What a year huh? Just like, all of it. I feel like I say that every year but it becomes more true with every year too, so it's fine. This year was pretty good for me overall, thankfully. I wrote way more than I have the past two years, finished my Graduate degree, got to travel, and hang out with my friends a lot. That's more than a lot of people can say, and I know I'm lucky for it. As one example, the games industry - and tech industry in general - has been abysmal, with mass layoffs being the biggest story of the year. Much more than the games we played. So while I got to play a lot of great stuff this year, I'm more than certain that we're going to feel this drain of talent in the industry in the next few years. This industry is teetering on a precipice, and I don't know if it's going to be able to back-peddle. But that's kinda just where we're at with capitalism in general too, huh? With all that said, here are my favorite games of the year. This is unnumbered, because the very idea of ranking a game from one genre against another is so deeply silly to me that I can't take it seriously at all. Enjoy! --- # Games of the Year ## Tchia One thing that continues to impress me about the game industry is the scale at which indie games have increased. Tchia has the soul of an indie game in its unique setting and silly platforming and animal transformation mechanics, but it feels like an unearthed Nintendo IP. The New Caledonia-inspired setting is gorgeously cel-shaded, and exploring the various islands is a joy. Tchia is one of those rare "Children's Stories" that doesn't shy away from getting a little dark, which I definitely appreciate. It's an adorable and emotional game that might have slipped under the radar for you, but is well worth playing. ## Lil Gator Game You can finish Lil Gator Game in about 3 hours, probably shorter if you don't run around collecting everything. Despite this, it had more of an impact on me than most games that came out in 2023. Lil Gator Game seems like a wacky game with funny dialogue and low stakes adventures - and it is - but it's also a game about reconnecting with the things that made you happy as a kid. Why let go of that just because you're getting older? And are you willing to push those things away for the sake of some misinformed idea of what adulthood is? Short, sweet and to the point, I recommend that just like life, you don't let Lil Gator Game slip by you. ## Star Wars: Jedi Survivor Star Wars: Jedi Survivor does that thing that only video games as an art form are able to do: that is, be a sequel that vastly improves on the original in every way. Between the expanded combat options, exploration, fast-travel(!!!) and scope, it's a bigger and better adventure than the first in every way - barring the annoying technical hiccups, of course. That said, what really makes Jedi Survivor stand out is the fact that it's the best piece of Star Wars media I've experienced in years. Its ending sets up some very, very interesting potential future prospects. And if it nails them then it might just become the most well-told Star Wars story since Knights of the Old Republic. ## [[Wo Long - Fallen Dynasty (2023)]] There are people who have said that this game isn't as good as Nioh 2. I personally feel it's unfair to compare this game to one that's had two entries to refine its core gameplay systems. Is Wo Long my favorite Koei Tecmo joint? Not by a long shot. Did I still put 100 hours into it anyways? You best believe it. Such is the testament to KT's godlike [[Goopy Goblin Gamer Brain|goopy]] game-feel. The Wuxian combat, the parrying, the loot - it's all there, and it all makes my brain hum with glee. Hell, Lu Bu might be my favorite boss fight of the year. If you haven't jumped in yet, check it out; the added QOL and DLC makes it a no-brainer purchase at this point. ## Hi-Fi Rush There's nothing better than a game that comes out of nowhere and blows your mind with its quality. Such is the case with Hi-Fi Rush, a rhythm-based character-action game by the same people that brought you...