The end of 2023 is just around the corner, and what a gaming year it was for me. I am a born-again gamer with just a few years of experience, still finding my favorite genres, trying a little bit of everything, and learning new gaming terms and tips and tricks.
I am also entirely new to writing about games, practically a baby writer on LadiesGamers. So, it was an exhilarating year for me, and now, even more astonishingly, it’s time to take a look back and choose my favorites.
Universe for Sale
Universe for Sale is one of the last 2023 games I played and reviewed for the site. I was curious about the premise and the art style, and I was not prepared to spend as much time as I did just trying it out. It was cozy, thought-provoking, sentimental, dreamy, and very beautiful. Besides reviewing it here, I recommended it to quite a few friends.
Planet of Lana
Planet of Lana was one of the first “Two Thumbs Up” games I’ve reviewed for the site. Simply for this, it holds a special place for me. It’s also a great, masterfully crafted puzzle platformer game. It has a cinematic quality from the beginning to the end, from how the camera pans out of the picture to how the soundtrack booms and echoes within the scenes. It’s a thoughtful and touching story and still manages to be a proper sci-fi adventure, a must-play for fans of the genre. I can’t wait to see what the developers do next.
The Invincible
One of the stand-out titles for me this year was, without a doubt, The Invincible. It was a title that stayed on my wishlist for quite a while, and then, when I finally got the Steam key, I couldn’t bring myself to play it.
You see, I was scared it would not meet my expectations. Then, as my deadline was nearing, I finally started it. I played it in one sitting, staying up for more than I should have. While somewhat slow, especially at the beginning, the mystery keeps you playing. It’s a game about survival, human nature, ecology, and empathy. I’ll probably not play The Invincible again, but I’ll certainly think about it for a long time.
American Arcadia
American Arcadia is another cinematic puzzle platformer, not unlike Planet of Lana. It’s also a colorful, funky adventure set in a retro-futurist 70s-inspired metropolis. I liked American Arcadia, the visuals, the atmosphere, the way the gameplay changes. It also reminded me that I must return and finish that last mission in Operation Tango.
Hidden Cats in Rome, Spooky Town, London, New York
The Hidden Cats games have been a favorite of mine since last year. Thankfully, they are enjoying quite the success, and consequently, the developers are making even more games in the series. Also, the gameplay is much improved in the later titles, and the content is better. Let’s see what 2024 will bring us.
You can find our reviews for the Hidden Cats games here – Hidden Cats in London, Hidden Cats in New York, Hidden Cats in Spooky Town, Hidden Cats in Rome.
Agatha Christie – Murder on the Orient Express
I am a big fan of detective games, and I’ve played quite a few over the years. I liked Murder on the Orient Express because of the fluent gameplay and almost the inability to get stuck. With its hint system, the game allows you to decide the difficulty level you want as there is a hint of challenge. Simultaneously, you experience the iconic novel in a new and unexpected way. I hope Microids notes this success and brings us a sequel. Soon, please.
Mineko’s Night Market
Mineko’s Night Market must get an honorable mention for me. At the time of my review, I loved it, and while I’ve found some disappointments since then, as a whole, I’ve spent a lot of time in Mineko’s little world.
Still, it must be just an honorable mention because of the grind-y nature of the gameplay. So grind-y, I found that the best way to play it, especially while collecting resources (looking at you, conger eel), was while doing something else (talking to a friend, watching TV). It’s a great little game, but I couldn’t spend more than an hour on it. A great, best game is one, much like a book. You can only put it down once you finish it or get stuck somewhere; afterwards, you keep thinking about it for a long time. Unfortunately, Mineko’s Night Market is not that type of game for me.
Final Thoughts
I’ve played many games this year, so much so that I had to seriously consider what constitutes a “best game” for me. Since I’ve missed a massive chunk of time not playing games, I have gathered several older titles that I played along with the newer ones. Still, looking at my Steam library, I haven’t done much about clearing that backlog of old games. I should get around them before they become unplayable on newer laptops. But that’s hardly a real complaint, having too many great and beautiful games to play. I prefer not to think about my wish list – all those beautiful adventures yet to come and quite a few in 2024!