Here we are again, a year later for the 2023 edition of my Honest Gamer Awards. I can easily say without a doubt that 2023 has been the greatest year for gaming by a large margin. Never has there been so many high quality titles released in a year with countless numbers that could be considered Game of the Year material. I have managed to complete far more games released in a year than ever before, and it has been a struggle to decide on who comes out on top in the many categories.
Without further ado, let’s get into it!
Best Visuals/Art Style – Hogwarts Legacy
Going into 2023, Hogwarts Legacy was my most anticipated game. Being a massive Harry Potter fan, I had always dreamed of an open world game set in that universe where you could be a student and explore Hogwarts. This game didn’t disappoint, and the visuals and attention to detail were unmatched. Walking around and getting lost in the iconic location filled me with a sense of awe and wonder that no other game managed. The developers nailed that sense of ingrained magic and history that Hogwarts needed.
Other Nominees:
- Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
- Alan Wake 2
- Resident Evil 4 Remake
- Octopath Traveler 2
- Final Fantasy XVI
- Spider-Man 2
Best Audio – Resident Evil 4 Remake
Audio is one of the most underrated aspects of a video game; it’s something of a cornerstone in crafting great atmosphere and particularly in horror games, tension. Many games did this well, but Resident Evil 4 Remake did this the most consistently. Traversing any section of this game left me feeling uneasy, not just because of the more darker take on the original from a visual perspective, but the audio selection supported this. Don’t even get me started on the sounds of the regenerators…
Other Nominees:
- Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals
- Dead Space Remake
- Lies of P
- Alan Wake 2
- Final Fantasy XVI
Best Narrative – Final Fantasy XVI
2023 was filled to the brim with engaging narratives and compelling characters. Final Fantasy as a series has always been one to emphasise its storytelling, and XVI is no different. With the medieval themed setting entrenched in the fantastical elements, it was a return to the series roots in that way. It’s narrative subversion on the stigma of magic wielders and the dangers on its reliance provided a interesting conflict throughout. Combined with the emotional rollercoaster of the overarching story and brilliant cast of characters, particularly the main protagonist, Clive, Final Fantasy XVI left me laughing, excited, and emotional up to its conclusion.
Other Nominees:
- Alan Wake 2
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Trails into Reverie
- Spider-Man 2
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
- Octopath Traveler 2
Best Design – Baldur’s Gate 3
Having it’s basis in DnD gave Baldur’s Gate an inherent edge when it came to the potential of its design. Developer Larian Studios, safe to say excelled with flying colours when putting together this riveting and complex experience. What makes the design of this game so good, is the level of freedom in how you approach pretty much any situation, from combat, to how you complete quests. There are so many ways and possible outcomes that it gives Baldur’s Gate 3 a level of replay value no other game comes close to this year.
Other Nominees:
- Armoured Core VI
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
- Spider-Man 2
- Alan Wake 2
- Resident Evil 4 Remake
Best Music – Final Fantasy XVI
I mean, there’s really not much I think need to say when it comes to why Final Fantasy XVI deserves best music – there was never any doubt it could be any other game this year. It’s Final Fantasy…
Other Nominees:
- Octopath Traveler 2
- Trails into Reverie
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Wo Long Fallen Dynasty
Best Combat – Baldur’s Gate 3
That level of freedom Baldur’s Gate 3 has that I mentioned earlier is what makes the combat so engaging. Just like DnD, you have nearly limitless possibilities in how combat plays out. The exceptional amount of customisation in what traits/abilities/skills your characters have, there equipment is one thing, but the game really does reward you for being smart and coming up with genius ways of overcoming encounters, as well as using the environment to your advantage. Just talking about it makes me want to start a whole new character and go in a complete different direction to how I played it the first time.
Other Nominees:
- Final Fantasy XVI
- Immortals of Aveum
- Trails into Reverie
- Wo Long Fallen Dynasty
- Spider-Man 2
- Diablo IV
Best Bosses – Final Fantasy XVI
Anyone who has played Final Fantasy XVI would mostly likely agree that it had the best bosses of any 2023 game. I’d go as far to saying it has some of the best bosses of all time. In fact I created this category this year FFXVI especially. They are just that good. I have never felt such exhilaration from a boss fight before this game. The epic confrontation with Behamut will easily go down as one of the best video game battles of all time.
Other Nominees:
- Lies of P
- Wo Long Fallen Dynasty
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Octopath Traveler 2
Best RPG – Baldur’s Gate 3
RPGs reigned supreme in 2023. I could talk about all the great ones for ages, but this post would probably never end. However, Baldur’s Gate 3 stood out from the rest for the simple fact that it managed to have high quality and high quantity. Something that simply hasn’t been done to the same degree since Witcher 3 back in 2015. It’s the perfect definition and example of what an RPG is, and it’s just incredible.
Other Nominees:
- Final Fantasy XVI
- Octopath Traveler 2
- Wo Long Fallen Dynasty
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Trails into Reverie
- Diablo IV
Best Action/Adventure – Alan Wake 2
While RPGs may have outshone the rest in 2023, there were still some stellar releases from the Action/Adventure genre. Remedy have become such a consistently great developer, pushing out games that maintain quality and style. Alan Wake 2 might just be their magnum opus (although Control remains my personal favourite). It offers an intriguing narrative, tense survival-horror elements and a memorable experience from start to finish.
Other Nominees:
- Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
- Resident Evil 4 Remake
- Dead Space Remake
- Spider-Man 2
- Immortals of Aveum
Best Indie Game – Bramble: The Mountain King
Indie games mostly mostly took the backseat in 2023, with few being standouts from the never-ending quality of the AAA space, however, Bramble: The Mountain King is one of those exceptions. At first glance, this short but sweet title looks to be a charming, fairy tale adventure, but that assumption couldn’t be farther from the truth. Wrapped up in a game with simple mechanics is a horror-fuelled experience where you play a young boy as he tries to rescue his kidnaped sister, meeting various nordic folklores/myths along the way. This for me was the indie “must play” of the year.
Other Nominees:
- Planet of Lana
- Ravenlok
- Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals
Game of the Year – Baldur’s Gate 3
For the greatest year in gaming, it was always going to be tough to choose a Game of the Year and narrow down a small selection of the very best. However, it could really only be Baldur’s Gate 3. I’ve already mentioned just how great this title is, so there is little else I can mention without spending an entire post on the matter. Put simply, this is game quite unlike any other, boasting a dual level of quality and quantity rarely seen. It’s GOTY and possibly one of the greatest games ever crafted!
Other Nominees:
- Final Fantasy XVI
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Octopath Traveler 2
- Spider-Man 2
- Resident Evil 4 Remake
- Alan Wake 2
Most Anticipated Game – Avowed
I always like to shine light on the games coming up within the next year or so that I am most hyped for. Obsidian are one of the masters of the RPG genre, and Avowed looks to be another quality release from them. I cannot wait to see more and get my hands on it when it releases this Autumn.
Other Nominees:
- Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
- Star Wars Outlaws
- Dragon’s Dogma 2
- Senna’s Saga: Hellblade 2
- Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth
Thank you so much for reading and let me know your thoughts and your own picks. It’s been great getting back into writing and blogging and I hope to make this a regular thing again.
However, I am planning to do a complete rebrand of the blog, either by revamping this one, or starting a new one from scratch. I haven’t decided yet, but I hope you follow me on that journey either way!
Until next time – see ya!