let’s say 2022 was a peak year for spell. In addition to rampaging RPGs like God of War: Ragnarok and Horizon: Forbidden West, gamers were also treated to a slew of excellent indie titles, including the cat-focused offering Stray and the satanic mini-game Cult of the Lamb.
With that in mind, 2023 seems to set the bar high. Whether you’re into horror or fantasy, there are some very exciting titles in the pipeline over the next 12 months. These are the ones I’m most excited about getting to grips with.
The prophesied
This exciting game is the debut project of the new game studio Luminous Productions. It stars Frey as a girl picked from 21st-century New York and deposited in Athia’s fantasy realm, where she discovers she has powers.
Luminous was originally put together by developers who worked on Final Fantasy XV, and it looks like a fair amount of inspiration has also made the leap: players will be able to use Frey’s magical abilities to explore the vast open world and battle enemies in the corrupted world of the break.
Out January 24, 2023 on PlayStation 5 and PC
Empty space
The highly anticipated remake of Dead Space is finally here. While horror fans had somewhat satiated their appetites with The Callisto Protocol (creator Glen Schofield’s other space horror game), a modernization of the iconic 2008 was also long overdue.
The premise is the same as the original: you play as Isaac Clarke, an engineer for a repair ship whose journey goes disastrously wrong when the ship is invaded by the sinister Necrophage.
Out January 27, 2023 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC
Hogwarts: Legacy
Regardless of your opinion of the author of the Harry Potter books, it’s impossible to deny that Hogwarts: Legacy will be one of the biggest releases of 2023. It’s for good reason: Set in the late 19th century, the player finally gets a chance to attend Hogwarts as one of his students and explore the grounds in a massive open-world RPG. Besides things like brewing potions and flying around on your broomstick, you get to choose your look, choose your house, and even choose your storyline: will you end up as a dark wizard, or one of the goodies?
Out February 10, 2023 on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, PC
Resident Evil 4 Remake
Horror fans will eat well in 2023. In addition to games like Dead Space and Slitterhead, the beloved Resident Evil 4 is also getting a complete remake of the 2005 version.
This isn’t just a matter of improving the graphics (although that will happen): the game’s developers have said they want to improve the gameplay and storylines to give players an overall enhanced experience. Yes please.
Out March 24, 2023 on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC
Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Legend of Zelda is rightfully hailed as one of the greatest video games ever. More than five years later, Nintendo is bravely trying to make a sequel. Development on this began way back in 2017, and while few details have been released about what the plot entails, it looks like we’ll be heading back to Hyrule to help Link and Zelda save the kingdom once again. Oh, and this time there will be floating islands to explore, and possibly even some underground cave systems. What else do you want?
Out May 12, 2023 on Nintendo Switch
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
What’s more satisfying than playing the hero? Playing the villains destined to bring them down. After several panned movie adaptations, this action-adventure game (now set to release in 2023 after a series of delays) just might be why you’re falling in love with DC’s most famous miscreants.
Not much has been revealed about the plot, but it seems to line up with other Suicide Squad stories: formed by Amanda Waller, this group of reluctant heroes (including Harley Quinn, King Shark and Deadshot) must work to save the day in a metropolis in an open world. Each playable villain has its own set of skills, making it a must to switch between them as you progress through the game.
Coming Spring 2023 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC
Street Fighter 6
This cult game promises more violence and more creative ways to beat up your opponents than ever before. Street Fighter 6’s game platform was changed to the RE Engine, which theoretically allowed the developers to change the graphics, gameplay, and playing experience; there is also the introduction of in-game commentary for battles.
This time, players can also visit the online Battle Hub, the Fighting Ground (featuring all the classic Street Fighter game modes), and the World Tour, for an immersive single-player story.
Out June 2, 2023 on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and X/S, and PC
Diablo IV
Hell opens its doors again in the latest installment of the Diablo franchise. This time, cultists have summoned the demon Lilith and you must team up with other allies (the game is online only) to kill as many demons as possible on your way to defeat her.
Unlike previous games, Diablo IV is an open world, with five regions for players to explore. It also features a brand new Codex of Power, which allows players to build their character to suit them, choosing buffs and bonuses to match their playsuit.
Out June 26, 2023 on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and X/S, and PC
spiderman 2
The first Spider-Man game to triumph: released in 2018, it quickly garnered awards for its open-world setting (particularly Spidey’s web-slinging abilities), plot, and graphics. In this sequel, Peter Parker and Miles Morales return to the streets of New York to solve crime and take on Venom.
Anticipation is already building: In an interview, Venom’s voice actor Tony Todd said the “game is huge,” while the director has said this game will be a little darker in tone than previous entries.
Coming Fall 2023 on PlayStation5
redfall
Bethesda is in for a busy old year. In addition to releasing Starfield (more on that below), they’ve also managed to free up time to create what appears to be the vampire game of dreams.
Redfall is a town in Massachusetts where a band of brave resistance fighters must defeat the vampires that swarm the town (and the inhabitants who adore them). You can play alone or with up to two other players; the powers of the characters are fun (ranging from turning invisible to shooting lightning bolts) and the gameplay looks exciting: a winning combination.
Out 2023, on Xbox Series X/S and PC
Star field
It’s still a while before Starfield comes out, but the anticipation for this one is already running high. Bethesda’s latest offering has been dubbed “Skyrim in Space” for its sheer ambition – and with over a million lines of dialogue you’ll get a sense of the game’s sheer size, even as director Todd Howard boasts that players will have a “Thousand Planets” seems a bit unrealistic.
Set in the year 2310, fifty light years from Earth, join Constellation, an organization dedicated to exploring the farthest reaches of the galaxy. However, with a tenuous peace existing between the United Colonies and Freestar Collective, tensions are high – and the player is free to do as he pleases, whether that’s rule the skies as a pirate or stay an explorer. Very exciting.
Out 2023, on Xbox Series X/S and PC
Dragon Age: Dreadwolf
If you can believe it, the last Dragon Age game came out way back in 2014. Nearly a decade later, and after several long delays, it looks like the sequel (the fourth in the series) will be out in 2023.
Set after the events of Dragon Age: Inquisitor’s DLC Trespasser, it returns to Tevinter Imperium and will star Solas. The official teaser trailer also showed a glimpse of a magical cyberpunk city, which most likely appears to be the Tevinter Empire’s capital Minrathous, while lead writer Patrick Weekes has said that “we want to tell a story about what happens when you don’t have power.” .”
Coming 2023 on Xbox One and XS, PlayStation 4 and 5, and PC
Assassin’s Creed: Mirage
Assassin’s Creed takes a slightly different approach with its latest game, Mirage. Bet 9e century Baghdad, we’ll pick up again with Valhalla’s semi-villain Basim Ibn Ishaq as he first learns the trade to become an Assassin. It’s shorter than modern Assassin’s Creed games, and Ubisoft has promised the game will take the franchise back to its stealth roots. Now that the action takes place in a single city, parkour will also be making a much-anticipated return; Hurrah!
Out in 2023 on PlayStation 5 and 5, Xbox One and X/S, EPIC, PC and Amazon Luna