The Games That Made My 2023

[@brandonholden9734]

Definitely agree with Alan Wake II as game of the year - simply phenomenal from start to finish. Can't wait to see a more in-depth analysis on it!

[@furiouscoco8942]

"Maybe we'll make this a yearly tradition" bro hates himself so much

[@LazerzZ]

Unbelievably true

[@SpeedDemon55]

The game that actually changed my life was The Last of Us. I played it this year about January or February. Joel and Ellie are characters that mean a lot to me. They are characters I deeply relate to and the way the dialogue is written leaves me mesmerised every time. Every scene has so much artistry and passion poured into it. I found myself enjoying the conversations more than I enjoyed the gameplay and action. Just seeing them bounce off of each other and interrupt each other and talk how I imagine humans actually do. (I don’t know I’m an autistic hermit with minimal contact with to the outside world) The game resonated with me in a way I find hard to explain. There were plenty of sad moments but the moments of optimism and hope shined through the darkness and helped me keep going. It’s also not a very long game as well because I struggle to play long games like Witcher 3 or Assassins Creed Origins. The Last of Us is a linear story focused game which is what I value the most in a game and every second I cherished. Even the ones that made me cry. And trust me there were plenty of those. The games feels so real and gritty which I really appreciate but it has so much soul and emotion. This game is absolutely perfect to me and it remains as my favourite game.

[@grackleboi2523]

Same. I replay TLOU 1 and 2 like every year. Super fun games and the stories are just insanely good.

[@SpaceMarine2004]

fun fact: I also went to Florence and saw the places Ezio went to XD. Rome and Venice as well on the same trip... Actually all the places in all three games, because before this I arrived in istanbul and went to Greece (2023 was my gap year and so I worked there)

[@SuperDoctor9]

Glad to see Tunic get a mention here, it was the first game I played in 2023 and I feel like i was chasing that high for most of the year. It's exactly the sort of game I love and the only other game that I enjoyed enough to mention was Baldur's Gate 3, which by now everyone knows why its great. I just started playing Jusant and I'm loving everything about it, starting this year with another excellent indie/AA game

[@DonPasquale_]

Alan Wake 2 is absolutely a masterpiece and I'm glad you went back to experience the progression from the first game. I completely missed out on Jusant somehow but you've sold me on checking it out.

[@angelosarmiento9511]

2023, I really started getting back into video games in the first place. I only played a handful of games the whole year, but the ones I did play really helped me to enjoy them again. In no particular order: 1)Jedi Survivor was such a fun follow-up to the first and I sank so many hours into it. Definitely became a "podcast game" for me once I finished the main story lol 2)Arise: A Simple Story was such a beautiful story! It reminded me of what video games can do in terms of story telling outside of being just another fun time and I loved it so, so much. 3)I replayed the Last of Us parts 1 and 2... what else do I need to say, they're masterpieces and I love revisiting them every time 4)Marvel's Spider-Man 2. Another fantastic sequel that may not be as good narratively as ps4 and miles morales, still gave me so much to enjoy and was another one I sank so many hours of much needed fun into 5)Horizon Zero Dawn. I played this for the first time and absolutely fell in love. I won't lie, it took me a little while to really get into it, but the more the game started drip-feeding information and the mystery kept unraveling itself, the deeper I was hooked in. On top of that, the combat and exploration are incredible and Aloy is such an enjoyable protagonist. I cannot wait to dive into Forbidden West, but I will once I get through some smaller games first lol Honorable Mentions: I just started playing Hi-Fi Rush and Jusant, and though I haven't finished them yet, they are awesome so far. I'm probably looking to start Forbidden West soon after Hope you had a fantastic Christmas, James, and have a Happy New Year! 🎉

[@LazerzZ]

Some great games, especially Horizon, I'm a big Horizon defender despite all the hate it usually gets. Hope you enjoy Forbidden West, I absolutely adore it. Happy new year to you too mate!

