Advance Wars 1 and 2 are timeless classics and I know those are big words but these games are deserving of that honour. I was obsessed with Advance Wars 2 back in the day and now, I'm loving the franchise yet again. Plus, fans of the series can rest easy knowing that Nintendo hasn't abandoned the Advance Wars franchise and it makes me wonder what's next.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is an awesome and unforgettable adventure and I'm happy to say that the Zelda series is still killing it in 2023. With that being said; please, Nintendo: we really need to experience a brand new Hyrule in the next Zelda game.
Everspace does so much right.
Monster Hunter World: Iceborne takes what was great about the base game and provides more of it.
Anima: Gate of Memories - The Nameless Chronicles is undoubtedly a great RPG with little downsides.
Levelhead is one of the best platformers so far this year. If Butterscotch Shenanigans fixes some annoying issues that I had with the level editor then I'd consider it golden.
No Man's Sky Next is a fun laid-back exploration experience and it has the unique honour of featuring the largest open world in all of gaming.
In the end, making it through the City of Brass is much more enjoyable and gratifying than it is frustrating.
Ignoring the huge hassle of powering your base and how difficult it is to use the industrial hotspots, I still enjoyed all of the changes in No Man's Sky Beyond.
Orcs Must Die 3 provides excellent orc-killing mayhem. With many imaginative traps and weapons, tower defense fans are sure to find something that catches their fancy. Plus, its gameplay is similar to the original so you enjoyed that, you're sure to love this, too.
If you're a pixel enthusiast and enjoy classic games like the Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past, you're sure to love Arietta of Spirits. It has an awesome heartwarming story and tries to be like a classic SNES adventure game and it succeeds well at doing so.
Pokemon Legends: Arceus definitely provides a great experience with a novel take on the classic franchise but I still feel that grinding is not needed in a Pokemon game which I've always felt should primarily be about simply having fun in a laidback world.
SpellForce III Reforced is a very ambitious RPG that I'm sure you'll enjoy if you're a fan of classic CRPGs like Baldur's Gate. However, learning how to manage an economy in this RTS game has a fairly steep learning curve. Then again, maybe you want this because you're an experienced RTS player and you've never played Baldur's Gate; I won't judge.
Moonlighter has something to offer for casual players, completionists, and even speedrunners.
There's quite a lot that I like about Red Faction: Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered and some parts, not so much.
If you're a Pokemon fan and haven't played the original Diamond, Pearl, or Platinum then you're missing out. The Sinnoh region is an absolute joy to explore and it's super-fun trying to catch as many Pokémon as you can.
Warhammer 40,000: Inquisitor - Martyr is a fun ARPG with a lot of cool things going for it such as its story and multiplayer features.
Moonlighter: Between Dimensions offers solid value. The Wanderer Dungeon took me 10 to 15 hours and Moonlighter is still a pretty good dungeon crawler that I appreciate for its graphics, music, and bosses. However, be wary of its more repetitive aspects.
If you like going deep into the lore of the Dungeons and Dragons multiverse then I can't think of a better game for you.
If you enjoy retro RPGs, strategy games, and Dungeons & Dragons, you'll likely have fun with Icewind Dale: Enhanced Edition.