The end of the school year is a period filled with traditions: what if Christmas, what if 12 grapes, what if gifts… let’s not forget the GOTY selections, that is, the recognition of the best games of the year. 2023 was a crazy year in terms of quality releases, so choosing the awards will be very difficult. Although there will only be one GOTY in the end, Each category gives other titles a chance to shine. Here at MeriStation, we’ve started the journey towards the awards, and while readers have already voted for The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, here at the magazine, we’re still mulling over and collecting votes.
It’s time to dot the i’s, figure it out, present the nominees in each of the nominations. We start with the best shooters and FPS and follow up with the best action-adventure games. We continue with the best RPGs of 2023, a list of 8 nominees that include a wide variety of works. Different types of games fit the “RPG” label, from JRPGs (such as Sea of Stars or Octopath Traveler 2) to Western RPGs such as Baldur’s Gate 3. Others, such as Lies of P or Diablo IV, are not . They are pure RPGs as they mix several genres together, but we classify them here because of their role-playing component.
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Final Fantasy XVI
Naoki Yoshida came with stripes on his jacket. The director of Final Fantasy XIV managed to realize a project that was born unsuccessfully and became one of the best MMORPGs in history. Selected as the producer of the sixteenth installment, the Japanese worked closely with Creative Business Unit III studio and Square Enix to create a more grown-up and gory installment.to. Clive’s world falls apart when his supposed allies are betrayed by the Grand Duchy of Rosaria.. After this traumatic experience, the son of the archduke will fall into an abyss that lasts for years, although he will manage to emerge as a hero and leader of the resistance. Meanwhile, the world suffers from dependence on the Mother of Crystals and the expansion of the Stygian Lands. Equipped with a real-time combat system, the game transports us to a medieval fantasy world where the game of thrones is a favorite pastime of the nobility.
Baldur’s gate 3
Larian Studios has built a good name for itself over the years, little by little, slowly but surely. It’s not that they didn’t warn, Divinity Original Sin 2 was already one of the best western RPGs in years, but Baldur’s Gate 3 managed to break the niche barrier and reach a wider audience, all without losing an iota of its complexity . Building on the foundation they laid themselves, the studio led by Sven Vinke took over BioWare and created the third part of the dream. Multiple characters, a story full of branches, systems, battles… Everything in Baldur’s Gate 3 runs with the precision of a Swiss watch. Dungeons and Dragons RPG fans have a masterpiece in front of them, an outstanding product in all its aspects, which also continues to evolve every day. Safety pin.
Diablo IV
Blizzard Entertainment has had a rough few years. World of Warcraft and Starcraft have come under fire for the botched remastering of Warcraft 3, the hate for Diablo Immortal (mostly for portability), and the serious sexual and workplace harassment cases at Activision Blizzard that came to light a few months ago. Diablo IV was also affected because its original director was fired because of it. After the problems of Overwatch 2, Blizzard’s new title really shines its own light. It’s a sophisticated game an action and role-playing game that is addictive like few others and it encourages you to enjoy it both alone and with company (local and online co-op). The developers continue to expand the adventure with new seasonal content that will take you back to Hell. And yes, there is already a confirmed expansion: Vessel of Hatred.
A sea of stars
Since the eighties and nineties, a type of two-dimensional Japanese role-playing game has emerged that evokes a very familiar classic flavor. A group of heroes face a great evil, join forces and fight to save the world from the coming cataclysm. Sabotage Studio is not a Japanese developer, but paid a heartfelt tribute to those great games of the past, which, like Chrono Trigger, Golden Sun or Super Mario RPG, have forever remained in the collective imagination. The creators of The Messenger fully immerse themselves in this world with Sea of Stars, a work that stands out for its graphic and musical beauty, a simple but charming story and a wonderful combat system. More than a memory, more than a tribute. First class JRPG.
Octopath Traveler 2
Square Enix has embraced the graphical style it pioneered with Octopath Traveler that has captivated players around the world. The HD-2D concept draws attention with its refined sprites and detailed scenarios. But it is also Octopath Traveler 2 has a challenging, strategic and very fun turn-based combat system. The player must pay attention to the opponent’s weaknesses and choose their next moves accordingly, to the point that in the most difficult battles it is very important to manage each move as if it were the last. Yes, it’s a seamless experience, but it fixes many of the mistakes of the first installment.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
The road to redemption was difficult, difficult, almost impossible. CD Projekt RED had it all after the smashing success of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, but a bug-ridden launch buried the reputation and credibility it had worked so hard to build. Since then, the Poles have focused on improving Cyberpunk 2077, work that culminated in the 2.0 update (or rather 2.1, because it added even more gameplay features). The climax will be Phantom Liberty, the only major expansion that recently went on sale only on next-gen consoles and PC. Another exciting story, thriller twists and brilliant Night City, which shines with its neon and allows us to visit unexplored places in the city. The progression system, the police chases… everything important has been reworked to live up to the promise.
Lords of the Fallen
From Software and Hidetaka Miyazaki remain at the top of the podium. The studio behind Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring is taking a break this year, but fans of Soulslike games have some alternatives to consider. One of them is Lords of the Fallen, an independent project that is not a continuation of the work of Deck13 and invites us to visit a dark world full of dangers. Hexworks has created an exciting RPG action game with challenging combat and a very distinctive art style.. On the other hand, the developers had to face technical problems that somewhat marred the overall experience, despite the fact that the title was highly recommended and a solid candidate in this category.
Lying P
If Lords of the Fallen was one of the obvious candidates for Soulslike of the Year, the same could be said for Lies of P, a game set in a twisted version of the European Belle Époque of the Pinocchio tale, an industrial world, a dirty look, full of robots and mortal beings. Round8 Studio repeats the From Software formula and at certain moments he seems to find his identity, although it does so timidly, at very specific moments. Like other games of this genre, the game stands out for its difficulty, especially in the final bosses, in addition to playing with elements such as electricity or fire. All of this provides an extra layer of complexity that, along with the other aspects, provides an experience that works well.
