Top 10 Games of 2023: The Best of Every Genre

Introduction: 2023, Looking Back

Gamer browsing a shelf of game cases in a home games room — © Copyright , ZombieBunny.Org

2023 turned out to be one of the strongest years for video games in a long time. This list looks back at it one genre at a time: for each category, the release that defined it, when it came out, and what made it stand out.

This post originally previewed the year before these games were released. It has been rewritten now that we know how 2023 played out.

1. Futuristic First-Person Shooter: Atomic Heart

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Released: February 21, 2023 – PC, PlayStation and Xbox.

Mundfish’s debut is set in an alternate-history 1950s Soviet Union where a robot workforce has turned on its makers. It mixes first-person gunfire with brutal melee and a polymer glove that grants telekinetic and elemental powers, all wrapped in one of the most striking retro-futurist art styles of the year.

2. Revival of a Classic RPG: Baldur’s Gate 3

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Released: August 3, 2023 on PC (PlayStation 5 in September, Xbox in December).

Larian Studios brought back the series that defined computer role-playing games around the turn of the century, built on Dungeons & Dragons 5th edition rules with turn-based combat and a staggering number of ways to solve every problem. It won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2023, taking six of its eight nominations.

3. Breakthrough in VR Gaming: Horizon Call of the Mountain

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Released: February 22, 2023 – PlayStation VR2 launch title.

Launched alongside Sony’s PlayStation VR2 headset, this Horizon spin-off puts you on the cliffs of the Forbidden West, climbing hand over hand and drawing a bow against machines that tower over you. It became the showcase for what the new headset could do.

4. Next-Gen Sports Simulation: EA Sports FC 24

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Released: September 29, 2023 – PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch.

The first game after EA’s long partnership with FIFA ended, FC 24 kept the clubs, leagues and modes fans knew under a new name, added HyperMotionV animation captured from real matches, and brought women’s players into Ultimate Team for the first time.

5. Innovative Interactive Storytelling: Alan Wake 2

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Released: October 27, 2023 – PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Remedy’s long-awaited sequel splits its story between FBI agent Saga Anderson and the trapped writer Alan Wake, blending survival horror with live-action sequences and a musical number nobody saw coming. It won Best Narrative and Best Game Direction at The Game Awards 2023.

6. Unleashing Creativity in Sandbox Gaming: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

Traveller playing an open-world adventure game on a handheld console on a train — © Copyright , ZombieBunny.Org

Released: May 12, 2023 – Nintendo Switch.

Nintendo turned Hyrule into a construction kit. The Ultrahand ability lets you fuse almost anything together to build rafts, cars and flying machines, and the map now stretches from sky islands overhead to the vast Depths beneath.

7. Immersive Shared-World Experience: Diablo IV

Friends at a LAN party playing a dark fantasy online game together — © Copyright , ZombieBunny.Org

Released: June 6, 2023 – PC, PlayStation and Xbox.

Not a traditional MMO, but Blizzard’s return to Sanctuary is an always-online shared world: you run into other players on the roads, gather for world bosses and return each season for new content, while the dark, gothic tone recalls the series at its best.

8. Strategic Mind in Tactical Warfare: Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp

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Released: April 21, 2023 – Nintendo Switch.

WayForward rebuilt the two beloved Game Boy Advance tactics games with a new look, keeping the turn-based battles of tanks, artillery and air units that make every move count.

9. The Wonder of Survival Horror: Resident Evil 4

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Released: March 24, 2023 – PC, PlayStation and Xbox Series X|S.

Capcom’s remake of the 2005 classic sends Leon Kennedy to rural Spain to rescue the president’s daughter, Ashley. It keeps the original’s pacing while adding a knife parry, a darker tone and modern controls.

10. Pioneering Real-Time Strategy: Company of Heroes 3

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Released: February 23, 2023 – PC.

Relic’s World War II strategy series moved to the Italian and North African fronts, pairing its real-time battles with a turn-based campaign map for the Italian campaign.

Conclusion: A Year to Remember

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From Baldur’s Gate 3 sweeping the awards to Tears of the Kingdom turning Hyrule into a sandbox, 2023 delivered standout games in almost every genre. If you missed any of them, all ten are still easy to pick up today.