2023 proved to be a blockbuster year for video games. Hotly anticipated platform titles debuted on a monthly, and sometimes biweekly, basis, consuming video gamers' time (and the contents of their wallets) like some viral new version of the ever insatiable Pac-Man. But it’s not as though gamers minded much, given the quality of the output. The biggest struggle proved to be staying on top of all the new releases, and there’s no doubt that many people will still be playing catch-up well into 2024, especially given the length of some of these games.
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00:00 Here are Time Magazine's Top 10 Favorite Games of the Year.
00:11 Number 10.
00:12 Dredge.
00:13 One of the most pleasant surprises came from New Zealand indie developer Black Salt Games.
00:18 What initially appears to be a normal fishing game takes a disturbing dive into Lovecraftian
00:22 lore.
00:23 While the game lacks the polish of its AAA counterparts, eye-catching art design, great
00:27 use of sound, and an ambitious format built into a seemingly simple gameplay make Dredge
00:31 one to play and Black Salt Games one to watch.
00:35 Number 9.
00:36 Diablo 4.
00:37 The iconic dungeon crawler returned with more classes, more weapons, and more demons to
00:42 slay.
00:43 Blizzard Entertainment's fourth core game in the series plays much like the previous
00:47 ones.
00:48 While the game has faced some criticism over its somewhat repetitive nature, it's a formula
00:52 that has been proven to work for the franchise.
00:53 As far as play-at-your-own-leisure games go this year, Diablo 4 is one of the strongest
00:58 and bloodiest.
01:00 Number 8.
01:01 Star Wars Jedi Survivor.
01:03 Respawn an EA sequel to Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, except five years after the events
01:08 of the first game.
01:09 The game offers new customizable features, like Kestis' appearance, force abilities,
01:14 and lightsaber stance.
01:15 As fun as the new features are, it's the emotional storytelling that makes the game such a balanced
01:20 experience.
01:21 Number 7.
01:22 Super Mario Bros.
01:23 Wonder.
01:24 Wonder is the first side-scrolling Mario game since 2012's New Super Mario Bros.
01:29 U, inviting plenty of nostalgia.
01:31 It's a great entry-point game, especially for younger players getting into Mario through
01:35 the recent movie.
01:36 For older gamers, it still feels like classic Mario, but now with better graphics, which
01:40 means there's plenty to love and little to explain in terms of gameplay.
01:44 Number 6.
01:45 Dead Space.
01:47 The remake of the iconic survival horror game from Motive Studio and EA may retell a familiar
01:52 story, but don't let that fool you into thinking that you know what's around every corner.
01:55 It's an incredibly designed game, with lighting and sound design that not only takes full
01:59 advantage of the current-gen systems, but creates an end result so terrifying that it
02:03 forces the player to take a deep breath and check their supplies before venturing forward
02:07 at every point.
02:09 Number 5.
02:10 Resident Evil 4.
02:12 The best entry of the Resident Evil series gets an upgrade that is more than worthy of
02:16 the original's reputation.
02:18 One of the biggest improvements to the game is that Ashley has a lot more agency, and
02:22 feels more like a partner to Leon rather than being a constant chore for him to keep track
02:25 of.
02:26 All of these improvements and additions make RE4 a more enthralling adventure, and a high
02:31 point for contemporary survival horror.
02:34 Number 4.
02:35 The Legend of Zelda, Tears of the Kingdom.
02:38 The sequel to 2017's Breath of the Wild, Tears of the Kingdom is the result of the planned
02:42 DLC content for Breath of the Wild growing too ambitious.
02:46 Zelda's Tears of the Kingdom permits the time and space for all of that ambition to get
02:50 the spotlight it rightly deserves.
02:52 It's easy to get lost in the beauty of the game and just explore, but the compelling
02:55 story, linked to the ancient history of Hyrule, always brings the player back to the central
02:59 quest in solving the mysteries that await there.
03:03 Number 3.
03:04 Spider-Man 2.
03:06 One of the most anticipated games of the year, the follow-up to Insomniac's Spider-Man and
03:10 Spider-Man Miles Morales is an epic and emotional journey that furthers the themes of the previous
03:15 two games and allows the characters and the city they inhabit to evolve.
03:19 While the game may be a little shorter than Spider-Man, the side quests are more meaningful
03:23 and work better within the context of the game's themes on the finite nature of time.
03:28 Ironically, Spider-Man 2 is a game you just won't want to end.
03:32 When it does, we're left with the greatest superhero game ever made.
03:36 Number 2.
03:37 Baldur's Gate 3.
03:39 Based on Dungeons and Dragons, Baldur's Gate 3 is set in the open world of the Forgotten
03:43 Realms.
03:44 The supporting characters and relationships you can develop really make Baldur's Gate
03:47 3 a special experience.
03:49 Given the length of the game, which is well over 100 hours, there's plenty to explore,
03:53 both on your own or with friends, making Baldur's Gate 3 the gamer gift that keeps on giving.
03:59 Number 1.
04:00 Alan Wake 2.
04:01 Some believed it would never happen, but after 13 years, the cult game Alan Wake finally
04:06 has a proper follow-up, and it's a doozy.
04:09 More than just another video game, Alan Wake 2 is a complex yet rewarding narrative, and
04:14 it's a game worth revisiting to discover additional clues and connections.
04:18 Just remember to stay in the light.
04:19 Thanks for watching.
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