Two things are true of 2023: it was a great year for high-quality titles, and a horrendous year for gaming in general.With almost 10,000 layoffs across the industry, running all the way until Christmas, it’s hard to imagine a worse year for talented game developers. As news trickle in of thousands abandoning games entirely, the shortsighted and malicious firing frenzy executed by studio executives will hurt the industry for years to come.Which makes a list like this feel bittersweet. I want to celebrate the works of passionate artists, but doing so comes with the knowledge that many are out of a job, and some will never return to work in this field again. Consider this my salute to those who’ve made my life a little bit happier and inspiring, and a massive two-finger salute to those who seek to destroy the art form for the sake of short-term profits.Unfairly maligned upon release, Forspoken is a far better and ambitious game than most give it credit for. Mixing Alice in Wonderland with...