*checks notes*...Evil Within!? Hi-Fi Rush is incredibly polished, to the point that it feels like a relic of days past. It's a game that doesn't waste your time, and that you can finish over a long weekend and feel satisfied, but with enough content to put in another 20 hours if you wanted to dig deep. It gently leads you by the hand through the concept of the character action genre, slowly layering mechanic after mechanic until you're creating a symphony of carnage through each of its levels. My favorite part of Hi-Fi Rush is the fact that even when you do something off beat, the music keeps bumping. It's a small thing, but one that lets you stay positive and keep playing even when you flub it. That's Hi-Fi Rush in a nutshell I think: positivity in a game. ## [[ASTLIBRA Revision (2022)]] ASTLIBRA might actually be one of my favorite games of all time now. Granted, it's not without its problems. It's too horny for its own good at times, and it has some puzzles that will make you wanna tear your hair out. But what ASTLIBRA lacks in polish, it makes up for it in sheer, unadulterated vision. It's a game made by one man across a decade of his life, and it shows. This game wasn't made for me - it was made for KEIZO. Hell, [the man says as much himself](https://www.rpgsite.net/interview/13567-an-interview-with-keizo-the-creator-of-astlibra-revision-15-years-in-the-making-nintendo-switch-version-in-development-bakers-daughter-mini-story-dlc-and-more)! When you play ASTLIBRA, you're being given the privilage to experience a game by someone who was laser-focused on creating the Action RPG of his dreams. Luckily, KEIZO has some solid dreams, because I could not put ASTLIBRA down once I booted it up. The action is sublime, the power-curve is pitch-perfect, and the twists and turns of its bonkers plot just keep on hitting. I will never forget my time with this game. ## Resident Evil 4: Remake I'mma keep it a buck with y'all: I don't really have much to say about this game that probably hasn't already been said. It's an incredible remake of an already incredible game. Capcom did what I didn't think was possible. Leon is the gaming industry's greatest twink. I'd say "play it" but let's be honest, you probably already have. ## Street Fighter 6 I didn't personally click with Street Fighter 6, but that doesn't mean I don't see its merits. It's one of the best fighting games in recent memory. It's definitely my favorite Street Fighter game. And it's an incredible package for the price, with its cool RPG-like story mode, great lobby system, and complex mechanical systems. It's a good-ass game! And it's a *blast* to watch. This past EVO was my favorite in recent memory, and I can't wait to see what next year's will be like now that the big players will have a year of experience under their belt. If you're looking to jump into fighting games, it's worth taking a look at! ## Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising On the opposite side of the coin, here's my *personal* best fighting game of the year. Granblue Fantasy Versus was my favorite fighting game since Under Night, but both games had short-lived lifespans due to the pandemic and a lack of good netcode. Rising fixes that for Granblue, and as a result, I'm having the most fun I've ever had with fighting games. It's been out for like two weeks as of this writing, and I've already put in 22 hours into it. I just popped in to do some sets before I started writing this! I can't stop playing it and seeing how much I can continue to improve. More importantly though, GBVS:R has been popping off in my friend group too. Getting to hang out in a lobby with them and get some games in has been a blast. Even our total beginners have been enjoying themselves - and improving, too! I'm so happy Granblue Versus is getting a second chance - it truly deserves it. ## [[Dragon Quest Monsters - The Dark Prince]] I'm not gonna sugarcoat it folks - you're either going to click with this game and play it for 100 hours, or hate it immensely. Luckily I'm in Camp A. The Dark Prince is ugly. Its plot is nonsensical. It is about as poorly unoptimized as Pokemon Scarlet & Violet. None of that matters to me. Dragon Quest Monsters: The Dark Prince is one of, if not the best monster taming game I've ever played. It's a game for sickos that want to plan out entire family trees of monsters, fusing them together to make game-busting combinations that wipe out everything that gets thrown at you. I haven't stopped theory-crafting for the dozens of hours I've played it, and I can't wait to get into its post-game. Frankly, I'm just happy that DQM is back - even if SQEX doesn't seem to be, given the complete lack of marketing. 