Looking back at 2023, we were granted some of the best games across all platforms, from mobile games to PC, and as a mainly Xbox gamer myself, I was very pleased to see a lot of them included on the console as well.
Narrowing down the best games available on Xbox for 2023 is not easy, especially with so many big titles, but these are a few of the top ones that we, and seemingly most people, enjoyed the most.
10 Best Xbox Games Released in 2023
Not only can we base a 'best' game on performance and enjoyment, but a significant factor for me was whether it was on Gamepass or not. It makes Gamepass so much more worth it when you receive big-titled games for no additional price. However, some games are worth spending a little more for.
Although not all of these games are exclusively Xbox or featured on Gamepass, these are some of the top, most-favorited games released to the platform in 2023, in no particular order.
Hi-Fi Rush
Hi-Fi Rush can easily be one of the best Xbox games of 2023, with unique comic book-styled art and a whole world synced to music. It received overwhelmingly positive reviews across the network and, even better, was featured for free with Xbox Gamepass. Who could say no to a catchy beat and the chance to fight back against an evil corporation?
Starfield
Starfield was one of the biggest titles we received in 2023 and was hyped to the max. After waiting ten years for a new game from Bethesda, this gave us all a chance to jump back into their iconic massive worlds and immerse ourselves in space travel and aliens. With so much to do in this game, running out of engaging content is hard. Although it may have been overhyped a bit, it still qualifies on the list of best games for the year just due to its overall potential, much like Skyrim in the past, and it's available all on Gamepass.
Related: Best Mods in Starfield
Alan Wake 2
Alan Wake 2 was a bit of a dark horse for me. With all the promos and trailers, I was expecting something great, but after diving into the game, the stunning storytelling blew me away even more than I anticipated. It had genuinely frightening jump scares, and the detailed environments around me were fully immersive. You'll love this game if you enjoy mysteries, thrillers, and good stories overall, which is why it absolutely makes the list.
Party Animals
Party Animals is one of the best party games we have received in a while, which is why it makes the list for me. With hilarious rag doll-like mechanics and various chaotic game modes, this is the perfect game for couch co-op or playing online with friends and getting plenty of laughs out of it. Plus, it's easy for everyone to learn and available on Gamepass—you could even play with your mom!
Street Fighter 6
Street Fighter is a well-known classic series, so I'm sure we all were looking forward to another addition to the collection, and Street Fighter 6 delivered. It gave us a well-balanced feel of classic fighting sequences and a brand-new RPG-style story. Just the expansiveness alone, with online play and challenging story quests, made this game truly enjoyable.
Remnant II
Remnant II was easily defined as being a beginner's soul-like game. It shared features with the challenging genre but was much more forgiving. I honestly believe that is what made it such a hit release because more players could pick up the game and enjoy it, no matter their experience with past souls-like games or skill level. Plus, Remnant II gave us so much replayability, with a branching questline and tons of new loot to discover and dynamically generate dungeons that keep things interesting with each revisit. Read our Remnant II review here!
Resident Evil 4 Remake
If you're a fan of horror and thriller games, then you probably jumped at the chance to play the remade and improved Resident Evil 4 as it was released this past year. This iconic series is one of the most well-known horror franchises, and despite most fans having played all of them already, the remake does a great job of bringing new life to it and making it feel like a fresh experience with bug fixes, new features, amazing revitalized graphics, and so much more. We've even written our own review on Resident Evil 4 here at Pro Game Guides. If you haven't tried it already, what better time than now?
Hogwarts Legacy
Even if you aren't a fan of Harry Potter, there is no denying that Hogwarts Legacy was one of the best games we received this year. This is the experience all of us Potterheads (PGG's review here) were waiting for, to finally get a chance to put on the robes and attend the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and not only that but learn all kinds of spells and fly around freely on a magic broom. Hogwarts Legacy delivered all of the above in a magical environment and thrilling storyline. It's a must-try.
Related: Hogwarts Legacy – Which house to choose & how to pick
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
As a Star Wars fan, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is definitely one of the best Star Wars games out there so far, with dynamic force abilities, the ability to switch up the way you use your lightsaber, and an intriguing storyline with fresh new faces in the Star Wars universe. This game offered us even more exploration and combat options than the previous games of the series, opening so many more hours of gameplay. Plus, just being able to customize and build a lightsaber as I please makes this game even more enjoyable.
Cyberpunk 2.0 & Phantom Liberty
Although not technically a full new game released in 2023, the 2.0 update and the DLC Phantom Liberty releases in the past year made Cyberpunk feel like something brand new, and finally, the game it was hyped up to be. Cyberpunk 2.0 alone added so much more to the game, from little satisfying finisher animations to whole new abilities like vehicle hacking and so much more. Then, on top of that, we received this well-crafted DLC, Phantom Liberty, that gave us an expansive new area filled with fresh content and quests; it's almost like playing a whole separate game. The Secret Agent storyline intrigued me the whole time and made it one of my favorites.
These are just a few of the best releases we received in 2023, but there were so many more we also got to enjoy. What are some of your favorites? Plus, stay excited for more great releases coming in the upcoming year. You will never go gameless!
Looking for more Pro Game Guides best games content? Check out our lists of Best Games with Multiple Endings or Best games that support Ray Tracing!
Published: Dec 24, 2023 04:00 pm