2023 is almost over, which means its time reflect on the year. To this end, we now know the top 10 best games this year, according to their Metacritic scores. Included are some of this year’s biggest release, but also included are some niche games we reckon most gamers have never heard of, let alone played. Some of the latter games have no doubt benefited from a smaller sample size of reviews, but that’s just the name of the game.ย
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Below, you can check out the top 10 games of the year based on Metacritic scores. We’ve gone and excluded re-releases unless they are proper remasters or remakes. We have also excluded DLC.ย
10. Jack Jeanne โ 90
About: “Kisa is about to abandon her dream of becoming an actor when she is given the opportunity to enroll at the prestigious Univeil Drama School. She is granted admission with two conditions: be chosen as the lead in the final performance and hide her identity as a girl! Competition at the school is fierce and the rivalry is real! Will Kisa be able to forge powerful bonds with her all-male classmates while competing against them for key roles? Will she be cast in the lead role in the final performance at the end of the year all while keeping her secret?”
9. Turbo Overkill โ 91
About: “Heavily inspired by some of the all-time greats like Id’s Doom & Quake, and Apogee’s Duke Nukem 3D, with stunning cyberpunk visuals, Turbo Overkill is the most savage FPS ever released by Apogee. You play as Johnny Turbo, augmented with hidden arm rockets and a chainsaw that extends from your lower leg allowing you to slide-slice enemies wide open. In this Blade Runner-meets-DOOM hellscape, Johnny returns to his hometown of Paradise and finds its entire population possessed by Syn, a rogue AI, and its army of augmented minions. Desperate for enough money to outrun his past mistakes, Johnny takes on the impossible job of destroying the greatest AI ever created. Rival bounty hunters want to claim the prize first. Nothing is easy in paradise.”
8. Against the Storm โ 92
About: “You are the Viceroy โ a leader charged by the Scorched Queen to reclaim the wilderness and discover lost riches for the Smoldering City, civilization’s last bastion against the Blightstorm that destroyed the old world. Unlike most survival city builders where your focus is on a single city, in Against the Storm you must build a vast, prosperous network of settlements populated by diverse fantasy races, each with their own specializations and needs.”
7. Street Fighter 6 โ 92
About: “Powered by Capcom’s proprietary RE ENGINE, the Street Fighter 6 experience spans across three distinct game modes featuring World Tour, Fighting Ground and Battle Hub.Play legendary masters and new fan favorites like Ryu, Chun-Li, Luke, Jamie, Kimberly and more in this latest edition with each character featuring striking new redesigns and exhilarating cinematic specials.”
6. Super Mario Bros. Wonder โ 92
About: “The next evolution of Mario fun! Classic Mario gameplay is turned on its head with Wonder Flowers in the Super Mario Bros. Wonder game! These game-changing items can make some wonderfully weird stuff happen. Witness pipes coming alive, wreak havoc as a giant Spike-Ball, and lots more!”
5. Resident Evil 4 โ 93
About: “6 years have passed since the biological disaster in Raccoon City. Leon S. Kennedy, one of the survivors of the incident, has been recruited as an agent reporting directly to the president of the United States. With the experience of multiple missions on his back, Leon is sent to rescue the president’s kidnapped daughter. He tracks her to a secluded European village, where there is something terribly wrong with the villagers. And the curtain rises on this story of daring rescue and grueling horror.”
4. Asgard’s Wrath 2 โ 93
About: “After promising you untold power, the trickster god Loki has betrayed you. While you remain trapped in his prison, he wreaks havoc โ tearing the universe asunder. Suddenly battle is thrust upon you, and you find yourself whisked away to the eerie landscape known only as The Inbetween. Here the mysterious Weavers reveal that you alone can save the fabric of reality from Loki’s destruction. The threads of fate carry you to the realms of Egypt and beyond. Here you must gain followers, uncover mysteries, battle monsters, and master the skills of the gods. Help the gods of Ancient Egypt defeat their enemies and in turn, they will help you defeat yours. Your redemption is far from certain. But this great evil must be stopped. Loki must know your wrath.”
3. Metroid Prime Remastered โ 94
About: “Suit up for an iconic adventure. Intergalactic bounty hunter Samus Aran receives a distress signal from a wrecked frigate in orbit around planet Tallon IV. Upon investigation, the frigate reveals itself to be a Space Pirate research vessel home to terrifying genetic experiments using the mysterious Phazon substance. There, Samus encounters her nemesis, Meta Ridley, whom she pursues to the surface of Tallon IV. It’s up to her alone to explore the planet’s interconnected regions, investigate its dark secrets, and end the intergalactic threat posed by Phazon. Experience this critically acclaimed first-person adventure like never before with remastered visuals, audio, controls, and more.”
2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom โ 96
About: “Explore the vast land-and skies-of Hyrule. An epic adventure awaits in the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom game, only on the Nintendo Switch system. In this sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild game, you’ll decide your own path through the sprawling landscapes of Hyrule and the mysterious islands floating in the vast skies above. Can you harness the power of Link’s new abilities to fight back against the malevolent forces that threaten the kingdom?”
1. Baldur’s Gate 3 โ 96
About: “Gather your party and return to the Forgotten Realms in a tale of fellowship and betrayal, sacrifice and survival, and the lure of absolute power. Mysterious abilities are awakening inside you, drawn from a mind flayer parasite planted in your brain. Resist, and turn darkness against itself. Or embrace corruption, and become ultimate evil. From the creators of Divinity: Original Sin 2 comes a next-generation RPG, set in the world of Dungeons & Dragons.”