2023 has already seen the release of a title which gamers have been anticipating for years with Hogwarts Legacy, but 2023 still has a lot more to offer. Playing Hogwarts Legacy was lots of fun and I am happy to say that I enjoyed it immensely, but the game was a little short and I managed to complete it within days of release, so I am already looking around the corner for a new game to occupy my time.
Fortunately though, I will not have to wait long. The next game I have my eye on is Star Wars: Jedi Survivor. I enjoyed the first game in the series, Fallen Order and I hope the developers will have improved and added to the experience in the second installment. With that being said, there are several games this year which I will buy and play upon release date, and I genuinely believe that 2023 will be the best year in a long time for excellent video game releases!
Here are five games set to be released in 2023 which I cannot wait to play. The games are listed in order of release date from earliest to latest.
1. Star Wars: Jedi Survivor
Although I am and probably always will be hoping and praying for a new Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic game to be released, I am still excited by the second installment in the Star Wars: Jedi franchise. The first game was a lot of fun to play and I enjoyed exploring the different planets. With any luck, Jedi Survivor will offer plenty of brand-new planets to explore as well as a greater number of adversaries. In fact, one of my favorite aspects of the original was encountering new enemies and then reading about them in the journal. It really helped to bring the universe to life and make it expansive – something which the Disney films have struggled to do. In addition, I hope we will be treated to some alien species which we first met in the films before Disney, Rodians, Ithorians etc.
It is expected that Jedi Survivor will be very similar in gameplay to its predecessor with the addition of an enhanced combat system. I have no qualms at all with this, the first game was a lot of fun to play, but also challenging at the same time. I just hope that the second installment will expand the universe a little bit more.
Star Wars: Jedi Survivor will be released on April 28, 2023 for PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series One and X/S.
2. Resident Evil 4
A remake of the 2005 game with the same title, Resident Evil 4 will be very similar to the original game which was an absolute video game classic. It will feature ‘over-the-shoulder’ third person shooter gameplay, exactly like the original. An original feature of Resident Evil 4 will be the first game to offer six optional control schemes, including one which is styled after the original game – this is the one I will be using. The remake will feature improved and modernized visuals and the developers have stated that the atmosphere will be more intense as well as improved character designs. There will also be new side-quests which can be completed by the player.
I am a big fan of the modern Resident Evil games, but I tend to complete them very quickly. I am not the type to complete them numerous times, although the replayability of them is by no means poor.
Resident Evil 4 will be released on March 24, 2023 for PlayStation 4 and 5, Windows and Xbox One/Series X/S
3. Dead Island 2
A sequel to the 2011 video game release, Dead Island 2 will be the third major installment in the Dead Island series after Dead Island and Dead Island: Riptide. Dead Island 2 will take place in Los Angeles, which has been quarantined after a zombie outbreak. The game has undergone a very difficult development phase, with a total of three different development teams having worked on Dead Island 2 at some point or another.
A notable point which I have to make is that Dead Island 2’s combat has different mechanics compared to its predecessors. I am a little wary of how Dead Island 2 will be once it has been released, and it would not surprise me if there are some problems with the game. But with that being said, I absolutely loved the original Dead Island. I hope Dead Island 2 can live up to expectations.
Dead Island 2 will be released on April 21, 2023 for PlayStation 4 and 5, Windows and Xbox One/Series X/S
4. Final Fantasy XVI
Described as a critical moment in the future of Square Enix by Square Enix themselves, Final Fantasy XVI will be one of the most anticipated games of the year, and all Final Fantasy fans will be hoping that the latest installment will be greatly improved compared with Final Fantasy XV. Naoki Yoshida, the games developer, has stated that the franchise is currently struggling to adapt to industry trends. Yoshida has stated that they are simply unable to satisfy all the requests sent to them by the game’s player base, but that his team will continue to create the best that they can.
Despite the rather lackluster Final Fantasy XV, it goes without saying that FInal Fantasy XVI will be a huge game, and it will be picked up by a lot of gamers. However, it will also be a timed exclusive, meaning that it will be released on PS5 and only released on Windows at least six months later.
Final Fantasy XVI will be released on June 22, 2023 for PlayStation 5.
5. Starfield
Skyrim in space, Starfield’s producers tell us – sounds good to me! Starfield’s release date has been pushed back numerous times now, so I do wonder if I will ever get to play it, but I am reasonably assured that its release date of September 6, 2023 is final. I love games which explore a whole universe in outer space, but with the exception of some Star Wars titles, games don’t usually offer such an expansive universe, so I hope Starfield can. The game is set in an area which extends outwards from the Solar System for around 50 light-years called The Settled Systems. The game begins 20 years after a major universal conflict known as the Colony War, with the major factions involved enjoying an uneasy peace.
The player will play as a customizable character who is a space explorer, other than that, the games creators Bethesda have not shared too many details. We do know that the developers wanted to craft a game which asked how man might be living 300 years into the future. Personally, I think Starfield will be a brilliant game, and I think it will beat other highly anticipated games such as Cyberpunk out of the water.
Starfield will be released on September 6, 2023 for Windows and Xbox Series X/S.
2023 and the Future of Gaming
It is interesting to note that none of the games listed here are online based games. They are all primarily offline/story mode based games, which have certainly made a comeback over the past few years.
Of course, online gaming remains tremendously popular, but for many gamers, games have become a way to relax and enjoy some down time escaping to a new universe. Although online gaming is fun, it is found to be more stressful and competitive compared to single player games.
We hope you have enjoyed this GameOgre article and we wish you good gaming in 2023!
