Games I Played / Beat This Year - 2023
Updated Throughout My 2023 - games I started or finished in a different year than 2023 will be indicated.
Thoughts on This Year:
Because of the many responsibilities that have caught up to me this year, it's been a lot slower of a year than 2022. More of the games on this list are in genres either A. Easy to pick-up or B. Familiar to me. That being said, even among the familiar properties and "safe genres" I've played this year, I reflected more on what I've played. The stories, the gameplay, the visuals, everything. It gave me a better appreciation for Link's Awakening, Bowser's Inside Story, and Night In The Woods.
It has been said that 2023 is one of the best years for gaming, and I look forward to be able to play the heavy-hitters that released this year, sometime in the future - maybe when I get a halfway decent PC. I did play perhaps the most anticipated game of this year however, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. As someone who has been waiting for this game since it was first revealed in 2019, this was a huge moment for me, playing it alongside my friends who got into the Zelda series (specifically Breath of the Wild) earlier in the year was exciting too! It blew me away in almost all aspects - I only wasn't too excited by the overarching story. There are some phenomenal story-moments and set-pieces, though.
This year, feeling a little directionless, also reflects in the games I played! I realized towards the end that I need to make my way through my backlog proper. This task started with beating Bowser's Inside Story, a game I had borrowed from my friend for four years. I'm trying to not turn emptying my backlog into a chore, so I'm only shifting my mindset to one of optimism - I tend to build up a lot of games into something I deem insurmountable - based on their genre, release date, and general consensus. For example, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the first game in its formula, and its one that released over 20 years ago, so I've neglected to play it all this time. It's my second game in this quest to empty my backlog, and I think trying to shift my mindset is going to help ease the burden.
Overall, a slower, more contemplative year!
Thoughts on This Year:
Because of the many responsibilities that have caught up to me this year, it's been a lot slower of a year than 2022. More of the games on this list are in genres either A. Easy to pick-up or B. Familiar to me. That being said, even among the familiar properties and "safe genres" I've played this year, I reflected more on what I've played. The stories, the gameplay, the visuals, everything. It gave me a better appreciation for Link's Awakening, Bowser's Inside Story, and Night In The Woods.
It has been said that 2023 is one of the best years for gaming, and I look forward to be able to play the heavy-hitters that released this year, sometime in the future - maybe when I get a halfway decent PC. I did play perhaps the most anticipated game of this year however, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. As someone who has been waiting for this game since it was first revealed in 2019, this was a huge moment for me, playing it alongside my friends who got into the Zelda series (specifically Breath of the Wild) earlier in the year was exciting too! It blew me away in almost all aspects - I only wasn't too excited by the overarching story. There are some phenomenal story-moments and set-pieces, though.
This year, feeling a little directionless, also reflects in the games I played! I realized towards the end that I need to make my way through my backlog proper. This task started with beating Bowser's Inside Story, a game I had borrowed from my friend for four years. I'm trying to not turn emptying my backlog into a chore, so I'm only shifting my mindset to one of optimism - I tend to build up a lot of games into something I deem insurmountable - based on their genre, release date, and general consensus. For example, The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is the first game in its formula, and its one that released over 20 years ago, so I've neglected to play it all this time. It's my second game in this quest to empty my backlog, and I think trying to shift my mindset is going to help ease the burden.
Overall, a slower, more contemplative year!
13 Games
(started in 2023, beat in 2024)
(started in 2023, beat in 2024)
