2022 was a strange year for video games. Although there were no blockbusters, those that were released were major titles for the industry, such as Elden Ring or God of War Ragnarök. It must be said that we are in a rather special period: console shortages continue to plague the market and many games have been postponed to 2023. The industry is slowly recovering from the COVID crisis and the next few months will see the arrival of many titles, whether they are blockbusters or more confidential works. At Phonandroid, we have selected ten games to watch out for in 2023, ten titles that should raise the crowd if they keep their promises.
For this dossier, we're getting wet! These are indeed the most anticipated games of the editorial staff, the ones we dream about at night. This ranking is collegial and each one has brought his own touch, so it is totally subjective. You, in the comments, don't hesitate to give us yours! Let's specify that we only put the titles confirmed for 2023, and not those whose release date is still nebulous.
Let's go !
10. FINAL FANTASY XVI - JUNE 22, 2023 (PS5)
Six years after the last numbered episode, the saga comes back on our consoles and tries to hit hard. Final Fantasy XVI wants to rely on its rich universe, its strong characters as well as its impressive sequences featuring summons. Gone are the technological worlds and the car rides, since this FF will return to its roots with a more classic heroic fantasy universe. A very serious candidate for the title of best JRPG of the year 2023.
9. BALDUR'S GATE 3 - AUGUST 2023 (PC)
Twenty years. Baldur's Gate 3 has been waiting for over twenty years. Salvation finally comes from the Belgian studio Larian, already at work behind the two Divinity Original Sin. With its immense heritage, BG 3 will have to be THE ultimate RPG, the one that will have to come as close as possible to the paper role-playing experience. The pressure on the developers is therefore immense, and for now, the early access (available since 2020) is very reassuring. Will we be treated to a new classic of the genre? We hope so. Don't panic if you didn't play the previous games, this part will be a spiritual sequel with its own story.
8. ALAN WAKE 2 - 2023 (PS5, XBOX SERIES X/S, PC)
Released in 2010, the first Alan Wake had marked the history of video games with its unusual atmosphere and its story as gripping as it was well crafted. Twelve years later, the writer returns in new adventures. The Remedy studio (Max Payne, Quantum Break, Control) is still at the helm and we can hope for an action/adventure game that will emphasize the narrative. In any case, we have been waiting for this sequel for a long time!
7. ASSASSIN'S CREED MIRAGE - 2023 (PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX SERIES X/S, PC)
Assassin's Creed goes back to its roots with Mirage. Farewell to open worlds that are too big and side quests by the hundred, since Mirage will take place in a single city. Ubisoft's title will put us in the boots of Basim, a character we already met in Valhalla, and will make us evolve in 9th century Baghdad. Parkour and discreet assassinations are on the menu, just like in the old days!
6. MARVEL'S SPIDER-MAN 2 - FALL 2023 (PS5)
Highly anticipated by all fans of the House of Ideas, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 should be the big PS5 exclusive of 2023. For the moment, there are few details about this sequel, but we imagine that it will take up what made the success of the first part, that is to say a gigantic open world in which to fly and classic but hard-hitting fights. The only certainty is that two characters will be playable: Peter Parker and Miles Morales. A special guest will also appear: a certain Venom...
5. RESIDENT EVIL 4 REMAKE - MARCH 24TH 2023 (PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX SERIES X/S, PC)
After Resident Evil 2 and 3, it is logically Resident Evil 4 that has the right to its remake. The original game, released in 2005, had shaken up the small world of action/adventure with a nervous handheld gameplay. If its remake is logically less revolutionary, it will have the heavy task of giving us back the sensations of the time. Resident Evil 4 is a great game, a very great game, so this reinvention will have to be up to the task. It puts us in the shoes of Leon Kennedy, a secret agent who must rescue the daughter of the president of the United States held in an isolated village.
4. STARFIELD - 2023 (PX, XBOX SERIES X/S)
Starfield wants to sign the revival of Bethesda, to become an important license for the next decade. A crazy bet from the developer who seeks to create the ultimate space adventure game. The title seems to take the winning formula of the Elder Scrolls and the latest Fallout and transpose it into a "hard SF" universe. The promise is huge: hundreds of worlds to explore, thousands of quests to complete, a colossal open world and impressive graphics. Starfield has all the cards in hand to become one of the next great classics of video games, it just needs to transform the trial.
3. DIABLO IV - JUNE 6, 2023 (PC, PS4, PS5, XBOX ONE, XBOX SERIES X/S)
Evil is back! Eleven years after Diablo 3, Blizzard brings us back to Sanctuary in an opus as dark as it is ambitious. The change is big compared to the previous installments: we abandon the level structure for an open world that promises to be huge. The developer has already announced that great care will be taken with the "endgame", i.e. the content accessible at maximum level, with various events and new features added regularly. Diablo 4 wants its crown of the best hack and slash and it's making it known!
2. STAR WARS JEDI SURVIVOR - MARCH 17, 2023 (PS5, XBOX SERIES X/S, PC)
Five years have passed since Fallen Order and our Cal Kestis, who has taken a little bottle, must face a new threat. The game promises to be in the same line as the previous one, that is to say a clever mix of genres with the emphasis on a labyrinthine level design. New features will also be included, such as the possibility to use mounts or to slow down time. Fallen Order had created the surprise in 2019, Survivor must confirm. One of our most anticipated games of 2023, without hesitation.
1. ZELDA TEARS OF THE KINGDOM - MAY 12, 2023 (SWITCH)
All the members of the editorial staff have their favorite game, the one they are most looking forward to in 2023. However, there is one that puts everyone in agreement, the one that is systematically at the top of the list: Zelda Tears of the Kingdom. Is it really a surprise? How do you follow up on the smash hit Breath of the Wild? That's Nintendo's challenge, and what a challenge it is! In any case, the trailer suggests the same formula, but pushed to its limits. The big novelty could lie in two open world levels: a terrestrial world and a celestial world. Time manipulation could also be at the heart of the gamelay. In any case, we'll be there on D-Day, et vous ?
Of course, there are many other games we are expecting for 2023, like Dead Space Remake, Forza Motorsport 8, Octopath Traveler 2, Homeworld 3, Forspoken, Skull and Bones, STALKER 2, Hogwarts Legacy... there are plenty, but we had to make choices! You, in the comments, don't hesitate to give us your expectations!