wake 2 and Super Mario Wonder.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is deserving of second place and in a less competitive 12 months, it could’ve taken first place. The identical may be said for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Alan Wake 2, and Super Mario Wonder. Truthfully, I’m just comfortable to have so many great games to have played and to stay up for playing through the slower weeks of 2024.
PC Invasion’s 2023 honorable mentions
Before we roll credits on 2023, a handful of PC Invaders want to offer a special shout-out to a number of games they hold near and dear. 2023 was such a unbelievable 12 months that the runner-up and honorable mentions lists don’t encapsulate all of the games we loved, but these are ones that you just shouldn’t miss.
| PC Invasion Author/Contributer | Game | Praise |
|---|---|---|
| Raza Malik | Dead Space | “From start to complete the sport doesn’t quit. As soon as you descend on the long-lasting Ishimura, the ride begins, and it only gets worse (in a great way). The narrative is one other highlight. Being a component of Isaac Clarke’s struggle makes you are feeling connected to the protagonist. Even when you have got played the unique, diving back into the horrific world of Dead Space with greater than a facelift is value it. Speaking of facelifts, the remake looks amazing on the brand new hardware. The darkness of the anxiety-riddled world feels alive and rather more immersive which helped pull me. Overall, the Dead Space remake is worthy of your time because it’s the complete package: An amazing and expansive story with horrors that pulls every little thing together.” |
| Alex Garcia | Final Fantasy 16 | “For a 12 months in gaming that was jam-packed with IPs latest and old, Final Fantasy 16 appears to be a part of one franchise that keeps forging ahead almost 40 years later. The theme of writing your personal destiny sticks with me even after I accomplished the sport over six months ago, and might be something that sticks with me for some time. I enjoyed the motion shift in gameplay and the outstanding performances from actors akin to Ben Starr, Ralph Ineson, Nina Yndis, and so many more. This, coupled with the stellar soundtrack from Soken and the overarching story made for one in all my personal favorites of the 12 months.” |
| Jason Venter | Pikman 4 | “Nintendo had a powerful 2023 that not everyone could have noticed. Besides Tears of the Kingdom, which was hard to miss, there have been latest entries in a few of its other long-running franchises and even a delightful remake of Super Mario RPG. Certainly one of the brightest stars amongst that comfortable little galaxy was Pikmin 4, which revived the franchise 10 years after its last proper latest installment and pushed the formula to latest heights. There are more varieties of Pikmin to search out than ever before, expansive environments to explore, thrilling mini-games, and (better of all) a loveable canine companion named Odachi. It’s the largest Pikmin game thus far, full of value and charm for fans old and latest, and could have just saved the franchise.” |
| Anthony Yates | Robocop: Rogue City | “There’s been so many absolute bangers in 2023, but Robocop: Rogue City is my favorite. In the flicks, Robocop awkwardly shuffles around with the grace of a bulldozer. Teyon had the unenviable task of recreating that in video game form while keeping it enjoyable. The devs knocked it out of the park while staying faithful to the source material with a few of the most visceral combat I’ve seen in a contemporary shooter.” |
| Luis Prada | Dredge | “I like an open world that tricks me into pondering it’s much larger than it’s. That’s Dredge. A small snow globe of a game that feels as vast and expansive as a 200-hour RPG. Not only geographically, either, though that’s actually true. Every character feels richly developed with lots more happening internally than they’re letting on. It’s a tale steeped in oceanic Lovecraftian lore that only provides a sampling of the horrors that lay beneath the surface. But that sampling is barely enough to unsettle because it implies a wider, stranger universe of unfathomable terrors.” |
| Aidan Lambourne | Lords of the Fallen | “Lords of the Fallen is actually the most effective Soulslike I’ve come across, even surpassing (mechanically, as lore and aesthetics are largely personal preference) Dark Souls 3. The twin-world premise isn’t only a gimmick; it’s executed so well that I believe other games must take note. Except for all the conventional Soulslike qualities that it executes excellently, it stands out as a Soulslike that’s concurrently accessible to newcomers and positively made for players who’ve brushed off other difficult Soulslikes. For once, you must know all the talents and moves and wish to pay attention to the systems, weapons, attributes, and talents at your disposal.” |
| Noah Nelson | Hi-Fi Rush | “While I like visually, thematically, and mechanically dark games as much as the subsequent person, I miss the brilliant, bombastic brilliance of early 2000s mascot games like Sly Cooper, Ratchet & Clank, and Spyro. Hi-Fi Rush is the one game in recent memory that perfectly captures that nostalgic energy of a Saturday morning cartoon. The music is wonderful, the boss fights epic, the humor is definitely funny, and the character growth is surprisingly beautiful. I don’t even like rhythm games and yet, I like Hi-Fi Rush.” |
There are such a lot of games that all of us loved in 2023. While I believe it would be probably the greatest years for gaming on this decade, there’s still lots to stay up for in 2024. It’s my job to remain ahead of the curve and play the most recent releases, I’ll most definitely be filling my time in 2024 with playing the long list of 2023 games I missed starting with Alan Wake 2.
