As we all know, 2023 was an absolutely packed year for video games. I absolutely can’t believe I am about to list the games you are about to see as “honorable mentions.” Looking at my past four years of lists, almost all of these would have made my top 10 in those ranks, which is why I went back and figured out where they would have ranked each year. Hopefully, it helps put into context how amazing 2023 was. With that, let’s get to the games!
Cocoon
Cocoon is barely on the outside looking in for me, but it is still a very special game. Cocoon is that rare game that doesn’t hold your hand when it comes to the puzzles, and yet, somehow, there are just enough contextual clues to make everything click. Many of the puzzles had me thinking, but never for long enough where I got frustrated. It also has a very immersive atmosphere and really fun boss fights. This is the evolution of Inside and Limbo that we have been waiting for.
If it was released in 2019: 7th
2020: 9th
2021: 7th
2022: 6th
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
This is one of those games where it almost feels offensive to put at honorable mention, so I’ll just note that while I really enjoyed Super Mario Bros. Wonder, I had a few little issues with it. The wonder seeds in each level can be really cool, but they didn’t wow me that often, and that is one of the big things the game has to make it stand out from other (mostly indie) 2D platformers. The badge system was also a bit of a bummer, as you end up rarely using some of the cooler game mechanics because you can only use one at a time. But it’s still a very well-made 2D platformer. I was impressed with the difficulty, as I like difficult platformers, and this fits the bill there, but they have options where kids should be able to beat the game, too. It controls really well, and the wonder seeds are still fun overall. This is a very strong outing from Nintendo, and I feel like with some tweaks, it could have been a top 4 game for me. Also, this was by far my two year old’s favorite game of the year.
2019: 7th
2020: 9th
2021: 7th
2022: 6th
Hi-Fi Rush
I was very interested in trying out Metal: Hellsinger last year, a rhythm FPS game. I quickly realized that I am not good at rhythm elements being mixed with other genres. So when Hi-Fi Rush was surprise dropped, I was interested but not expecting much. Hi-Fi Rush quickly blew me away with how well it brings someone like me along for the ride with all of its extra visual cues. It’s so joyful, well-made, and fun, and even has one of my top 10 moments of the year. It also has an extremely likable cast. I really wanted it to be on my list, because I love a big release that does something new, but it was just too tough of a year, and a few annoyances did manage to hold it back. I think a Hi-Fi Rush sequel with more fun platforming and a few tweaks could be a true banger in a few years, and I’m hopeful that we will get that game.
2019: 7th
2020: 9th
2021: 7th
2022: 6th
Sea of Stars
This game is pretty much made for those of us with fond memories of Super Mario RPG and Chrono Trigger from our childhood. The art, battle system, and music all just hit the sweet spot that those games did. It also features one of my favorite game moments of 2023. Some minor frustrations and a story that didn’t consistently hit for me held it back from the top 10, but if you love SNES RPGs, you should absolutely play this game.
2019: 8th
2020: 9th
2021: 7th
2022: 6th
Pikmin 4
I might be the only person in the world to be able to say this… I bought Pikmin 4 because of Tinykin last year. The Pikmin games never looked like my thing, so I never purchased them before. Last year, I tried out Tinykin because it was free on Game Pass, and I absolutely loved it. Fast forward to this year, and I made the jump into the series that inspired Tinykin, and sure enough, it rules. Pikmin 4 accomplishes pretty much everything it sets out to do. It is packed full of content and is consistently satisfying and relaxing. This was also the first game my at the time 18-month-old child showed real interest in, so it holds an extra soft spot in my heart. If you’ve never tried a Pikmin game, I think it’s one of those rare games that anyone of any skill level can probably get enjoyment out of it they give it a chance.
2019: 7th
2020: 9th
2021: 7th
2022: 6th
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
From a game development standpoint, Tears of the Kingdom is one of the biggest accomplishments of the year. Ultrahand and the ascend abilities are technical marvels. I was very impressed with these mechanics. and they make a game that has (mostly) the same map as Breath of the Wild feel very different. The exploration can be extremely fun and rewarding, but I also found it to be grindy in a weird way. I just never seemed to naturally have some of the things I needed on hand for climbing in the rain or exploring underground, and I felt like I had to circle back a lot. Weapon durability is way less annoying than Breath of the Wild, but I still found it to be a nuisance. I also am very ready for the combat in this series to evolve. I totally understand those that consider this their game of the year, and I certainly had some legitimate fun with it, but I also slowly reached my breaking point with it about 3/4 of the way through.
