Year in Review lists are out now across various platforms including Steam, Nintendo Switch, Sony PlayStation 5 and Xbox. Since I’ve multiple devices, it would be interesting to see what the reviews say about my gaming habits. Read on and you’ll find out what’s my favorite game of the year (it’s not a triple-A title).
Let’s start off with the current gen console that I’ve owned the longest, the Nintendo Switch.
Nintendo Switch
This year I restarted a habit that I developed back when I was actively playing on the Nintendo DS: buying physical titles. This was mainly due to the exchange rate making USD purchases through Nintendo’s online store to be not economically sound. So what does Nintendo has to say about my gaming habits?
Despite having new blockbusters such as Tears of the Kingdom and Super Mario Wonder sitting inside my CRKD carry-case, perennial favorites such as Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Diablo III Eternal Collection made it to the top 3 of my most played games, with only one recent release occupying the top spot on that list, EA Sports FC 24. I can credit the Booster Course Pass which introduced new tracks and characters to Mario Kart 8 for the longevity of the game. The fact that the game is very accessible has made it a game night staple with my kids this year.
Diablo III Eternal Collection is still the best version of Diablo III ANYWHERE, and you get the bonus of having to bring the game along anywhere. Nintendo’s Year in Review is accessible on the web: https://year-in-review.nintendo.com/
Xbox Series S
While most people would argue why would you need a Series S around while you own a gaming PC, the Series S is fulfilling a specific niche in my gaming life. I’ve been using it to play old Xbox / Xbox 360 titles that also appeared on the PlayStation 2 or PlayStation 3 which never made it to the PC. This includes games such as EA’s skateboarding magnum opus SSX 3 and Mercenaries: Playground of Destruction.
I’ve used the Series S for Forza Horizons 5 and Halo Infinite when it was hooked-up to my TV, but nowadays it’s sitting in the home office as a remote-play retro console. The Xbox Year in Review is available on the web, check it out over here: https://www.xbox.com/en-GB/year-in-review
Steam (PC and Steam Deck)
2023 was a busy year for me on Steam. For one, I received quite a number of review codes on Steam. Some of the more memorable games (review copies or otherwise purchased ones) included Boltgun, Aliens: Dark Descent and Tiny Thor.
Secondly, the Fallout series of games featured heavily in my sessions. I revisited Fallout 3 after finishing Fallout: New Vegas in January. I started from scratch having last played the game on the Sony PlayStation 3, and ended up finishing the game and the Broken Steel DLC.
My personal pick for Game of the Year would be Dredge, and no surprises here as the game was my number one game on the Steam Deck. This indie title from Black Salt Games is a Lovecraftian-horror disguised as a fishing game. You can check out our coverage on the game over here: https://www.nineoverten.com/2023/04/02/dredge-pc-review-fishing-with-a-splash-of-horror/
You can view your Steam Year in Review on the Steam Client or on the web: https://store.steampowered.com/yearinreview
What’s Missing?
Diablo IV is conspicuously missing from my Year in Review lists. For one, I’m playing that game on the PC and Blizzard doesn’t see fit to track play time on the PC via the Battle.net app. I’ve finished the single player campaign so it’s just too bad those stats are not going to appear anywhere.
The second thing what’s missing are my Year in Review stats for the PlayStation 5. According to Sony I didn’t spend enough time on their beloved console to warrant a Year in Review. That… kinda sucks. But then again the PS5 does have the distinction of being part of the furniture in the living room (it does look like a vase, and I’m constantly cautioning my kids not to touch it).
Nineoverten.com’s Top 10 for 2023
Without further ado, here are my Top 10 games (regardless of platforms):
- Dredge (PC, Steamdeck)
- Diablo IV (PC, Steamdeck)
- EA Sports FC 24 (Nintendo Switch, Sony PlayStation 5)
- Fallout 4 (PC)
- Heroes of Might & Magic III (PC, Steamdeck)
- Hot Wheels Unleashed (PC, Nintendo Switch, Sony PlayStation 5)
- Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (Nintendo Switch)
- Vampire Survivors (PC, Steamdeck, Nintendo Switch)
- Diablo III
- Forza Horizon 5 (Xbox Series S, PC)
