Summary
Now that the year is nearly at an end, it’s possible to take a look at a definitive list of the 25 highest-rated new video game releases of 2023.2023 has been one of the strongest years in terms of new game releasesthat the industry has ever seen, with many titles releasing to widespread critical acclaim. 2023 has given players almost too much to play, from brand-new IP to highly-regarded new entries in established franchises. All kinds of genres have been represented, ensuring a quality new experience for gamers of all tastes.
While there are still some new games set to launch between now and the new year, it’s highly unlikely that they will crack the top 25. Barring some unexpected smash hit, we now have a definitive list of the top 25 highest-rated new game releases of 2023. This list ignores remasters like Switch exclusiveMetroid Prime Remasteredas well as highly-reviewed DLC releases likeCyberpunk 2077’s Phantom Liberty expansion.
The highest-rated game of 2023,according to review aggregate site OpenCritic, isThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomwith a 96 overall rating. Coming in second place isBaldur’s Gate 3, which has a 96 overall rating as well, but must be trailing just slightly behindTears of the Kingdomwhen it comes to its more specific overall score. Third place goes to recent VR hitAsgard’s Wrath 2, which some have hailed as potentially the best VR game made to date.
Highest-Rated Games of 2023
The fact that we can go 25 games deep and still be in the 88 overall rating range really underscores just how many high-quality games released in 2023. It’s also great to see so much variety in the top 25.Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomis an open world action-adventure game, whereasBaldur’s Gate 3is a complex CRPG.Resident Evil 4is a survival-horror game, while nineteenth placeHi-Fi Rushis a hack-and-slash game that combines the genre with music/rhythm elements.
Many of the games in the top 25 highest-rated games of 2023 list are recognizable, though there are some that many gamers may not have heard of but could now be wanting to check out. For example,Against the Stormis a new city-builder gamethat just released for PC Game Passand has earned rave reviews, yet has been flying under the radar a bit.Tents and Trees, meanwhile, is an acclaimed puzzle game, whileSlay the Princessis a visual novel horror game.
It will be interesting to see how 2024 stacks up to 2023 come this time next year. There are plenty ofbig new games for 2024on the way, though it will take a lot for next year to compete with the absolute juggernaut that 2023 has been when it comes to new game releases.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
WHERE TO PLAY
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is the sequel to the beloved open-world adventure, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This installment once again sees Link and Zelda battling to protect Hyrule from falling to Ganondorf. This new adventure takes place in the same land of Hyrule as Breath of the Wild but sees something called the Upheaval, which allows link to travel to Sky Islands, as well as deep into the Depths beneath Hyrule. Players can use special abilities to fuse together weapons, and build items to help them progress through the release.
