2023 was a great year for games. Between Baldur’s Gate 3, Alan Wake 2, Hogwarts Legacy, Starfield, and dozens of others, gamers were not left wanting this year; there was something for everyone. But, with all the high-quality releases, it can be very easy to miss out on some of the smaller games that went under the radar amidst the hit releases.
Thankfully, we’ve been keeping up: here is a list of 6 games that you probably missed in 2023 that might be worth revisiting. All of these games had fewer than 500 players at their peak, and fewer than 500 reviews at the time of this article, meaning they escaped the notice of most gamers. If you are looking for some hidden gems, look no further.
Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider
103 Players | 291 Reviews
Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider arrived at the beginning of the year to little fanfare. I guess that is to be expected: retro clones are a dime-a-dozen, and the marketing for Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider (in combination with its mouthful of a title) did it no favors. But that is a real shame, because Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider is one of the best retro platformers since Shovel Knight.
In Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider, you play as an samurai-android killing machine with a katana and a penchant for tight platforming and eliminating giant boss robots. It wears its inspirations on its sleeve, ranging from Megaman to Contra to Metroid, but also manages to be entirely in its own field with its focus on bio-mechanics and samurai aesthetics. The game drips with style and a sleek polish that makes it as fun to watch as it is to play. If you’re in the mood for something retro, this is a great choice.
In the wake of Dark Souls, the world is flush with more action RPGs than we can possibly keep track of. But few evoke quite as much mood as Strayed Lights. An ultimately hopeful tale, Strayed Lights is set in a mysterious, ethereal dreamscape and sees you take control of a phase-shifting being as it fights its way through a beautiful and dangerous world.
The game is equal parts rhythmic as it is action-packed, with bosses that telegraph just enough to be challenging but fair. This is no Dark Souls in difficulty (Strayed Lights is closer to Jedi: Fallen Order in that respect), but don’t expect fights to be push-overs; though streamlined, the Strayed Lights is still an engaging experience. The shifting gimmick never has time to outstay its welcome in this tight, simple ARPG that is a perfect treat for FromSoft fans.
Humanity sees you navigating throngs of people in order to complete esoteric objectives, all in a strange, hazy space that is hard to make fun of. Now, let’s talk about the game. Humanity is an almost unbelievable puzzle-game that sees you using gigantic crowds of people as puzzle pieces, the effect of which can only be described as “fascinating.”
There aren’t many games that treat crowds of humans as a liquid, but this is one. The Story Mode sees you trying to navigate these surprisingly lemming-like humans from one end of levels to another in increasingly tricky challenges that are engaging the whole way through because of its frankly bizarre aesthestic. Humanity will make you see the world differently, and if you are in the mood for some puzzles, that makes it quite a solid choice.
When was the last time you thought about Double Dragon? It’s probably been a while. But the arcade classic series is still kickin’, and the newest iteration, Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons takes the venerable series in an entirely new direction. If you miss the days of classic arcade Beat-Em-Ups, this is for you.
Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons dispenses with the over-seriousness that the series had become bogged down with, and has decided to go along a more fun path. The bosses are fantastically challenging (and variable in difficulty, depending on when you face them), the gameplay is ludicrously fun, and the structure makes it incredibly replayable. Double Dragon did well to deviate from its norm, and if you miss the ol’ arcade days, it’s hard to find a game that invokes them more than Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons.
You’ve seen it before: a strategy game where you slowly, but surely, paint a map over with your color until you win. You’ve even seen strategy games where you are the evil mastermind trying to take over or destroy the world in games like Plague Inc. But have you ever seen a strategy game where you’re trying to spread fear? I think not.
The Fabulous Fear Machine is one of the most fun strategy games I’ve played in ages. In it, you take control of one of a few sinister people who would stop at nothing to accomplish their nefarious goals by using the titular Fabulous Fear Machine. A 1950s art style combines brilliantly with some modern social commentary and some very sharp gameplay and writing to create what might be the best “map strategy” game of the year.
We’ll end the list by cheating a little bit: we don’t actually know what Tchia’s peak player count was. That is because, unlike the rest of the games on this list, Tchia isn’t on Steam (yet, though it is slated for a March 2024 release), and is only available on PC through the Epic Game Store right now. But don’t let that dissuade you: Tchia is one of the warmest experiences of 2023.
In Tchia, you play as a girl with the power to possess any creature or object she comes across. A power she uses to traverse gorgeous islands in order to accomplish a series of quests and tasks in order to rescue her father (and the islands) from a nefarious being. The game, heavily inspired by New Caledonia, is equal parts heartwarming, culturally informing, and fun, and is one of the coziest games released in years. Don’t let Tchia’s Epic-only release put you off of this absolute gem; check it out the next time you need to unwind with a little island adventure.
Hopefully these recommendations helps you make sure you aren’t missing out on any diamonds in the rough for 2023. But, of course, there are hundred of other games that could’ve made it on this list, so we’d love to hear other hidden gems you’ve found in the comments below!
Share this article:
Graves
Graves is an avid writer, web designer, and gamer, with more ideas than he could hope to achieve in a lifetime. But, armed with a mug of coffee and an overactive imagination, he'll try. When he isn't working on a creative project, he is painting miniatures, reading cheesy sci-fi novels, or making music.
