Not only was 2023 a banner year for some of gaming’s most-anticipated sequels, remakes, and debuts, but the sheer volume of new games arriving in 2023 made it practically impossible for players to get to experience everything on the release schedule. Nearly every month onthe 2023 calendarsaw a new major title launch, with dozens of others preceding or following major releases practically every week. Roughly beginning withDead Spaceand ending withAvatar: Frontiers of Pandora, 2023’s jam-packed release schedule was one for the ages, meaning there are plenty of hidden gems that may have slipped out of players' radars.
Between lesser-known indie titles and AA or AAA games that may have been released in the same week as one of 2023’s marquee titles, there are dozens of games that, for one reason or another, have largely escaped the same kind of discourse and adoption as some of2023’s other notable releases. For everyZelda: Tears of the KingdomorBaldurs Gate 3, there are several lesser-known or overlooked games that are deserving of their time in the spotlight. The following 10 games are titles that players might have missed throughout 2023’s hectic release schedule, listed in no particular order.
Pizza Tower (January 26)
PartSonic the Hedgehogand part GameCube cult-classicWario World,Pizza Tower’s arrival in January went unnoticed by much of the mainstream despite the game having one of the most fervent followings for an indie title. Currently sitting at an impressive 99% “Overwhelmingly Positive” on Steam,Pizza Toweris both wholly unique and familiar at the same time, calling to mind the brilliance of the platforming genre’s heyday while also utilizing a one-of-a-kind art style and sense of humor. Obviously inspired by the onslaught of “alternative cartoons” featured on MTV and Nickelodeon in the early 1990s (likeRen & Stimpy),Pizza Tower’s frantic and frenetic visuals are only outdone by its pitch-perfect platforming gameplay and absolutely phenomenal soundtrack.
Pizza Tower
WHERE TO PLAY
Pizza Tower is a fast paced 2D platformer, with an emphasis on movement, exploration and score attack. Featuring highly stylized pixel art inspired by the cartoons from the ’90s, and a highly energetic soundtrack.Peppino Spaghetti, a surprisingly agile and powerful fat balding italian, is on a mission to destroy the titular Pizza Tower in order to save his restaurant from annihilation. Follow him through his rampage across the many wacky floors of the tower, collecting toppings and beating up monsters!PLAY as Peppino Spaghetti, the supersonic italian middle-aged man! And sometimes Gustavo.EXPLORE up to 5 floors leading to many levels, discover all of their secrets!FIGHT some monsters and other weirdos!DESTROY everything in your path, including those stupid rats.BECOME the Pizza Tower!
Season: A Letter to the Future (January 31)
Season: A Letter to the Futureis one of those rare titles that makes an immediate and lasting impression on those who play it (including even getting some nods as a potential early Game of the Year contender) but then fades into the background as the year’s release calendar rolls on. Primarily due to it releasing at the very end of the first month of a jam-packed year, several players may have missedSeason, but it’s an unfortunate scenario that is easily rectified.Seasonis a meditative adventure gamein a similar vein asJourney, but with the twist of its world facing an impending cataclysm. With all the melancholy one would associate with knowing the end of the world is about to happen,Seasonis an emotional and beautiful journey that deserves to be played.
Season: A Letter to the Future
A bicycle road trip: Explore a new world and wind your way through stunning landscapes on your bicycle.Document, photograph, and record: Collect memories, make recordings and capture the most important moments from the current season to preserve them for future generations.A highly customizable journal: Piece together the secrets of the world of SEASON before a cataclysm washes everything away.Emotionally complex characters: Meet a diverse cast of characters, each of whom has two precious things to share with you: the stories of their lives and a moment together at the end of the season.A compelling narrative: This quest leads you to the big questions: what is this season? Why is it ending? And what will the next season bring?
