As we stare 2024 in the face, I think we can probably agree that 2023 delivered some excellent video games. From big blockbusters to little indie gems. There was a truckload of fantastic worlds to immerse yourself in. Whilst I’ve played a lot of games this year, there have been a few that really stood out.
Wartales
I enjoy creating adventures in games. Having experiences that feel organic and are filled with surprises. Wartales was exactly that. After a stint in early access, the full game was released back in April and I’ve spent almost 100 hours adventuring around the world. In Wartales, you create a little band of troops and take on quests across multiple large maps that have their own storylines, enemy types, and secrets to uncover. The more you adventure together the better your gang becomes, building relationships, getting better gear, and acquiring new skills. With various troop types you can recruit more people to expand or diversify your clans skills, or to replace those who have fallen in battle.
I’d heard a lot of people talking the game up, so I was optimistic going in. But I wasn’t prepared for how cool it would be. I was constantly surprised by the things I stumbled across. Each area is filled with loads of things to do. Whether it be a main questline to follow, side quests to complete, tombs to raid, mines to plunder, or bandits to track down and cash in on bounties. There’s loads to get stuck into. The turn-based combat is also really fun. Playing to the strengths of your group with positioning and grouping can give you a tactical edge. There are some tricky battles either with tough single foes or massive groups that could overwhelm you. Furthermore, there’s loads of loot to collect and it actually feels like it makes a difference. Finding new weapons or armour can immediately give you an edge in battles.
The developers have also recently announced DLC that was released on the 14th of December, called Pirates of Belerion, which I’m currently playing through now. It adds entirely new sea-faring combat and adventures with roughly 25 hours of gameplay. Wartales was easily one of my favourite games of the year.
Planet of Lana
I feel like every year there is always at least one excellent side-scrolling indie adventure game. This year, for me, that game was Planet of Lana. You play as Lana on an alien planet as you try to rescue your parents following an invasion event of massive robots that sweep across the lands plucking people from their homes. It’s a beautiful game with some fairly simple puzzle-solving to work your way through.
One of the main draws for me – apart from how amazing it looked, was the little animal companion that follows you around called Mui. It has a cat-like personality and features and will help you solve puzzles and avoid danger. Obviously, they’re super cute too. Over the course of the game your relationship with Mui builds and to be honest I cared more about Mui’s safety than finding Lana’s parents.
Planet of Lana is a delightful and succinct adventure with beautiful scenery, a moving soundtrack, and engaging gameplay. I loved it and you can read the full review here.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gate 3 is not only my game of the year, by a country mile. It’s quite likely my favourite game ever. Every single moment of it has been a joy. In a time where we feel like a lot of big games miss the mark in some way or another. Larian Studios stepped up and delivered a banger in one, feature complete package. 12 classes 40 odd subclasses, three huge acts that could easily be a game in and of themselves, epic quests, incredible voice acting, and characters. It’s floor to ceiling, wall to wall, quality.
Throughout my 130 hours of playing, I haven’t had a dull moment. There hasn’t been any time where I felt like a part of the game let it down or that it could’ve been better if they’d done X or Y. I picked Baldur’s Gate 3 up when it was still in early access and was already singing its praises then. At that point, you could only play Act 1 and I already thought that was probably the best thing I’d played in such a long time. The fact that it got better the more you played just speaks volumes of the love and attention that Larian put into the game.
This wasn’t a game to make money. This was so clearly a project of passion. The amount of detail that has been put into the game is staggering. Larian built a game that they played where they sat and asked “What would players do here?” and then they put something in the game to cover that or provide context to a decision. There are even characters that are fully voiced who are essentially fail safes if others die meaning that most won’t ever see them. But should your actions lead to this very specific person dying or not being around there is someone to fill the gap.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is all about creativity and giving the players freedom not only to explore the game and quests however they see fit. But also creating freedom in combat. If you can think of a tactic or choice in a fight, there is probably a good chance you can do it. I played through Act 1 three times and each time there were things that surprised me. Areas that I missed previously; quest lines I didn’t know existed. That’s just in Act 1. I can’t imagine what I’ve skipped or could’ve gone differently in other parts of the game.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is on another level and has set a new bar for CRPG’s
-Will
