There has been a remarkable abundance of thrilling video games in 2023. Yes, the megatons are far away; the Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom won’t be released until May, and Starfield, the newest universe from Bethesda, is scheduled for a September street date (assuming it doesn’t get delayed again, of course). But until then, there have been quirky independent films, revered rereleases, and long-awaited sequels to keep us occupied.
The video game industry is constantly evolving. Every day we learn something new about the latest and greatest video games you can play and bet on at Shark Casino with your friends. So, to give you ideas, we’ve gathered some of 2023’s most favorite video games so far.
Resident Evil 4 Remake
Capcom has shown adept in video game remakes.
The 2002 remake of Resident Evil practically established the standard for the genre with its improved gameplay, refined visuals, and brand-new locations in the familiar Spencer Mansion. The remake of Resident Evil 2 completely shifted the game’s perspective without diluting the horror or the survival elements. Though ultimately forgettable, Resident Evil 3’s remake did at least introduce a new generation of players to the original game’s design ideas. In addition, Resident Evil 4 has finally arrived, and boy, is it a remake.
This is less of a remake and more of a dramatic reimagining, with many new touches and nuances added to each of the three expansive settings. It improves on the original’s action-focused fighting by adding new survival mechanics without ditching the cheese and camp that fans have come to love.
Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon
The eight-foot-tall librarian known as Bayonetta can conjure bloodthirsty beasts from her jet-black, waxy hair. Bayonetta Origins shows us that even Amazons come from ordinary beginnings, as Cereza’s childhood and early years shape who she becomes. This new Switch game moves away from the main series’ emphasis on showy combos and towards an isometric Legend of Zelda diorama.
The future Bayonetta, Cereza, who carries a book of spells and looks like a stereotypical gloomy witchy teen, is controlled with a single analog stick. The second one allows us to take control of Cheshire, a demon-possessed ragdoll cat who does much of the dirty work. You’ll need to use both of their abilities to solve puzzles and, yes, to obliterate many extraterrestrial invaders. This makes the pace of Bayonetta Origins deliberate and slow.
Tchia
The developer Awaceb’s co-founder grew up in the island nation of New Caledonia, which inspired Tchia, an open-world adventure game.
Tchia, the protagonist, views the world through eyes that grant her the ability to assume the form of any object or living thing. Birds, dolphins, a camera, or even rocks. To Tchia, it’s all a matter of choice.
Awaceb’s staff of about a dozen people couldn’t possibly have made a Nintendo game with the same level of technological refinement as Tchia.
Horizon Call of the Mountain
PlayStation VR2 is Sony’s latest virtual reality headset, and it’s an excellent piece of hardware supported by an intriguing selection of games. Humanity has regressed to the Stone Age in the high-concept post-apocalyptic world of the Horizon series, and cybernetic dinosaurs prowl the flowering plains of the once-United States.
Playing Call of the Mountain is like getting a ticket to a world you’ve always wanted to visit. Your calloused palms will be clenching the jagged peaks of a granite peak, and your fingers will be threading crude bows while you watch a streamlined collection of cameos from the franchise’s A-listers. Call of the Mountain can persuade even the most skeptical person of the merits of virtual reality, which is still in its proof-of-concept phase.
Patch Quest
Patch Quest hooked me with its cute creatures, but the game kept me for its skillful mashup of genres. Conquer adorable but dangerous monsters, navigate the twisting maze of Patchlantis, and wipe out any opposition with a fruit-ammo smoothie.
Like a Dragon: Ishin!
The Like a Dragon imprint is part of the massive Japanese media brand Yakuza, which has been immensely successful in Japan for decades despite failing to break through outside. This contrast, however, has begun to fade over the past five years as more and more Americans have fallen in love with the franchise’s offbeat sense of humor and profoundly moving narratives.
For Instance: Originally launched in Japan in 2014, Like a Dragon: Ishin! has only recently received a Westernized localization for the growing legion of Yakuza aficionados. Set in the late shogunate era of Japan’s history, Ishin! is a shameless homage to spaghetti westerns. Everything you’ve come to expect from a Yakuza game is present, from philosophical musings on the nature of vengeance and devotion to fully fleshed-out chicken racing minigames. A new Yakuza game currently causes a temporary halt in the industry. There are moments when right wins out.
Phantom Brigade
The “turn-based real-time” combat in Phantom Brigade is an innovative step forward for the mecha genre. The best analogy would be a video editor’s timeline, except that here, rather than viewing an already completed film, the tide of war can be easily turned with a few astute maneuvers. After you’ve set everything up, you may sit back and enjoy your five seconds of nonstop action in slow motion.
The creators’ love of huge robots will be immediately obvious to mecha lovers. The generator in your mecha can be tweaked to your specifications, impacting how often it can fire its weapons. The mechs you control feel massive and powerful; despite the game’s overhead perspective, they smash through levels and toss tanks about like they’re toys. Even looking five seconds ahead to predict your foes’ actions feels like a nod to the ESP commonly seen in mecha anime.