Zoey Handley’s Top 10 Picks of 2023

destructoid.com:

Here’s a number for you: this year, I reviewed 69 games for Destructoid. Nice. It wasn’t intentional, but it almost was. I thought I was at 68, so I was trying to figure out how to fit one more in. But it turns out that OpenCritic is missing one, and poorer for it.

What are we here for? Right. My favorite games this year, in no particular order.

It is always hard for me to put year-end lists together because I can barely remember what I played last month. That’s it. There’s no “but” to that statement. Okay, roll the, uh… article.

While the development team only stayed together for three games, and none of them left Japan, Love-de-Lic’s output is legendary. Starting with Moon: Remix RPG Adventure, they crafted a series of genre-defying games that were bizarre and whimsical. They continue to inspire developers to this day, and 24 Killers is one such result.

24 Killers shares a lot in common with Moon: RPG Remix Adventure in terms of puzzle design and focus, but it tells its own story and a different approach to gameplay. Yet, its greatest success is how closely it emulates Love-de-Lic’s style, which doesn’t seem easy to do. It’s pitch-perfect, hitting all the highs and lows of Moon. That also means it’s not for everyone, but I know it’s for some people. For example, it’s a game that is very much for me.

If I had to pick a single game for my Game of the Year, it would be Slayers X: Terminal Aftermath: Vengeance of the Slayer. But I’m not going to do that because that’s lame. Still, this was probably my favorite game of 2023.

It’s not even necessarily the game. Slayers X feels like a mod for Duke Nukem 3D from the ‘90s, and it emulates that perfectly, right down to the amateur-ness of the entire production. Sort of like