Rolling Stone India’s Top 10 Games of 2023

It’s been a pretty good year for gaming overall. There’s been a lot of releases both new and blasts from the past that have made this year memorable. Let’s take a look at the ones that really stood out.

10. DREDGE

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X

Developer: Black Salt Games

Fishing is a relaxing yet dangerous activity. There’s so much of the ocean that’s been left uncharted that isn’t far-fetched to think that some eldritch abomination may be swimming in the depths below. Dredge is a fantastic blend of a fishing simulator and Lovecraftian horror. You never know what’s at the end of your line when you’re out fishing at night.

9. DAVE THE DIVER

Platforms: Nintendo Switch, PC

Developer: Mintrocket

Continuing with the aquatic theme, here’s one that is a fishing game and restaurant management simulation served on a silver platter with lore as a side dish. It is perfect for a wind-down hour and immersive enough to keep you diving deeper into the story, not to mention the new DLC that’s a crossover with Dredge.

8. PARANORMASIGHT: THE SEVEN MYSTERIES OF HONJO

Platforms: Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch, PC

Developer: Square Enix

There are some games where the less that is said the better, Paranormasight is one of them. If you like a good mystery, urban legends or if you are an aspiring occultist, then this beautifully illustrated visual novel is the game for you. Set against the backdrop of the Shōwa era in Sumida city, Japan, there’s something strange going on in the neighborhood of Honjo. Will you unravel the seven mysteries of Honjo and escape with your life? Best played at midnight under the cover of darkness for maximum spook factor.

7. FINAL FANTASY XVI

Platform: PlayStation 5

Developer: Square Enix

The sixteenth mainline installment of the Final Fantasy series. Step into the shoes of Clive Rosfield who inhabits the world of Valisthea, where the populace is heavily dependent on the magic of the Mothercrystals for their everyday lives. Not for long though, the aether is fading and the dreaded blight is spreading. It is up to Clive to put a stop to it. This dark fantasy adventure has some of the best combat sequences in all of the franchise and Clive really is a force to be reckoned with when he taps into his Eikonic abilities. Also, you can pet Clive’s faithful hound Torgal, what more could one possibly want?

6. DEAD SPACE

Platforms: PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series X

Developer: Motive Studio

Sci-fi survival horror at its finest. Space may be the final frontier, but it can also be the final resting place of the unfortunate souls that venture there. The Dead Space remake ironically resurrects the 2008 game that caused terror among all who played it. It plays on your fears as Isaac Clarke navigates the claustrophobic environment of the USG Ishimura and the horrors aboard it while trying to make sense of what exactly happened. Can space truly be dead? Find out by playing Dead Space.      

5. RESIDENT EVIL 4 REMAKE

Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series X

Developer: Capcom

The man, the myth, the legend Leon S. Kennedy is back and better than ever in this remake. Unfortunately for him, so are his enemies. RE4 is perhaps one of the most iconic, if not the most iconic game in the Resident Evil franchise. RE4R has taken a near-perfect game and turned it into a masterpiece — improving on the mechanics of the original while retaining what made the original so beloved: namely, Leon’s cheesy one-liners. The biggest welcome change is that Ashley is not as much of a pain in Leon’s behind as she was back in 2005. Playing bingo in rural Spain has never felt more sinister.

4. LIKE A DRAGON GAIDEN: THE MAN WHO ERASED HIS NAME

Platform: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X

Developer: Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio

The new spin-off from the Yakuza series has the Dragon of Dojima, Kazuma Kiryu take centrestage. It simultaneously gives his story closure while paving the way for Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth which is slated to release in January 2024. Kiryu returns as a secret agent going by the moniker Joryu (trust him, because of his awesome glasses he’s totally unrecognizable, he studied at the Clark Kent school of disguise). Joryu is armed with an arsenal of super spy gadgets, including one that gives him Spider-Man like abilities. It is Kiryu’s last hurrah, supposedly, it is short, sweet and will have you crying manly tears by the end of it.

3. ALAN WAKE 2

Platform: PlayStation 5, PC, Xbox Series X

Developer: Remedy Entertainment

They say stories are the best way to escape the harsh realities of the world, but what if writing the story itself was your only means of escape? This sequel to Alan Wake is the story of a writer trying to reshape reality and escape a horrific world by doing what he does best, write. Meanwhile, FBI agent Saga Anderson is tasked with solving the perplexing case of ritualistic murders in the charming small town of Bright Falls. This dual perspective survival horror game lets you experience both their stories in whatever order you choose. Can you piece together the strange goings-on? Remember, the light is your friend.

2. THE LEGEND OF ZELDA: TEARS OF THE KINGDOM

Platform: Nintendo Switch

Developer: Nintendo

The Legend of Zelda is one of the franchises that Nintendo has that makes all non-Nintendo owners go: “Damn, I kind of wish I owned a Switch.” As a sequel to Breath of the Wild, it’s hard to believe this breathtaking game was initially conceived as a DLC when you step into the picturesque world of Hyrule once again as Link. It takes everything that made Breath of the Wild so good, even better. Tears of the Kingdom will suck you into its world from the get-go until your fingers are glued to the console.

1. BALDUR’S GATE 3

Platform: PlayStation 5, PC

Developer: Larian Studios

Does this game even need an introduction? Baldur’s Gate 3 rolled nat20 the moment the dice were thrown. Baldur’s Gate 3 has done the near impossible; a Dungeons and Dragons campaign adapted into a video game. Player choices are nearly infinite, you can go about things however you like — convince an enemy to destroy itself because you asked so nicely or just spam fireball, poison a goblin camp, take part in a contest for the comedian, pet an owlbear, solve a mystery surrounding a strange ox. The possibilities are endless. The replay value of this game is something else, you start planning for your ninth run in the middle of your third run. With a captivating story, beautiful visuals and fantastic performances, this game will sink its claws into you like that tadpole in your character’s brain. Baldur’s Gate 3 is not just a game, it is an addiction.