Summary
- 2023 has been a great year for gaming, with high-quality releases from both AAA developers and indie studios, covering a wide range of genres.
- Alan Wake 2, Baldur's Gate 3, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, and Resident Evil 4 Remake are all deserving nominees for Game of the Year due to their unique qualities and success.
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder is another nominee and an impressive game from Nintendo, with stunning visuals, charm, and creativity, making it stand out in the Super Mario series.
The slate of nominees for Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2023 has just been announced, and it represents the historically competitive year the industry has enjoyed. As it often happens, there are some TGA nominations that seem questionable to a handful of gamers, but the Game of the Year lineup is mostly in keeping with public opinion from the last twelve months. That said, there are still some inclusions and omissions that are worth discussing.
To say that 2023 was a great year for gaming wouldn't exactly be a fringe opinion. The year has been filled with high-quality releases from AAA developers and indie studios alike, with highly-anticipated blockbusters and unexpected gems coming at a consistent cadence. Variety has characterized this year in video games, as players have been able to get their hands on critically acclaimed titles from a wide selection of genres, from survival horror to traditional RPGs. Indeed, the jam-packed release schedule of 2023 has made it hard for even popular games like Starfield to stand out, making this race for GOTY even more competitive than usual.
Alan Wake 2
Alan Wake 2 is the most recently released of all The Game Awards 2023 GOTY nominees, dropping just a few weeks ago on October 27. It hasn't taken long for the title to gain recognition, though, with many praising it as one of the most experimental and original games of the year.
The game follows the titular Alan Wake alongside series newcomer Saga Anderson as they work to uncover the secrets of a mysterious cult and The Dark Presence, a monstrous force that is affected by fiction. Alan Wake 2 fleshes out the Dark Presence and the greater lore of the franchise, while also serving as another significant step in establishing Remedy Entertainment's connected universe of games, as it features characters and concepts from Quantum Break and Control. Like its predecessor, Alan Wake 2 takes clear inspiration from the works of David Lynch and Steven King, although it also succeeds in forming a unique identity, making it one of 2023's most baffling, exciting, and creative releases.
Baldur's Gate 3
Releasing to near-universal acclaim, Baldur's Gate 3 is one of the least surprising contenders for Game of the Year. Even though Baldur's Gate 3 hasn't released on all platforms yet, currently only available for PC and PS5, it has managed to gather a surprisingly large following and is one of the best-received titles of 2023. Baldur's Gate 3 has clearly benefited from its almost three-year early access period, being notably well polished and content-rich.
Baldur's Gate 3 is a game designed for RPG fans. Freedom of choice is at the core of BG3, with even seemingly minor decisions having long-lasting and sometimes unexpected consequences. Despite combat being prevalent in the game, it's not the main focus, as a far greater emphasis is placed on storytelling, class-building, exploration, and interactions with NPCs. While this runs somewhat contrary to many tenets of fast-paced mainstream gaming, BG3 has nonetheless achieved mainstream appeal, with many resonating with its strong and uncompromised creative vision.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Despite having mammoth-sized shoes to fill, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom manages to please both fans of Breath of the Wild and players who are new to the Switch-era Zelda formula. TOTK keeps what works from BOTW while adding a wealth of new content and mechanics, which has helped to make it one of Nintendo's most represented games at TGA 2023.
At a glance, Tears of the Kingdom may look a lot like Breath of the Wild and, to an extent, this would be an accurate assessment; the game features the same overworld, cel-shaded graphical style, and focus on exploration as its predecessor. However, TOTK adds two massive new regions, one in the sky and one deep underground, alongside a host of new puzzles, quests, and, naturally, an all-new story. Perhaps the most significant additions are the Fuse and Ultrahand abilities, which allow players to create unique weapons and advanced contraptions. The limitless potential of these abilities, particularly Ultrahand, has led to a great deal of TOTK fan content, where players show off and discuss their unique creations. These innovative systems and the strong foundations established in BOTW have helped make TOTK a triumphant release for Nintendo, exceeding the already-high expectations of many.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is similar to Tears of the Kingdom, in that it is a direct follow-up to a massively successful game, building upon what works well rather than serving as a reinvention. For many gamers, Spider-Man 2 succeeds as a sequel, keeping the satisfying traversal and combat mechanics of the original Marvel's Spider-Man (alongside the Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales spin-off game) while adding new content that enhances the experience. Spider-Man 2 also introduced characters like Venom, setting the stage for future stories in the Insomniac universe.
