The best games of 2023, so far

This is probably the best game for capturing the ick-out grossness of practical effect horror movies, with a gore system that, as of writing, is unparalleled in games. The zombies you smack about in your battle to escape an undead LA, shatter and burn, melt and peel in a way that begs for experimentation. And it's game that lets you and encourages you with elemental effects, traps, and a range of weapons to mix and match as you see what sort of damage you can inflict. It's a simple game - hitting zombies on the way objectives is 90% of it - but one that takes so much pride and care in making that as much fun as possible.

Developer: Dambuster | Platform(s): PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One 

I really enjoyed Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, so to return to Cal Kestis' adventure and find everything that made that game special already in place was great. To then watch Survivor build so confidently on those foundations was truly special. Throwing you into desperate, edge-of-your-seat lightsaber battles one moment, before letting an epic set piece establish a new turn in a heartfelt, twisting story the next, Survivor brings a galaxy far, far away to life in ways I've never seen a Star Wars game do before. Hugely ambitious but absolutely delivering, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor sets a baseline for what the next generation of Star Wars stories could look like.

Developer: Respawn | Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X 

Never has a game delivered on its elevator pitch as well as Dredge. A cosmic horror fishing game, it marries the mundane with the unsettling. One moment I'm heading out over the ocean to seek out some rare, expensive catch, the next I'm making a desperate run for the nearest port as the sun sets, the darkness descends, and the creatures that lurk in the depths of the sea and my psyche start to make themselves known. Beautifully and intricately designed from the haggard faces of its long-suffering NPCs to the unsettling piano riff that denotes a troubling new discovery, everything about Dredge lends itself to a near-perfect realisation of an excellent idea. A dark horse in the GOTY race, for sure.

Developer: Black Salt | Platform(s): PC, PS5, PS4, Switch, Xbox Series X, Xbox One 

This was the remake Capcom couldn't mess up - a classic Resident Evil entry with a certifiable place in gaming history. And, somehow, they did it, with an almost flawless reimagining of the game that redefined third person action. Leon's all new shooty Euro trip to rescue the President's Daughter manages to channel the essence of the 2005 original's weird, almost Lovecraftian outsider threat into something that feels fresh and new. It doesn't even change that much, with minor updates to the controls and gunplay, and a few story tweaks that largely enhance rather than subtract from the experience. It all adds up to a tight and tense horror trip that ricochets from body horror to high action, with enough variety and surprises to make you feel like you've been as much of a journey as Leon and Ashley.

Developer: Capcom | Platform(s): PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox One

I've always considered Metroid Prime to be one of the best GameCube games of all-time, owing to its subtle subversion of traditional first-person shooter mechanics and a smart structural design which encourages quiet exploration of a hostile alien planet. While some of its elements certainly feel antiquated today, Metroid Prime Remastered is further proof of the excellence of this adventure. Massive overhauls to the visual direction, controls, user interface, and performance make this a must-play – regardless of whether you're making a return trip to Talon IV or enjoying your first visit to the strange labyrinthian world. Metroid Prime was always singular and special, and this fantastic remake only improves upon the strengths of the underlying foundation design. This is a must-play for every Nintendo Switch owner.

Developer: Nintendo | Platform(s): Nintendo Switch

I never realized how tiny I'd feel seeing a Tallneck up close. Suddenly, I've got far more admiration for tiny Aloy whizzing up the back of one of these huge metallic beasts without a care in the world. Those things are huge! It's that kind of realization that makes Horizon: Call of the Mountain pure magic. It's currently the flagship PSVR 2 game and it's easy to see why. Not only is it stunning, but it manages to perfectly capture the combat and gameplay of Horizon Forbidden West and Zero Dawn and translate them to VR in a way that feels fresh and innovative. From the crafting to the traversal, everything has been thought of through the VR lens, making it extra tactile and satisfying from that first-person perspective, which results in it being the ultimate way to immerse yourself in this unique, robotic world.  It also helps that it introduces a fresh character, a new story, and some returning faces too, so it's just the ultimate treat for Horizon fans - if you invest in the PSVR 2 hardware.

Developer: Firesprite, Guerrilla Games | Platform(s): PSVR 2

Hi-Fi Rush emerged out of nowhere like a rush of blood to the head, signaling that 2023 will be the year where Xbox Game Studios starts making good on its investments. In my Hi-Fi Rush review, I noted how taken aback I was by the confidence displayed by Tango Gameworks here – a studio best known for the horrifying The Evil Within 2 and high-strangeness of Ghostwire: Tokyo. This rhythm-action game is bursting at the seams with heart and humor, and arrives with the sort of colorful visual style and eclectic soundtrack that's difficult to turn away from. Music is presented as the pulse of Hi-Fi Rush's world, where everything from platforming to combat is performed on beat, which ultimately propels it into being one the best Xbox Game Pass games of the year.

Developer: Tango Gameworks | Platform(s): PC, Xbox Series X 

Rebuilding a 15-year-old survival horror classic was never going to be easy, not least because the original Dead Space still holds up well. And while the original games' visuals look a little tired against today's standards, I don't believe the technical jump between 2008 and 2023 is as significant as, say, the Resident Evil 2 remake's leap from PS1 to PS4. I must admit: I wasn't sure if Motive Studio could do the OG justice. But as I detailed in my Dead Space Remake review, wow, did the devs deliver. Sharper visuals, better lighting, deeper dialogue, reworked boss fights and level layouts; new guns, new enemies, and new standards set – in the survival horror space, and for modern day remakes generally. The Dead Space Remake is a remake done right.  

Developer: Motive Studios | Platform(s): PC, PS5, Xbox Series X