I’m not a particularly up to date kind of guy - I have the internet, quite a nice pocket telephone, and my computer is capable of keeping up with most modern releases (although the eventual and unavoidable upgrade is a foreboding expense I’m currently ignoring), but that is about the extent if my modernity. I’m rarely in the know with internet culture, and I definitely struggle to keep up with the latest releases. So, it might not come as a shock to learn that I’m lacking in opinions for a game of the year for 2023. I think that’s ok - despite some small efforts, I’m not part of the videogame journalist community and because of this I am at least free of the shackles of relevance (you can tell because this should have been posted in December). Lucky me? Well, just because I’ve played very few new games, it doesn’t mean that I can’t have a favourite game I’ve played this past year, does it? No. I’ve decided. So looking back at what I have played, the list is rather more extensive than I thought. Most of them have been covered in the blog in some way, but there are a few I’ve yet to speak about properly, and some that I played before I started writing here.
So, here’s the list then - these are the games that I’ve played over the past 12 months and have either played enough of to have gotten a grasp of their worth, or have actually completed. Included are a couple of honorary mentions - I’ve only played the demo versions of these, but I very much enjoyed them and they won me over enough to get the full games (I just haven’t played them through yet).
Alan Wake (PC - 2010):
A lot is being said about the sequel this year, and I felt very much out of the loop, hence the catching up going on here. The kind of weirdness prevalent in the Max Payne games is exactly the kind of weirdness I like in my games, and apparently it continues in the Alan Wake series, so this was a silly oversight on my part. Should have played it when it came out, perhaps I wouldn’t have noticed the slightly aged mechanics and gameplay. Regardless of this, the game offers a very enjoyable story and atmosphere.
Arcade Paradise (PC - 2022):
This game boasts a great variety in the in-world games on offer, and there is satisfaction in wandering about your ever evolving arcade. Despite the great minigames and engaging story, the management aspects leave a little to be desired.
Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition - (PC - 2014):
Maybe not the originator of the bullet sponge, but it definitely put the phrase in my head. Fun world and enjoyable gameplay despite this little issue. And in this one, Claptrap isn’t as annoying as he is in later titles - so there’s that!
Call of Duty: Warzone - DMZ (PC - 2023):
Fun with friends - otherwise I seem to die an awful lot. Not purchased the full game, so my experiences are limited. But as I said, fun with friends, and it’s free fun to boot. One thing you won’t have free after installing it is hard drive space though.
Dragon Age: Origins: Ultimate Edition - (PC - 2009):
A spiritual successor to the mighty Baldur’s Gate games, and a worthy one too. A brilliant role playing game with more of it’s predecessors DNA than the latter titles in the series. Visuals and compatibility have dated over the years, but it’s still fun despite this if you can get it working. There might be posts about this in the works already…
Future Cop: LAPD (PS1 - 1998):
A really unique title. Police mech shooter with incredible music and really satisfying gameplay. Amazingly playable for a PS1 game, and still looks great. Sometimes it can be frustrating when accuracy is required, but if you can look past that, the variety in enemies, the fantastic level design, and the series of unique missions make for a really great time - even better in co-op.
Ghost in the Shell (PS1 - 1998):
A brilliant tie in to a masterpiece of animation. The original cast from the film really add to the experience, and the gameplay is fun. The controls are tight, which is an accolade often missing from games of this era. Unfortunately the game is let down a little by being a bit too simplistic. This results in a very short experience - although there is a little more to be eked out by the score system and training mode.
Hitman 3 : Freelancer Mode (PC - 2023):
I think of this as a separate entity from the main game. Utilising the incredibly dense and detailed maps from the three modern instalments, this roguelike assassination experience is endlessly replayable. Frustration might make you want to punch a hole in your monitor on occasion however - but when a kill goes right, it’s exhilarating.
Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven (PC - 2002):
The original Mafia stood out, even amongst games like GTA III. It’s packed with cinematic references, it’s mature, and feature rich, all while telling a compelling story. The 3rd person shooting isn’t the best however, but the vehicle sections really show off what this game is capable of. The world feels alive while playing through the story - not so much in free mode.
Medieval Dynasty (PC - 2020):
A work simulator if ever there was one, but the setting, graphics, and gameplay create an enthralling experience. Said experience isn’t unending however, as eventually you will tire of all the hard work. Fun for a while - probably better with chums, but everything is.
Nightmare Creatures (PS1 - 1997):
An inspiration to those souls like games that have come since, and a game that really stuck with me as a child, despite having only played the first level back then. Returning to it years later reveals it as a game that was almost great, but missed the mark with poor controls and some misguided features. Despite the downfalls, it serves an incredibly atmospheric experience.
Pokémon Sleep (Mobile - 2023):
It’s a mobile game, but doesn’t aggressively pester you for money. A fun little time waster with lovely visuals. Not much to it however. Once I got a Venusaur, Blastoise, Charizard, and a Pikachu I lost interest.
ReBoot (PS1 - 1998):
There were a bunch of shows from the my childhood that really stuck with me - ReBoot was one of these. A tie in to the pioneering and really unique, creative, and well written animated show. It features the voice cast from the show, as well as (what might be) some new scenes. The game is wrapped around a fun original story. I was excited to discover its existence, but after playing it, I quite disappointedly realised that it was a bit of a chore to play. Floaty controls be damned!