🙃 ## Crystal Project Technically a game that came out in 2022, Crystal Project is a criminally underrated game that I devoured in January. It's a one-man game that mashes two genres together I never would have expected: the JRPG and the 3D Platformer. Oh and with a sprinkling of Metroidvania on top. I loved Crystal Project so much that I haven't been able to write about it with the fear that I wouldn't do it justice. The theory-crafting that came with the different jobs you could select coupled with the fun and bouncy movement meant that I was logging off from work every evening to jump right back in and play it until late into the night. There was always some new ability to gain, some new job to unlock, some new area to explore or treasure to grab in Crystal Project. It's an adventure through-and-through. I was alone in my apartment for most of January, but Crystal Project was incredible company. Don't let this one slip past you. It's truly that good. ## Remnant II Remnant II did something that I feel is sort of rare in games nowadays, and that's keep a secret. When it launched, people quickly realized that what was revealed was only the beginning. Thus began a community effort to find every secret available, from the hidden classes to treasures to bosses to questlines. Data-miners had their work cut out for them. Eventually every aspect of Remnant II would be laid bare, but for a brief moment I was reminded of Mew under the truck, of Sonic in Smash Bros Melee - a time where the internet didn't suck the joy of discovery out of something before you even got to experience it. And that's pretty cool. It also helps that Remnant II is just an improvement over the original in every way. The new class system is extremely fun (can you tell I'm a sucker for these yet) and the gunplay feels even better. There's still DLC and crossplay to experience by the way - don't be surprised if this game shows up on my GOTY 2024 list as well. ## Like a Dragon: Ishin! & Like a Dragon Gaiden - The Man Who Erased His Name I mean, I don't feel like I have much left to say here. It's more Yakuza. As long as Ryu Ga Gotoku keeps making them, I'll keep buying them and inhaling them. The wildest part is that both of these games show up on my list but they're basically an appetizer before Infinite Wealth drops next year. Some parts of this timeline are actually pretty cool. ## Tevi This game is by the people that made Rabi Ribi, except this one is better because it's significantly less horny. I mean, it's still horny, but at a manageable level. I'll admit, this game has some problems. If you're looking for a "pure" Metroidvania experience, go elsewhere. Plus, the more you think about the plot, the more you realize was left completely unanswered - much to my annoyance. But put all of that aside and you find a mechanically satisfying adventure with cool combos, fun boss battles and a progression curve that will make your goblin brain hum, if it's anything like mine. Plus there are lots of bunnies and hot characters in it. Nice! ## [[Silent Hope (2023)]] I take pride in having what will probably be the only list that includes Silent Hope on it. This is because it is a game that is just okay. But it gave me what I wanted, personally, which was Diablo crossed with Dragalia Lost. This is a podcast game in every sense of the phrase. Grab some headphones, listen to Hbomberguy talk about plagerism, and start grinding for the next 4+ hours. Get materials, upgrade your gear, then dive back in for more. Is it the most polished? No. Are there games that do it better? Yes. Is this a terrible pitch? Undoubtedly. But tell that to my 40 hours in Silent Hope and let me know how that works out for you. I'd do it again too. That game had a grip on me and I'm not ashamed to admit it. ## 30XX I never played 20XX, and I'm also not the world's biggest Mega Man fan, unless you add "Battle Network" to the end of that name. But I picked up 30XX on a whim and dumped like 20 hours into it in the span of a week. It's very good, is what I'm saying. This game is Mega Man X, but with randomly generated levels and power-ups and bosses. The best part about 30XX is that it controls like goddamn butter. This game is about as smooth as Luther Vandross. Dashin, jumpin and shootin and/or slashin feels fantastic. On top of that, build synergy doesn't require you to have a galactic-sized brain, which is great, because the only thing in MY brain is a Jolly Chimp. You can run builds that give you little robot friends to help you do damage, or builds that make you more powerful every time you dash, or builds that make you so fast you can barely control your character. There are two characters you can use (so far), and you can even play it in multiplayer, if you enjoy chaos. AND if you're already tired of the world's greatest game of chance, i.e. your own reality, you can just play 30XX in "classic mode," which generates a single world seed that you can run over and over again instead of playing it as a roguelike. Neat! ## WitchSpring R WitchSpring R is a 7/10 game that I couldn't put down. Something about it has this irresistible charm that roped me in. I played it every night until I was wrapped up. You can get it done in a chill 17ish hours, which probably helps. But beyond that, it's simply very very