A.K.A. The Pretendies
Hey, look everybody, it’s that guy who writes about video games every once in a while! This is true. It is me. The Pretend Gamer has finally written something after fifty years of silence.
As the title suggests, I am here to talk about my Games of the Year for 2023 (a bit late, I know). It was a highly competitive year and, after much thought and deliberation, I was able to whittle my list of the best games down to eight. But then I thought about it again and decided to expand the list out to ten games which is way too many but hey, what can you do? They all appear in the order that I played them except for the last one which is my Game of the Year hence why it is mentioned last. Enjoy!
Hi-Fi Rush
Hi-Fi Rush exemplifies why I am sad whenever a game studio is shut down even if I never enjoyed any of the games produced by said studio. Why, you ask? Well, because it shows that any studio can pivot and make a game that I love. Hi-Fi Rush is such a game and it was a pleasant surprise when it came out early last year. (Side note: I hope no one thinks that Tango Gameworks has been shut down because it hasn’t. I simply think it’s a good example of a studio pivoting and making something great.)
I had an awesome time with Hi-Fi Rush. The game looks great, plays great, and sounds great. It is an action game with a rhythm component tacked onto the whole thing which made me a little wary of it at first. I’m not very good at rhythm games if I’m being honest. I’m happy to report that that fact didn’t stop me from loving Hi-Fi Rush though. I oftentimes found myself attacking on the beat without really trying too hard. Now that’s good game design, I tell you what.
The Case of the Golden Idol
Hey, do you like mysteries where all of the pieces are right in front of you? Where you have to deduce what happened base off of what you know? Well, then The Case of the Golden Idol might be for you.
The Case of the Golden Idol is, like I said, a mystery game where the mystery is happening or has happened right in front of you. You solve what happened by clicking through a scene, finding all the evidence, and then piecing it together in a mad libs style word sheet. There were times when I was stuck on a scene for an hour or two running through all the evidence in my head over and over again trying to make sense of it. Then, all of a sudden, I would look at a piece of evidence in a new light and then everything would fall into place.
This is what I loved about The Case of the Golden Idol. That “Eureka” moment when I finally deduced what was happening. That and the fact that it tells an interesting and compelling tale through its many scenes. I was sad when I finished the game and its two DLCs. Well, I was until the developers announced that a sequel is coming next year. I can’t wait to see what they have cooked up for us next.
Resident Evil 2
This is how you know I’m crazy. Resident Evil 2 (the remake) wasn’t on my original Games of the Year list. I know, I know, I’m terrible. Resident Evil 2 (again, the remake) is my favorite Resident Evil game. There, I said it. It stars either Leon S. Kennedy or Claire Redfield (depending on which story you choose) and it follows their efforts to survive the night in a zombie-infested Raccoon city.
If I had to pick what I liked most about the game I would have to say it is the police station. That’s only about half of the game and while I enjoyed the second part of the game as well, nothing can really compare with exploring the Raccoon City Police Department. Exploring that building, finding new weapons, and wondering what was going to happen next kept me on the edge of my seat during my playthrough. Oh, and who could forget Mr. X’s constant harassment. Resident Evil 2 is quite a video game and for those of you who haven’t played it, what are you doing? Get out there and play this masterpiece!
Like a Dragon: Ishin!
I’m a history major and whenever people ask me what my favorite time period in history is I would always say what they want to hear. I would answer with the standard, “Oh, I love learning about WWII or Roman history.” To be clear, I do love those time periods but I always secretly liked another lesser-known time period (at least to my fellow Americans). And that time period, my friends, is the Bakumatsu of Japan (I also really enjoy learning about the Meiji Restoration which is the time period right after the Bakumatsu). For those who don’t know, this is when the United States forced Japan to open itself to trade with the West. After that, Japan embarked on a period of rapid societal change in order to remain independent. Imagine my delight when SEGA announced that they were finally localizing a game from one of my favorite series’ set at the beginning of that time period.
I am beyond happy to report that Like a Dragon: Ishin! is phenomenal. It is one of my top three favorite Like a Dragon (Yakuza) games. Yes, it’s that good. I loved the story which, in case you don’t know, has historical Japanese figures portrayed by characters from the Like a Dragon series. It was a real treat seeing familiar faces pop up in unexpected places.
Not only is the story fantastic but the side content is some of the best I’ve seen in this series which is saying a lot. There was so much that I have already forgotten most of it. The sub stories are great, the side activities all have narrative hooks both big and small, the friend system from Judgment (at least that’s where I first saw it) is in here, and there’s even a farming/cooking minigame in there to boot. The game is stacked with content. And it’s not just any content either. It’s all quality stuff and that’s why Like a Dragon: Ishin! is on this list.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is the first Ratchet & Clank game I’ve played since Up Your Arsenal. Yes, I’ve been away from the series for a long time. Too long I say based on what I played. You can tell that I liked Rift Apart because I finished it within a few days of starting it. I couldn’t put it down. I even Platinumed the damn thing which is a sign of high praise from yours truly.
Not only is it pretty to look at but it loads so incredibly fast. I know that was a selling point when it was revealed but they weren’t kidding about how fast it loads. I don’t remember seeing a loading screen while I was playing it. Sure, there were a few times where a load was being hidden by a cutscene but that scene wasn’t very long to begin with.
The load times would be fine and dandy but that doesn’t mean much if the actual game isn’t very good. Well, you’re in luck because the shooting and traversal in Rift Apart were amazing. It felt so good just to run and gun my way through the worlds and levels in this game. And it wouldn’t be a Ratchet & Clank game without gun variety and let me tell you that there are plenty of gun types to be had in this game. I had a ton of fun fully upgrading most of the weapons. I hope that Insomniac doesn’t get stuck developing games in the Marvel universe forever as I want the Ratchet & Clank series to continue since I enjoyed Rift Apart so much.
