In 2022, gamers were very much disappointed with the game releases due to lackluster gameplay and bad optimization. However, 2023 has so far seen a lot of promising releases from both indie and established game studios.
Without further ado, let’s dive straight in to take a look at some of the most popular game releases in the second half of 2023 –
Baldur’s Gate 3
Developed and released by Larian Studios, Baldur’s Gate 3 (BG3) is one of the highest rated single-player video games released this year and has even left behind some of the most anticipated games of 2023.
When it comes to the gameplay, it is massive in scope due to its Dungeons & Dragons genre with hundreds of hours of content. The game has multiple endings which are dependent on the choices players make during their playthrough.
The combat is also satisfying, and even though it can be a bit hard and confusing to new players in the genre, most of the fights become enjoyable once you get the gist. Sometimes, players can easily spend well over 30 minutes in a single fight.
BG3 also provides a lot of build variation to try out and if players don’t like it, they can simply reload the game at the previously saved point. Speaking of saved points, players will need to manually save the game, or they might risk losing hours of progress.
Starfield
Probably the most ambitious project from Microsoft-owned Bethesda, Starfield is one of the biggest and most anticipated game releases of this year. However, if gamers have bought the premium edition they can hop into early access and play the game now itself.
Speaking of early access, Starfield is also currently topping the charts even when the full public release is still a few days away. The game runs stable and features an expansive story across space and planets, while giving players a lot of gameplay choices.
Players can hire a crew, engage in space and ground combat, customize the characters, and select their own gameplay style.
The best part about the game, however, is that the modding community has started putting out in-game mods. Bethesda games are quite popular among the modding community who puts out a number of mods that can even change the whole gameplay experience.
Armored Core 6
The latest entry by Fromsoftware, Armored Core 6 (AC6) is a mech genre game, and while these games were quite famous in the old video game era, new mech games of the present era are not able to impress gamers.
AC6, however, grabbed the attention of many gaming enthusiasts. It features an AC pilot working as a mercenary in several linear missions divided into chapters filled with several mini bosses along with some of the most epic boss fights.
While the missions are linear, players can approach them in different ways and can even replay them to get an S ranking. The game also lets players customize their mechs with new weapons as well as paint jobs and custom emblems.
AC6 is also fast-paced and requires substantial amount of focus even for mindless shooting. Players get a mission payout at the end of each mission to buy new parts, but will also have to take care of their ammo and repair kit usage as it adds up to their expenses and is deducted from mission earnings.
Other games to check out
Prior to June, there were many game releases which also caught gamers’ attention and are now on sale. Here are a few to check out –
Hogwarts Legacy: Open world RPG game based on Harry Potter universe available for PlayStation 5 here and for Xbox One here.
Dead Island 2: Zombie horde shooter and sequel to Dead Island, available here for Xbox.
Star Wars Jedi Survivor: Based on Star Wars universe and sequel to Star Wars Jedi Fallen Order, available here for PlayStation 5.