2023 Games Beaten

Both Returnal and Neon White bridged playthroughs starting in 2022, though they got the majority of their time in 2023 and will be counted as such.

March 1st - 5 games done, the bar is very high for Escape Academy being #3 behind Hi-Fi Rush and Neon White.

I stopped enjoying Wolf OB by the end, beat it out of obligation. As both got kinda tiring, I'm not confident I'll make it the acclaimed Wolf 2
June 7th - Tears of the Kingdom is a masterpiece. 120 hours, absorbed for me for an entire month. Cannot sing enough high praises for this game.

Sept 24th - 25 games done. Just rolled credits on Sea of Stars after an absolutely heartbreaking failure to get the platinum. Absolutely adored the game, tentatively putting it at #4 after Totk, HFR and P4 right now. Honestly the race for second place is wide open, though I can name exactly one problem with SoS, and none with the 3 currently ranked above it.
SoS felt like it respected my time more than anything (except when it didn't for backtracking). Wonderful game, it's so rare I play a turned based RPG, and this one sang.
Humanity currently at 7 behind Neon White and Escape Academy feels too low. It has a top level boss fight in Yellow Orb. Also a wonderfully fun platinum. A very outside my usual territory game.
Neon White certainly has strong peaks, but I have so many gripes with it otherwise.
Tchia tugged a lot of heartstrings.
Katana Zero never clicked as the masterpiece everyone makes it out to be.
Jedi Survivor wore on me so heavily with its technical shortcomings, hiccups and overall pain traversing the world. I just didn't care by the end, wanted the fight and game to be over, everything. Likely won't be returning for that platinum.
Planet of Lana served as a nice, brief pallette cleanser after Cassette Beasts kinda wore me down over the playthrough. Had a load of issues with that game that it wasn't able to out charm. I'm not sure if I wrote a review for it or not.
Nex Machina likely sits lower because it's a replay game. But it's Housemarque. Of course it's a tight, well playing jam!
Burning Shores brought some improvements and highlights while still managing to regress and not make a splash, just like Forbidden West. The Horus and Walter Londra fight is at the top of my all time least favorite boss fights. Easily.
TOEM Basto represents the full game and DLC. What an absolute charm. Reran the full game for book club and absolutely adored it all over again.
Ape Out was a good time that grew on me over time. I'm not sure if I'll be returning to it while away from my Switch, but it was a bit of a brainworm.
Olli Olli World got too sweaty by the end, just put me off.
Gris was lovely, but didn't engage me (I put it down).
I could've never played Lunistice and it wouldn't have made a difference. I wish it was better. Or was oriented better to its goals? I'm not even quite sure what I want from it
Returnal has only grown on me with time. It occupies an awkward space of straddling 2022 and 2023. It certainly has flaws with early game progression being a slog, granting key items far too late through the playthrough (sword, tether, diving underwater), late weapon unlocks. But the peaks are so high. This game absolutely sings. It's incredible they added a co-op mode that works so smoothly. It has a fond place in my mind.

Reviewing the lower ranks of my list in mid December and thinking I was smoking something insane when I put Returnal, Super Mario World and Infamous Second Son so damn low!
Dec 20 - Valhalla brought the GOAT back, but I think my distaste for Rogues still keeps it beneath an excellent top 5.
A Tinykin replay and likely platinum run also ranks lower than most as it was a replay.

Super Mario World
Super Mario World
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Katana Zero
Katana Zero
Wolfenstein: The New Order
Wolfenstein: The New Order
Infamous: Second Son
Infamous: Second Son
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Gris
Gris
Hi-Fi Rush
Hi-Fi Rush
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
Neon White
Neon White
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Returnal
Returnal
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood
Wolfenstein: The Old Blood
Sea of Stars
Sea of Stars
Pikmin 4
Pikmin 4
Cocoon
Cocoon
Ape Out
Ape Out
Sable
Sable
Jusant
Jusant
God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla
God of War Ragnarök: Valhalla
Tinykin
Tinykin
Chants of Sennaar
Chants of Sennaar
Venba
Venba
Frog Detective 1: The Haunted Island
Frog Detective 1: The Haunted Island
OlliOlli World
OlliOlli World
Planet of Lana
Planet of Lana
Celeste Classic
Celeste Classic
Escape Academy
Escape Academy
Cassette Beasts
Cassette Beasts
Humanity
Humanity
Frog Detective 2: The Case of the Invisible Wizard
Frog Detective 2: The Case of the Invisible Wizard
Lunistice
Lunistice
Tchia
Tchia
Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores
Horizon Forbidden West: Burning Shores
Nex Machina
Nex Machina
Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County
Frog Detective 3: Corruption at Cowboy County
Thirsty Suitors
Thirsty Suitors
Toem: Basto Region
Toem: Basto Region
Pokedoku
Pokedoku
Tren

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