GAME REVIEW: Three Games I Played in 2023
2023 was a pretty great year for gaming. After numerous delays due to COVID - we got to experience a calendar jam-packed with long-awaited releases, alongside some major improvements to already released games. Now, I can’t say I played most of the “big” releases this year (I have weird taste, sue me) - but the few I have sunk my teeth into gave me plenty of food for thought. If you’re looking for some new games to play in 2024, or just want to know if anyone else shares any of your unpopular opinions on this year’s releases, this is the article for you. Read on!
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
I must admit, I’ve been something of a CP2077 apologist since day 1. Whilst CDPR’s latest RPG behemoth was marred by a buggy launch that failed to live up to the insane levels of pre-release hype generated by putting internet darling Keanu Reeves at front and centre of the marketing, my Series X experience ran very well in 2020 - allowing me to experience the heartbreaking story and truly jaw-dropping world of Night City as it was intended. With the addition of its first, and unfortunately only planned, DLC and the 2.0 overhaul gamers across the scene have finally been able to experience this game as the fully-fleshed RPG that was promised.
Phantom Liberty takes our main character V on a thrill-ride of an adventure through Night City’s shadiest underbelly for a spy thriller that puts Jason Bourne to shame. With stellar performances across the board, including Idris Elba’s gruff yet sorrowful Solomon Reed, this is an expansion that truly highlights the development team’s strengths and builds masterfully on top of the game’s foundations.
Those foundations have been improved dramatically in 2023 too. The overhauled Perks system allows for V to veer in wildly different build directions during a playthrough, from a hammer-wielding juggernaut that decimates foes upclose to stealthy netrunners who can dispatch enemies in creative ways from a far off distance. The 2.0 update transformed Cyberpunk 2077 in a way no game has accomplished before, and definitely for the better.
Starfield
On the other end of the RPG success spectrum, we have Bethesda’s latest release - Starfield. Marketed as ‘Daggerfall in Space’, Todd Howard’s sweet little lies gave this game very high expectations to live up to. Unfortunately, I don’t feel as if these expectations were met in the slightest, making for what may be the main Bethesda Maryland studio’s first major failure.
If I had to sum up Starfield in one word, it would be outdated. In a year where we saw Cyberpunk reach new heights and current gaming darling ‘Baldur’s Gate 3’ set a new standard for what an RPG could be - Bethesda seems to have stagnated in their Skyrim-era ways and learnt the worst lessons possible from Fallout 4’s success.
Recent interviews seem to indicate that Starfield was developed without a cohesive design document in place, and you can feel it when you play. Ship combat stands wholly independent from the on-ground gameplay, and the story does not make effective use of the worlds offered to the player. When you’re not stuck in a loading screen (of which there are FAR too many), you’ll be battling against a game that seems unsure of what it wants to be in one of the 5 procedurally picked dungeon layouts the game has to offer.
I could go on longer, but other’s with far more expertise and time in the game than me have done better. I’ve been a lifelong Bethesda fan, having played everything from Morrowind onwards, but this one could barely hold me for 12 hours before I walked away.
Chivalry 2
This game did not release in 2023, but it’s absorbed hundreds of hours of my time this year so I felt that it deserved a spot on this round-up. Chivalry 2 is a mediaeval combat FPS (with a third-person camera available) that offers engaging, visceral combat that is truly addictive. Each PVP fight requires positioning, reactions and game knowledge that creates adrenaline-pumping fights in both 1v1 and group settings.
Whether you’re taking down enemies hundreds of metres away with a powerful bow, or whacking heads up close with a war club or shovel (my personal favourite weapon, you can’t nerf the psychic damage it does to someone to be bested by a gardening tool), this game offers a truly unique take on warfare that stands out in an industry dominated by gunplay.
What really sets this game apart in my opinion however, is the social systems you can engage in. Rather than relying on voice chat or paid emotes to interact with others - Chivalry 2 allows you to point, wave and taunt teammates and enemies alike. This creates some truly unforgettable moments, as your teammate waves and dances your way before being tackled to the ground and cut in twain by an enemy teammate.
If you’re looking for a multiplayer experience that provides something truly different, I’d recommend checking Chivalry 2 or its brother-in-genre Mordhau today. Chivalry 2 is available on Gamepass, so for my Xbox readers it likely won’t even cost you a penny you’re not already playing.
