With a total focus on fun, amazing visuals, and lots of welcome additions and improvements over its predecessor, Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 is one of the surprise packages of 2023. While the story mode lacks in some areas, and younger gamers are definitely the target audience, there’s still a lot to appreciate and enjoy regardless of your age.

Spider-Man 2 is hands-down the best game of the PS5 era so far. It’s visually stunning, narratively brilliant, and somehow manages to improve Insomniac’s already stellar traversal and combat from previous Spidey games. It’s a masterpiece.

While it has weak spots and doesn’t push many boundaries, Starfield is still an excellent RPG experience. Bethesda has once again mastered the things it built its reputation on – world building, quest design, and deep customization. However, it’s found new things to excel at too, with exciting combat and a novel implementation of New Game Plus.

Ubisoft delivers a truly excellent experience with Assassin’s Creed Mirage, wonderfully blending this series’ past and present to provide players with a compact, engaging story driven by captivating characters and secrets worth seeking. It’s everything you could want from an Assassin’s Creed game and a welcome sign of things to come after a divisive few years.

EA Sports FC 24 retains everything that’s kept people coming back to EA’s soccer series for the past 30 years, from its slick arcade gameplay to the popular wallet-wrecking Ultimate Team mode – both made better this time around by PlayStyles and Evolutions respectively. While EA doesn’t hit the back of the net with every tweak and introduction, it’s clear the studio is trying to make good on its new-found freedom.

The Crew Motorfest is an enjoyable racer that shows more developers can tackle the open-world arcade racer genre. While it doesn't do anything new or surprising there is very little to fault with the varied gameplay experience and the luscious island of O'ahu Ivory Tower has built here.

Despite a few regressive design choices, Payday 3 largely manages to deliver a rejuvenated experience with best-in-class combat, improved stealth mechanics, and an excellent social atmosphere with friends. Starbreeze Studios hasn’t emptied its vault of tricks just yet.

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty is one of the best uses of the spy thriller I’ve ever seen in video games, and the difference between this expansion and the base game circa 2020 is staggering. I certainly didn’t expect to be saying Cyberpunk 2077 is now one of the must-play experiences of 2023, a year already packed with dozens of incredible games.

Mortal Kombat 1 is a reboot with a big, bloody heart. It re-tools Mortal Kombat’s story and characters in creative ways, and for the most part, the combat is excellent. Unfortunately, there are some elements that feel rushed. It’s still a very good fighting game, but it should have been a great one.

With amazing visuals and presentation, brilliant gameplay, and a wide variety of modes, NBA 2K24 is one of the best sports games of the year and a standout in the NBA 2K series as a whole. However, innovations to its monetization have just made its microtransaction problem even more profound.

Lies of P borrows heavily from a tried-and-tested formula indicative of the soulslike genre, but it still has combat mechanics and secrets that set it apart from the rest of the pack. Despite difficulty spikes and some muddied story beats, it is an excellent soulslike worth checking out that isn’t completely reliant on ideas from other places.

Armored Core 6 carefully synthesizes wanton destruction with a neatly-woven narrative that offers plenty of food for thought, despite being under-explored at points. Boasting a simple-yet-effective control scheme, and an expansive level of customization that never feels like it’s too much, FromSoftware has crafted a balanced experience that will definitely appeal to players, regardless of their experience with the mecha game genre.

From the state of your team’s memorabilia room to how aggressive your drivers should defend in the final lap of a grand prix, F1 Manager 2023 is unique in giving you complete control of a Formula One team on and off the track. It’s a feature-rich, deep management sim with stunning race-day visuals that only improves on the incredible experience offered by its predecessor.

Featuring multiple classes, strange worlds, frantic combat, and astounding replayability, Remnant 2 more than improves on the foundation laid by its predecessor, making for an enjoyable and action-filled romp.

Synapse is a compelling addition to the world of VR shooters, loaded with plenty of appetizing gameplay and intriguing monochromatic world-building, even if some frustrating bugs and a challenging difficulty curve could get in its way.

Blending brutal and flashy combat, a visually-impressive lore-filled world, and a story that offers intrigue and character-driven moments, Final Fantasy 16 is a completely fresh take on the series, despite having the heart of previous entries. It deserves every ounce of praise it will surely get, and in my view is a GOTY contender.

With more content than ever before and news ways to engage, F1 23 is Codemasters’ best Formula One game to date – and maybe even the developer’s best racing game ever. New mechanics and car physics make this game a joy to play and F1 World is shaping up to be a fantastic addition to the series moving forward.