[@Neros_light]

This year was the year I switched from multiplayer to single player games and trying out new generes. Before Resident Evil, I'd never played a survival horror (except Dying Light 1) game. Resident Evil got me into DMC because I'd heard DMC1 was a RE4 prototype originally, and I'd never played a Character Action type game.... so many good games I've played this year

[@jackbrassil5318]

LOL I played Hades for the first time this year too!!! Gotten 2 cracks at the final boss and have died both times but pushing through

[@ButterToTheMilk]

Amazing video! Can't wait to see what you create in 2024

[@MichaelOdendaal]

Honestly Starfield was one of my favourites of the year. So glad you mentioned it.

[@acev3521]

I liked Starfield until I tried 2.1 Cyberpunk it’s literally just a Bethesda game but better

[@domkeukde6638]

I finished Horizon Zero Dawn this year for the first time, couple years late but holy crap I'm so invested in the game's world it's crazy. Still waiting for the PC port of Forbidden West now

[@LazerzZ]

I absolutely adore Horizon, working on my videos for that game, the sequel and it’s DLC is some of my favourite stuff to make. Can’t wait for you to experience Forbidden West, such a good game!

[@anaveragegamer359]

to bad the writing took a nose dive in the sequel

[@markarbanasin4]

Glad one of the commentators on here is finally freaking calling out why Starfield, despite some of it's flaws, was a fucking power house this year. Sure, maybe it was no where near GOTY overall this year as we had a crazy year of releases. But I literally was staying up to 4AM again, ship building or outpost building or just exploring. It just captured that old school feeling of a drastically oversized world that had endless areas to explore.

[@km-ty4fr]

For 2023, Here are some games that made my year: Spark the Electric Jester 3 (High speed 3D platformer akin to the Sonic Adventure games), Catherine (Puzzle game made by Atlus' Persona devs), Stardew Valley (Farming sim RPG inspired by Harvest Moon) and Tamriel Rebuilt (Not really a game but a Morrowind mod that adds the Morrowind mainland and has more quests than the base game).

[@shivamchouhan5077]

Final Fantasy VII Rebirth is gonna be epic!

[@DonPasquale_]

I also only got around to Tunic earlier this year and completely agree with your take. Brilliant game that still maintains its own identity despite wearing its inspirations on its sleeve. I was a huge fan of Fez when it came out, so it was great to experience another game in the same vein. I'm not sure if you've already played Outer Wilds and its DLC (Echoes of the Eye), but I think you'd really enjoy it based on your reaction to Tunic and other games.

[@Neros_light]

For me, the games that made my 2023: Resident Evil 4 2005, Resident Evil 4 2023, Devil May Cry 1, Devil May Cry 3, Resident Evil 7, Resident Evil 2 remake, Resident Evil 3 remake All of which I played for the first time and funny enough all have made me a fan around a time where I'm struggling with mental health.

[@HuntingHawk]

I’m hella late to the party, about 8 years late to the party but this year I’ve finally played the Batman: Arkham Series and I can’t believe I just never played these games until now. While Arkham Asylum felt dated, the story was really great and I like how fleshed out Joker’s story arc was between Asylum and City. Arkham City had the best story by far out of the 3 but Arkham Knight was the most enjoyable one for me to play. I just preferred Gotham City’s map layout compared to Arkham City’s and I enjoyed the story despite how predictable the big reveal of the Arkham Knight’s identity was. Also I never thought a 2K game would ever have an emotional impact on me but WWE2K23’s Showcase Mode was masterfully done this year. As a wrestling fan, John Cena’s been a hero of mine for as long as I remember and seeing him break down his most iconic matches whilst also playing through them as the game transitions from the live-action footage to the gameplay was unbelievably nostalgic and sad knowing his time as a wrestler is going to come to an end sooner rather than later as he’s getting older and has fully transitioned into acting now.

[@krypto_7155]

Please play origins it is so good man

[@HuntingHawk]

@@krypto_7155 I game on console, mainly PS5 right now so unfortunately I can't because it's an old gen game that was never remastered or re-released but as soon as I get the chance to maybe play it on PC or something, I definitely will because I really enjoyed the whole series

[@krypto_7155]

@@HuntingHawk ah ok yea it really sucks how you can’t play it on modern consoles

[@dominika3762]

For the last 5 months I've been playing Baldur's Gate 3. So that takes a lot of time with that amazing replay value. So all in all about 500 hours. Plus 200 h in early access. For me, best game not only in 2023, but ever. Sure, there are games with better story like Torment or just crazy like Disco Elysium, but not a single game ever was an overall great experience. The story was really solid, the fights were fun, companions were great the amount of permutations amazing and the replayability value insane. I've never played a game when after finishing I jump right back into it. Now my fourth playthrough, evil Dark Urge with my husband.

