With its enhancements over the original release, Risk of Rain Returns is an excellent game to spend some time with, whether that's on your own or playing with mates. It does make me want to go and play more Risk of Rain 2 though, as I do miss the extra dimension, but that could just be a me problem.
Backpack Hero is an excellent roguelike that should be on everyone's radar. Every moment of the game is fun to play, the story is solid, and the meta progression is deeply satisfying. It's everything a good roguelike should be, and I'm going to continue playing it as soon as I finish writing this paragraph.
Jackbox Party Pack 10 is one of the stronger entries in the Jackbox pantheon, and I'm a big fan of it as a whole. Each game has its own pacing, and while I do think everyone will find their favourites as always, the mix feels very good this time around, and even the trivia game is fun. This is a great party pack that'll be a good addition to any game night. Apart from Dodo Re Mi – I hope those digital birds stay eaten.
I desperately want to like Lords of the Fallen, but it's the first game all year that's actively annoyed me. I love the Soulslike genre more than any other, but this game took all of the lessons it could have learned since the original Lords of the Fallen and either forgot them entirely, or just misunderstood them so greviously that you'd assume it skipped a class.
The long-awaited return of FromSoftware's mech-filled series, Armored Core 6 delivers on a lot of what fans will have been hoping and dreaming of. Building and customising mechs is engaging, missions are action-packed and it looks gorgeous, but it's undercut by swings in difficulty for boss fights and an all-too-familiar story.
With a swish of the sword and a bit of improvisation, En Garde! is a fantastically fun action-packed adventure with a distinctive flair. Sure, it's a little bit short, but that doesn't make it any less sweet.
A staggering improvement upon a solid foundation, Remnant 2 is an engrossing Soulslike that brings all the horror and joy of alien world exploration to wonderfully dark fruition.
Honkai: Star Rail is still in its early stages, but this free-to-play turn-based gacha game is incredibly good fun. With a strong opening, heavy focus on story, and simple but deep turn-based battles, this RPG is bursting with potential.
For those who value a challenge, and maybe want something that feels akin to The Binding of Isaac but without the intensely creepy narrative, Beyond the Long Night is a charming roguelike with plenty of play time on offer, and lots of fun to be had.
The whole thing is a delight, and one of the more interesting takes on the deckbuilding roguelike genre I've played since Monster Train, which is apt, because it definitely takes some inspiration from that game. This is one of those games I'll be playing for months and possibly years to come, because it just feels good when you finally get a strong run going. However, the difficulty may put off some players. I recommend pushing through and fighting for those small successes, and those that do so will be rewarded by one of the best indie games of 2023 so far.
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania is an immaculate love letter to one of its inspirations, but it still retains so much of its own identity and humour as you explore Dracula's castle as The Beheaded.
Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty is nearly always a rush to play, and even when you're getting pummelled, it still feels as though you could overcome the fight if you just learned the attack patterns a little better, or maybe just summoned some more help.
Demeo: PC Edition lacks some of the more physical entertainment of the VR edition, but it's no less enjoyable as a game. There are few bells or whistles here; it's all about enjoying the run and trying to survive as monsters fall to your spells and attacks, and feeling incredible every time you do.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet feel like the awkward second evolution of one of its starters. It's growing into something resplendent, it's showing signs of an exciting second type, but it's got that weird vibe of a 20-something that hasn't quite figured out who they actually are. Add that weirdly stretched feeling to the constant technical oddities and you've got a game that's undoubtedly good fun, but it's still not even it's final form. I can't wait to see what Pokemon becomes, but it's not quite there yet.
Rogue Legacy 2 is a sequel with great genes. The sense of progression constantly pulls your forward, all of the new mechanics and unlocks add a lot more depth and longevity to the game, and the combat and platforming feel just as solid as they did in the first game. It's an excellent roguelite that offers a lot of stuff to do as long as you're willing to put in the time.
Nintendo Switch Sports is a fun reminder of the Wii Sports craze, bringing back some classic sports and adding some new ones that make use of the Joy-Con and motion controls in more advanced ways. It's all just a bit shallow, though, and difficult to wholeheartedly recommend unless you expect to play online a lot or constantly break it out for local head-to-head battles.
Wonderlands mixes over-the-top combat, wonderfully absurd guns, interesting classes, and fun characters to create the best version of this series I've ever played. It's weirdly wholesome, patently absurd, and frequently obnoxious, but the intent feels far purer than what you might expect. When you then add in the excellent voice acting, and the fact that you can play this through with friends and strangers, you get a really entertaining FPS RPG that I'd be happy to recommend to anyone.
Elden Ring is the game Souls fans have been waiting for. From the open world design, to riding into battle on Torrent's back, and the dark narrative woven through the world, this is a clear Game of the Year frontrunner that will have us all ensnared for a long time to come.
Sifu is a game that I wanted to love. I had high hopes for it being one of my game of the year contenders, but it left me feeling intensely deflated instead. It's a game that confuses the precise mechanical difficulty of Sekiro with a forced difficulty brought on by simply giving bosses armour. I find myself irrationally angry with Sifu. Sifu is a game that had exceptional potential, but squandered it on the wrong lessons.
I've had an absolute blast with Pokémon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, and I know there's plenty more for me to see thanks to their sheer size. With changes that lean mostly toward quality of life improvements, this is a firm reminder that Pokémon games can be extraordinary and one of the most enjoyable remakes I've played in a long time.