Red Faction (PC - 2001):
Miners on Mars, what a trope these days - was more novel back in 2001, although still a little trad. That didn’t stop me having a blast (literally - lots of explosions) playing through it again. The game is a little dated in some ways, but with a little bit of jazzing up with the fantastic Dash Faction, this game runs like a dream, and one thing that remains at it’s core to this day is the fun gameplay. This was meant to be one of the first games I looked at on the blog, but it just ended up getting pushed back. Finally finished the other day - so you can expect a nice chunky post or two in the near future!
RoboCop: Rogue City (PC - 2023):
I loved the original film, and when I saw that a demo for this game was available in the Steam Next Fest, I was all over it like a Murphy on criminals. I’ve only played the demo so far, but it really hit a nerve (in a good way). It gave me vibes of Deus Ex, and the skin of RoboCop only added to my enjoyment. I can’t speak for the rest of the game, but if it’s more of the same, that’ll be fine by me. It is near the top of my list of games to play next (perhaps only behind Baldur’s Gate 3).
Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided (PC - 2003):
I still consider this (in all it’s iterations) to be one of the greatest games I’ve ever played. That doesn’t make me blind to it’s faults however. The pre-CU version of Galaxies that SWGEmu are keeping alive is a relic of the past, but much enjoyment can be had here, either solo out in the wilderness, or in group PvE and PvP combat. The later iterations make many improvement, but with each update, a little bit of the original soul of the game got chipped away. If you want the atmosphere of Star Wars Galaxies, you’ve got pre-CU. If you want thrilling content, looks elsewhere (SWGLegends most likely).
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (PC - 2010):
When the demo for this came out shortly before it’s release, I spent countless hours experimenting with the force powers and having an incredibly fun time. When the full game came out, I played it to completion, collecting every crystal and upgrade I could find. In my most recent run, the age of it is beginning to show, especially compared with the latest Star Wars releases. It features an enjoyable origin story for the birth of the rebellion, and a lot of fun can still be had with the Havoc, DMM, and Euphoria physics engines. Beware - contains QTEs.
The Ascent (PC - 2021):
Hack and slash games like Dark Alliance shaped my videogame life in my early teens, and other than the likes of Diablo, Path of Exile, and Torchlight, the scene feels a little under served. I’m sure there are a boatload of titles in this genre that I’ve missed over the years… but anyway. Without coughing up full price for the Dark Alliance remakes, and not feeling particularly motivated to replay those other games, I was delighted to find The Ascent. Absolutely stunning visuals in a unique cyberpunk world. The story is engaging, and most importantly of all, the combat (mostly ranged) is incredibly visceral. Gunshots are punchy, explosions are violent, and the visual effects of your special attacks really do make you feel as though you are impacting the world around you. The gameplay loop is a little repetitive, but that comes with the genre for the most part.
Tom Clancy’s The Division 2 (PC - 2019):
This game and its predecessor seems like something I would never get to play. Overly online games (excluding SWG - it gets a free pass) usually put me off, and to top it off, this one seemed too advanced to run on my system. Skip forward a few years and in picking up this game in a sale, I found that not only did it run well on my PC, it was also very fun. Realising that I didn’t need to have any friends for most of the content was a bonus too!
Townscaper (PC - 2020):
Another here that I’ve only played the demo of, but in this case, you really do get a feel for what the full game is. The demo is restrictive in scale, but otherwise pretty much feature full. This game is simple, refined, and allows for the unleashing of creativity (something I very much appreciate in a game).
World of Warcraft - (PC 2004)
Another MMO? Yep. During the summer I was dog sitting for two weeks at my in-law’s house and hauling my PC along with me was not really an option. I decided instead to use the time wisely, by getting a lot of writing done. In the end, more it was more Warcraft than word craft. I played the game up to the Burning Crusade on live, but lost interest thereafter. For my summer gaming (and being limited to my laptop) I decided to jump onto a private server - that being SoloCraft, which runs with patch 1.12.1. The game is basic and aged, much like Galaxies. But for the few weeks I replayed it, I had a nice relaxing time. Bit pointless to recommend it though, everyone knows what WoW is and whether they’d want to play it. Either way - huzzah for private servers!
Putting the list together I see that I’m somewhat stuck in the late 90s for the most part… oh well - look there are some newer titles. Unfortunately, most of these are replays as well. Perhaps I shouldn’t be eroding what standing I might have as a writer about videogames, but it’s best to be honest. Now would be the time that I’d crown my top pick from this particular crop, wouldn’t it? Oh, well, I reckon it’s probably…
The Ascent! It was a new experience for me, an action role playing game with guns (I’m used to swords), and along with being really fun to play, it also boasts an excellent soundtrack. I will get around to writing about this game properly one day, but for now take this paragraph as an endorsement - play this game if you haven’t already given it a go! And if you have, play new game plus.
Well there we go, a year of games. I wonder what will be on the list next time I do one of these? Only time will tell! Have you played any of these this year, or in the past? And what else have you played? Let me know - I could do with some recommendations.
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Great list. Loved the wide range of games from across decades. Made me feel young and old at the same time!
Robocop is definitely more of the same. Not the best game in the world but reliving a childhood and killing bad guys and handing out parking tickets is a lot of fun. Fits into that category like the 2008 Ghostbusters game where it feels more like the sequel we never got.