[@thijmen5295]

YESS!! You finally played Hades! So glad to see one of my favorite KZbinrs finally picked up my favorite game of all time and liked it!! Edit: and he says it’s one of his favorite games of all time. I thought Christmas was already done?

[@LazerzZ]

Bloody adored it 👌🏻👌🏻

[@thijmen5295]

@@LazerzZ 😄😄

[@Barcadelft]

You convinced me to definetely pick up Alan Wake 2 in 2024

[@Mr-EsseJ]

Alan wake 2 is my game of the year but you got me interested in buying Jusant. The way you described it was captivating. I also watch the videos to the end. 😂

[@LazerzZ]

PLAY JUSANT, IT'S INCREDIBLE! and thanks, it's nice to know I'm not just rambling totally into the void hahaha

[@TheOnlyTaps]

Our backlogs are never finishing 😂❤

[@Rehabz4Quitterz]

I put 72 hours into Starfield and really enjoyed my time with it. I see why people hate on it, but I didn't let that ruin my enjoyment

[@alaia-awakened]

The game that made my 2023 is Witcher III. Yes, I’m late to the party, but I’m happy to be here.

[@Repaduski]

I played the Jusant demo and it seemed kind of annoying to play even as someone who is obsessed with movement games. But the way you described it becoming so fast overtime as you get more creative with it changed my mind about giving this a shot. Buying tonight

[@LazerzZ]

at first I was so slow, I kept fucking it up and my coordination was just all over the place, but by the end I was zipping up rocks and vines and all sorts, it became muscle memory, it's incredibly satisfying.

[@adamkc]

Another banger vid James, thanks for all the vids this year! Alan wake 2 is defo my next game on the list

[@Comicbroe405]

Love to see Alan Wake here, such an insane experience. Also curious, did you check out the GoWR DLC?

[@LazerzZ]

For sure, great game. As for GoW, I didn't bother to play the DLC and likely never will. I really dislike Ragnarok and didn't have much of a reason to ever go back to it and from what I've looked at of the DLC it's much of the same issues I found with the main game sadly, so I'd rather just stay away, let those who want to enjoy it, enjoy it.

[@rykvanvelden3336]

No please give the DLC a try,its really great​ @LazerzZ

[@Comicbroe405]

​@@LazerzZ Oh OK that's cool. For me personally it really solved most of my issues with main game.

[@zeda9072]

​@@LazerzZ I also really didn't like Ragnarok for much of the issues you highlighted in your video, but I have to say Valhalla has a lot of value for fans of the old games and the story it poses is a lot more focused. It's a nice palate cleanser from Ragnarok in terms of actually fleshing out Kratos' character and having time to marinate on the themes of the past games. I'd also love to see your take on the ending

[@Mort3000]

Cyberpunk 2077 kind of defined the year for me, such an amazing game. Alan Wake 2 was an unexpected favorite though. I like to joke that i pretend cyberpunk released this year and say that thats my game of the year and then i say of i have to stick with games that actually releazed in 2023, i say Alan Wake 2

[@Kotwalji456]

Merry Christmas

[@LazerzZ]

To you as well!

[@Kotwalji456]

@@LazerzZ happy new year

[@MrAweeze]

Main theme of FF9: couldn't steal anything

[@LazerzZ]

😂

[@SaltyDylan]

What a long year… I platinumed Black Flag and Horizon Zero Dawn. That was great. Mirage was decent, and I played the hell out of Rainbow 6 Siege and Rocket League.

[@elk3407]

I couldn't enjoy Starfield for the simple reason that if felt like a worse Mass Effect Andromeda. All it did was make me want to replay Andromeda, because despite being hated its actually kind of a fun game.

