2023 Ranked: Video Games
Welcome to my 2023 Ranked list for Video Games!
Rules for my rankings are simple, the page contains my ranking from worst to best of all the video games I've experienced over the course of the past year.
Replays of games I've already experienced prior won't be considered in the official ranking but will be ranked within their own Honorable Mentions sections.
Please be aware these rankings are purely subjective and are based on my own personal opinion.
Honorable Mentions
1. Pokémon Emerald
Despite it's age and limitation in hardware, I still cannot believe the clear quality that exudes from Pokémon Emerald. Encompassing the very best aspects of all the prior generation three titles; this game strove to deliver a comprehensive experience with little to no expense spared. Whether it's the engaging narrative of forces of nature clashing, the vast and varied locales or the multitude of Pokémon to choose from; this game doesn't faulter on delivering everything possible for fans young and old to lose countless hours to and I hold it in such high regard
Official Ranking
24. A Fold Apart
A Fold Apart is a game which sadly over promises and under delivers in the same stride. It tries to set itself up with a unique narrative of a long-distance relationship tied behind a smart puzzle system based around folding; but none of it's finer elements ever truly shines past the surface. At it's heart, it's a very limited and underwhelming experience which doesn't do a proper service to the premise or gameplay it presents.
23. A Plague Tale: Requiem
Despite coming off the success of the prior entry, A Plague Tale: Requiem fails to deliver on a lot of the core strengths which made Innocence so good. It's ambition to go bigger and bolder on all aspects served only to detriment it in this case. The story is all kinds of messy with little cohesion and structure given to it's bloated length. The gameplay doesn't fare much better either, with poorly designed encounters not giving some of the finer improvements much room to flex. The only positives I can really point out are the games impressive audio and visual presentation.
22. Luigi's Mansion 3
Luigi's Mansion 3 is a game which seems to actively hinder it's own appeal. On the surface this does deliver a charming little puzzle-adventure for anyone to enjoy. With distinct locations and an endearing art style, it seemed this game had a lot of positives to work with. However what tarnished my playthrough of this game was it's incredibly obtrusive control scheme. The game struggles to provide much enjoyment when you are spending a good portion of your time fighting with the sensitive aiming controls and cumbersome button mapping. On top of that you are forced to revisit prior levels with little to no justification besides extending your playtime for no reason. It's disheartening to see what is a good game buried underneath poor implementations and designs concepts.
21. Lake
20. High on Life
High on Life is a game with just as many pros as it has cons. It's a very creative and visual game with some really solid gunplay mixed in with metroidvania exploration. What weighs the game down a bit though is it's humor. Depending on your tolerance for Justin Rolland's brand of comedy you will either love or hate this game by the end of your time with it. Even as a fan of Rick of Morty I found the humor in this game very mixed at times. The technical performance of the game suffered a fair bit during my playthrough as well.
19. Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy is a sadly underwhelming experience despite it's high quality presentation. On the surface level the game does a great job in realizing the world and charm of Harry Potter. All of that quality doesn't go any deeper than that though as the game is heavily flawed with a underwhelming narrative and mundane open world mechanics. For such a hyped video game I was just hoping for more from this game and it sadly underdelivered on a lot of core components.
18. To the Moon
I've never seen a narrative go this hard on exploring how love and life tie together in such a beautifully human way. While the gameplay behind To the Moon feels so irrelevant that it borders on pointless, I cannot fault the narrative quality that lies at the heart of this title. There's just so much effort put in here to present a very unique premise which tackles a subject you don't often see in the video game medium. It's well worth a playthrough just to experience the emotional roller-coaster that this games story truly is.
17. LEGO Marvel Super Heroes
While not doing much to redefine the foundation of the LEGO adventure series, LEGO Marvel Super Heroes does admirably in delivering a robust LEGO experience using the Marvel license for the very first time. The game's biggest flex comes in the form of it's multi-layered crossover storyline that utilizes as many Marvel characters as possible. Accompanying it is expansive LEGO puzzle gameplay and the series trademark humor. Repetition is the only sour grape that will stick out the longer you spend with the title, but that's not as big a detractor if you're not going for 100%.
15. Portal
Valve struck gold when they released Portal back in 2007. This title knocks it out of the park on nearly every conceivable level. It's smart and multi-layered functional design utilizes a robust collection of physics ideas with it's portal-based gameplay to deliver an experience that rewards players for pushing forward and experimenting. On top of the gameplay, the game is complimented by a wonderfully dark sense of humor which helps give it a distinctly memorable appeal on the narrative end.
14. Chicory: A Colorful Tale
If you've ever struggled with a creative outlet because of your own self-imposed doubts, then Chicory: A Colorful Tale will hold a lot of relatability for you to appreciate. On the surface, it's a game all about coloring in the world around you and solving puzzles; but the deeper you dive you come to appreciate what his game is truly trying to do. It's narrative does an wonderfully empathetic job in recognizing the mental struggles we all face when striving to follow out creative hobbies. For that achievement alone, this game deserves to be played by anyone with a creative passion.
13. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge
The beat 'em up genre is given a much deserved polish and presentation with Tribute Games' Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder's Revenge. With a nostalgic art style layered with fast and responsive combat, you'll feel like a kid back in the arcade with each swing, kick and punch you throw. While there isn't much more to the game than it's standard genre, it's hard not to appreciate how much effort was put into making a clear impression and reminding players how much fun these type of games can end up being
12. WWE 2K23
WWE 2K23 does an impressive job on delivering wrestling fans an extensive sandbox to play around in. With a plethora of varying game modes to jump into, including a two unique MyRise storylines and a John Cena showcase mode, there's little risk of being bored in this game. What complements these varying modes too is the games fundamental gameplay and control system. The system in itself is easy to understand and fun to master with an smart combo/move system to utilize. Visually these games have never looked better either, as the character models and lighting all work perfectly to capture the feel of what it means to be a WWE superstar.