Vernal Edge (March 14)
Even without (or potentially because of)Hollow Knight: Silksongnot releasing this year, 2023 was absolutely rich in quality Metroidvania titles. One that may have gotten lost in the shuffle is the excellentVernal Edge, which provides a unique perspective shift across the disparate parts of its gameplay. When exploringVernal Edge’s overworld map, the graphics take on a low-poly PS1-style aesthetic that brings to mind thetrio ofFinal Fantasygameson the console. Switching to the action on-foot, though, transformsVernal Edgeinto a vibrant side-scrolling action-platformer with a charming 16-bit aesthetic and some finely-tuned combat.Vernal Edgemay lean more heavily on its fighting and action than its exploration, but it’s still a noteworthy Metroidvania joining some other excellent genre entries from this year.
Tchia (March 21)
Tchiais yet another special game that presents a unique story and setting compared to every other game released in 2023. Taking influence from the developers' childhood home of New Caledonia in the South Pacific, players could be forgiven for mistakingTchiaas a video game adaptation ofMoana, but it happens to be so much more than that kind of surface comparison might reveal.Tchiais a game of contrasts, in which it features a plethora of entertaining and engaging systems that the player can choose to completely skip. Further, the game presents itself and its visuals in a cartoonish, child-like style but then delivers some truly dark and shocking moments throughout the course of its story. Aclose comparison to draw would beBreath of the Wild, but even that analogue would be doingTchia’s unique qualities a disservice.
Tchia
Join Tchia on her tropical open-world adventure as she sets off to rescue her father from the cruel tyrant, Meavora, ruler of the archipelago. Climb, glide, swim, and sail your boat around beautiful islands as you explore a physics-driven sandbox. Face the fabric soldiers created by Meavora in open encounters where your creativity gives you the edge. Take control of any animal or object you can find, make new friends and jam on your fully playable Ukulele. A poetic coming-of-age story inspired by New Caledonia.SOUL JUMPING: Tchia’s special gift lets you take control of any animal or object you can find. With over 30 animals and hundreds of objects to choose from, fly around as a bird, explore the ocean as a fish or dig for treasures as a dog! Use your unique soul-jumping abilities to explore solve puzzles, and uncover secrets.EXPLORATION & TRAVERSAL: Jump and glide your way across a vast archipelago and use the Tricks system to perform cool stunts and dives. The free climbing mechanic lets you ascend anything in the world without restriction including any physics-driven tree. Take to the ocean waves, and sail your customizable boat across turquoise lagoons and dive around coral reefs and shipwrecks.COMBAT & ENCOUNTERS: Face the Maano: mysterious enemies spawned from pieces of wood and fabric. Keep moving, improvise, and use all of Tchia’s abilities to come out on top of those intense encounters. You can also put your skills to the test by tackling mystical challenges in the Totem Shrines.
Bramble: The Mountain King (April 27)
Arriving a day ahead ofStar Wars Jedi: Survivorand just two weeks prior to the launch ofThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom,Bramble: The Mountain Kingis an excellent indie title that was largely overshadowed by the proximity of its release to two major AAA games and is an absolute must-play for its setting alone. Drawing heavily from Nordic folklore and Scandinavian mythology,Bramble’s worldis both terribly frightening and incredibly charming all at once. The gameplay is mostly linear and boils down to what many would expect from a third-person adventure game, but the atmosphere, music, and visuals combine to create something that is essential gaming for fans ofInsideorLittle Nightmares.
Bramble: The Mountain King
Bramble The Mountain King is a grim adventure set in a world inspired by dark, Nordic fables.Explore the beautiful yet dangerous and twisted land of Bramble in your endeavour to rescue your sister. Traverse a wondrous landscape and survive deadly encounters with Bramble’s many hideous creatures.Bramble The Mountain King takes you on a gripping and unsettling journey through stunning environments. Take on the role of Olle, a young boy setting off to rescue his sister, kidnapped by a dreaded troll.Not everything in Bramble is exactly how it seems - in this strange land with creatures big and small, you must be careful when to approach and when to hide. Many hungry and spiteful beasts lurk in these forests and caves. Watch your step….Call upon the Spark of Courage, an enchanted fragment granting the gifts you need to endure the pitfalls and trials in your path. Defeat the horrid creatures you encounter in different and unique ways. Be warned, courage without kindness can take you down a dark path.
