Table of Contents
Make no mistake, 2023 is turning out to be a bumper year for the gaming industry. There have already been some major releases, and many more big entries are still due before the end of the year. You may have heard about some of these games, depending on how big a gamer you are, but let’s go over them in more detail.
Dead Space Remake
Out now, having gone live January 27th 2023, the Dead Space Remake is something to behold. We all remember the original Dead Space, or at least we think we remember it. Which is to say; how you remember the original being is what the remake actually is.
For those that haven’t dabbled in the franchise, Dead Space is a survival horror set in space. Think Resident Evil 4 but with lasers. It’s slow, gloomy, very atmospheric, and yes there are jump scares aplenty. It isn’t for everyone, but horror fans will have plenty to sink their teeth into. If you’re unfamiliar with horror games but want to give it a shot, keep in mind that, yes, Dead Space is actually pretty scary. To put it another way, you won’t walk away from a play session smiling.
Resident Evil 4 Remake
Speaking of Resident Evil 4 and remakes, the Resident Evil 4 remake went live 23rd March. Yes, it does seem to be the time for remakes. Though, you’re perhaps a little sceptical about whether this particular game will live up to the hype of the original. Resident Evil 4 is, of course, still a well-loved classic.
Long story short, yes the Resident Evil 4 remake does the original justice. It’s an almost perfect recreation of the original, but with tweaks and upgrades in all the departments that matter. You’ll recognise every area and even remember most of the enemy encounters. So why bother? Because, simply put, it’s the original and better. Better graphics, better action, and better voice acting. The biggest addition to combat is the parry ability, which allows Leon to deflect enemy attacks, assuming your timing is on point.
Hogwarts Legacy
Going live February 10th 2023, Hogwarts Legacy came with a bit of controversy. If you do or don’t care about the politics is a matter of preference, but either way Hogwarts Legacy is a phenomenal game. You take on the role of a new Hogwarts student, like you always dreamt about, meaning that you’re free to finally pursue the life of a wizard. Hogwarts is immaculately brought to life, with so much detail in every square inch of the game that it almost defies belief. You can attend classes, learn spells, ride around on a broom, and even get up to mischief.
Fascinatingly, the game extends even beyond Hogwarts itself. You can also visit the nearby Hogsmeade, as well as a handful of other, smaller villages. All in all, developers Avalanche Software clearly went the whole 9 yards, pouring a stunning amount of love and attention into the game. If you get one new game this year, it should probably be Hogwarts Legacy.
Atomic Heart
Atomic Heart, releasing 21st February, is another game drowning in controversy. If you’re hesitant about buying a Russian-made game, given the current political climate, you can skip this one. Rather head over to Black Lotus online casino instead. If you’re willing to overlook the politics, Atomic Heart is a pseudo-futuristic shooter akin to the likes of Bioshock. You take on a soldier in a strange, steampunk version of Soviet Russia, facing off against various robots and other automatons.
It’s a visually impressive game, and a ton of work has clearly gone into the artwork and design, but Atomic Heart does fall short of Bioshock’s greatness. Worth a look, but not anything that’s going to blow your mind.
Dead Island 2
Dead Island 2, going live 21st April, is a bit of a conundrum. You probably remember Dead Island 1, and perhaps even remember it fondly. The problem is that the sequel doesn’t do much of anything to distinguish itself from the original. In fact, Dead Island 2 feels more like an expansion than anything else. The only real addition is the gore system, which now allows you to lovingly bash zombies apart in never before seen levels of detail.
So, if you love Dead Island 1, and want more of the same, this is your lucky day. On the other hand, there are far better games out there, especially given the price tag. Dead Island 2 is worth a look, but perhaps wait for a sale before you go making any purchases.
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Star Wars Jedi: Outcast saw some major success, prompting Respawn Interactive into develop a sequel almost immediately. Thus now we have Star Wars Jedi: Survivor. Like the original, you take on the role of Cal Kestis, who just so happens to be a dangerous Jedi. Survivor is, as with Dead Island 2, more of the same. Only in this case, the follow-up is bigger, better, and dramatically more detailed.
Survivor is a great game, but does suffer from a fair amount of technical issues. On PC in particular the game performs badly, with stuttering and other issues present, even on high-end PCs. Respawn are hard at work fixing the issues, but given that Survivor went live April 28th, and many of the problems persist, it might be a good idea to wait a little longer before making a purchase.
Street Fighter 6
Last on our list for the year so far is the granddaddy of fighting games; Street Fighter. Street Fighter is back, and better than ever. Street Fighter 6 went live June 2nd and is living up to expectations. The latest addition is not only everything you can hope for in a Street Fighter game, it’s so much more. With new characters, flashy new virtual lobbies, and new fighting systems, it doesn’t get better than this.
Best of all, with rollback net code now up and running more players than ever before can get in on the action. No matter where you are, as long as your internet is decent, you can play.
