Game of the Year Awards 2023

"The core shooting and movement mechanics are rock solid online, with lots of gadgets. Speed and movement feels familiar, with good mantling, sliding, and decent weapon handling. Open-combat levels in the campaign sometimes provide a glimpse at the potential next-step for the franchise. A diverse selection of returning battlegrounds augments the competitive action and the deep open-world undead mode is entertaining for hours." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Counter-Strike 2, Atomic Heart, El Paso, Elsewhere

"With the new stances and various cool force abilities, the combat is immensely enjoyable and a step above the last game. Even though many patrols can be avoided, the option to engage is too tantalizing to resist. Part of this is because the action is nimble and also because the smaller skirmishes are quick to overcome. Five combat stances make the action deep and the many different opponents are fun to battle." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Lies of P, Hi-Fi Rush, Marvel's Spider-Man 2

"All cars handle suitably well with a controller, and the game does an excellent job at representing how different performance levels feel. Guiding an older Audi around the bend is a struggle at any decent speed, but jump into a BMW M Motorsport M8 GTE, and suddenly you are flying through the curves. The feel of the cars and the racing experience continue to be exemplary for the genre." - Alex V

Runners-up: F1 2023, EA Sports WRC, The Crew Motorfest

"Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew is a great stealth experience and a must play for fans of previous games from developer Mimimi. With a tonal shift to pirates and cool supernatural abilities, the basic strategy gameplay from their previous titles is revitalized. Sneaking through patrols and pulling off flawless plans is addicting, and the sentient ship, with its ability to store memories, becomes a central part of the narrative in a smart way." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Company of Heroes 3, Aliens: Dark Descent, Cities: Skylines II

"DREDGE is an enjoyable fishing game that uses Lovecraftian themes to give it a refreshing allure. The fishing aspects are simple, allowing players to enjoy at their own pace for 7-10 hours. Fishing at night comes with a spooky atmosphere and a few new threats, but it is not scary or challenging enough to make the most of the darker themes influenced by Lovecraft. The simple catch-and-sell gameplay loop definitely makes DREDGE easy to play and a good option for fishing fans." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Amnesia: The Bunker, Jusant, Stasis: Bone Totem

"Strong player choice mechanics also play a huge role in how engaging the story is, with so many dialogue options and action selections resulting in tons of possible outcomes. It's truly impressive to think of how you would handle a situation in reality, and the game actually having this option. Being able to talk your way out of fighting is always appreciated, and BG3 lets you do that with aplomb." - Alex V

Runners-up: Starfield, Sea of Stars, Lies of P

"MLB The Show 23 remains a top-tier sporting experience. The glut of options available for players to choose from will keep them busy from Spring Training to the World Series. Standbys such as Franchise, Diamond Dynasty and March to October have been tweaked for the better, and the new Storylines mode is a must-play." - Eric Hall

Runners-up: EA Sports FC 24, WWE 2K23, Super Mega Baseball 4

"These moments do an excellent job of switching up the tried and true gameplay just enough to make it feel unique, but not so much that it shifts away from what Mario has always done best. There's very little repetition to these effects as well, so you don't need to worry about getting tired out by a certain effect version. The staggering amount of creativity that went into making sure every Wonder Flower power feels different from the previous is a major boon for the game." - Eric Hall

Runners-up: Trine 5: A Clockwork Conspiracy, Have a Nice Death, Sonic Superstars

"Additional puzzle elements comprise of the usual assortment of boxes, pressure switches, jammers, and spinning fans that provide lift. Each major contraption is usually restricted to a few of the twelve areas, to keep the puzzling nicely focused. Given so many parts, it is great that most puzzles only use a handful of these devices. Skill comes in their placement and execution order rather than deciphering thousands of possibilities." - Ben Thomas

Runners-up: Viewfinder, Stasis: Bone Totem, Storyteller

"The 18-combatant roster for Street Fighter 6 is one of the strongest base rosters in recent franchise history. Between the new control scheme and the Drive Gauge, Street Fighter 6 feels more dynamic and inviting than the previous entry. Due to the ease in which special attacks and defensive techniques can be deployed, there's a fluidity to the combat that makes each match exhilarating." - Eric Hall

Runners-up: Mortal Kombat 1, Clash: Artifacts of Chaos, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2