Chants of Sennaar (September 5)
Following in the tradition oflast year’sThe Case of the Golden Idol,Chants of Sennaaris arguably 2023’s best adventure/puzzle game and only the second title from developer Rundisc. Much like Color Gray Games’Golden Idol,Chants of Sennaaris a brilliantly designed puzzle game with an arresting visual style, but it separates itself from other fellow games in the genre thanks to its emphasis on language and the connection it provides.Chants of Sennaar’s narrative loosely follows the Biblical story of the Tower of Babel, and it’s up to the player to work their way through its floors while simultaneously deciphering the language of each tribe and eventually bringing them all together. The stunning visuals, complex and ingenious puzzles, and lessons it teaches about the value of language and communication all combine to makeChants of Sennaarthat rare puzzle game with emotional weight.
El Paso, Elsewhere (September 26)
Ironic that just a month before the release of Remedy’s highly-anticipatedAlan Wake 2,players would get one of 2023’s best indie games inEl Paso, Elsewhere, which obviously wears its love for Remedy’sMax Payneproudly. Switching out mobsters for vampires and going all-in on the supernatural that was only hinted at in the originalMax Payne,El Paso, Elsewhereis positively bursting with personality and style. The visuals give the game a sense of it beingaMax Payne"demake"of sorts, bearing more resemblance to the original PlayStation rather than the 6th generation consoles Remedy’s original released for, but the game’s setting and atmosphere are both effective and evocative. The bullet-time enhanced, John Woo-style diving gunplay is dialed in perfectly, and the game is divided up into bite-sized levels (the floors of an otherworldly motel) that are perfect for quick “pick-up-and-play” sessions. It’s a must-play for fans ofMax Payne, vampires, noir fiction, or just third-person shooters in general.
Jusant (October 31)
Astral Ascent (November 14)
If someone were to combineDead CellsandHades,Astral Ascentis a close approximation of what they might end up with. Releasing for PC and consoles,Astral Ascentis a 2D side-scrolling roguelite with some incredible encounter design, a captivating art style, and a connective hub world that entices players to learn more about its characters and world. The unique twist toAstral Ascentis that it’s intended to be played more like an isometric ARPG than a hack-n-slash, with players benefiting most from finding a rhythm to how they cycle through their four available attacks rather than spamming the attack button and hoping for success.Astral Ascentis an enjoyable and addictive roguelite that may have yet to be experienced by several members of its target audience.
The Last Faith (November 15)
Another excellent Metroidvania releasing in a year absolutely stacked with great new games in the genre isThe Last Faith. The easiest way to summarizeThe Last Faithis to liken it to beinga 2DBloodborne, and spending even a limited amount of time with the title makes it apparent just how much FromSoftware’s Gothic horror masterpiece influenced its setting and gameplay. Ultimately,The Last Faithdoesn’t innovate as much as it refines, taking the aspects of games likeBloodborne,Hollow Knight, andCastlevaniaand merging them together to form something that is enjoyable, atmospheric, and at times unnerving. Fans of both Metroidvanias and Soulslikes absolutely owe it to themselves to put this game on their radar, and it’s just the kind of title to help make the wait forHollow Knight: Silksongeasier.
The Last Faith
The wicked and the blessed will be judged the same - let nothing stand in your way.Often brutal, always empowering, The Last Faith is an unholy alliance of metroidvania and soulslike.The Last Faith thrives on merciless and precise combat, with a huge range of custom executions to perform.Discover a formidable arsenal of melee weapons, arcane spells, and long-range firearms, allowing you to carve a path your own way.Nonlinear exploration is at the core of The Last Faith. Gorgeous pixel art depicts an imposing gothic landscape. Journey along snow-dusted mountains and castles bathed in moonlight. Discover and upgrade a formidable range of tools for destruction.Step into The Last Faith’s ravaged world as Eryk, who awakens with no recollection of his immediate past. Soon he will discover he is in a race against time as his mind and conscience begins to deteriorate. His desire for salvation from this affliction sets him on a cursed mission that crosses paths with ancient religions and divinities.