From a technical standpoint, Spider-Man 2 is quite an achievement. Frame drops and pop-in are almost nonexistent, ray-tracing is enabled in every graphical preset, and Insomniac's digital version of New York City is more detailed than ever. This makes Spider-Man 2 a stunning game, one that showcases the capabilities of the PlayStation 5 in ways that other games from the past three years haven't quite been able to. Although Spider-Man 2 isn't perfect, with missed opportunities, somewhat limited content, and more bugs than Sony fans have come to expect, it is still one of the best releases of the year, likely inducing a number of gamers to purchase a PS5. As such, it is more than worthy of its spot as a GOTY nominee.
Resident Evil 4 Remake
This is one nomination that might come as a surprise to some. While Resident Evil 4 Remake has earned itself a number of stellar reviews and is an undeniable success for Capcom, it's still a remake rather than a completely original game. Moreover, while Capcom is sure to address controversial elements of some of the more divisive Resident Evil games in future remakes, Resident Evil 4 has long been considered one of the best in the franchise. This means that the remake of RE4 had a lot riding on it leading up to its release, and ran the risk of living in its predecessor's shadow.
|
Game |
Metacritic Metascore |
Metacritic User Score |
|---|---|---|
|
Resident Evil 4 (2005) |
96 |
9.1 |
|
Resident Evil 4 Remake |
93 |
7.9 |
Having said that, Resident Evil 4 Remake stuck the landing when it dropped in March. Like the two Resident Evil remakes preceding it, Resident Evil 4 Remake is far more than just a simple visual overhaul or port. Instead, it is a complete, ground-up reimagining of the original game, with impressive, next-generation graphics, modernized controls, and characters that are more fleshed out than in the original RE4. Although the game certainly looks and feels like a post-2020 game, it manages to retain the charm, identity, and gameplay fundamentals of the original, making it a faithful remake as well as a well-crafted, stand-alone game. With its redesigned visuals and gameplay, Resident Evil 4 Remake is a fair choice for someone's 2023 Game of the Year, even if some still prefer the original.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
The second Nintendo game nominated for the 2023 GOTY award, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is yet another feather in the legendary gaming company's cap. Being a Super Mario game, expectations were high leading up to Wonder's release, although perhaps not as high as they would be for a 3D Mario game. Despite 2D Mario games never having the same mass appeal as their 3D counterparts, Super Mario Bros. Wonder has become the fastest-selling game in the series, with many players considering it one of the best Mario games in years.
It's clear that Nintendo aimed to make Wonder just as impressive and enjoyable, if not more so, than the 3D entries in the franchise. The game is as visually stunning and charming as any in the Super Mario series, replete with vibrant colors and expressive character designs. The signature Wonder Flower feature has also gone a long way toward making Super Mario Bros. Wonder stand out from the rest of the series, as it joins other power-ups and gameplay modifiers to make a truly original Mario experience. Although some may be disappointed with Super Mario Wonder's lack of power-ups relative to other entries, the game is undeniably ambitious and creative, which has helped land it the GOTY nomination.
The Game of the Year category contains six of the best-selling and best-received games of the year, but there are some notable exclusions. RPG fans may notice that Starfield, a game that many consider a personal favorite of 2023, is absent from this list, with the game only earning a nomination for Best Role Playing Game. Perhaps even more significant is the complete omission of Hogwarts Legacy, not only from the GOTY category, but from The Game Awards 2023 as a whole. Gamers can (and likely will) debate the merits of both the nominees and the snubbed games in the coming months and years, but it's clear that 2023 has been a historic year for the games industry, and the winner of Game of the Year will probably be contentious no matter what.