Gme of the Yaer 2023

[MetalCaveman]

We have the overall GOTY, but figured we could also use one for our personal game of the year.

 

For me the answer is easy:

 

Armored Core 6

 

 

It delivered everything I wanted in a new AC game, biggest issue I had was with the new focus on more traditional boss fights, which were a bit annoying, although, currently playing on PS5, with the latest patch, and so far they're much better now, first boss was a tad too easy, but the rest have been much more fun.

 

If you dropped the game due to boss fights in the first patch, I'd recommend giving it another try now. One thing I'd like to see them try is allowing you to play with different versions, in ACFA, you could choose which patch you wanted to play with, although for online you had to use the most recent, it allowed them to do fun things with some patches like an infinite energy patch, and (iirc) 1.4, AKA the missile patch.

 

I really, REALLY hope it did well enough that we don't have to wait 10 years for a sequel or expansion.

 

Runner up:

 

Alan Wake 2

 

 

Any other year and this would have been my GOTY, if Alan had a giant robot that could reduce the dark place to rubble, it would have been the best game ever lol.

 

Still, it was pretty close, both are awesome games that I love, and both came out after about a decade from the previous ones (though I guess AW had the remastered and American Nightmare in between lol), also, both were worth the wait.

[Mister Jack]

GAME OF THE YEAR

 

 

Yeah this one really couldn't have been anything else. I've never really been one for CRPGs but this one finally managed to suck me in. It's just such an enormous game with so much player choice and such great and memorable party members along with such deep and tactical combat that I really had no choice but to pick the same game most other people out there are picking. This one won the game awards for a damn good reason and I'm itching to replay it in co-op sometime. You could probably replay this ten times and have ten different experiences. The next Dragon Age or Mass Effect game has a hell of a tough act to follow after this one.

 

RUNNER-UP

 

 

I was fully prepared to put Tears of the Kingdom as the runner-up, and in fact I did just that in the poll for the other GOTY thread, but then I played Asgard's Wrath II and it just blew me away. Is it as big or deep as Zelda? No, of course not, but the thing is that Tears of the Kingdom was basically Breath of the Wild except better while Asgard's Wrath II, despite being a sequel, gave me an experience unlike anything else I've played before, especially in VR. It felt more fresh than Tears of the Kingdom did, so I just have to give it bonus points for that. It will probably be a long time before I experience combat that is this much fun again. Lots of VR games let you swing a sword around, but somehow it just feels so much better doing it in this one, and that's not even getting into the other weapons you get to play with in your loadout. Wielding a blade, a whip, a shield, a ranged weapon, and magic all at the same time against enemies who don't pull their punches makes battles more satisfying than anything I've felt in a VR game before. That's not even getting into the creative puzzles that will have you utilizing your god form, your mortal form, and your animal powers all at once to get through dungeons. This is probably the closest thing to a Zelda game we're going to get in VR anytime soon. 

 

HONORABLE MENTION

 

 

I normally try not to put three games in a post like this but man, 2023 was just such a kickass year for games, maybe the best year since 2017. While I could put Zelda here and I would definitely say Zelda was the superior game in comparison, a Zelda game hardly needs to be given special mention. Outside of Nioh 2, Lies of P is the best Soulslike game not made by From that I have played to date. The atmosphere, the story, the combat, it all just scratches that Bloodborne itch in me that has been going neglected for ages. I think I ended up completing it five times before I put it down. It was pretty punishingly inaccessible at launch, but it has since been patched to make it easier for new players to get into it without hitting a brick wall. I recommend it to anyone who liked Bloodborne and I can't wait for the sequel.

Edited January 1, 2024 by Mister Jack

[TheMightyEthan]

Game of the Year: Alan Wake 2

 

This game is so perfectly weird, and creepy, and atmospheric. I love how they converted it into an actual horror game, as compared to the original's vaguely-horror-themed-action. The game is gorgeous, the world is intriguing, the characters are bizarre and wonderful. It's just great.

 

Runner-Up: Hi-Fi Rush

 

This game was such a surprise and delight. I'm not usually a big fan of character action games, but this one hooked me. The explicit tying of everything to the beat really helps get the rhythm of the combat. The characters are a delight, and the game has real heart, managing to pull off a lot of things that could so easily have been cringey. I think the shadow drop was a mistake, the lack of lead-up to it means it's not as firmly embedded in people's minds and it doesn't get the attention it deserves.

 

Honorable Mention: Sea of Stars

 

This game was totally not on my radar, and I'm not the biggest old-school JRPG fan to begin with, but it really got me. It's beautiful and sweet and fun.