Best Games You Proably Haven’t Played In 2023

gameranx.com:

Well, it’s finally over. The year of our lord, 2023, has been, gone, and will never return. We now stare down the barrel of 2024, and honestly, it’s looking pretty swanky in the gaming space. Grim everywhere else, granted, but the games look cool. Before we say goodbye once and for all, I thought it would be swell if I had a glance at some games that didn’t get much attention in 2023 and give them their time in the sun. 

The headline implies that these are the ‘best’ games, but what does ‘best’ even mean? It’s all subjective guff and in reality, these are just 10 games I thought were kinda rad and I wanted to ramble about them. That’s it – that’s my criteria for ‘best’. I like them and maybe you will too. Let’s have a gander and find out. 

HROT is part of the boom-shoot revival initiative that has taken Steam by storm these last few years. It is a love letter to classic FPS like Quake. Despite its roots being cemented, what HROT brings to the table is entirely unique – soul-crushing depression brought on by the onset of infinite brown voids, nuclear radiation, and communism. 

HROT is as ‘Slav’ as you can get, and that vibe is a huge part of the appeal. Sure, the core mechanics and gameplay are very solid. But HROT thrives off its oppressive atmosphere that drowns you in a sea of thick, palpable tension. Everything is understated in a way that fuels a feeling of isolation and vulnerability. Then, out of nowhere, a sentient pommel horse caves your skull in. It’s great. 

When I was a kid, I loved Jet Set Radio. Skating around in a yellow t-shirt, spraying stuff, avoiding the fuzz, and listening to some knee-slapping beats had me entertained for hours. The sequel is even more so. It’s a shame that the series died a death