This post is part three of my “Games of 2023” series. You can read the Introduction here.
I put a lot of thought into the categories for “Games of 2023.” “Retro” and “Adult” were easy enough. I debated separating this post further into “indie” and “AAA” posts. After seeing the discussion on “indie” games during The Game Awards, I decided it was too hard. Naming this category is even harder. So, here are “The Rest.”
Game of the Year
Horizon Forbidden West (PS5)
Release date: 02/18/2022
Last played: 06/03/2023
Session hours: 168.25
Gaming sessions: 54
Completion status: Complete
Achievements: Overall - 77/80 (96.25%)
Base Game - 59/59 (100%)
Burning Shores - 18/18 (100%)
New Game+ - 0/3 (0%)
Screenshots taken: 221
Acquisition date: 08/29/2022
Acquired from: PlayStation Store
Price: $50.00 (List $69.99 for game)
$19.99 (List $19.99 for Burning Shores)
I wanted to do a full review of Horizon Forbidden West, but I was not happy with anything I drafted. Let me sum up all my thoughts: I still like hunting robot dinosaurs.
The developers upped the side quests by doing performance captures for every conversation. Alloy commented, “I’m really busy trying to save the world” during side quests, but I felt the stories told in them were miles better than the main story. I like how the game presents biases against other tribes. I heard about how a tribe is bloodthirsty and evil, but when I finally met them, they hold similar biases against the other tribe. It is interesting how the world misled me.
The world is absolutely stunning. I was constantly using photomode to capture screenshots. I loved traveling around the world just to look at things. The developers fleshed out the climbing system, and it makes exploration and finding the right vistas easy.
The ranged combat is great in the game. There is a wider variety of weapons and more of them. I hated grinding for parts to upgrade the legendary weapons. The developers tried to add depth to the melee combat. There is depth, but it is not fun. I also hated the arena. Horizon works best when you can stalk enemies, and the arena forced me into head-on battles.
Even with the negatives, I still love Forbidden West. The DLC, Burning Shores, is more of the same, and I loved every minute in this beautiful world.
The Dichotomy of Mario
Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury (NS)
Release date: 02/12/2021 Last played: 03/26/2023 Session hours: 32.25 Gaming sessions: 15 Completion status: Complete Achievements: NA Screenshots taken: 106 Acquisition date: 11/25/2022 Acquired from: Amazon Price: $41.99 (List $59.99)
I still think Super Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury is an odd package. You can read my review here. I think Mario should feel good to control. I think he feels good in Bowser’s Fury, but he does not feel as good in 3D World.
Just Chill
Sable (PC)
Release date: 09/23/2021 Last played: 04/04/2023 Session hours: 20.25 Gaming sessions: 8 Completion status: Complete Achievements: 54/56 (96.43%) Screenshots taken: 14 Acquisition date: 03/21/2023 Acquired from: Humble Bundle Price: $0.00 (List $24.99)
Sable is a delightful game. It is calming to play, as it has no combat. It was easy to shut out the noise of my world and just immerse myself in its world. The artstyle compliments this feeling. The game encourages silence, exploration, and freedom.
I played as Sable, a teenager who needs to make a big decision. What mask should she wear for the rest of her life? Before making a decision, she needs to leave the comfort of her home and experience the world.
I was worried the game would be too open, but I found enough side quests to nudge me in a direction. As I went along, I veered from my path, and explored anything that caught my interest. This is what the game is about: experiencing the world.
As Sable looked for a mask that fit her, I learned a lot about myself. Deciding on a mask is the same as finding my place in the world. I loved my time with Sable.
The Conflicted Path
Ghost of Tsushima (PS5)
Release date: 08/20/2021
Last played: 07/08/2023
Session hours: 68.50
Gaming sessions: 22
Completion status: Complete
Achievements: Overall - 65/77 (84.42%)
Base Game - 52/52 (100%)
Iki Island: Story - 7/7 (100%)
Iki Island: Exploration - 6/6 (100%)
Legends Mode - 0/6 (0%)
Legends: Rivals and Mastery Challenges - 0/4 (0%)
New Game+ - 0/2 (0%)
Screenshots taken: 143
Acquisition date: 11/19/2022
Acquired from: Target
Price: $29.99 (List $69.99 for Director's Cut)
I should have waited to play Ghost of Tsushima. I think my opinion of Tsushima would be higher if I had not just finished Forbidden West. During my playthrough of Tsushima, I started to feel open world fatigue.
