Graham's Top 5 PS5, PS4 Games of 2023 | Push Square

pushsquare.com:

Our individual Game of the Year articles allow our lovely team of writers to share their own personal PS5 and PS4 picks for 2023. Today, it's the turn of reviewer Graham Banas.

Goodbye Volcano High is not a title I’d have expected to be on this list at the start of the year. I was interested in the game, but I didn’t know what to expect, which helped to make the surprise that much sweeter when it turned out to be fantastic. The writing is the real star here, with KO_OP delivering an absolute torrent of memorable characters, as well as an incredible number of touching moments, deftly sliding between humorously charming and emotionally gut-wrenching. The music is no slouch either, delivering a great soundtrack as well as serving as the framework for much of the story.

One of my favourite games of all time, as well as one of my single favourite horror experiences, the original Dead Space floored me back in 2008. While it had squandered its potential by the time it reached Dead Space 3, the first two titles never really left my mind. So it was with great excitement that I sat down to play this reinterpretation of Isaac Clarke’s adventure. And it did not disappoint. The art direction and general cohesion of design remain at an all-time great level, and the gameplay feels better than it ever has. Here’s to hoping when it comes time to remake Dead Space 2, it’ll get just as much love and care as Dead Space received.

Until the end of October, PowerWash Simulator was slated to be my #1 pick for the year. It’s just too much fun to play. Sure, it arguably falls under the gimmicky simulation game umbrella, but PowerWash Simulator has something much of its ilk does not: a compelling gameplay loop. The actual act of cleaning