Top 15 PS Games of 2023

15. Diablo IV

Diablo IV is one of the most anticipated returns in the franchise's history. With its predecessor having massive success in the hearts of Diablo fans, Diablo IV's release was a magical experience for most veterans in the franchise.

It has a decent campaign story if you want to play mainly solo, while the endgame activities are fun to play with your friends. If you're into ARPG games such as Path of Exile or Torchlight series, you'll definitely enjoy playing Diablo IV during your holiday vacation.

14. Assassin's Creed Mirage

Assassin's Creed Mirage is a game I wasn't looking forward to upon its leaked codename, but once the trailer hit the floor, I just got up on my chair and screamed, "Assassin's Creed is back!" AC: Mirage is a callback to the roots of the original Assassin's Creed and serves as a decent successor.

The game takes place in 9th-century Baghdad, which is one of the earliest settings in AC History, nine years after Assassin's Creed: Origins. It focuses more on the "Assassin" side of the combat system; however, going all-in, swords-swishing is still a thing in this game. If you're looking for a stealth game to play this holiday season, Assassin's Creed Mirage should be on your checklist.

13. Remnant 2

Remnant II is a sequel I did not expect to exceed the standards set by its predecessor. The randomness in Remnant II provides players with lots of content to push through without losing the charm of its prequel.

Remnant II pushes many boundaries in how a developer can mix a variety of genres and game elements in a unique way while making an addictive game loop, ensuring players get hooked throughout their playtime. If you're looking for an extra-challenging and hundreds of hours of playthrough with your friends, consider getting Remnant II on the PlayStation 5 this holiday!

12. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is an amazing sequel to the Sci-Fi action RPG hit Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. In this game, Cal Kestis returns as he battles the evil Galactic Empire as a resistance fighter, working under Saw Gerrera.

If you've played the prequel to this stunning Star Wars game, it's exactly the same but bigger and arguably better. The main planet, Koboh, has many explorable areas, terrains, hidden dungeons, and a Cantina where you can trade in items, upgrade your stats, and even change the music. Overall, I recommend Star Wars Jedi: Survivor for a strong narrative-driven experience in the Star Wars universe this holiday.

11. Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 is amongst the best entries of the Street Fighter franchise. Players will have a ton of stuff to do, such as the Fighting Ground, World Tour, and Battle Hub. I really love the addition of World Tour as it allows me to create a character and follow through the game's story, carving my own legacy.

Street Fighter 6 is the easiest game to get into as it's beginner-friendly with a vast array of accessibility features like the Modern control option to help you get into the action as quickly as possible. If you enjoy fighting games, I highly recommend you give Street Fighter 6 a shot this holiday season, as it's one of the most well-scaled fighting games for both beginners and veterans.

10. Dead Space Remake

Dead Space has a special place in my heart as it was one of the first "true" horror game experiences I had as a child. The Dead Space Remake doubled down on the atmosphere and immersion factor from the original game.

Dead Space Remake provides "a bit more" to the original game in the exploration, secrets, combat, and even sound design aspects. If you're a fan of the original Dead Space, I recommend you pick this up, as you'll completely get to relive your adventure in the USG Ishimura in a different light.

8. Hogwarts Legacy

Potterheads have been clamoring for a decent Harry Potter-based game since the Lego and PS2 era, and Hogwarts Legacy has really exceeded our expectations due to the sheer quality and care developers Avalanche Software showed while creating the game.

Each area has many details only Potterheads will truly appreciate, and the action-RPG gameplay suits the game well. There's also a decision-making factor, allowing players to craft their own tale, whether it would be as a Dark Wizard or a goodie-two-shoes Harry Potter wannabe. If you still haven't played this game, the holidays are a great time to pick it up on the PlayStation Store and experience the magical world of Hogwarts.

7. Resident Evil 4 Remake

Many games these past few years have been remakes of old games we know and love from our childhood — with the Resident Evil 4 Remake leading the anticipation helm. Fans of the original experience had high expectations of the remake, and Capcom definitely gave them a complete modernization of an old classic.