The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom is an outstanding achievement, masterfully evolving upon nearly all of the major strengths and weaknesses of its predecessor to create one of the most inventive and exciting open world adventures ever. Matched with deep world-building and characters, it’s an adventure you don’t want to miss.

Street Fighter 6 is one of the most polished games in years, offering a diverse range of fighting modes that all complement each other and an engaging, deep World Tour mode that brings the series into a new era.

Honkai Star Rail is HoYoverse’s most confident showing yet. While its gameplay doesn’t really do anything new, it excels at the fundamentals. When matched with a memorable cast and enthralling story beats, it cements itself as one of the stronger releases of 2023 so far.

Star Wars Jedi Survivor cements itself as an essential action-adventure game. Full of heart, humour, and blisteringly great combat, Respawn's latest Star Wars game is a treat for newcomers and long-time franchise fans alike thanks to its blockbuster-level story.

MLB The Show 23 avoids the same disappointment as its predecessor with the addition of excellent and meaningful content. While there are some annoying performance issues in online modes that will hopefully be ironed out, it’s definitely worth any baseball fan’s time.

Resident Evil 4 is a masterfully crafted action game that is a perfect coalescence of everything that is great about the series. It is perfectly paced and a truly gripping ride that will keep you glued to your seat at all times.

Dredge manages to layer great exploration, a punishing and ominous gameplay loop, and an intriguing story on top of a very good fishing sim. It constantly and expertly switches between wholesome and haunting, and is definitely worth a play despite a few small issues.

Before you Eyes is a singular, immersive reminder that our memories are only half the truth. A meaningful message nestled in a thoughtful, engaging story, the tragic but beautiful world GoodbyeWorld Games has created feels fully realised and elevated on the PSVR2.

The most realistic VR shooter on the market, Pavlov VR is a must-have for headset-toting Dust II veterans and a rewarding investment for curious newbies. It feels particularly elevated on the PSVR2 thanks to the clever implementation of headset rumble and adaptive trigger profiles.

Wo Long’s dance-like battles and refreshing twists on the Soulslike formula make it one of the most effective forks of the genre, even if it falls far short of the subtle world building expertise seen in FromSoftware’s games.

Like a Dragon: Ishin is a beautifully crafted re-release whose technical hiccups are overcome by its meaningful message and engaging combat.

Hi-Fi Rush is a great little rock-and-roll game and one that deserves every ounce of praise it gets. From the lovable cast, to the incredible gameplay, Hi-Fi Rush is the ultimate hack-and-slash-rhythm game that every Xbox owner must play.

The Dead Space remake delivers a truly exceptional horror game where Isaac Clarke is finally fully involved in his own adventure. This is a story-rich, gory, and more engaging experience than the original, and one you won’t want to miss.

Monster Hunter Rise’s fights are as enjoyable as ever with vastly expanded combat thanks to the new Wirebug. However, the removal of tutorials, and an overabundance of systems means the game isn’t as approachable as it could be.

While not perfect, The Callisto Protocol is one of the best in its class, with jaw-dropping jump scares that’ll keep you up well into the night. With satisfying combat, incredible audio design, and jaw-dropping visuals, Striking Distance Studios has made a short but superb horror game that leaves you wanting more.

Marvel’s Midnight Suns exceeds expectations. It delivers a wonderfully rewarding, XCOM-topping combat system and a world full of larger-than-life characters you'll be eager to learn more about.

God of War Ragnarok is a clear GOTY contender, as the deserved sequel features an action-packed narrative, satisfying combat, a luscious Norse world, and some fantastic character development.

Mario + Rabbids: Sparks of Hope takes the best bits of Kingdom Battle, distilling it into a winning strategy game recipe that’ll be played for years to come.

FIFA 23 is easily one of the best football games EA has released in a long time, but meaningful new mechanics and fantastic new features are still overshadowed by a mode that’s a pay-to-win system in everything but name.

Metal Hellsinger offers gripping, adrenaline-inducing combat that rewards precision and mastery, and it's set to a fantastic soundtrack. However, a poor final level sours what is otherwise one of the best shooters you will play this year.

The Last of Us Part 1 is a truly stunning remake that significantly heightens the immersion of one of the best games ever made with denser environments, more realistic gameplay, and beautiful remastered visuals.

