Best Video Games Released In 2023: ‘Starfield’, ‘Diablo 4’, ‘Hogwarts Legacy’ And More

Platform: Nintendo Switch

The Zelda franchise finally got its much-awaited successor to 2017’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and boy, did it deliver on all expectations.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom sold a whopping 10 million copies within the first three days of its launch, thereby making it one of the best-selling games ever released on the Nintendo Switch. The game’s plot builds upon the events of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, while the overhauled gameplay includes an improved crafting system and a larger in-game world to explore. 

Many fans and critics consider this to be not just the best Zelda game of all time, but also the best game of 2023.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Nintendo)

Platform: PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

Selling over 12 million copies in its first two weeks and generating USD 850 million in revenue, it is safe to say that Hogwarts Legacy is one of the best-selling games of 2023. And if you’ve been fortunate enough to play it, you’ll understand why that’s the case.  

Set almost a century before the events of the Harry Potter novels, critics and players have praised the game for its engaging combat, exceptional world design, well-detailed characters and a variety of content. For all those who have been patiently waiting for their letter from Hogwarts that never arrived, playing this immersive, open-world game might be the closest you’ll ever come to being a Hogwarts student. 

(Image Credits: Courtesy Warner Bros. Games)

Platforms: Windows, Xbox Series X|S

One of the most anticipated titles of 2023, Starfield sold 6 million copies within the first 24 hours of its release, thereby making it Bethesda’s biggest game ever.

Bethesda’s newest (and shiniest) IP in 25 years, Starfield is based on the concept of space exploration and involves a vast in-game universe with over 1,000 diverse planets. As the protagonist, the player needs to build custom spaceships, enhance their combat skills, build settlements across the planetary systems and partake in an immersive storyline.

For those in love with sci-fi movies like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Interstellar, Starfield is exactly what the doctor ordered.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Bethesda)

Platforms: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S

Diablo 4 marks the debut of the classic franchise on the current generation of gaming consoles and sure enough, it was a huge success upon its launch.

The online multiplayer role-playing game puts you in the shoes of Nephalem, a human possessing the blood of angels and demons, as he battles through hordes of monsters to defeat the forces of hell. The plot is a continuation of Diablo 3, following the destruction of the Black Soulstone. The game was well-received by critics and players for its dark atmosphere and faithful recreation of the Diablo universe.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Blizzard Entertainment)

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S

Garnering rave reviews upon its release, Remedy Entertainment’s newest creation is a must-play for fans of this horror franchise. Unlike its predecessor which was essentially an action-adventure title, Alan Wake 2 transitions to the survival horror genre with a focus on exploration, light-based combat and puzzle solving while taking a more open-world approach.

Once again, you step into the shoes of Alan Wake as he navigates the world with his flashlight, pistol and other tools to seek the truth behind The Dark Place. You also play as Saga Anderson, an FBI agent harbouring supernatural abilities that help her profile victims and suspects in her “Mind Place”.   

With a score of 83 on Metacritic, Alan Wake 2 is a game you cannot miss out on. 

(Image Credits: Courtesy Remedy Entertainment)

Platforms: PlayStation 5

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 doubles the fun by weaving an interesting plot around two Spider-Men as the protagonists. Peter Parker and Miles Morales come together for this blockbuster PS5 title and sure enough, gamers couldn’t get enough of them.

Selling over 5 million copies within 10 days of its release, Spider-Man 2 went on to become PlayStation’s fastest-selling first-party title. The game’s centre of attraction is Venom who initially latches on to Peter Parker, but later becomes the main antagonist for both of our superheroes. Kraven The Hunter also features as the other antagonist in the story.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Insomniac Games)

Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC

A faithful recreation of the 2008 survival horror classic, the 2023 Dead Space remake brings back the bone-chilling story of the original sprinkled with modern graphics and exciting gameplay mechanics. The remake was acclaimed for its stunning visuals, great atmospheric audio engineering and improved gameplay. The developer also introduced new zero-gravity mechanics, a revamped dismemberment system and a new weapon upgrade system. All of this was apparently enough for new and returning players to make the Dead Space remake the second-highest-selling video game in the US in January 2023. 

(Image Credits: Courtesy EA)

Platforms: Windows, macOS, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S

For fans of Dungeons & Dragons, Baldur’s Gate 3 is undoubtedly one of the best video games in 2023. 

