The 20 Best Video Games of 2023 So Far
Which videogames impressed critics during the first half of the year? In the gallery on this page we rank the highest-scoring games released between January 1, 2023 and June 30, 2023. Titles are ranked by their Metascores (prior to rounding) as of June 28, 2023 and must have a minimum of 7 reviews from professional critics to be eligible for inclusion.
Note that ...
If a game was released on multiple platforms, we included only the version receiving the largest total number of reviews (usually, but not always, the PS5 or PS4 version).
Multi-game compilations and newly released ports of games released in recent years on other platforms are excluded, unless they are substantially different from the prior release(s) (for example, an HD remaster that also adds some new content or is multiple hardware generations beyond the previous release). We have also excluded expansion packs and other DLC.
Metacritic's #1 Game of the First Half of 2023
The last time that a new Zelda console game wasn't a potential Game of the Year contender was (arguably) almost two decades ago. Gamers expect Nintendo's flagship franchise to deliver, and deliver it has yet again in the form of Tears of the Kingdom, the first new Zelda game in six years and another stunning entry in the storied series. Boasting an even bigger open world Hyrule than Breath of the Wild with expansions both above (the stunning Sky Islands) and below (the Gloom-filled Depths), TOTK doesn't necessarily shake up the recent Zelda formula but executes everything to near perfection.
“Tears of the Kingdom is a ridiculous triumph, offering a suite of tools that will continually surprise and baffle you with how much control it cedes. Hyrule is busier than ever, even before you consider a sky full of intrigue and the dark and yawning chasms below. The definition of a must-play on Switch, it also pushes Nintendo's hardware to astonishing new heights technically.” —Pocket-lint