TOEM
One day I was in what I would call a “gaming funk” and I was perusing Game Pass searching for something to play. By “gaming funk,” I mean I couldn’t decide what to play next and I was bored with all of the games sitting before me. Then I spied TOEM. It’s simplistic black and white art style caught my eye immediately. I downloaded it, started playing it, and, I have to say, it cured me of my funk real quick.
TOEM is a game where you take pictures. It is surprising that I liked such a game because I don’t care to take pictures in real life so why would I want to do that in a video game? Each level of TOEM has new photo challenges and secrets to uncover. Not only that but it features some of the most charming characters I’ve seen in a video game. I couldn’t get enough of them.
Perhaps the greatest praise I can give the game is by saying that I literally fist-pumped the air when I finished the game and discovered that there was a free DLC included with TOEM. This DLC is a separate adventure and is awesome in its own right. I was just excited that my TOEM adventure wasn’t over. If you haven’t played TOEM and you have a free afternoon one of these days, then I suggest you do yourself a favor and try this game out. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.
Cocoon
Cocoon is a lesson to game developers that sometimes less is more. There are no tutorials, no onscreen prompts, and no voiceovers telling you what to do. You must figure everything out for yourself. Which is fitting because Cocoon is a puzzle game.
Although there are no tutorials, everything about the game is intuitive. It quickly becomes clear what you’re supposed to be doing and how you do it. Although the puzzles are relatively simple in the beginning, they become more intricate as the game moves along. This is all I’m going to say about Cocoon since I believe that everyone should go into this game knowing as little as possible.
Resident Evil 3
The biggest criticism you could lob at Resident Evil 3 (the remake) is that it is a short game. I fully concede that point. It is indeed short. It’s so short, in fact, that I played it in one sitting while streaming (for those of you who don’t know, I stream over on Twitch: thepretendgamer2018). It’s shortness, however, did not stop me from placing it on this list.
One of the reasons I like the game so much is because it has my favorite protagonist of the Resident Evil franchise: Jill Valentine. Jill is a badass to put it mildly. Not only that but she has some of the best lines out of any of the characters in that universe (Leon included). There are days when I chuckle to myself out of the blue because I’m thinking about her “Bitch can’t even swim” line. She’s great and I hope to see her in another game in the future.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the first 2D Mario game I’ve ever played. Let me repeat that for those of you in the back. Super Mario Bros. Wonder is the first 2D Mario game I’ve ever played. Shocking, I know.
My first Mario game (and first game that I remember playing) was Super Mario 64. You know, the one with the 3D. Needless to say, I literally grew up with Mario being in the third dimension. I never gave much thought to the 2D Marios both past and present. That is until I saw the excitement surrounding the release of Super Mario Bros. Wonder. Yes, I admit it, I’m not immune to hype and thus I was inclined to purchase this new Mario game and see what it was all about.
What it was about is exactly what it says in the title: wonder. I was in awe almost every second while playing this game. Even in the moments that would be considered mundane in other games. Why? Because I was excited to see what was in store for me next. I felt like a kid again while playing through Wonder. The levels, the secrets, the colors, and the enjoyment I received just from playing the game were a treat. And that’s all I can really ask for from a video game in my opinion. And that is the reason why Super Mario Bros. Wonder is here on this list.
Game of the Year
And now we come to the moment you’ve all been reading for. My pick for Game of the Year 2023. The biggest and most prestigious Pretendie there is. Without further ado, allow me to present my Game of the Year for 2023. That game is…
The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt
What can I say about The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt? That is a question I’m pondering even as I sit here writing this. There is so much I could say and yet none of it would do this game justice. I’ve owned this game since the day it came out and have played it every year since. I have finally finished it along with its expansions which is why it has taken the top spot on my list in 2023.
I love the world and characters of the The Witcher universe. I remember falling in love with this world back when the first Witcher game came out. Yes, I’m one of the people who discovered the Witcher universe through the games first, books second. Terrible, I know. Anyways, I love the world and I think CD Projekt Red (the developer) did a fantastic job of translating that world from the page to the computer screen. If I ever do a list of the best video game protagonists of all time, Geralt of Rivia would certainly be on that list. I remember many of his crazy adventures fondly from all three of the games that have come out.
I can’t write about this game without mentioning its two expansions. If the Witcher 3 had just been either of these two expansions, I still would have picked it as my Game of the Year. Both expansions feature their own storylines, side quests, and game mechanics all the while building upon what came before in the base game. It is quite an amazing feat and CD Projekt Red should be proud of what they’ve built in The Witcher 3.
I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention Gwent. Gwent is an in-world card game that nearly everyone in the Witcher 3 plays. I didn’t think I was a fan of games within a game but Gwent has proven me wrong. I couldn’t get enough of that card game. I would take time out of my busy day just to challenge NPCs to a game of Gwent. There are even whole entire quest lines centered around Gwent. That’s how deep this card game goes.
I could go on all day about The Witcher 3 but I won’t. I will, however, mention one last thing. If I love this game so much, why did it take me eight years to finish the dang thing? The answer to that question is quite simple. It took me so long to finish it because once it’s over, it’s over, you know? I may never get another chance to play through this game again so I took my time with it savoring every single moment. I do not regret taking eight years to finish The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt. It is a fantastic game and I hope that CD Projekt Red makes The Witcher 4 as memorable an experience as The Witcher 3 was.
So, there’s my list. Which games were on your Games of the Year list for 2023? Did we have any in common? Let me know down below!
The Pretend Gamer 