Just discovered this one the other day. Enjoying what I've played so far.
Turbo Overkill
Offered up more content than Doom Eternal. Maps and gameplay scale are equal if not larger. Only actual concession is texture resolution and model complexity. (aesthetically they made up for that)
I can't imagine anyone who likes set piece FPS games not finding something to like here. The demo does not do it justice. This shit is a wild ride.
I nearly finished Bramble in one sitting yesterday. Definitely my GOTY and biggest surprise of 2023. It felt like playing a Team Ico game set in a fantasy horror world imagined by Guillermo Del Toro. While playing I was reminded a lot of Ico and Pan's Labyrinth.This thread is for those games that went under the radar in an absolutely stacked 2023.
My pick is Bramble: The Mountain King, which currently has an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam, and is available on Game Pass.
This entry in the "sad boy runs to the right" genre (per the Developer in their Reddit AMA) stands tall with the best. Think Limbo/Inside/Little Nightmares but with Swedish mythology that absolutely does not hold back in terms of violence, horror, and dark subject matter. Great pacing, boss fights, and tonal shifts. Personally, the trailer was good, but didn't do it justice. I have the feeling the reputation of this game will grow over time.
What's your lesser-known pick for games that released in 2023?
Man, I can usually put my finger on why I like/don't like something all by myself, but I think you nailed it for me. With Limbo and Inside, I was making up my own concrete narrative to explain what was going on--plus you play as ostensibly human boys, which are easier for me to relate to than a bug thing. I can appreciate that Cocoon is well made...but I just don't think it was for me.Same. Loved Limbo and loved Inside. I think the reason we got on with those is simple: Among other things, they tell a story. Cocoon tells no story. Just you're a weird thing doing even weirder things, with no sense of time/space. It's appalling (lack of) exposition.
Is this a good play solo? The first-person horror has me interested and I liked The Forest and Sons of the Forest, which also had online co-op but stood well as solo experiences.
It's co-op only.Is this a good play solo? The first-person horror has me interested and I liked The Forest and Sons of the Forest, which also had online co-op but stood well as solo experiences.
What a shallow shitstom that game is. Lots of contrived puzzles, dead boring. The looks are ok, rest is meh.Cocoon. Do yourself a service and play this. Available on Gamepass.
Don’t sell yourself short. You could relate to being a bug thing (probably) if there had been any grounding to the story. Instead, there was no story. Ostensibly it’s just puzzle room after puzzle room with nothing to motivate you forward. I’m convinced people liking it is some conspiracy.Man, I can usually put my finger on why I like/don't like something all by myself, but I think you nailed it for me. With Limbo and Inside, I was making up my own concrete narrative to explain what was going on--plus you play as ostensibly human boys, which are easier for me to relate to than a bug thing. I can appreciate that Cocoon is well made...but I just don't think it was for me.
Yeah, Shadow Gambit is so unfortunate as the Studio shut down . And Jagged Alliance 3 is really good so if you were a fan of 2, should jump in.If you are to buy one game that gets mentioned in this thread then it should be one of these:
The end.
As an immersive sims lover i want to buy the game but i heard it can be super cryptic on a level that i would probably not appreciate.
The Mrs got it for switch on boxing day and must have put in 30 hours since, not a sleeper hit by looking at the amount of steam reviews but I never heard of itDoes Dave the Diver count? I had no idea how good that gameplay loop was until recently.
I feel like Pikmin 4 is getting slept on
Xenoblade 3: Future Redeemed also
Yu Suzuki's Air Twister a.k.a. Space Harriet
A fun little twin-stick shooter but including it here because it shadow dropped this year as free DLC for anyone who owns The Wonderful 101. You may already have it.
It’s old school alright. There is no hand holding whatsoever. There isn’t even a mission log. I admit, it’s very confusing at time but hey… that’s what people wanted. Had to use a guide a few times as well. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. Absolutely worth it.As an immersive sims lover i want to buy the game but i heard it can be super cryptic on a level that i would probably not appreciate.
That's funny. When I came into this thread I was going to post Bramble. Terrifying game. Looks and sounds great.This thread is for those games that went under the radar in an absolutely stacked 2023.
My pick is Bramble: The Mountain King, which currently has an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam, and is available on Game Pass.
This entry in the "sad boy runs to the right" genre (per the Developer in their Reddit AMA) stands tall with the best. Think Limbo/Inside/Little Nightmares but with Swedish mythology that absolutely does not hold back in terms of violence, horror, and dark subject matter. Great pacing, boss fights, and tonal shifts. Personally, the trailer was good, but didn't do it justice. I have the feeling the reputation of this game will grow over time.
What's your lesser-known pick for games that released in 2023?
System Shock Remake simply requires to pay attention to stuff you hear or read. It's not like a puzzle you can't solve, because it's too complicated or too abstract. It's definitely a breath of fresh air when 95% of similar games just show you where to go and tell you what to do after 5 seconds of being idle.As an immersive sims lover i want to buy the game but i heard it can be super cryptic on a level that i would probably not appreciate.
Been playing it today and almost finished it. It's... alright. It's not outstaying its welcome. Some of my issues are artistic: For whatever reason, the protagonist looks awful compared to every other character in the game. He doesn't sit in the environment, but rather on the environment, moonwalking everywhere. Essentially it looks like a pretty game engine where the character you control doesn't really look like it belongs there. That's partly due to lack of ambient occlusion or proper shadow maps from the main character. Just bizarre. Also, some occasional frame rate hitches don't help (13700K + 4090), but it's certainly an interesting one. Worth checking out, but ultimately I'll forget I played it, - it's not that memorable. Just a bunch of ideas we've already seen before in a fairy-tale setting with an occasionally annoying camera angle. One or two interesting fights, but ultimately going to be in the ~6.5-7 out of 10 for me.I nearly finished Bramble in one sitting yesterday. Definitely my GOTY and biggest surprise of 2023. It felt like playing a Team Ico game set in a fantasy horror world imagined by Guillermo Del Toro. While playing I was reminded a lot of Ico and Pan's Labyrinth.
I have this game on my steam wishlistI really like Against the Storm, don't know if people slept on it but it's on Game Pass.
Against the Storm
Banished meets Slay the Spire. Against the Storm is a roguelite city builder set in a fantasy world where it never stops raining. You are the Queen's viceroy - a pioneer sent into the wilds to establish and manage new settlements inhabited by beavers, lizards, and humans. Your goal is to...www.metacritic.com
This looks great but it’s Windows only. Not even a Switch version. Come on, man.Buy this shit if you like Horror and Point & Click Adventures with good puzzles
This looks great but it’s Windows only. Not even a Switch version. Come on, man.
My Sir. I forgot. This was announced for consoles as well including Switch. Not sure what the release date is.This looks great but it’s Windows only. Not even a Switch version. Come on, man.