[@LazerzZ]

Yeah, fair enough, I mean it has heaps of flaws I can't deny it, I somehow just had fun regardless of them.

[@vangazon]

I'm glad I have played a handful of titles this year. Horizon FW, Control, Ratchet & Clank RA, The Quarry, GOW Ragnarok, RE4 Remake, Edith Finch, Final Fantasy 16, Marvel Spiderman 2 and Lies of P. I really tried to like Alan Wake Remastered before the release of the sequel but I just can't get into it. The game bores me and sometimes I feel dizzy and nauseated playing it. Baldurs Gate 3 may not be my cup of tea but will try to buy it and play it next year. So far the most memorable one for me is Lies of P even tho I'm not a huge Souls fan.

[@LazerzZ]

I need to try Lies of P, I have it on my PS5, I just haven't played it yet. Would be very funny to play yet another souls-like before Dark Souls 😭

[@BorisdeBever]

Maybe Dishonored can be in this video next year, if you ever decide to play it. 🙃 It is still so crazy to me that you never played it when it is so up your alley

[@LazerzZ]

I do need to play that eventually, I'm sure it'd very much be my thing.

[@OptimumSlinky]

Hollow Knight. Dead Space. Starfield. Sekiro.

[@edwardsuou]

Ok now I want you to talk about Persona 5 we know you loved it so..... Good job as always James always a pleasure to watch your content

[@LazerzZ]

One of these days I’ll make the biggest persona 5 video to ever exist

[@victorsullivan9107]

Alan Wake 2 is also probably my game of the year, but I'd have to think about it a bit more. I do tend to have gaming opinions pretty similar to yours, with the rare exception of course, so we'll see if that happens again. It's between that, a game that I think takes exceptional risks and somehow nails them all to near perfection; or Octopath Traveler 2, which is a game almost tailor-made for me and is everything I could ever ask for in a JRPG. Tough decision this year. For what it's worth, these are my top 10 favorite games I played this year: Alan Wake 2 Octopath Traveler 2 Mario Wonder Sea of Stars Final Fantasy 6 Persona 4 Golden Street Fighter 6 Cocoon Dredge Dead Space Remake

[@LazerzZ]

Loved what I played of Octopath Traveller 2, but didn't finish it otherwise it probably would've been in this video. The only thing that I didn't vibe with about Octopath was the party being disconnected, they seem to exist just for gameplay, and their stories are totally isolated, the other party members don't even interact with anything happened, it irked me a bit despite the game being pretty wonderful otherwise.

[@danielfinegan6717]

If you are ever looking for a channel that does critique style content Whitlight is a heavy hitter hes amazing And Monty zander is a smaller one with a bit more of his own flare he also does a series called lore dump which is an amazing series

[@LazerzZ]

Love Whitelight, had him on Jazz Lounge at the start of the year, we had a good chat. I’ll have to check out Monty though

[@danielfinegan6717]

@@LazerzZ what's Jazz Lounge?

[@LazerzZ]

It’s my Patreon podcast, a place for me to just have a one on one chat with different creators on a more personal level without it being a public affair

[@SH3RIFFO]

Xmas is in January for millions of orthodox Christians, so you should keep the tree in sight…

[@LazerzZ]

well, I'll take any excuse I guess

[@banterabc5135]

I've played Mechabellum all year long

[@Neros_light]

It's not talked about enough for me how pretty Horizon Zero dawn is

[@LazerzZ]

Beautiful game, the stylised realism is gorgeous

[@geralttheteacher8195]

Finally played Cyberpunk 2077.. and glad I waited. The game has hooked me and won't let go! Also.. love the FFIX feature.. my FF game of all time that resonates so deeply in me alongside the nostalgia of playing a game on my original PS1 💛

[@LazerzZ]

Love FF9, can’t wait to make the video for it. Also I need to play cyberpunk this year, honestly, it’ll probably make for a great video too

[@SebaBraganca]

I really think you would like Dragon Quest Builders 2, it's just one of those games that I absolutely love but see barely anyone ever talking about it, if you can, please give it a try

[@aftershock7064]

Ive seen code vein being talked about so much, now i definetly have to buy and play it

[@LazerzZ]

It’s really good fun

[@albinforsberg1019]

Damn...I really hoped that FFXVI would be on here. I watched your video on it and I still thought that it would leave some mark on you as it did to me. Btw, have you played it's DLC yet?