There is a lot to like about the game. The combat is satisfying and engaging. The stealth scratches my Assassin’s Creed itch. The duals are tense. I liked the wind mechanic, which cleared up the HUD so I could focus on the beautiful world when moving from point A to point B.
The story is at odds with itself. I needed to be a noble samurai, but I had to resort to contemptible means of accomplishing my goals. Luckily, the ending is emotionally satisfying. The DLC added backstory to the main character, but it was more of the same.
The game became repetitive about half way through the game. I was doing the same kind of quests over and over. The combat is engaging, but I started to fall into a rhythm. It becomes a simple rock-paper-scissors match, and the only difference is which stance I took.
Overall, I liked Ghost of Tsushima, but I think I needed a break from open world games.
Let’s Do It Again… and Again and Again and Again…
Deathloop (PC)
Release date: 09/14/2021 Last played: 08/06/2023 Session hours: 30.75 Gaming sessions: 13 Completion status: Complete Achievements: 34/58 (58.62%) Screenshots taken: 27 Acquisition date: 11/19/2022 Acquired from: Green Man Gaming Price: $16.63 (List $59.99)
Deathloop comes from one my favorite developers, Arkane. It does not reach the heights of Dishonored and Prey, but I had a blast playing it.
There are only four locations in the game, and I could only visit one location at a time. I could visit any location four times in a day. Depending on the time of day, different areas within each location opened up. At the end of the day, everything reset for me. Hence the “loop” part of Deathloop.
This could get boring, but Arkane’s level design chops shine through. Each nook and cranny is filled with something. I might find a clue to help me end the loop, a new weapon, or a new power. I lost everything, except my knowledge, at the end of the loop. I could spend some currency to infuse a weapon or item to keep it. This sounds frustrating in theory, but I had no issues while playing.
I played as Colt. He has lost his memory, but is pretty sure he wants to end the loop. In order to do so, he has to kill eight visionaries. Figuring out how to kill all eight visionaries in one day is a fun mystery to solve. I went through the loop about twenty times, and never got bored; I was always learning something and felt like I was making progress.
My game could be invaded by Julianna at random times. The banter between Colt and Julianna is fun, and is a credit to the voice actors. Julianna can be controlled by a real person, but I played offline so she was AI controlled. She is pretty powerful and needs to be dealt with quickly. For the most part, she showed up sparsely, which is good. I never really enjoyed my combat interactions with her.
In the end, it is very satisfying to unravel the mystery and execute on it. However, the ending of the story is anticlimactic. The world of Deathloop shares ties with Dishonored, which are the most interesting bits of the lore. With Prey and Dishonored, I jumped right back in with a second or third playthrough. With Deathloop, I feel content just playing it once. I had fun, but I was done after exploring every corner and completing the story.
Not Nevermore
Death’s Door (PS5)
Release date: 11/23/2021 Last played: 08/13/2023 Session hours: 4.25 Gaming sessions: 1 Completion status: Early Achievements: 1/25 (4%) Screenshots taken: 21 Acquisition date: 08/01/2023 Acquired from: PlayStation Plus Price: $0.00 (List $9.99)
Death’s Door can be difficult game. It can also be fun. I have anger issues when it comes to frustratingly difficult games. I yell, swear, and even throw controllers. I avoid them, because I do not like doing those things; I am a calm person most of the time.
The line between difficult and frustrating is a fine line. I like challenging games. Castlevania: Rondo of Blood is a difficult game, and I had a lot of fun playing it. Unfortunately, Death’s Door wades into frustrating territory.
The bosses are big and hit hard. I was a fragile bird. The timing of my attacks and dodges are important. I expected to die from boss fights, but I also expected to learn and, eventually, persevere. The bosses are designed with patterns to be overcome with learning and patience. I did get a hit of dopamine every time I beat a boss. It felt great… until it didn’t.
I do not think of myself as being bad at video games. I play a lot of them; I play different genres and difficulties. I do not think I am bad at Death’s Door. I played for over four hours, and overcame several enemies and bosses. However, I cannot defeat this one boss. I know its moveset. I understand its patterns. For some reason this battle does not react how I expect it. For example, I swing at a floating orb to deflect it… and it does not deflect. I have deflected it dozen of times before, so why not this time? Is my timing off? Am I out of range? I felt the answer was “no,” but I must be doing something wrong. I have no idea why I missed, and it pissed me off.
After several moments like this, I quit the game in a fit of rage before I threw my controller. I literally closed the game and deleted it from my PlayStation. I will never play it again on console.
