My top 10 games of 2023
Plus, my on-air appearances, rounded up!
You don’t need me to tell you (again) that it’s been a thrilling and troubling year for games.
While I’ve celebrated the stratospheric successes of 2023, I’ve kept my personal top 10 list under wraps as I’ve tried to sprint through everything I’ve missed. I still haven’t found enough time for Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty, Tchia and Armored Core 6 (nor have I finished Lies of P!), but at this moment, on the last newsletter Friday of 2023, here’s where I stand:
10 - Thirsty Suitors
Though I’d have gone for less skating and more story, this Scott Pilgrim and Persona-esque dramedy more than slaked my thirst for surreal duels, hilariously-animated characters and surprisingly tender moments.
9 - Hi-Fi Rush
Hi-Fi Rush has some of the most charming animation I’ve seen and, better yet, it’s in service to a refreshing rhythm-based spin on the action platformer. It had me grinning with delight through most of its 10-hour runtime.
8 - Blasphemous 2
To quote myself: “Inspired by the gothic paintings of Francisco Goya and the Catholic Holy Week traditions of Andalusia, where the game’s studio is based, Blasphemous 2 is my pick for most gorgeous Metroidvania of the year[…] and its glorious combat and gruesome boss fights deserve any 2D action fanatic’s devotion as we all faithfully await Hollow Knight: Silksong.”
7 - Resident Evil 4
I’m a new convert to Resident Evil. I caught the contagion with RE7 and RE8, and have turned to recent remakes to fill in the gaps. While I can’t compare it to the original, RE4 delivered all the spectacle and camp I’ve come to cherish from the series
6 - Super Mario Bros. Wonder
I’ve called Wonder a masterpiece — but my experience showing it to family and friends has tempered my enthusiasm. It’s still a joy to discover each Wonder Flower for the first time, but I’m convinced the game’s best with internet features enabled for one or two local players of comparable skill. More than that and you’ll quickly leave allies behind as you dash around its effervescent levels.
5 - Dredge
Half Lovecraftian mood piece, half fishing sim, Dredge hooked me earlier this year and reeled me back in later for more exquisitely lonely, chilling vibes in its Pale Reach DLC.
4 - Chants of Sennaar
I fell hard for Chants of Sennaar, a linguistic puzzler set in a fantastical Tower of Babel. If you’re looking for the next cerebral adventure to tickle the Tunic, Outer Wilds and Return of the Obra Dinn neurons, look no further!
3 - Alan Wake 2
As much experimental multimedia art as it is survival horror, Alan Wake 2 shows off what an inventive studio can do with AAA money. I hope it inspires more of the industry to fund singular creatives and the big swings they want to take.
2 - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
While I don’t love the Depths, Tears of the Kingdom otherwise soars. Nintendo pulled off the most enchanting open world I’ve yet experienced, along with the most cathartic finale in the entire Zelda franchise (although Majora’s Mask’s comes close).
1 - Baldur’s Gate 3
Dungeons & Dragons may be an awkward tabletop system, but Larian Studios adapted it into a wondrous engine for storytelling and experimentation. I played the first half of BG3 alone and the second half with my wife, and while its narrative machinery occasionally stuttered, it’s still the greatest feat of the year.
Additionally, I must mention the game I’ve played most this week and which nearly broke into the top 10 — Cobalt Core, a stellar indie that could be summarized as "Slay the Spire meets FTL.” While it grew repetitious by the 15th run, its clever deckbuilding and intriguing story more than justified the hours I poured into it over my Christmas vacation.
Other honorable mentions, in no particular order, out of the over 150 games I’ve played this year:
Misericorde: Volume One
Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo
Lies of P
Fire Emblem: Engage
Viewfinder
Cocoon
Final Fantasy 16
Venba
World of Horror
A Space for the Unbound
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty
Remnant 2
Star Trek: Resurgence
Jusant
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons
Goodbye Volcano High
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon
Sea of Stars
Little Goody Two Shoes
Also, for anyone curious, I compiled all my on-air moments from the year (my top 5 favorites are bolded):
Top video games and more from a tumultuous year (Here & Now)
A guide to the best new family board games this holiday season (Here & Now)
'Murderbot' science-fiction series returns with 'System Collapse' (Here & Now, with Emiko Tamagawa)
2023's best games — picked by the NPR staff (Morning Edition)
Atari re-releases pioneering 2600 console (Here & Now)
'Alan Wake' creator Sam Lake on how sequel scares by blending filmed acting and gameplay (Here & Now)
Game Mode gets cozy (1A)
'Super Mario Bros. Wonder' makers explain new gameplay — and the elephant in the room (Here & Now)
D.C.'s 'Awesome Con': Where comics and cosplay meet NASA and the FBI (Here & Now)
Legacy admissions, the Russian Ruble and Final Fantasy XVI (The Indicator From Planet Money)
What to expect from 'Final Fantasy 16' (All Things Considered)
What makes video games worth playing? One of our hosts found out firsthand (Here & Now)
'Diablo IV' success may lift Activision Blizzard out of controversy (Here & Now)
In 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' the open world is wide open (Pop Culture Happy Hour)
Board games are having a renaissance — but which should you play? (Here & Now)
2023 has already brought plenty of surprises for video game fans (All Things Considered)
What video gamers can expect in 2023 (Here & Now)
Other game-related audio segments I produced, booked or otherwise assisted:
E3, once the 'Super Bowl of video games,' has been canceled for good (Morning Edition with Steve Inskeep and Michel Martin)
Parent and consumer groups warn against 'naughty tech toys' (Morning Edition with Chloe Veltman)
In 'Critical Hits,' writers gets personal about video games (Here & Now with Scott Tong)
'Lost Caverns of Ixalan' centers Aztec, Olmec, Mayan culture in huge new 'Magic: the Gathering' set (Here & Now with Deepa Fernandes)
Blizzard president discusses gaming giant's future after Microsoft acquisition (Here & Now with Scott Tong)
In 'Starfield', human destiny is written in the stars (Pop Culture Happy Hour with Glen Weldon, Juana Summers and Swapna Krishna)
Inside the making of Starfield — one of the biggest stories ever told (All Things Considered with Juana Summers)
'Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical' lets players perform an interactive Broadway show (Here & Now with Deepa Fernandes)
Blerdcon celebrates Black nerd fandom throughout the year (Here & Now with Scott Tong)
'Magic: the Gathering' head designer gets industry honors amid massive 'Lord of the Rings' crossover (Here & Now with Deepa Fernandes)
How a South Korean video game developer is pushing Korean culture in its games (All Things Considered)
‘The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom’: Nintendo’s rocketing success (Here & Now with Deepa Fernandes and WaPo’s Gene Park)
How 'The Last of Us' translates a video game to an HBO show (Here & Now with Celeste Headlee)
'Mario' creator Shigeru Miyamoto on the launch of Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood (Here & Now, Morning Edition)
'Assassin’s Creed Valhalla: Dawn of Ragnarök' composer Stephanie Economou wins new Grammy category (short version on Here & Now, though the Here & Now Anytime extended cut is one of the best things I’ve ever produced)