11. Little Nightmares II
Tarsier Studios hit it out of the park on delivering a solid and refined sequel to their original Little Nightmares title. Taking place through the lens of a new player-character called Mono, this game utilizes all the key elements from the first game while adding a nice array of additional touches. What works the most about this game for me though is just how much more comprehensive an experience it feels. It's gameplay, narrative and design aspects work in tandem with one another to deliver a really memorable horror video game.
10. Unpacking
Unpacking is a truly unique experience which was a total joy to play through. It's calm and ambient nature makes experiencing the game's meticulous puzzle gameplay really enthralling. It's comfortable gameplay is complemented by a charming and compact visual design with so much attention to detail crammed into it. On top of everything else, it's subtle storytelling is truly appreciated too as it delivers a endearing narrative utilizing the core gameplay as a primary conduit for the story proceeding over the course of several years.
9. Spider-Man 2
Insomniac set a benchmark when they released their first Spider-Man title, with many touting it as the definitive Spidey experience. There was a lot of hype to live up to with their full fledged sequel and while that ambition is clearly displayed, it's hard not to notice some missteps with Spider-Man 2. The game does an excellent job in refining the combat and providing a competent narrative that does justice to the likes of Kraven and Venom. It's the games side content that feels notably lacking though and despite being touted as the games 2nd central character, I can't help but feel Miles Morales is sidelined in regards to the main narrative for a good chunk of the game. Despite the minor flaws though, the game does deliver an experience of true AAA quality.
8. Lies of P
To say Lies of P is Round8 Studios' 2nd fully developed title is a testament to the clear devotion the developer must have put in to do their homework. It's a Soulslike which doesn't shy away from incorporating a lot of familiar elements from FromSoftware's library of games. An interestingly dark adaptation of the story of Pinocchio, accommodated by a layered combat system and smart level design. While I applaud the game for proudly accommodating these familiar design principles, I can't help but question if the biggest wins behind the game self earned or not.
7. Cyberpunk 2077
Cyberpunk 2077 failed substantially on it's launch, so much so that I truly believe the shadow of that failure will follow CD Projekt Red for many years to come. It's in failure though that we often learn our best lessons and as of the 2023, CD Projekt Red clearly took that lesson to hear. The world of Night City is teeming with detail and depth that you will be hard pressed to find in any other open world RPG. The narrative that follows this game is layered thematically and gives you a great sense of choice with your you handle missions and interact with characters. What compliments it is a robust gameplay system that provides solid and responsive gunplay along with expansive RPG features like skill and attribute building.
6. Dead Space (2023)
Despite not seeing much life since 2013, the Dead Space franchise is far from dead. Motive Studio stuck the landing superbly in not only remaking the original game but redefining it with some much appreciated changes. It's a shining example of how remakes can and should be done. The compelling narrative set up is supported with a clever combination of gameplay adjustments and much improved audio and visual elements. This truly is the definitive way to experience this legendary title for both new and old players alike.
5. Dragon Quest XI S: Echoes of an Elusive Age - Definitive Edition
The scope and scale of Dragon Quest XI: Echoes of an Elusive Age feels near limitless. It serves as a definitive JRPG experience on so many aspects. It's deep narrative is brimming with so much quality and immersion. It's gameplay offerings are equally as enriching as well, with simple yet layered combat supported by a comprehensive skill and crafting system to boot. On top of all of this is a world filled to the brim with so much charm behind it's core design along with a array of creatively designed monsters which help add so much memorability behind every encounter within it.
4. Dark Souls: Remastered
Dark Souls existence feels like a time anomaly. It's incredible how despite being a 10+ year old game, this experience stands tall above most video games out there in the modern day. It delivers a comprehensive experience which did a fantastic job in defining the Soulslike genre for many a video game to come. With a darkly fantastical world filled with so much quality in terms of narrative and gameplay, how can you not be floored by the sheer confidence of this game to deliver such a perfect experience at nearly every avenue.
3. Resident Evil 4 (2023)
Remaking one of my most beloved horror experiences of all time was a very tall order for Capcom but I am very thankful they were able to pull it off. Resident Evil 4 is a very mature and well paced remake of the original 2005 title. It incorporates the structure and narrative of the original while translating it in line with the series' recent mature outlook. The gameplay is easily the best the series has ever been, with fluid and receptive controls and a weapon system which feels well laid out. Being able to remake a masterpiece in such a concise fashion reflects why Capcom keep on winning as of late
2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
How do you already top what is considered to be one of the best open world games out there? Nintendo are clearly out here saying "hold my beer!" in response to that. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom easily surpasses it's predecessor on every single margin. It's narrative is amped up and far more engaging, it's world design reaches new heights and depths as it offers players far more opportunity for exploration. All of this is complemented by a core gameplay system which offers you far more ways to explore, navigate and fight your way through the Kingdom on your quest to save Zelda once more.
1. Elden Ring
Elden Ring is another notch in the impeccable record of FromSoftware. It's a once in a generation open world video game which nails every single element with sheer perfection. With a creative world drafted from the visionary mind of George R.R Martin and the experienced direction of Hidetaka Miyazaki; this is a title which had all the right components going for it. A dark, fantastical open world layered in all the recognizable Soulslike gameplay is the winning formula behind this experience and it delivers on this formula without any concessions.
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