This past October was a big one for AAA game releases. But which ones were the best?
#10 Total War: Pharaoh
The RTS genre has had many classic titles, and Total War: Pharaoh aims to be one of them by putting a unique spin on the leader you become. Instead of leading a nation during its peak or just before its prime, you’re leading Egypt before its collapse.
The end is coming, but there is time to fight it off! You’ll become a Pharaoh and seek to keep the empire’s bright future alight by taking on its enemies, bringing prosperity to its people, and more. But can you do it with so many things knocking at your door? You’ll need to take the throne and become the Pharaoh you were meant to be to find out!
#9 ARK: Survival Ascended
While ARK: Survival Ascended technically isn’t a “new game,” it is a remake of the original title that many people enjoyed. The “overhaul” comes from the graphical sense, as the team behind the title used the Unreal Engine 5 to enhance just about everything in the game. So, no matter what you thought of the first title, we can promise this one looks much better.
But if you were a fan of the core gameplay concept, it’s still there! You’ll be on an island with nothing to your name and have to find ways to survive, including making a tribe with other players and taming dinosaurs!
#8 Ghostrunner 2
You might have thought your adventures were done when you defeated the Keymaster and saved Dharma Tower. But the fates are not so kind. In Ghostrunner 2, Jack returns to take on a cult that wants to write the future in their own image. Oh, and did we mention an AI powers them? That means they have to go!
The game provides plenty of new skills to master and has reworked many aspects of the game to make it fresh and challenging. That includes making the game’s enemies adaptable to your skillset. So, you’ll need to constantly be on your toes if you want to defeat them.
#7 Lords of the Fallen
Long ago, one game ago, in fact, a demon god was defeated, and the world was saved. But given that this is a ‘sequel,’ we all know that’s not going to stick, right?
In Lords of the Fallen, the 2023 version, you’ll play a new character who quests to stop the demon god from being resurrected. The twist is that there isn’t one world to explore; there are two. One world is of the living, and the other is of the dead.
Due to that, your deaths in the game will send you to this darker world, and you’ll need to work through both to get the power needed to put the dark god down.
#6 EA Sports UFC 5
There are sports, there are combat sports, and then there’s the UFC. The “prize fighting” sport that took the world by storm has returned to the gaming space with EA Sports UFC 5, and they’re hoping to take back what many felt they lost in the past.
The game is stunningly rendered so that players can pick their favorite fighters and then duke it out against the computer or other players. Remember, this isn’t boxing, so use whatever moves and techniques you have available to get the win. You have a good selection of fighters to pick from, so don’t be afraid to try multiple ones out to get the perfect fit!
#5 Sonic Superstars
Are you ready to go fast in an old-school kind of way? Sonic Superstars is the ‘Return to Form’ that many gamers have been begging SEGA for, and they’re getting exactly what they want.
Sonic and friends will race across all new maps in an attempt to stop Dr. Eggman and his latest plot! Everything you liked about the original games with Sonic is here. The fun level design, the classic-style music, and having the chance to be Amy, Tails, and Knuckles!
Plus, you can bring in some friends for co-op play or battle them online in several modes! Hopefully, this is a sign of things to come!
#4 Assassin’s Creed Mirage
Ubisoft’s assassination franchise has had many highs and lows over the years, and some have argued that while the recent games are good, they’ve “ballooned” beyond what the original titles intent was. Assassin’s Creed Mirage aims to fix that by boiling things back down to “brass tacks” in a singular city full of danger and intrigue.
You are Basim, a new recruit for the Hidden Ones trying to be a worthy assassin. Within Baghdad, at one of its peaks, you’ll attempt to help the people by bringing down the tyranny that’s all around them.
But what of these dreams that Basim keeps having? What do they mean, and how will they affect his future?
#3 Alan Wake 2
It’s been a long time coming, but Alan Wake 2 has finally arrived, and it’s just as scary as you would imagine.
The twist is that the game has two different stories running concurrently, and you’ll have to work your way through both! One tells the tale of an FBI agent trying to figure out some murders in Bright Falls, the setting from the first game.
Then, there’s Alan Wake, who is trapped in a nightmare realm and is attempting to use his writing to get out. But how far will each go to escape the nightmares before them? You’ll have to keep going to find out!
#2 Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Easily one of the most surprising games of the year, Super Mario Bros. Wonder took players to the Flower Kingdom to stop Bowser’s latest plot for world domination.
But the twist is that this 2D game isn’t one to stay “stagnant.” Not only are there new power-ups for you to enjoy, like the Elephant Fruit or the Drill Cap, but you also have to deal with the power of the Wonder Flower! This thing will literally rewrite the entire game level until you find a Wonder Seed to set it back to how things were.
But that’s part of the fun! You’ll love seeing how the levels change and keep you on your toes.
#1 Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
We could’ve easily swapped Mario’s latest title for this one and felt content, but given the scale and scope of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, it just didn’t feel right to put it in second place.
The game takes place months after the first two titles and highlights the new yet familiar struggles of Peter Parker and Miles Morales as they try to save New York City while also keeping their social lives intact.
That’s not easy to do when new villains like Sandman, Kraven The Hunter, and Venom come to town! With an expanded New York City, new abilities, and so much to do, gamers will be at this for many hours.