Rollerdrome has one of the most intoxicating and satisfying gameplay loops in recent memory, and while the game suffers from some janky moments and underwhelming bosses, there’s no ignoring how good it feels to shoot, flip, and grind through each level. We just wish there was more.

Stray is a brilliant adventure that lets you live out life as a cat in a compelling world with unique characters and well-thought-out puzzles, but its unsatisfactory ending marrs an otherwise great game.

As Dusk Falls is a captivating narrative-focused game that grounds itself in human experiences and captures the hallmarks of prestige TV with its acting, writing, and style. A true evolutionary experience in games.

The Quarry is a wonderfully atmospheric interactive horror game that offers up some of the best acting performances in the medium today. The rich, intertwining narratives deliver an incredible story that you will want to keep going back to - especially if you don't save everyone.

Evil Dead The Game is an action-packed treat for fans of the franchise’s camp brand of horror and players looking for an asymmetrical multiplayer game that’s easy to pick up and tough to master. Drawing on gameplay features from a variety of genres, this game is a unique offering in a space that desperately needs innovation.

We Were Here Forever certainly lives up to the mantle of Total Mayhem Games' most ambitious project yet, and is great fun with a friend. However, its puzzles aren't particularly innovative for the most part - despite their strong presentation - and the skewed balance of some puzzles often leave one member of your tag team twiddling their thumbs while waiting for the other to finish their part.

Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga is everything you want it to be and more. Split-screen gameplay can be a bit troublesome at times, but these issues do little to sully one of the best Star Wars games available right now.

Crusader Kings III's console edition still has some teething issues to sort out, but it manages to translate the drama and depth of the PC strategy game in an approachable format for console gamers.

If we were scoring Gran Turismo 7 on its racing alone, we’d be looking at a five-star game that’s also packed with nostalgia and charm. However, the early hours will be sluggish for racing game fans, the car line-up could be more diverse, and the online experience currently tarnishes the amazing on-track gameplay.

Elden Ring packs its intricately crafted world - a world which should be used as a reference point for open-world design moving forward - with more impressive boss fights and secrets than you can shake a giant greatsword at. Although its punishing combat system may not be to everyone’s taste, it is an essential experience both for FromSoftware newcomers and seasoned veterans alike.

Horizon Forbidden West is a true next-gen experience and one of the best games available on the PS5 right now. With breath-taking graphics and fantastic character work, Guerrilla Games has raised the bar for open-world action adventure games. It's not perfect, but you can't help but want to play more.

Dying Light 2’s makeup is considerably different from the first game, delivering an impressive and meaty character RPG you can sink time into, even if it does come at the cost of the game’s night-time horrors.

Rainbow Six Extraction is a refreshing addition to the co-op shooter genre that ditches endless horde slaying for refined, tactical, and stealthy gameplay. With enough support and new content, Extraction could set a new benchmark for co-op games.

Halo Infinite offers the full Master Chief experience in a big, beautiful sandbox. While 343 may not be breaking new ground with the light open-world elements it has added, it has done a great job of creating a solid experience for new and returning players alike.

The Horizon formula has been perfected in Forza Horizon 5. Playground Games has retained what fans loved in previous games, but also offers fine-tuned gameplay and a more diverse open world to explore. This is one of the most fun and polished games of the year, and with continued support and regular content, it has the potential to thrive well into the future.

Psychonauts 2 is a superb sequel that appeals to both long-time fans and newcomers. With a engaging story full of twists and turns, excellent witty dialogue, and a gorgeous visual palette, exploring people's minds has never been so fun and thrilling.

Life is Strange: True Colors sets a new bar for the series. Deck Nine does a stellar job of exploring painful topics that evoke true emotion both in-game and out, using its cast of well-written characters and set pieces, all packaged within a gorgeous environment and a beautiful soundscape.

Deathloop is Arkane at its best, combining its system-driven immersive-sim gameplay with a unique and fascinating story set-up. Excellent presentation and style, along with fantastic dialogue and character performances makes Deathloop one of the most innovative games in years and a valuable PS5 exclusive.

Hot Wheels Unleashed is one of the best arcade racers to release on modern consoles in years. Tight controls and action-packed races make for a fun and satisfying racer that offers intense racing and a lot of ways to play.

Back 4 Blood truly is the Left 4 Dead 2 sequel you’ve been waiting for. While it might be more difficult than the average zombie co-op, its unpredictable gameplay will have you coming back time and time again.