PC Games For Every Need
Many have been eager to proclaim 2023 as the best year in gaming history for months now. While that’s the sort of thing that becomes more clear as we have time to look back and consider the year in gaming, we can already say with confidence that 2023 has been a fantastic year for video game releases. With that being the case, it’s more important than ever to separate the very best games from the rest of what’s out there. Whether you’re looking for a gift for someone on your list or something for yourself, we have you covered. Between November 14th and November 22nd we’ll be bringing you daily guides designed to find the games players want in their favorite genres and on their favorite systems. Whether you’re ready to spend or you’re a true poor player, we have options for you.
The PC finds itself in a strange place in 2023. There are few true exclusives, with most indie games quickly releasing, at least on the Switch, while most other games work to appear on every platform possible. Yet most games work to release on PC as well, including ones that traditionally would have never considered the platform. That’s before you even get into how many games target the ability to be played on everything from the most powerful hardware in the world down to the Steam Deck. Put the strangeness aside, though, and 2023 featured a smorgasbord of excellent options for PC players, no matter what state their hardware is in, and many of these games still play best on a PC.
Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles
Platforms: PC
If you keep up with modern PC gaming, you’ve probably played a few deck builders. You’ve likely not yet played a dice builder, though. That should change as Astrea: Six-Sided Oracles offers challenge and complexity that are an absolute joy to explore.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Platforms: PC, PS5
True old-school PC RPGs have become such a rarity that it seemed most players didn’t know what to expect from Baldur’s Gate 3. That somehow, the developers were able to pull it together during early access and turn it into a worthy successor to one of the best games the genre has ever seen, allowed it to take the world by absolute storm. Anyone remotely interested in the genre will have a fantastic time with Baldur’s Gate 3.
Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
When Cyberpunk 2077 was first released, it was hard not to see it as an absolute disaster. While the PC version at least mostly worked, it had a lot of issues, and the console versions barely worked, to the point where Sony actually offered players refunds for it. It would have been easy for CD Projekt Red to abandon it, rushing back to The Witcher. While we’ll see if they continue to look at this world over the long term, they’ve done right by players, fixing the game’s many issues and turning it into the excellent RPG it could always be. The Phantom Liberty campaign may be the only expansion it’s getting, but it’s a winner with fantastic new areas, brilliant quests, and new story content that sees a return for beloved characters and brings new ones into the fray.
El Paso, Elsewhere
Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC
El Paso, Elsewhere may not be the most original shooter you’ll ever play, but what it lacks there, it makes up for in pure fun. Inspired heavily by the early Max Payne titles, this shooter blends fantastic gunplay with a strange supernatural story which at times confuses but always interests. I’d forgotten how much I love running around and diving through the air while shooting hordes of foes until I checked this one out. Make sure to give it a chance if you loved the early Max Payne titles.
The Talos Principle 2
Platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC
When the first Talos Principle was released in 2015, it was considered a strong puzzle game, but it felt like it got lost in the conversation a bit when The Witness came out the next year. After nearly a decade, the developers are back with a follow-up, and it eclipses any recent efforts in its space. With brilliant puzzles and a fascinating story, we can say confidently that no one is going to forget The Talos Principle 2 anytime soon.
