The Best and Worst Games of 2023 So Far
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xbox PS5 PS4 Overwatch 2 Hogwarts: Legacy God Of War Ragnarok Elden Ring custom controller A Plague Tale: Requiem

We're just about halfway through 2023, and it's already been a massive year for gaming. Some majorly hyped titles have met expectations, while others still need to deliver.

A Plague Tale: Requiem

Undoubtedly, A Plague Tale: Requiem is one of the best games of 2023 so far. This follow-up to the highly acclaimed A Plague Tale: Innocence returns us to the sad and rat-infested realm of Amicia and Hugo. Requiem, the sequel to the first game, takes the siblings' struggle for survival to new heights in 14th-century France. Several years have passed since their initial journey.

Requiem delivers an emotional, action-packed story combined with improved gameplay and visuals. The lighting, textures, and animations are incredibly detailed and immersive. Stealth gameplay with swarms of rats requires intelligent resource management. For fans of narrative-driven adventure games, A Plague Tale: Requiem is a must-play.

Elden Ring

FromSoftware's punishing yet rewarding action RPG Elden Ring has already cemented itself as a game of the year contender in 2023. This expansive dark fantasy title transports players to the realm of the Lands Between. It allows you to explore its secrets at your own pace.

With its sprawling open world, unique characters, thrilling boss fights, and customization options, Elden Ring offers incredible replayability. Once you overcome its steep initial learning curve, you'll be unable to take your eyes off its addictive gameplay loop and cryptic lore. The game Elden Ring is a remarkable example of intricate world-building and intense combat.

God of War Ragnarök

Santa Monica Studio's God of War Ragnarök has set a new bar for storytelling and spectacle in adventure games. This sequel concludes Kratos and Atreus' Norse saga epically with show-stopping set-pieces and impactful narrative payoffs.

Ragnarök doubles down on the series' signature axe-throwing combat while expanding the RPG mechanics. Along with the heartfelt dynamic between Kratos and Atreus, it's easy to get invested in their final confrontation against Norse gods like Thor and Odin. God of War Ragnarök will be a watershed moment for cinematic gaming.

Hogwarts Legacy

Now on to some of 2023's biggest gaming disappointments so far. Hogwarts Legacy stands out as one of the most controversial and unsatisfying titles. The Harry Potter prequel RPG had high fan expectations but was ultimately bogged down by repetitive gameplay, bugs, and a lack of magic.

While exploring the castle and Hogwarts grounds was novel initially, the mission structure became predictable and bland. The combat and RPG systems also needed more depth to sustain interest in the campaign. For an RPG set in such an imaginative universe, Hogwarts Legacy failed to deliver an engaging adventure worthy of the Harry Potter name.

Overwatch 2

Blizzard's switch from the original Overwatch to the free-to-play Overwatch 2 has been full of issues. Aside from server problems and launch woes, the transition to 5v5 gameplay has been widely divisive in the Overwatch community.

By lowering team sizes, removing stuns, and reworking heroes, Overwatch 2 encourages more of a chaotic deathmatch style over the strategic team play that defined its predecessor. On top of that, the overbearing monetization scheme and painfully slow battle pass progress have left many players disillusioned with the sequel. Overwatch 2 still shows promise, but Blizzard has much more work.

Bottom Line

While there's still plenty more gaming excitement and disappointments in 2023, these have been clear standouts. We'll have to see what's in store for the rest of the year!