Multiplat BigFooty GOTY 2023

[dwwaino]

Move over Game Awards, BAFTA and GD Choice Awards, the most prestigious award is back after a few years on hiatus. It's the award where a dozen of so absolute nuffs try to remember what games they even played that were released in the last calender year and try to stick a number against them in some sort of meaningful way.

We broke board tradition and didn't do it for a few years because frankly there just weren't enough quality games being released. This also led to board traffic being down and I think the last one we did had maybe 10 replies and I didn't even bother counting the votes. However it has been the best year in a long time so let's do this again.

The change this year is it's a top 5 instead of a top 10. A top 10 worked 10 years ago because games came thicc and fast. That's not the case anymore and not everyone will have played 10 games released this year that are worth even putting in a top 10 list. After maybe 5 or 6 you just tend to put stuff you remember playing that maybe wasn't too bad (at least that is often the case for me). Squeezing it into 5 games is less daunting for those who are maybe time poor and for the nerds who play heaps of games it may make you sweat a bit.

So, top 5 games that had to have been released after Jan 1st of 2023 and before Dec 31. As usual voting and the thread will stay open until.... let's say the 14th to give anyone with holiday leave a chance to go through their backlog for the year. Remakes (but not remasters) count but just know that voting for a remake is poor and I'll be very disappointed in you. We've normally said no DLC/expansions because we've tried to keep it to purely new games but live service/MMO type games are getting more popular as well as the return of proper expansions like Phantom Liberty.

Rate your games from 1 to 5, 1 being your favourite of 2023. When I remember and get around to adding up the results points awarded per vote will be:

1 - 10pts
2 - 8pts
3 - 6pts
4 - 4pts
5 - 2pts

Don't rush, post whenever you want. You can edit your post up until the thread is closed too so don't stress.

 

[Dancing Potato]

The only game award that matters. Good to have it back.

 

[Hawk88]

Here are my thoughts:

1 - Balders Gate 3
2 - Zelda - Tears of the Kingdom
3 - Super Mario Bros. Wonder
4 - Dave the Diver
5 - Diablo 4

Really struggled past the top 2, just goes to show how poor the industry is at the moment

 

[Supersuns]

1 - Baldurs Gate 3
2 - TOTK
3 - Spiderman 2
4 - Super Mario Bros Wonder
5 - Pikmin 4

 

[Mantastic]

I need to play BG3 before finalising a vote but so far Starfield is my most played 2023 game. Dredge and Dave the Diver are probably my favourite Indies.

 

[dwwaino]

Great to see love for Dave the Diver. If it released on more than PC and Switch I think it would have blown up.

 

[UnitedWarrior93]

My top 5 would have to be:

1. Alan Wake 2
2. Baldurs Gate 3
3. Resident Evil 4
4. Hogwarts Legacy
5. Starfield

 

[revival_mode]

1. Baldur's Gate 3
2. Fire Emblem: Engage
3. Spidey 2

 

[kangle4]

1. TOTK
2. Diablo 4
3. Spiderman 2
4. Fire Emblem Engage
5. Jedi Survivor

 

[Dancing Potato]

1. Resident Evil 4
2. Hi-Fi Rush
3. Dead Space
4. Baldur's Gate 3
5. Amnesia: The Bunker

Disclaimer: I haven't had a chance to play Alan Wake 2 or Baldur's Gate 3 and I expect they would have dislodged Amnesia and Starfield from my list.

EDIT: OK, I haven't finished BG3 but I've now played enough for it to take a place and bump out Starfield.

 

[omgfridge]

1. Baldur's Gate III
2. DREDGE
3. Sea of Stars
4. Super Mario Bros. Wonder
5. Dave the Diver

 

[Ed_Gein]

The only game released in 2023 that I played was Amnesia: The Bunker So I guess I'm inelligible to vote, but the game was quite good, though.

 

[dwwaino]

Awesome year. Took so long to post because I couldn't quite settle on my number 5. Had to also think back to earlier in the year as I was starting to succumb to a bit of recency bias. I wouldn't be surprised if I change it again but with my top 4 an absolute lock and only having trouble deciding 5th I've gone with:

1. Alan Wake 2 - was going to put BG3 here by default as it's not only the greatest modern pure RPG but probably one of the greatest ever. It's a game I'll be constantly going back to play for the next 10 years, but.... Alan Wake 2 as a complete experience was something else.

2. Baldur's Gate 3 - see above.

3. Dave the Diver - Didn't know anything about it at all initially until one day my YouTube suggestions blew up with it. What an amazing little game. Once I really got into it the hours just flew. "Just one more dive" turns into 3 hours later...

4. Lies of P - There have been many Soulslike imitations over the years but never an equal. This is the closest thing to a Bloodbourne sequel that we've got.

5. Hi-Fi Rush - Just a fun game. Cool art, cool music, and doesn't take itself too seriously at all.

 

[Duck Farmer]

Only played 6 games that were released in 2023 so can just barely make a Top 5.

1. Cocoon
2. Ghostwire: Tokyo (counting this as it was released for Xbox in 2023)
3. Metroid Prime Remastered
4. Like A Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name
5. Hi-Fi Rush

The other 2023 release I played was Starfield.

 

[Jeba]

1: Marvels Spiderman 2
2: Diablo 4
3: Dead Island 2
4: Star Wars Jedi : Survivor
5: Jagged Alliance 3

A few others i played that i enjoyed
Avatar FoP
Mortal Kombat 1
Hogwarts Legacy
Aliens Dark Decent
Baldurs Gate 3
Armoured Core 6 FoR
The Crew Motorfest
CoTW: The Angler

 

[dwwaino]

Final chance for last minute entries. I know it says closed on the 14th but imagine my finger started moving towards the lock thread button on the 14th and is travelling really slowly.

 

[Dannnnnnnnnn]

Final chance for last minute entries. I know it says closed on the 14th but imagine my finger started moving towards the lock thread button on the 14th and is travelling really slowly.

Travelling as slow as the thread.

I was hoping to get stuck into Alan Wake 2 before submitting this, but sadly not.

1. Baldur's Gate 3
2. Resident Evil 4
3. Spider-Man 2
4. Dead Space
5. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Hon. mentions: Hogwarts Legacy, Dredge, Final Fantasy XVI

Purposefully not here: Mortal Kombat 1 (way too lacking in content to feature), Fire Emblem Engage (while combat was decent the rest was a massive letdown), AFL 23 (lol)