The gods of gaming have smiled upon us these past twelve moons, as gamers savoured some of the sweetest releases in living memory. Yep, this is a vintage crop, right up there with the legendary harvests of 2007 and 1998.
Which is ironic, because if you look back to those specific years, you’ll notice a few familiar names. In 1998, we got the original Baldur’s Gate plus Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, while 2007 provided both Super Mario Galaxy and the first Assassin’s Creed. All four of these franchises loom large, once again, as sequels in this year’s hotlist, which is presented in reverse order below.
And while there is only one title on the list that is a genuinely new property – the oddly dark fisherman’s tale, Dredge – it’s unfair to characterise 2023 as simply raking over the ideas of the past.
It's more accurate to say that inspiration was drawn from several truly epic games, to successfully reimagine them for a fresh generation – in a dizzying variety of ways.
For instance, Baldur’s Gate III and Alan Wake II took long-dormant material and made it feel new, all over again. We gladly received the first two-dimensional Mario game in over a decade and the title – Super Mario Bros. Wonder – says it all, because few folks understand the science of fun better than Nintendo.
Assassin’s Creed: Mirage also headed back to its roots by ditching the free-roaming adventure of recent Creed games for the rooftop acrobatics and sneak-and-slay action of the original titles.
Some of 2023’s most enjoyable titles pushed this even further, by literally remaking classics with modern graphics and clever gameplay tweaks. If you like this idea, then say hello, if you dare, to Resident Evil 4 – and also Dead Space, which didn’t make the final list but deserves a mention.
And this brings us to another unexpected twist of the tale: the horror genre rising from its dusty crypt to deliver icy thrills. Perhaps we needed this escapism, given the dark mood of the nation.
The big-hitters celebrated here don’t appear to have much in common. Delve deeper, though, and we see a revived focus on creating sumptuous single-player games with lavish campaigns. Rather than rely on their online action, this year’s winners pack strong plots and tangible characters.
Yet again, indie developers have produced fabulously weird titles that we loved. From the oddly wonderful Dave the Diver, to the brain-bending Cocoon, or the simply gorgeous retro RPG Sea of Stars, these small teams just keep on conjuring those outlandish ideas. Which is great, because today’s innovative tiddler is what gives mainstream gamers the next big thing.
Before we hit the list, a word in praise of persistence. When Cyberpunk 2077 was released three years ago, it was a wretched mess. Today, it’s evolved into a classy action-RPG – and its expansion, Phantom Liberty, which arrived this year, can now go toe-to-toe with the best of 2023. Well played.
We chose these ten titles, based on careful appraisal of their critical and commercial success. For added fun, each member of The Standard Tech team also highlights their ‘Staff Pick’ personal fave.
So push yourself beyond the shortlist to discover a few affordable gems that deserve a little love.
Diablo 4
Rating: 18+PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5, Xbox One, PS4
New Diablo titles are unleashed only about once a decade, which is a good thing, given how fiendishly addictive they are. Diablo 4 took this fantasy action-RPG series into a darker realm than ever before, with a lengthy campaign crammed with bloody sacrifices, destroying demons in hellish dungeons and tales of betrayal. It also became a wider and more open experience, with icy wastes or burning deserts to cross and misty highlands to explore. Few experiences are more satisfying than powering up a spell-slinging sorcerer, barbarian brute, or sneaky rogue to scatter another horde of hellspawn to the wind. With brilliant co-op action and new seasons of adventure promised, the next ten years will fly.
Buy now £55.99, Argos
Assassin’s Creed: Mirage
Rating: 18+PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5, Xbox One, PS4
Assassin’s Creed: Mirage pares back the epic scale of recent editions to zero-in on a single city, a leaner story and as a result, it harks back to the glory years of the game. This year’s Creed was all-killer and no-filler; with less roaming around the countryside to fulfil plot objectives and more diving from the rooftops, daggers drawn, to slay a local kingpin before running from the guards. Ninth Century Baghdad is a lustrous setting and the visual artistry makes Mirage the most cinematic incarnation of this entire series. Proto-Assassin, Basim, provides a classic zero-to-hero story, full of mystery and adventure, as you hone his sneaky skills. This game inspired legions of newcomers, along with die-hard fans.
Buy now £42.99, Amazon
Dredge
Rating 12+ PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5, Xbox One, PS4, Nintendo Switch
If one title stands out among the deluge of indie classics released this year, it’s the delightfully creepy Dredge. This unassuming gem puts you in the shoes of a fisherman, who moves to a remote archipelago to escape his demons. Dredge feels like a simple fishing sim, as you chug across the ocean, eager to land a decent catch. Yet there’s clearly something sinister going on, as you start to trawl up eldritch horrors, while the mystery grows darker and twisted. With its gorgeous art style and soothing piano music, Dredge somehow manages to be both meditative and also broodily disturbing, especially when you’re bobbing among the waves in a tiny coracle, praying the storm won’t close in.