With that said, I had a lot of fun up until this one boss. The world is beautiful and unique. The story is cool. For the most part, I love the combat, but I will not let a game enrage me. I think I will end up getting this on PC. In the event of hitting a roadblock, there are ways to enable infinite health on PC. Temporarily giving myself infinite health would soothe my frustrations.
Hallmark Movie: The Game
Syberia: The World Before (PC)
Release date: 03/18/2022 Last played: 08/23/2023 Session hours: 2.00 Gaming sessions: 1 Completion status: Early Achievements: 4/30 (13.33%) Screenshots taken: 14 Acquisition date: 03/21/2023 Acquired from: Humble Bundle Price: $0.00 (List $39.99)
Syberia: The World Before starts off strong. It is a narrative heavy, point-and-click adventure game. Unfortunately, it falls quickly. I ended up dropping it after two hours.
The game reminds me of a Hallmark mystery movie. This might be for some people, but I thought the writing and voice acting was subpar. The game moved too slowly for my taste. It was cool to linger on an animation of a robotic orchestra, but it is not so fun to linger on an old motorcycle I have seen a few times. The game has no options to skip through dialog, which also slows it down. Finally, the puzzles were too obtuse.
My time with the game was not all bad. Graphically, the game is stunning. I was in awe at a scene at the beginning of the game. Everything about the scene, from the music and animations, was beautiful. In the end, the game was just not for me.
Welcome to Mystery Island
Call of the Sea (PC)
Release date: 12/08/2020 Last played: 08/27/2023 Session hours: 8.75 Gaming sessions: 4 Completion status: Complete Achievements: 34/34 (100%) Screenshots taken: 44 Acquisition date: 03/21/2023 Acquired from: Humble Bundle Price: $0.00 (List $19.99)
Call of the Sea is wonderful. The story takes a bit to get going, but it eventually got its hooks in me. The mystery of this island pulled me in. The main character’s monologs are well written. The game never stopped to lecture me; the game kept me in control, while she said her piece.
I wish I could move faster in the game. I backtracked for some of the puzzles, and my slow speed made them tedious. However, these puzzles were rare; most are great! There was one puzzle I had to look up the solution, and several people commented they experienced the same thing on the same puzzle.
I do not want to spoil too much about the game. I think you should play it. Overall, it is fun little game, and the story kept me engaged.
My First Remedy
Control (PC)
Release date: 08/27/2019
Last played: 10/17/2023
Session hours: 19.25
Gaming sessions: 11
Completion status: Complete
Achievements: Overall - 45/67 (67.16%)
Base Game - 44/46 (95.65%)
Altered World Events - 1/11 (9.09%)
The Foundation - 0/10 (0%)
Screenshots taken: 60
Acquisition date: 10/25/2022
Acquired from: Steam
Price: $11.99 (List $39.99 for Ultimate Edition)
Control is my first Remedy (Max Payne, Alan Wake) game. In Control, the writing just oozes character. The dialog teeters between surreal and grounded, and the game balances it well. The voice acting never got old. The story has a ton of SCP vibes. The game is scary to me. I do not like scary games, but I kept on going because I was having fun.
The atmosphere is creepy. Bodies float in the air. There is a constant demonic hum emanating from them adding to the creep factor. Most of the enemies are not scary, but I was not a fan of the zombie fungus enemies.
Luckily, the combat made me feel powerful. My gun changed into whatever I wanted it to be. No matter what weapon it became, it packed a satisfying punch. On top of my weapon, I had abilities. My go-to was an early power where I could fling objects at enemies. It is a cool ability and feels just right.
I look forward to a sequel, but I do not know if I will be able to play it. I skipped the DLC because they leaned too far into the scary. I have a feeling the sequel will do the same.
Trick or Treat…
Costume Quest (PC)
Release date: 10/14/2011 Last played: 10/25/2023 Session hours: 8.50 Gaming sessions: 5 Completion status: Complete Achievements: 21/21 (100%) Screenshots taken: 61 Acquisition date: 04/08/2021 Acquired from: Steam Price: $4.99 (List $9.99)
Costume Quest has the Double Fine (Psychonauts, Broken Age) charm. The writing is hilarious, and filled with charisma. The story is cozy and short. It is the perfect Halloween game. I needed to save my twin from a monster, and I teamed up with friends to go trick-or-treating. Luckily, the costumes turn into actual versions of themselves, so I could fight the monsters. It is a cool concept, and plays well.
Without voice acting, I “heard” different voices in my head for each character. It is a credit to the dialog. However, I did miss some because I was busy doing something else. Voice acting would have elevated the game.
