Amid all the 2023 video games, it’s inevitable some absolute bangers would get lost in the shuffle. And there were some proper bangers, making the process of narrowing them down to 10 a pretty difficult one. We did it, though. We’ve got an award-winning indie, a thoughtful spin on climbing games, a spooky visual novel, and even a strategy game that actually respects your time, and that’s just the start.
Check out the 10 best games of 2023 you might not even know existed.
Sea of Stars
Sea of Stars won best indie game at The Game Awards 2023, and we’re pretty sure it’ll end up on more “best of” lists as well – for good reason. While the characters and narrative aren’t quite as deep as they could be, Sabotage did an exceptional job of balancing retro inspiration with modern innovation. The world is gorgeous, the post-game is beefy, and the combat is fun and thoughtful.
Jusant
Jusant is a lot like what you’d get if you combined Ico with Celeste. It has the artistic bent of Ico with the reflective mountain climbing of Celeste – and, thankfully, not quite as much challenge. Every time you look down over the landscape you see just how far you’ve come and each challenging step upwards all seems worth it. It’s an unforgettable adventure.
Paranormasight
Paranormasight didn’t stand a chance. Square Enix pushed this gem of a horror game at the start of the year, and while it was a big and good surprise, the likes of Resident Evil and Tears of the Kingdom meant that it got swept under the rug. Paranormasight is an exciting murder mystery in adventure game form, one that toys with your expectations as it switches through multiple timelines and protagonists while an enigmatic MC guides your actions toward the truth – or so you hope.
Chants of Sennaar
Chants of Sennaar is one of the most innovative games of 2023. You play as a translator making their way up a tower, and as you gradually ascend, you meet different people on the tower – who you can’t communicate with. They each speak a different language, and your task is learning them and working as a moderator between different groups. It’s a nice little reminder about the importance of learning about other people and the role of language in building bridges.
Cassette Beasts
There’s no shortage of monster catchers that want to be like Pokemon games, but Cassette Beasts is a bit different. It features a similar setup of collectible beasts that you train and battle with, but it mixes the formula with forced double battles – a feature Pokemon uses sparsely. You even have to fight the trainer alongside the opposing beasts. There’s a whole range of status effects to factor into your strategy, a unique fusion system.
Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus and Butterfly
The first Coffee Talk launched in 2020, but if you haven’t played it yet, now’s the time to do it. While Hibiscus and Butterfly works on its own, it’s best experienced right after finishing the first episode. You spend your time learning about your customers, their lives and preferences, and how to perfect your craft. Episode 2 has multiple endings and scenarios based on your actions, and there’s even a secret ending.
Dave the Diver
Dave the Diver is a wholesome and surprisingly innovative adventure that blends exploration and fishing with some light restaurant management. While there’s a lot to contend with at any given time, Dave the Diver does an excellent job at balancing your responsibilities and keeping things fresh and fun. It’s also not an indie game, despite what The Game Awards and Geoff Keighley may say.
Against the Storm
Against the Storm mixes classic, satisfying city-builder gameplay with roguelike elements to create a truly unique experience that’s gone over well with strategy fans. It’s clad in a creative fantasy aesthetic the developers call “rainpunk” and focusing on what’s usually the most interesting and dynamic phase of any city-building game – the foundation period – and unlike many in the same vein, Storm never overstays its welcome. You can even finish a full run in one sitting.
Backpack Hero
Given how crowded the market has become, it takes a lot for me to sit up and notice a truly great indie roguelike, but Backpack Hero tickles my brain in just the right way. While it may not look like it, it’s secretly a deck-builder, as you gather equipment to fill your slowly-expanding backpack to fight increasingly tough creatures in the dungeons.
Every battle is a puzzle as you decide how to spend your limited energy each turn, and then after the battle you have a lot to think about too, as you need to decide what new slots to open up in your backpack and which items should fill your limited space. Plus, the story mode gives you plenty of unique starting item sets that force you to play in unique ways to ensure that it never gets old.
Written by Marco Wutz, Stoyan Ovcharov, Ryan Woodrow, Georgina Young, and Josh Broadwell on behalf of GLHF.
