It’s time for our annual countdown to award the very best games this year had to offer. Over the next ten days, we’ll count down our top ten games of 2023.
As always, the votes of each Press Start team member, weighted from #10 through to #1, were collated to compile our collective very best for the year that was. Games worthy of one’s top spot would be awarded the maximum of 10 points and the values would descend down to their tenth selection, which would receive a single point.
A round of rapid polls were utilised to settle dead heats and finalise the top ten.
Although this sensational sequel might have gone oh-from-seven at the Keighleys this year, it certainly earned its place on our end of year list with its bigger combat, bigger playground, and bigger story that brings together two Spider-Men to take down one of webslinger’s most ominous villains.
By telling two intertwined stories, it gives both Miles and Peter satisfying arcs all within one monster video game. This propelled Insomniac’s Spider-Man trilogy, which is expected to undoubtedly expand, to a level where it absolutely stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the Arkham games, which have long been the pinnacle of comic-to-game adaptations.
All in all, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 is an exceptional return to a New York that’s now home to more superheroes than can reasonably be counted. It’s denser, more exciting to explore, and refines just about every problem people had with the original.
In his review, Kieron scored Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 a 9 out of 10 saying:
“Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 cleverly pairs its added width and breadth with more depth and meaningful new gameplay and story opportunities. There’s rarely a moment here that doesn’t feel thrilling, enchanting, heartbreaking, awe-inspiring or some combination of it all. Beyond untangling the finer threads of its design or narrative ambitions though, it’s genuinely just the most fun, gorgeous open world superhero game out there.”
Shannon said:
“Not a lot needs to be said here. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 successfully built on the first game in every way. Insomniac managed to up the ante with double the superhero power, higher stakes and a better realised open-world.”
Brodie said:
“Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 definitely fixes one of the minor issues I had with the first game by delivering more varied and interesting side content, but most importantly it delivers yet another enormous, bombastic superhero game that doubles down on everything rad from the first game.
The way the game takes dissonant narrative beats like something as mundane as Pete’s mortgage and crushes it together with something as emotional as Miles’ unwillingness to accept the past and still walks away with a staggeringly cohesive journey is a feat of its own. And oh, the swinging is somehow even better.”
At the time of publishing, Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 stands at a 90 on Metacritic.
Press Start’s Game of the Year 2023
5. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
6. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
7. Dredge