2019: 9th
2020: Not Ranked
2021: 9th
2022: 9th
Blasphemous 2
Blasphemous 2 combines weighty, soulslike combat, with a Metroidvania style game, and they do it wonderfully. When you tell me that a game has these kinds of inspirations, I don’t necessarily expect the platforming to be all that great, but Blasphemous 2 actually has platforming right up there with some of the best of the Metroidvania genre. I do wish exploration felt a bit more rewarding, I didn’t end up caring about several of the upgrades, which hurt that feeling of satisfaction these games usually have a lot. There is also one maze-y area which absolutely drove me up a wall. I think a standard leveling up system and that one area going away could have driven this into the top 10 for me. But it’s still a tremendous game, and if soulslikes and Metroidvanias are your thing, you should definitely play this.
2019: 7th
2020: Not Ranked
2021: 9th
2022: 9th
Remnant 2
I want to sit here and say that Remnant 2 is one of the most underrated games of the year, and it’s a shame that it hasn’t gotten more coverage, but with how packed 2023 is, I haven’t even shouted it out once on this blog yet. Remnant 2‘s gameplay just feels so damn good, and it absolutely nails being a 3rd person shooter soulslike. The game is built to be replayed, but I personally only really enjoyed it for one playthrough, and I think most of my issues stem from that. Now that it is free on Game Pass, if anything about this game interests you, and especially if you have a friend that will play co-op with you, you should definitely check it out.
2019: 9th
2020: Not Ranked
2021: 9th
2022: 9th
Jusant
When I tell people about how awesome Game Pass is, this is the exact kind of game I love to point to. It’s a unique experience, but only about four hours, so not something most people want to spend the full $25 on. It takes a second to get used to the climbing and platforming, but it really immerses you with its distinctive control scheme. Having each trigger correspond with a climbing hand weirdly makes you feel like you are climbing, too. And it wows you with its awesome visuals, as it makes great use of its mountain views. This is an extremely pleasant in and out game that I am glad I played, and I am especially glad I didn’t have to spend extra money on.
2019: 10th
2020: Not Ranked
2021: Not Ranked
2022: Not Ranked
Dead Space (Remake)
I feel like if this was my first time playing Dead Space, it would have at least been very in the running for the 10th spot. But, I had played Dead Space before, and while this remains a very solid video game, it just doesn’t enhance the original enough for it to climb up my ranks in any significant way. I’d argue 2008’s Dead Space was already so modern, unique, and ahead of its time with both gameplay and visuals, that there wasn’t any great way for them to make the game all that much better with a remake. Resident Evil 4 was originally released in 2005, and those three years made a huge difference in video games!
If you like survival horror games and have never played Dead Space, you should absolutely play this game. If you played the original and liked it a lot, you still should play this. It just probably won’t blow your mind this time around.
2019: 9th
2020: Not Ranked
2021: Not Ranked
2022: 9th
Roboquest
I wonder if Roboquest would have gotten more attention this year if it wasn’t named Roboquest. I saw this game on Game Pass and didn’t even bother to click on it to see what it was about. It had such a generic looking title card that it didn’t even attract a glance from me when it dropped. Luckily, Andy Cortez from KindaFunny started hyping it up, which got me to give it a look. And sure enough, it rules. This is a superb FPS roguelite, with a lot of fun and great feeling weapons, and a nice visual style. I’ve put about 25 hours in, and I can see myself picking it up again down the road because it is so easy to jump into. My only complaint is that the upgrade system is so linear, and most of the upgrades really don’t help all that much. The beauty of roguelites is that the sting of defeat is greatly softened by the rewards after, but this definitely felt about as roguelike as a roguelite could. That isn’t always a bad thing, but I don’t think the core gameplay stands out on the level it would need to, to fully get away with that. Still, if you have Game Pass and like FPS, you owe it to yourself to give this a go.
2019: 10th
2020: Not Ranked
2021: Not Ranked
2022: Not Ranked
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