There are puzzles to solve, but they are straightforward. I had to look up the solution to one puzzle in the DLC, and the answer was a stretch.
I do not usually like turn-based combat, but it is simple in Costume Quest. The menus are not complicated, and there are only a handful of options. I do like the ability to time button presses to do more damage, or receive less damage.
Overall, another solid game from Double Fine.
… Smell My Feet
Costume Quest 2 (PC)
Release date: 10/07/2014 Last played: 10/26/2023 Session hours: 8.50 Gaming sessions: 5 Completion status: Complete Achievements: 17/18 (94.44%) Screenshots taken: 28 Acquisition date: 02/10/2019 Acquired from: Steam Price: $3.24 (List $14.99)
Costume Quest 2 raises the stakes. It is no longer cozy. Instead, it is a full-on, “save the future” epic.
The writing is still just as charming as the original game. Like the first game, I wish it had voice acting. The dialog really deserves it.
The combat is more complicated, but it does not reach the depths of a JRPG. It took a little bit for me to get used to it, but I did like it by the end.
There was a lot for me to do outside of combat. Double Fine added a map system, and I was able to go anywhere. Each map contained secrets and collectibles to find. Unfortunately, this padded the length of the game. Backtracking is required to complete quests. I would have been happy if they streamlined a few things.
Overall, Costume Quest 2 is a more complicated game, but it is more of Costume Quest. I like it.
A Hero and a Thong
DeathSpank (PC)
Release date: 10/26/2010 Last played: 11/09/2023 Session hours: 9.75 Gaming sessions: 6 Completion status: Complete Achievements: 12/12 (100%) Screenshots taken: 47 Acquisition date: 02/10/2021 Acquired from: Steam Price: $2.99 (List $14.99)
DeathSpank is a straightforward action RPG with elements of a classic point-and-click adventure game. You can read my thoughts on the trilogy here.
More Hero and More Thongs
DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue (PC)
Release date: 11/30/2010 Last played: 11/11/2023 Session hours: 13.00 Gaming sessions: 5 Completion status: Complete Achievements: 12/13 (92.31%) Screenshots taken: 42 Acquisition date: 06/25/2021 Acquired from: Steam Price: $3.74 (List $14.99)
DeathSpank: Thongs of Virtue is more DeathSpank. Again, here is my full review of the trilogy.
The Most Hero and the Most Thongs
The Baconing (PC)
Release date: 08/31/2011 Last played: 11/15/2023 Session hours: 9.25 Gaming sessions: 4 Completion status: Complete Achievements: 8/12 (66.67%) Screenshots taken: 36 Acquisition date: 12/27/2022 Acquired from: Steam Price: $0.00 (List $14.99)
The Baconing tries some different things, but it is mostly more DeathSpank. I was growing tired of the series when I played this game. You can read my full review here.
The New Is Old
New Super Mario Bros. 2 (3DS)
Release date: 08/19/2012 Last played: 11/29/2023 Session hours: 15.00 Gaming sessions: 15 Completion status: Complete Achievements: NA Screenshots taken: 30 Acquisition date: 05/05/2022 Acquired from: Rock 30 Games Price: $24.00 (List NA)
It has been years since I have played a New Super Mario Bros. game, but New Super Mario Bros. 2 felt familiar as soon as I started it. The power leaf is back, and it was fun finding secrets while flying around.
Outside of the power leaf, the game does not do anything new in the series. The levels are expertly designed, although most of them are easy. Star Coins add a challenge to each level. When I collected all the Star Coins, it unlocked a new world. This new world was a bit challenging, but it was not too bad.
I ended up completing every level. Overall, it is a solid entry to the series.
Pretty Colors
Batora: Lost Haven (PC)
Release date: 10/20/2022 Last played: 12/03/2023 Session hours: 8.00 Gaming sessions: 4 Completion status: Complete Achievements: 22/30 (73.33%) Screenshots taken: 66 Acquisition date: 03/21/2023 Acquired from: Humble Bundle Price: $0.00 (List $24.99)
Batora: Lost Haven is both bad and mediocre. When I finished act one, I told myself to stop playing. I ignored myself, and finished the game. I hate myself for it.
There was just enough to keep me interested in the game. The artstyle is gorgeous. The colors are vibrant, and the alien worlds feel foreign. The overall story is good enough. The combat seems interesting at first, but devolves into a slog.
