Best RPG of 2023 - Article
by Miles Gregory , posted on 15 January 2024 / 5,166 Views
2023 was a fantastic year for video games in general, but it was particularly notable for those who love RPGs, especially those of a Western style. We saw the release of the highly anticipated Starfield from Bethesda, the same studio that arguably helped evolve the Western RPG genre into what it is today. Baldur’s Gate III took the world by storm, providing an experience that modernizes the old Western RPG formula while simultaneously paying close respect to the Dungeons & Dragons source material from which it's based off of. The release of Final Fantasy XVI pushed the series into a new direction, with combat that feels fast, fluid, satisfying, and distinctly Western in style contrary to what the series, and even the developer, is renowned for. But if you're looking for something that feels a bit more like the Square Enix of old, look no further than Sea of Stars, which once again proved that you don’t have to be a large studio to make a memorable and critically acclaimed RPG. With so many fantastic games to choose from, who will the winner be?
The Shortlist:
Baldur's Gate III
Starfield
Final Fantasy XVI
Sea of Stars
The Runner Up:
Final Fantasy XVI
Final Fantasy XVI is a great game through and through. Though some may take issue with its more Western style combat and de-emphasis on typical RPG tropes, such as leveling, it truly is a great experience once you set aside any preconceived notions of what Final Fantasy should be. Aside from the combat, Final Fantasy XVI also incorporates some Game of Thrones-esque plotlines, medieval influence, and the prototypical crystals, which, interestingly, shows a thematic return to the Final Fantasy games of yore. For the Final Fantasy fans that haven’t played this one because of the combat, I urge you to reconsider; Final Fantasy XVI is not just a great game, but the second-best RPG to come out in 2023.
The Winner:
Baldur's Gate III
Larian studios is known well enough for the incredible Divinity series, and particularly the more recent Divinity: Original Sin sub-series, which boosted the franchise's popularity to heights not seen before. Larian has done the same to the Baldur's Gate IP with Baldur's Gate III. Yes, the games are fantastic in quality and the series had a lot of fans before Larian ever got a hold of the IP. Yet Larian was still able to create a game with such passion and drive that quality oozes out from it as rich, warm chocolate would from a lava cake, and it's twice as delicious. If you like video games - and given you're reading this article right now you probably do - there's no reason to skip out on such an incredible experience. It really is THAT good.