Hey! I'm one of the newer faces around these parts, but Jeff reached out and asked if I wanted to regale the Giant Bomb audience with my favorite games of the year. Thanks Grubb, you're a real one.
A quick caveat: If there's a game missing from this list, it is most likely because I simply haven't been able to play it yet. Apologies, for example, to Baldur's Gate 3 fans; it's not you, it's me.
Now, on with my Alphabetical Top 10 Games Of 2023!
Alan Wake II
Let's start by calling myself out: I don't do horror well. Call it being a sissy, call it a fear fueled by a knowledge of my family history combined with my, uh, above-average stature, but horror games and I don't mix. As such, while Alan Wake 2 figures to feature on a lot of GOTY lists, its appearance here honestly surprises me.
I've always ranked a gripping story as the most important part of a game's success--way above graphics and even slightly above gameplay--and Alan Wake 2 is a storytelling wonderland. I also saw The Dark Place as a parallel to my aforementioned fear of horror games, and helping Alan fight through his prison helped me conquer mine. Alan Wake 2 is one I'll think about for years.
(Also, not for nothing, but it boggles my mind that one of the main things we'll carry on from this year is a rock song where the second lyric contains the phrase "and Mama gave me a magic clicker." That has to count for something.)
Disney Dreamlight Valley
This may be considered cheating, as Dreamlight Valley technically launched in Early Access in 2022, but the majority of the game's story and content updates all hit this year, so dang it I'm bringing it in. On the surface, DDLV is an Animal Crossing life sim infused with Disney magic, which on its own gives it some weight. Running errands for Mickey and Minnie, it turns out, is more satisfying than doing them for some greedy-ass tanuki.
More importantly though, the game hides a surprisingly deep and dark storyline on the transition of growing up, which is embodied in The Forgotten--a dark and twisted version of the player who is feeling some BIG feelings. I did not expect to be told such a heavy tale--or to have to explain said tale to my kids, who played the entire game with me--but it makes Disney Dreamlight Valley more than just Disney Animal Crossing, and I appreciate the effort..
The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
I knew Tears Of The Kingdom would be good. Zelda games, more often than not, are the best experiences in gaming--and that includes the CD-i titles in a "best of the worst games ever" way. Despite that, I wasn't sure how TOTK would be able to top Breath Of The Wild…but good Lord did it get the job done.
The game has everything a Zelda fan could want: More freedom to explore Hyrule as they please, more Hyrule to explore including the amazing underworld of the Depths, and even new cosplay goals in Oh No He's Hot Ganondorf. What puts it over the top for me, to no one's surprise, in its story; rare is the Zelda game which throws a bonafide "holy crap" twist into the mix, and TOTK knocked my socks off in that regard. This is a game I'll be playing for years.
Mortal Kombat 1
It takes real cajones to press the reset button on a storied franchise, especially one with three decades of history that's already pressed that button in the past, but NetherRealm crushed it with Mortal Kombat 1. The entire roster feels brand new despite none of them actually being new, and yet all of them also feel true to their lineage. That shouldn't make sense, but it does!
I love the Kameo fighter system and how it completely morphs how certain characters fare against one another. I love the over-the-top Fatalities, I love the final chapter of the kampaign, which is PlayStation 2 camp at its very best. MK1 pays tribute to his lengthy history while also setting up an interesting future, and I hope I talk about it again this time next year when that story expansion drops.
Pokémon Sleep
Alright, hear me out: I had little interest in a Pokémon-themed sleep tracker when it was first announced either. However, no one told me this game was essentially Pokémon Tamagotchi, where I and a party of helpers raise a new digital pet every week. Once I found that out and dug in, I was hooked.