cute. It has a cute cast, cute enemies, cute costumes you can dress your main character in - who's name is literally Pieberry, by the way - and just have a cute time. The plot has more depth than you'd expect, too. If you're looking for a neat little JRPG that won't take you a decade to play through, give it a look. ## Every SaGa Game This is mostly a meditation on representation. I've always wanted to get into SaGa, but I never found the time to really figure it out. That is, until I learned that the most recent one would have a hijabi character in it. I have now played every SaGa game. That's how starved I am to see my culture in the media I consume. Luckily they're all really goddamn good. From Romancing SaGa 3 to SaGa Scarlet Grace, I was treated to some of the best turn-based combat I've experienced in the genre. Akitoshi Kawazu is a man that understands the goop we need in our lives, and has become one of my favorite directors in recent memory. Get ready for me to not shut up about Emerald Beyond! ## [[Bomb Rush Cyberfunk (2023)]] Bomb Rush Cyberfunk is the epitome of "fuck it, I'll do it myself." The best part about that Jet Set Radio announcement is that if it sucks, we can just call this the long-awaited sequel instead. This game is perfect. Not because it does everything perfectly, but because it knows exactly what it wants to be, then sets out to achieve it. I have listened to the soundtrack a million times. I still boot it up to hit spots and relax after a long day. Just go play it already. ## Cobalt Core Even as someone who likes deck-based battlers, I feel like there have been so many that even *I'm* starting to get a little exhausted with them. Doubly-so if they're roguelites. Luckily two of them stood out from the crowd, the first of them being Cobalt Core. I won my first run on my second loop, and nothing is more proof that a game is good than when I'm good at the game. But actually though, it's really great. The idea of being able to move your ship left and right to dodge attacks and shoot weakpoints on enemy ships is neat. It's relatively easy to come up with a build as you go through the three stages, and runs aren't very long either. Also the soundtrack bangs. Check it out. ## Dungeon Drafters This game takes the term "deck-builder" very literally, in that you create an actual deck of cards using a Magic the Gathering-like elemental system. Red cards focus on close-ranged damage, green cards let you dance around the game's grid-based arenas, brown cards focus on shielding and countering, etc. It's a ton of fun. What I like about Dungeon Drafters is that the loop of collecting new cards in the various areas to try out and perfect your deck becomes pretty addicting. Even when I wasn't winning, I was happy to tap into my inner child, ripping expansion packs open and seeing what cards I could find like I did during my Pokemon TCG days. Also the sprite work looks good enough to eat. Seriously. --- # Honorable Mentions ## Thirsty Suitors I'm not done with it yet but it goes hard and you should play it. ## Mega Man Battle Network Legacy Collection I'm just glad this exists. ## Baiten Kaitos Collection I'm also just glad this exists. ## Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin I finished this game this year and it was a joy. But it came out years ago so I dunno if that counts. ## [[Touhou Artificial Dream in Arcadia (2023)]] Had to tap out at the poison swamp with no healing points. Great game up to that point but I'm growing old, you see. ## [[ARMORED CORE™ VI FIRES OF RUBICON™ (2023)]] I didn't finish it yet, sorry ## Labyrinth of Galleria - The Moon Society That NIS grinding good-good coupled with a 90 hour dungeon crawling experience. Run a team of 40 party members through the dungeons in between visual novel segments that I assume are going to pull a Madoka Magica on me 30 hours into the game. Really enjoying it but I'm not done with it yet, because *gestures at the 90 hours thing at the top of this paragraph.* ## Convergence: A League of Legends Story I love Ekko and I love metroidvanias, even the linear ones. But I can't in good faith add a League of Legends game to the list - especially given how much this game costed at base price. Def get it on sale though, it's really cute and good and it has a Black guy as a protagonist. And I didn't even have to create him myself! --- That's everything for this year. I dunno when this'll get officially published in the garden, but regardless, I hope the end of your 2023 is warm, comforting, and joyful. Thank you for being there for me this year, in whatever way that may be: hanging out or reading my stuff. I appreciate it, and I'll see you next year.