With more emphasis on horror elements of the game, Resident Evil 4 Remake provides players with a fresh yet familiar experience with tons of quality-of-life improvements over the original. While the story deviated to a certain degree, like Krauser's back story, it still retained the core foundation of the story while fleshing out plot holes in the original Gamecube version.

6. Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon

The Armored Core series returns with its sixth iteration in the franchise, Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon. Most of you may expect a standard Dark Souls-ish type of combat due to FromSoft's repertoire of games, but Armored Core 6 stuck to its "core" by improving on the series' foundation and major aspects of the game, like combat and graphics.

There is a hint of Souls-like mechanics embedded into the game in the challenging boss fights. Apart from that, Armored Core VI stands as an amazing and rewarding action-mech game, and this is something you should definitely consider if you're a big fan of mechs like Gundam or Zoids.

5. Alan Wake 2

Alan Wake 2 surprised most horror fans upon its release. Its cinematic and atmospheric art direction pushed the PS5 to its absolute limits with its fidelity options. The game's pacing from a slow and psychological horror to an absolutely chaotic horror survival helps keep itself fresh throughout a fairly decent playthrough time.

Alan Wake 2 captured the atmospheric essence that made me say, "I haven't played a game like Silent Hill 2 in a while." That statement alone speaks volumes on how masterfully the game is made. Remedy made another classic game gamers will speak about for years to come, and I highly recommend this game if you're into horror games this holiday season.

4. Sea of Stars

Sea of Stars surprised me when it came out this year. Upon playing the game, I realized It's a love letter to Chrono Trigger, focusing on the narrative of the entire party rather than giving players the typical "main protagonist" trope.

Sea of Stars' gripping narrative and unique "complete control over turn order" battle mechanic hooked me and made me love this game down to its core. For massive JRPG fans, this is a game you shouldn't miss out on, especially this holiday season.

3. Final Fantasy XVI

Square Enix returned to its medieval-fantasy roots with the newest entry in the franchise, Final Fantasy XVI. The game takes a new spin on crystals and summons, making them more crucial and grounded to its story.

Final Fantasy XVI completely doubled down on the action-RPG genre the series has been taking for quite some time. With the vision of Devil May Cry 5's combat director, FFXVI's combat is a lot better than its predecessor, with more refined mechanics like the Eikon abilities, better inventory management (no more unlimited potions like in FFXV), and better fluidity across the board.

This is definitely one of the best Final Fantasy games of all time, and I'm putting it up there with Final Fantasy VI, VII, IX, and XII as my favorite entries in the series. It's a game you can hop on and enjoy if you're new to the Final Fantasy franchise, and I highly recommend picking up the game this Holiday season.

2. Marvel's Spider-Man 2

Marvel's Spider-Man provided a much-needed reboot to the superhero franchise, and now its highly anticipated sequel delivers by providing a much more coherent experience between Peter Parker and Miles Morales. Insomniac Games was able to give the sequel stunning visuals without compromising on performance.

Moreover, Spider-Man 2 gives players a taste of better story-telling, side missions, and maneuverability across New York City. Not only does the sequel live up to expectations, but it far exceeds the standards set by the first game, setting itself amongst the best superhero video games of all time.

1. Baldur's Gate 3

Fans of Baldur's Gate have waited for almost 20 years since the last entry in the franchise. Larian Studios definitely did not disappoint the community with Baldur's Gate 3, delivering a one-of-a-kind RPG. If you're a massive fan of Dungeons and Dragons or games like Divinity: Original Sin II, where every action you take spells doom or success based on a dice roll, then Baldur's Gate 3 will completely enthrall you.

The game not only captivates players with its beautiful graphics and RPG mechanics, but it also provides a lot of character depth and narrative complexity, ensuring lengthy playtime and a massive array of content. I definitely recommend this game to anyone who's in for a lengthy RPG play session.