[@LazerzZ]

I didn't include it mainly because I made 2 videos on it already. I wanted this list to be a collection of games I didn't make videos on instead, XVI, despite the issues I have, is a game I had a lot of love for. I have no played the DLCs yet, hopefully will get around to it soon enough, if I can find time.

[@unseen23221]

I hope that you will make 10 years later AC Black Flag i love those videos.

[@LazerzZ]

It'll be my next project.

[@unseen23221]

​@@LazerzZ Thank you mate!

[@kakhome1]

20:24 Is this a reference to Superstars? I don't think it's anywhere near the best 2D Sonic game (3K and Mania), but I still thought it was solid enough, like a 7/10 game. Certainly not Forces IMO! (Yeah I've seen the old video from you on that and it hits the nail in the head)

[@LazerzZ]

It wasn't anything specific, just a sort of vague reference to the fact Sonic is usually up and down and hasn't ever managed to hit the heights of the classics whereas Mario has evolved (usually) very well.

[@danielboye3561]

Have you also played Alan Wake's American Nightmare?

[@LazerzZ]

I haven’t, but I have seen a video covering it

[@epicfilms2055]

Hey can somebody tell me the name of the song at 25:01 it’s driving me nuts

[@LazerzZ]

‘You’re not alone’ from FF9

[@NoName-yw1pt]

Why is Mirage not on there?

[@tita3725]

sphagetti

[@LazerzZ]

So true mate

[@loolgam1ng229]

"The masterpiece of a game Alan wake 2" I almost passed out from laughing hearing that

[@LazerzZ]

?????

[@TheBlackAdder1964]

@@LazerzZ Alan Wake II was one the biggest disappointments I've ever played as a fan of the original - 6 hours in and the writing and dialogue were so fucking atrocious it threw me out of the game (example right away the cringe dialogue rears it's ugly head as Casey is telling Saga who is a lesser experienced detective than he is "Your a better detective than I am" comes out of nowhere and is so awful because no one would ever speak like this let alone an FBI agent and is also one of the many examples of telling not showing or the bloody diner scene with Rose who knows Saga somehow and she just shrugs it off with "Guess I just have one of those faces" keep in mind this bint correctly labeled her by name, says her daughter drowned and isn't even slightly curious as to how she got this information it's insane) along with every other character speaking to each other like they've had lobotomies plus the acting is either inconsistent or downright terrible - It has paper thin mechanics - The shooting somehow feels worse than the original - The laughable enemy variety - Every character is an imbecile - The detective work is so artificial and meaningless - It's also a tonal mess I am bewildered how anyone can call this game good let alone a "masterpiece" especially when nobody is even talking about the story of the game and all that gets referenced is the stupid musical number I very rarely quit playing a game and Alan Wake II broke me with how terrible it is Your mental if you think this piss is a masterpiece and no it is NOT a survival horror game and no amount of cheap jump scare fear flashes will make it one

[@Koustav_04]

Did you know that Steam deck CPU was named Aerith & Steam deck OLED's CPU is named Sephiroth? What do you think they'll call Steam Deck 2 CPU? Cloud or Zack? 😁

[@LazerzZ]

this gave me a fucking heart attack

[@mediumsuspect]

Looks like I'm downloading Jusant then...

[@LazerzZ]

Yesssss do it 🙏🏻

[@tbowne05]

I hope you do a video on God of war. Ragnarok Valhalla. I'm curious what you think of it considering the video you made on the base game.

[@LazerzZ]

I don’t have much desire to return to Ragnarok to be honest, I’m sort of over it after making my video on it. I won’t say “never” but I’m not sure when I’d feel the urge to give the dlc a go.

[@tbowne05]

@@LazerzZ I felt pretty much exactly as you did about Ragnarok. Your video helped me process it and articulate the issues that I had. So I definitely get where you're coming from. That being said, the dlc is kind of the antithesis of Ragnarok. It's a really simple story with just Kratos and mimir. They also do a good job keeping the gameplay interesting. I was surprised that how robust it was. Just food for thought from someone else that was burned out by Ragnarok.