Set in an open-world setting and developed by Larian Studios, the game was praised for its exploration aspects, combat style and character development. A fast-paced and tactical combat system involving spells and special gear is something players need to get accustomed to while playing Baldur’s Gate 3. It’s no surprise then that it was the best-selling game on Steam where it had about 875,000 concurrent players during the second weekend of its release.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Larian Studios)

Platforms: PC, Linux, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4 and 5

For fans of Formula 1, F1 23 easily offers the best way of experiencing the adrenaline rush of motorsports without getting an FIA Super License or buying tickets to a Grand Prix.

F1 23 improved upon its predecessor with a sorted handling system, a new roster of tracks from the Formula 1 2023 season and a brand new story mode with fictional characters and a fictional F1 team. It also features iconic F1 drivers as part of its highly acclaimed career mode where you can either play as a solo racer on the grid or manage your own F1 team in a bid to drive it (pun not intended) to the top.

(Image Credits: Courtesy EA Codemasters)

Platforms: PC and Xbox Series X|S

Despite being the eighth instalment in the series, Forza Motorsport is kind of a reboot. Although the gameplay concept remains unchanged from its predecessors, wherein you step into the shoes of a professional race car driver across various disciplines of track-based racing events, Forza Motorsport stays true to its motive of promoting the car culture.

The game features over 500 meticulously detailed cars and approximately 800 performance upgrades along with 20 new race tracks. Other than real-time ray tracing on the tracks, the game’s attention to detail includes aspects like tire wear, a better-defined damage model with paint chipping and dirt buildup and the idea of a ‘living track’. 

(Image Credits: Courtesy Xbox Game Studios)

Platforms:  PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S

If the sim racing discipline of Forza isn’t for you, perhaps the concept of mindless arcade driving in the latest instalment of The Crew franchise might be to your liking.

Released with the aim of taking on the Forza Horizon franchise, Ubisoft’s The Crew Motorfest has become one of the most happening car racing video games released this year. Instead of an expansive map of the US, Motorfest brings the action to a comparatively smaller world map based on the islands of Hawaii. With a sizeable roster of extremely detailed cars, aeroplanes and boats, players are made to compete in a host of races to win points and upgrade to higher-tier vehicles. This game is FUN, which is exactly why it finds a spot on our list of the best video games released in 2023.  

(Image Credits: Courtesy Ubisoft)

Platforms: Nintendo Switch

Many consider Super Mario Bros. Wonder to be a fitting send-off for the Nintendo Switch, considering that a generational upgrade is just around the corner.

The game brings back Mario and his friends for another round of adventure in the mysterious land of Flower Kingdom. While you get to battle several cutesy enemies and monsters in your quest to save the people of the Flower Kingdom, the hero of the story is the Wonder Flower. Touching the flower makes the world around Mario go crazy, with all the objects interacting with you in unique ways to make the gameplay more fun. The combination of classic Mario elements with new ideas and modern gameplay dynamics also resulted in 4.3 million copies sold in the first two weeks of the game’s release. 

(Image Credits: Courtesy Nintendo)

Platform: PlayStation 5

Final Fantasy XVI  is one of the best role-playing games released in 2023 and if you have a PlayStation 5, you should definitely try it out.

This time around, you step into the shoes of Clive Rosfield as he plans to take revenge for all the harm that was done to his family in the fictional world of Valisthea. The game features a vast and detailed open world with a variety of locations to explore, including dungeons, forests and towns. You will also encounter a plethora of enemies including demons and other monsters. 

Final Fantasy XVI was praised for its fast-paced and visceral combat system and engrossing story. Simply put, if you love action RPGs, you cannot miss out on this one.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Square Enix)

Platform: PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X

Assassin’s Creed Mirage sends the popular franchise back to its roots, thereby giving us one of the best instalments in the long-running series. The game takes you back to the era of stealth as you quietly assassinate people in Baghdad in the year 861 AD. Other than the new combat system, the game also brings back the concept of parkour in a revamped manner alongside a new eagle vision mode. Although the protagonist Basim Ibn La’Ahad wasn’t as well received as his predecessors, the game was nevertheless praised for its vast open world and fun parkour system.

(Image Credits: Courtesy Ubisoft)

Platform: Windows, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S

Even though it’s an expansion pack, Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty has enough new content to make it a worthy addition to any list compiling the best video games in 2023. 

With no gameplay-disrupting bugs at its release, the DLC pack featured an immersive storyline with Idris Elba as one of the NPCs, a couple of swanky cars and weapons, and new hacking abilities. The expansion takes place in the Night City district of Dogtown where you step into the shoes of V, a cyberpunk mercenary tasked with assisting the New United States of America (NUSA) to prevent a coup against the president.

(Image Credits: Courtesy CD Projekt RED)