I had two different fighting styles: physical and mental. Physical did damage to orange enemies, while mental damaged purple enemies. Physical was more melee focused, while mental was more ranged. Switching between them is smooth and responsive. At first, it seems interesting, but I grew sick of it by the end of the game. Hitting enemies feels clunky for some reason.
Even though the story is good, the writing is childish. The characters never felt like real people. The voice acting is flat. The game offers choices that feel weighty in the moment, but they never mattered in the end.
At the end, the game had the gall to ask me to play the game three more times. I mashed the “skip cutscene” button, and slammed close the game. I want the game to be good; it has a good vibe to it. The game is polished, but I cannot recommend it to anyone.
The Ultimate Kart Racer
Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (NS)
Release date: 04/28/2017 Last played: 12/17/2023 Session hours: 13.75 Gaming sessions: 9 Completion status: Complete Achievements: NA Screenshots taken: 47 Acquisition date: 12/16/2021 Acquired from: Best Buy Price: $64.98 (List $84.98 for game and booster courses)
I played the booster courses for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. It was a good excuse to play more Mario Kart 8. I thought the new courses were really good. I do think the original courses are better, but there are some bangers in the new batch. I still suck at 200cc. If you like Mario Kart, then you should get the new courses.
Short and Sweet
Beeny (PC)
Release date: 10/15/2022 Last played: 12/23/2023 Session hours: 0.50 Gaming sessions: 1 Completion status: Complete Achievements: NA Screenshots taken: 13 Acquisition date: 12/27/2022 Acquired from: Steam Price: $0.00 (List $0.99)
I mainly played Beeny, because it is a prequel to Super Kiwi 64. Beeny is a comfy cozy, 2D platformer. The character Beeny is a fat bee. I rolled around as Beeny, and tried to make it to the top of each level. The controls are responsive, and it feels good to roll around and jump.
It is not a difficult game. There was always a safety net if I missed a jump. There is no damage from enemies. A time trial mode unlocks after beating the game. This adds a challenge to the levels, but I ended up skipping it. I felt the times were too tight, and I am not a fan of time limits in games.
Overall, Beeny is a cheap, short, and fun game.
Best Movement
Super Kiwi 64 (PC)
Release date: 12/02/2022 Last played: 12/25/2023 Session hours: 3.75 Gaming sessions: 7 Completion status: Complete Achievements: NA Screenshots taken: 12 Acquisition date: 12/21/2023 Acquired from: Steam Price: $2.00 (List $2.99)
Super Kiwi 64 continues the story started in Beeny. This time, I played as Beeny’s friend Kiwi, who is a kiwi bird. Super Kiwi 64 is a 3D, collect-a-thon, platformer in the vein of 64-bit era games. The developers spent a lot of time getting the movement right. It feels good to run, jump, glide, and dash as Kiwi. It scratched my “collect all the things” itch.
My nephew watched me beat the game, and he asked if he could play it. He is four, but I let him run around. He had so much fun! He is not good at controlling the camera, but he just loves running around making up his own stories. He likes to run out-of-bounds for some reason. I even learned something from him; he taught me how to make Kiwi go faster.
It is not a long game. For the price, I got a lot of joy out of this game, and so did my nephew.
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
Fictorum (PC)
Release date: 08/09/2017 Last played: 12/26/2023 Session hours: 1.75 Gaming sessions: 2 Completion status: Early Achievements: 2/67 (2.99%) Screenshots taken: 15 Acquisition date: 12/21/2023 Acquired from: Steam Price: $2.49 (List $9.99)
Fictorum promised a great wizard simulator. For the most part it succeeds. I loved the spell casting mechanics. It was easy and destructive. Unfortunately, the game quickly gets old. I went through one chapter, and felt I saw everything the game had to offer. Sure, I could get more spells, but I usually stuck with the first spell, fireball. It is powerful, and feels good to cast.
The story never hit a note with me. The choices were not engaging. The main character is boring. I felt I was a powerful wizard without a world to care about. The game has so much potential, but it just falls flat.
Colossal
Praey for the Gods (PC)
Release date: 12/14/2021 Date last played: 12/31/2023 Number of session hours played: 15.00 Number of gaming sessions: 7 Completion status: Complete Number of achievements earned: 29/33 (87.88%) Number of screenshots taken: 48 Acquisition date: 03/21/2023 Acquired from: Humble Bundle Purchase price: $0.00 (List $29.99)
Praey for the Gods tries to meld Shadow of the Colossus with Breath of the Wild. You can read my full review here. It falls short in the survival department, but the bosses are just as fun as Shadow of the Colossus. It has potential to be great, alas it has to settle for okay.
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