Buy now £21.99, Amazon
F1 23
Rating 3+PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5, Xbox One, PS4
The big story of the year was that EA Sports FC 23 continued its rich legacy of football titles but without the FIFA name. And yet, if you hanker for unrelenting sporting action, the laurels go to F1 23. As ever, this Formula 1 racing sim delivers realistic handling, authentic tracks and awesome graphics. What made this edition special was a story mode crammed with melodrama as you took the helm of a fledgling racing team. The MyTeam and F1 World modes add welcome focus on management, driving challenges, or simply tearing up the tarmac. F1 23 rarely falters on accuracy – and was updated during the season, with scenario missions from the actual Grand Prix. Crucially, the game never forgets that racing is fun.
Buy now £29.99, Amazon
Resident Evil 4 Remake
Rating: 18+PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5
In a year soaked with high-quality remakes or remasters of vintage games, Resident Evil 4 was undoubtedly the finest of the bunch. It gave us everything you might remember from the original survival-horror classic: a weird Iberian setting stalked by psychotic villagers and hideous mutations; desperate battles in crumbling barns and gloomy mansions – plus a monastery crawling with blood-crazed monks. Then, it made everything feel more intense, more cinematic and even more exciting than the original. This is a game that holds up to the latest action blockbusters and delivers scare after scare. It’s a genuine contender for the best-ever Resident Evil, with some of the most gobsmacking WTF moments of 2023.
Buy now £34.99, Argos
Super Mario Bros: Wonder
Rating 3+Nintendo Switch
The first all-new 2D side-scrolling Mario game since 2012 is a joyous romp that fuses new ideas and old faves with jaw-dropping inventiveness. Every level has a different premise, asking you to get to grips with clever power-ups or gizmos – and change your playing style to battle enemies while underwater or in the air. And that’s if you’re not confronted by a scenery-chewing, juiced-up Bowser. The new Wonder Seeds make everything feel twice as bonkers, by turning entire levels on their heads with psychedelic twists that deliver the Mario experience via the lens of a sixties acid trip. Even in a year where Nintendo gave us a fourth Pikmin and a new Legend of Zelda, this was the best thing on Switch.
Buy now £39.99, Argos
Alan Wake II
Rating: 18+PC, Xbox Series S/X, PS5
Brace yourself for the most unsettling title of the whole year. You’d think the weirdest aspect of this horror-suspense game is that it’s a sequel to a title from 2010 – but that ain’t nothing compared to what lies within. You won’t find many games where the titular character doesn’t appear until several hours in, or where the jump scares come second to postmodern musings about the power of fiction, which then become part of the gameplay. The action moves seamlessly between a detective’s investigation of a murderous cult in a remote mountain town and a missing writer’s attempt to escape from a nightmarish New York, and throws in arcane twists and nerve-wracking tension. With lush graphics and a Twin Peaks meets True Detective vibe, this is a fearfest unlike anything you’ve played.
Buy now £49.99, PlayStation
Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Rating: 12+Nintendo Switch
Anyone who thought Nintendo couldn’t top the mighty Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild must be ready for a fat slice of humble pie. Tears of the Kingdom follows on directly from where the Switch classic left off, and heads back into a Hyrule transformed with new enemies, amid classic foes. As with its predecessor, the joy here is in the limitless potential. As Link, you can do almost anything if you have the correct powers and collect the right gear. The game lets you harness your magic skills to construct ingenious weapons, vehicles and gadgets, or rise up to explore ruins floating in the air. With oodles to explore, Tears of the Kingdom shows breathtaking imagination, and challenges you to take your own for a spin.
Buy now £47.99, Argos
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Rating: 16+PS5
It’s a tough ask to follow what many people say is the best superhero game ever. And yet Sony pulls it off with a blend of engaging story and web-slinging action before throwing two Spider-Men into the mix. You play as both the classic Spidey – Peter Parker – and also Miles Morales – yes, he of the Spiderverse movies fame. As the game progresses, players switch between the two to follow their intersecting storylines, unlocking quests along the way. Miles’s acrobatic playstyle gels well with Peter’s power combat, and their attacks – or costumes – can be customised at a whim. The jaw-dropping New York setpieces showcase the refined power of PS5 and with villains as iconic as The Sandman, Venom, Mysterio and Kraven the Hunter, it’s one helluva ride.
Buy now £61.99, Argos
Baldur’s Gate 3
OVERALL WINNER: GAME OF THE YEAR 2023
PC, PS5, Xbox One
Nobody expected a geeky Dungeons and Dragons RPG as game of the year. Especially one that remained so faithful to the spirit of the tabletop game and that continued a series that’s been dormant for over twenty years. Yet that’s what happened. This mighty fantasy saga looks spectacular while delivering an intoxicating sense of depth and freedom. You can improvise with magic, stealth and sheer luck – yet it might still take sixty hours to complete this game.The reason this is so much fun is down to strong storytelling and the visceral characters that you’ll grow to love, hate, or abhor, with rivalries and romance along the way. Everything feels coherent and richly complex – for instance, the moments when you work out that the best way to win a specific battle is not to fight at all. Immerse yourself in a world that’s alive with surprise and savour one of the greatest RPGs ever.
