2023 is here and with it comes a huge amount of exciting new gaming titles. Since the year has just begun, I thought it would be fun to list some of the games I’m most excited to play this year. One of my goals for the year is to play more of the newest releases. I’m typically someone who plays a lot of older titles. With the number of new releases only increasing every month, I often forget to play games I was interested in until a few years after release.

Despite still having a lot of titles left in my backlog, there is just too much good stuff to ignore what’s around the corner. I hope to use this article not only to remind myself of what I’m hoping to play but maybe to encourage you readers to play them as well. So without further ado here are ten games you won’t want to miss for 2023.

Fire Emblem Engage – Releasing January 20th (Nintendo Switch) 

Fire Emblem has always been one of my personal favorite Nintendo franchises simply because I love quality tactics games. However, I haven’t been the biggest fan of the direction many of the newer games have taken (Hot take, I know). Awakening was fantastic, but Birthright and Conquest are garbage and no one can change my mind. I was also ambivalent about many aspects of Three Houses.

Although Engage does seem to share a lot of similarities with its predecessor Three Houses, the main reason I want to play this is purely based on nostalgia. I love the pair-up system from Awakening and this game places a heavy focus on the mechanic with some new alterations. Instead of pairing up two new characters, you are supported by heroes from past titles. It looks fun enough that I can overlook a lot of the needless fluff thrown in. I just want to enjoy the series again and I’m hoping Engage can do that for me.

Hogwarts Legacy – Expected February 10th (PC, PS5, XSX)

I’m not a die-hard Harry Potter fan, but I certainly loved the books and films as a child. Despite J.K. Rowling doing her best to destroy the universe, it seems this game has zeroed in on everything fun in the series in the first place.

Hogwarts Legacy seeks to bring to life every aspect of that childhood daydream everyone who ever read the story has had. You can attend classes, cast dozens of spells, meet whimsical characters, explore the school of Hogwarts, and much more. On top of it all, the game has a completely new and original narrative that takes place years before the books. The developers at Avalanche Software have clearly poured their heart and soul into this project and I think that deserves to be supported.

Atomic Heart – Expected February 21st (PC,PS4/5, XSX, XBO)

I’m hoping to play some more FPS games this year, and this one seems weird but also crazy cool. Helmed by developer Mundfish, Atomic Heart is stated to be a story-focused FPS with RPG elements. From the few gameplay trailers, the combat appears fast-paced, satisfying, and filled with a variety of unique weapons and abilities. Additionally, the science fiction setting looks visually stunning and positively dripping with personality.

The game does seem to take a lot of influence from titles like Bioshock. However, as someone who has never played the series, this isn’t a big deal breaker for me. All in all, Atomic Heart looks to be a well-polished game that could help me get more interested in the shooter genre.

Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty – Expected March 3rd (PC, PS4/5, XSX, XBO)

I’m still relatively new to the Soulsborne subgenre. Having enjoyed the few titles that I played thus far, I’m on the lookout for something new. Wo Long seems right up my alley. I love Imperial China as a setting, and I love Team Ninja. I’ve also been quite impressed with the flashy martial arts combat shown off so far. On top of that, Wo Long looks to be more forgiving than the Nioh series also by Team Ninja. It certainly still seems to offer a fair challenge, but as a relative newcomer, I’ll take all the help I can get until a get a better grasp on Soulsborne mechanics.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Expected May 12th (Nintendo Switch)

The Legend of Zelda is probably my favorite game series of all time. While Breath of the Wild wasn’t my favorite in the series, it was still another solid entry. I can’t wait to see the ideas expanded upon and, of course, how the story continues from the original game. Zelda doesn’t do direct sequels often. The few times it has occurred, it often results in some of the best games within the franchise.  Needless to say, I will be playing this on day one.

Street Fighter 6 – Expected June 2nd (PC, PS5, XSX)

The aesthetic, the character animations, the new counter mechanics, I’m loving everything about this so far. Everything works cohesively to deliver that quintessential Capcom fighting game experience. I’m also excited about the more expansive story mode. I’m not expecting a deeply emotional narrative, but I always enjoy having more single-player content rather than the typical arcade mode. After seeing the series be overshadowed for the past few years, I’m hoping this game can remind people why Street Fighter is one of the most noteworthy gaming franchises.

Final Fantasy XVI – Expected June 22nd (PS5) 

This is another series that I love but haven’t been interested in for a while. XV was just not for me. I didn’t find myself remotely interested enough in the world or core concept to spend time on it. My favorite games within the series have always been the more traditional ones that tell epic fantasy narratives. The series is called Final Fantasy after all.

XVI certainly follows the fantasy design theming and retains the more action-oriented combat system of the previous games, but cranked up about three notches. Visually this appears to be the series’ best yet. The boss encounters in particular, provide a virtual feast for your eyes in almost every frame. Overall, this game seems to have everything I look for in this series, epic scale, expansive world, and an interesting narrative focused around the classic summoned creatures present in virtually every game.

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon – Release date TBA

My interest in this one is pretty simple. I like Mechas and third-person shooters. FromSoftware makes great games that everyone loves, but I’ve never played any of them. Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon is also stated to be very different from their usual games. Therefore I won’t spend countless hours wanting to rage quit. Before I gain the courage to tackle the behemoth that is Elden Ring, I would still like to try out at least one game from the team before the year is done.

The Last Case of Benedict Fox – Release Date TBA (PC, XSX, XBO)

I love the art style of The Last Case of Benedict Fox as well as the eldritch horror-inspired world. I’m not great at metroidvanias, but this looks like an indie game that shouldn’t be overlooked. The story is focused on detective Benedict Fox and his quest to solve a mysterious murder. Shortly upon beginning the game, Benedict is bestowed with the ability to travel into the memories and minds of the deceased. He now uses his newfound abilities to gather evidence, all while fighting evil cults and demons. It’s not often good mystery games get released, so I’m glad to see the genre getting some love this year.

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes – Release Date TBA (PC, PS4/5, XSX, XBO, Switch)

Eiyuden Chronicle: Hundred Heroes seems like a plain old-fashioned JRPG, and I’m all for that. Sometimes it’s nice to play something comforting, and this is that game for me. It doesn’t look to reinvigorate a genre but instead delivers on the best aspects of it by applying modern design principles. Additionally, the retro sprites and detailed animations are wonderfully crafted. With a tagline that boasts over one hundred playable characters, I certainly don’t want to miss this when it releases.

Well, that’s everything I’ve got so far. No doubt there will be some more great releases that will capture my attention in addition to these ten. So far, however, these are the ones I’m most personally excited about.

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