[@tbowne05]

And they actually give Christopher judge some really good scenes to show his acting again similar to the scene where he finds the blades in 2018.

[@impressions1812]

I miss James and the guys 😢

[@LazerzZ]

we're still about, just doing different stuff. 4PP will be back in a few weeks as well for a reunion 👌

[@impressions1812]

@@LazerzZ appreciate it thanks for update

[@PizzaSimBoy]

Rizz up

[@marcuscallahan4645]

This year was my resurgence into gaming. Experienced ghosts of Tsushima, god of war and ragnorok, and red dead redemption 2. Plus Spider-Man 2, uncharted 4-5, final fantasy 7 remake and 16, and hogwarts. What a time to be a gamer

[@hannahmockler]

will you be making a rdr2 vid?

[@LazerzZ]

Currently it's not on the cards, I retired it because I felt I didn't have anything worth saying that hasn't already been said millions of times. But maybe one day, I would like to.

[@acev3521]

Cyberpunk went from one of the worst games ever to the only game that I can legitimately see as competition to R* games. It's literally like GTA mixed with Bethesda rpg mechanics expect it's even better. After how disappointed I was in Starfield CP 2.0 absolutely blew me away it instantly made BGS games irrelevant to me. IMO Non voiced MC should be unforgivable in a story based game in 2023 like I can understand in BG3 or new Vegas where you have literally thousands of quests. Idk for me Starfield literally feels like made for gaming boomers "Well it was always like this so it has to be like that" While Cyberpunk feels like an upgrade to the BGS formula. It's like fallout mixed with GTA

[@irlshrek]

I wish the anime aesthetic wasn't such a turn off for me

[@LazerzZ]

It used to be for me, I got past it mainly by just giving it all a go, engaging with it more and understanding the medium, it's worth a go to get past that mental block because anime and JRPGs offer some of the most wonderful experiences and stories.

[@themanofthehour1418]

I love you lazerzz

[@LazerzZ]

Love you too

[@vesper8]

If I understood correctly.. you played Ni No Kuni 2 but haven't played the first one ??? Blasphemy!! The first one is so much better!!

[@LazerzZ]

This is true, I played it specifically for the town building aspect. I do own the first one though, and plan to play it down the line 👌🏻

[@realtalkrealthingsent.8024]

Capping starfield is loading simulator literally gamesawards posts photo of todd arriving a week after the rewards. Everyone saying he just loaded in

[@cb20076]

Why do u need a patreon, u have 206k subs, just stealing money at that point ngl

[@LazerzZ]

I know this is a troll comment to provoke me, but I thought I'd respond just for anyone who might wonder why, genuinely. You don't get paid from subs, that number is irrelevant, you get paid through views/watch time, which can be erratic, and it's not as much as you might be lead to believe. Patreon is also totally optional, you can simply not pay for it and that's fine! It's for people who want to support my work and also want lots of extra stuff from me, the money supports the channel's main content, the time it takes to make and the stuff I buy for those videos and funds then extra work I put into making more things for the Patreon for people who choose to pay for it. If nobody cared, nobody would pay, and that's totally fine, nobody is forcing you to do anything that you don't want to or is out of your means. It exists purely as a place for those who want to support me, to support me and to have access to extra things I wouldn't make otherwise, while providing a stable and far more reliable income flow that allows me to be less rushed with video content and to take my time to create better things and experiment with new stuff that maybe wont perform that well.

[@virdixxii8341]

Just play dark souls already jesus bro stop edging

[@LazerzZ]

so true

[@jaycollins2036]

Control is a hugely messy game imo. Highly overrated. Making it really hard to hear the same kinda praise for aw2 and want to waste my time and money on it.

[@LazerzZ]

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate lots of Control, but I don't think it's anywhere near as solid as AW or AW2. Control does often get a bit lost in it's own identity at times and isn't sure if it wants to be narrative heavy or a full on souls-like in terms of it's story. AW2 is very much a straight forward albeit mind bending experience, in the best way, at least for me.