Buy now £57.99, PlayStation
Every writer on the Tech team was invited to highlight one game you might have missed which deserves attention.
Andrew Williams
The 7th Guest VR
Windows, PlayStation 5 (VR), Meta Quest
Rating: 16+
In a nutshell
The virtual-reality remake of a 1993 game famous for its use of full-motion video
Why play this?
A bunch of guests are invited to a spooky mansion to solve its sinister puzzles. Back in the 1990s that meant a lot of frustrated mouse-clicking. However, playing The 7th Guest on a Meta Quest 3 is easily the most engrossed I’ve been in a game this year – and yes, I tried Baldur’s Gate 3 for hours. In VR, there’s a sense of physicality to the puzzles that simply draws you in – and some of them are real head-scratchers. It’s more cheesy than terrifying but a great demonstration of the immersive power of VR.
Personal highlight:
Flicking the signals on a giant toy train set while watching it whir around in 3D.
Buy now £22.99, Meta
Saqib Shah
Jusant
Rating: 3+
PlayStation 5, Xbox, PC
In a nutshell:
A placid climbing game that feels refreshingly short and sweet
Why play it?
Anyone who’s played an Uncharted or Tomb Raider game will have loved the part where you inevitably scale a steep cliff. Jusant takes that fun diversion and expands it into an entire conceit. Over the course of a chilled five hours, you’re tasked with charting a massive tower using the game’s intuitive controls. At once, this task feels both familiar and totally unique. There’s no dialogue, combat, nor other characters to interact with. In that sense, it recalls evocative indie games such as Shadow of the Colossus and Rime. Take the time to explore this title’s nooks and crannies to be rewarded with an epistolary parable about climate change that tugs at the heartstrings.
Personal highlight:
Transforming into a high-flying daredevil after getting the hang of the buttons.
Buy now £22.49, Xbox
Stuart Andrews
Remnant II
Platforms: Xbox Series S/X, PS5, PC
Rating: 18+
In a nutshell
Explore the multiverse and battle monsters with your mates
Why play it
This is a cracking co-op shooter where humanity’s last warriors roam a mysterious multiverse to fight an ancient menace. The brilliance of Remnant II lies in the way it combines the co-op blasting of Destiny and Gears of War with Dark Souls, dishing out tough but satisfying combat – along with some epic and hugely challenging boss battles. It’s got amazing alien architecture, rich fantasy settings and a dog that can heal you in battle. For much of the past decade, Destiny (and Destiny 2) have been my go-to games with friends but Remnant II has filled that hole.
Personal highlight
Beating the bosses. The bigger they come, the harder they fall.
Buy now £41.74, Xbox
Vicky Jessop
Bayonetta: Cereza and the Lost Demon
Platforms: Nintendo Switch
Rating: 12+
In a nutshell
Battle evil fairies in glorious (and cute) technicolour. It’s a tag-team for the ages.
Why play it
This Nintendo prequel is a gorgeous slice of Studio Ghibli-esque art, if Studio Ghibli went all witchy. The premise is simple: a young, refreshingly unsexy Bayonetta, here named Cereza, is a witch trying to find her imprisoned mother. She heads into the forest and in the process of defending herself summons a demon into her toy cat, Cheshire, as you do. This is a joyously inventive openworld packed with fun mini-games and an ever-expanding roster of magical powers that enable you to tackle the big bosses. Shout-out, also, to the unique gameplay, where you control both Cheshire and Cereza separately with the controllers on each side of the Switch console.
Personal highlight
Falling through portals into a twisted fairy world so bonkers it feels psychedelic.
Buy now £37.99, Argos
Barry Collins
Railway Empire II
Rating: 12+
PC, Xbox, PlayStation, Nintendo Switch
In a nutshell:
A deceptively sophisticated virtual train set with splendid graphics.
Why play it?
If you secretly hanker after a lavish train set in your loft, but haven’t got the space nor the money, then Railway Empire II should scratch that itch. This beautiful strategy game is set in the steam-engine era of the early 1800s. You’ll soon be building stations with an alarming number of platforms and empathising with Network Rail bosses over the sheer complexity of the task. You must fend-off rival railway moguls by sabotaging their lines in this surprisingly charming title, which packs a great deal of depth. And if it all gets too much, you can simply hop aboard one of your own locomotives for a scenic journey.
Personal highlight
Finally working out how to transport beer to Albany, with the help of YouTube videos and actual beer.
Buy now £45.99, Steam
