The Best Games to Play Before 2023 Ends: 2Game’s Must-Have List

If you ask the editorial team here at 2Game, 2023 is one of the best years that the gaming industry has ever had concerning the sheer number of awesome games coming out. The same cannot be said about the development studios themselves, of course, which have been taking a hard hit, but that's a story for a different day. Today, we're all about celebrating some of the most important PC releases we have in store here at 2Game, and you're invited on for the ride!

Whether you're looking for top-tier gift ideas or trying to figure out what your next most anticipated game should be, you're getting a bit of a vertical cross-section of the entire industry here. And if you want to put all of that into proper context, don't forget to check out our newly updated list of the 100 best PC games you should be adding to your game library.

With all of that out of the way, let's see what we think are the games that you should play during your holiday break.

2023's Holiday Season: PC Games You Should Play

Starfield

Look, we'll admit: Starfield isn't for everyone, and it does seem that many players haven't been too thrilled with what's on offer. That being what it is, we do believe that in many ways, this is the best Bethesda flagship release we've seen yet. Deep, remarkably sandboxy, and filled to the brim with meaningful content and features, Starfield is still at the very start of its long-tail production. We're to expect both first-party expansions and a wealth of community mods throughout 2024 and beyond. If you'd like to see what all the hubbub is about though, we cannot recommend it enough.

Hogwarts Legacy

Hogwarts Legacy may have been overshadowed by the absolutely phenomenal likes of Baldur's Gate 3 and Alan Wake 2, for sure, but it still stands on its own two feet as a delightful Wizarding World RPG. Further, the game proves that the IP is more than strong enough to carry the franchise forward even without Rowling and Harry Potter proper, and we're thrilled with the possibilities here. If you're in the market for a great new open-world ARPG, add this to your library for sure.

Warhammer 40K: Rogue Trader

One of the newest releases on this list, Rogue Trader is the Warhammer 40K CRPG you didn't know you needed. This is, in more ways than one, the Warhammer-themed Baldur's Gate 3 that nobody saw coming, and the game punches way above its class in so many different ways that it's not even funny. Of course, this is an AA project that doesn't have years' worth of Early Access production under its belt, so you're going to want to set the correct expectations. Still, for Warhammer fans? A true must-have for sure.

Ready or Not

Speaking of Early Access, how about a successful release? Ready or Not came out just days ago, at the time of writing this article, and we've found ourselves enamoured with the concept of it. Further, the game's modding scene has already come alive with AI reworks and new gear choices, allowing you to fine-tune SWAT 5 however you see fit. Make no mistake, this game is the small-scale tactical shooter we've all been waiting for, and it's a marquee release you ought to consider.

Like a Dragon Gaiden: The Man Who Erased His Name

The fact that Yakuza games are absolute slam dunks as a rule is hardly new information, but the thing that sets The Man Who Erased His Name apart is the fact that it is - smaller. Instead of taking you dozens (upon dozens) of hours to wrap this story up, Gaiden is way more condensed and, arguably, more engaging as a result. This makes it a perfect onboarding option for those who want to get into the series but don't feel comfortable dedicating hundreds of hours to it all. It is, of course, a delightful game as well, and a delightful intro to the next mainline Like a Dragon entry!

My Time At Sandrock

Another one of 2023's successful Early Access 1.0 releases, My Time at Sandrock is one of the best adventure farming games we've got in this day and age. Set long after a horrific post-apocalypse, Sandrock is a strangely cozy and fun title that allows you to explore a post-apocalypse that isn't nearly as dark as you might expect it to be. Present are, of course, all the usual farming game tropes. You'll progress the town of Sandrock forward in a variety of ways, engaging with its community and their surroundings along the way.

RoboCop: Rogue City

RoboCop: Rogue City stands as a testament to just how good a new, modern take on a classic and almost forgotten IP can be. Brutal, chunky, and infinitely satisfying, Robocop is easily one of the best first-person shooters we've had in 2023, and it's an AA production to boot. For those of us who grew up during Robocop's heyday, there's absolutely no reason not to play this game. But for those who never experienced the IP at its height, too, this is a great choice and a great sleeper hit.

Cassette Beasts

Pokemon clones have taken off on PC over the past couple of years, but Cassette Beasts is, perhaps, the most impressive of them all. What you're getting here is the best of all worlds, from our experience: a phenomenal core gameplay loop, more creatures than you could shake a (poke)ball at, a good narrative with stellar humor, and surprisingly good characterization. Cassette Beasts does have some quirks of its own, but it more than makes up for them through sheer quality alone.

Snowrunner

Hey! You! Yes, you. Do you enjoy the idea of driving an off-road vehicle through knee-high mud? Oh, admit it, why don't you? Snowrunner lets you give that a shot, and its physics model is amazing, even to this day. The reason Snowrunner has come up again this year, though, is that we're extremely excited about next year's Expeditions, which puts even more emphasis on objective-based exploration and vehicle customization. Snowrunner is your best choice to see how that might pan out well ahead of time!

Lords of the Fallen

Arguably the best Soulslike of 2023, Lords of the Fallen revitalizes the franchise with an exciting new exploration of what a true Soulslike can pull off in 2023. The game is, in many ways, a fairly bog-standard genre experiment. Its gimmicks are a joy to behold in action, however, what with all the switching between two worlds and whatnot. It comes highly recommended, and with a huge roadmap of content for 2024, Lords of the Fallen is bound to grow further still.

What's Your Holiday Gaming Choice for 2023?

This brings us to the end of today's article! It's been a heck of a year and, from the looks of it, the overall vibe and quality of PC releases should carry over into 2024 as well. Heck, with Capcom's announcement of Monster Hunter Wilds for 2025, there's much to look forward to over the next couple of years.

All that's left for us to do in the time interim, and during the next couple of weeks in particular, is to take it all in and enjoy what we have.

We hope we've helped you choose your next big adventure and, of course, you're going to want to stay tuned to 2Game for our sales, to boot. Keep an eye on our Winter Sale for amazing discounts, and have a phenomenal holiday season!