We're now halfway through the calendar year, which means it's around five months until Geoff Keighley takes the stage in Los Angeles, as part of an event that brings together the video game industry's best and brightest talent for an evening of award giving and celebrations. With The Game Awards set for December, we've decided to take a look at which games we think are set to be tapped for a shot at the elusive Game of the Year vote, out of the massive collection of incredible games that have already made their debut in 2023.
We've picked out ten games that we think have a shot at the sought after award, and split them into three categories; dark horse, outside chance, and favourites to win. To see where we've placed each of the year's "best" games so far, check out our list below.
Dark horse
Hogwarts Legacy
Hogwarts Legacy was a massive commercial success and a hugely entertaining game in and of itself. But, unlike some of the other games on this list, it doesn't quite feature the gameplay depth or additional objectives and options to allow it to contend with the real titans of this year. That being said, the way Avalanche offered up magical spells and presented the castle of Hogwarts, the town of Hogsmeade, and the surrounding countryside, is more than enough for Hogwarts Legacy to make the cut in this list.
Dead Space
There is a real trend with this year's potential GOTYs, as many are remakes of former beloved titles. That's precisely why Dead Space falls into the dark horse category, as it loses points for originality, even if the game itself is a marvellous showing of what a modern survival horror game can be. It's atmospheric, claustrophobic, terrifying, and a great representation of the original late 2000s experience, and for all of those reasons, Motive deserves to be celebrated for this title.
Street Fighter 6
It's not a perfect game, but Capcom has put Street Fighter back on the map with this instalment into the series. Street Fighter 6 is unlike any of the Street Fighters that came before it, thanks to its inclusion of a JRPG-like story mode that has been a little conflicting among fans. But, one thing that is clear is that aside from the World Tour elements, this is a very competent and well-built fighting game, one that will be a favourite to take the Best Fighting award and potentially even more if voters are feeling generous.
Resident Evil 4
Yes, it's another remake. And yes, like Dead Space, we're going to be knocking Resident Evil 4 down a peg or two for its lack of originality. But if it wasn't for these areas, we'd be singing from the rooftops about this game. While it may be less of a survival horror game and more of an action title, Capcom has proved why so many look to RE4 as the best in the beloved series, as its combination of thrilling combat, awesome storylines, witty one-liners, creative and terrifying enemies and bosses, and more, all mash together to create an unforgettable experience.
Outside chance
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
The general consensus with Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is that this was a game that was a few nasty bugs and issues away from being truly special. Respawn has become one of the best at crafting stories in A Galaxy Far, Far Away, and it shows in this sequel once again. The storyline, the thrilling gameplay, the exploration, the progression, the additional objectives, the characters, they all come together to make one of the best Star Wars titles we have ever seen, and a prime contender to slip in and snatch a GOTY nomination or potential win.
Hi-Fi Rush
The biggest surprise launch of the year so far also has a chance at surprising us again towards the end of 2023. Not only was Hi-Fi Rush a shock when it launched, coming out of nowhere in January, but it also proved to be a really good game. With refreshing visuals, fun combat set to the rhythm of Tango Gameworks' vibrant world, the few hours we got to spend in Hi-Fi Rush proved that not every game needs to be a 50-hour open-world romp in order to win over gamers, nor does it even have to have a lengthy marketing campaign to stand out among its peers.
Diablo IV
Blizzard really needed a win, and that's precisely what they got with Diablo IV. This action-RPG put the Californian team back in the limelight and proved why they were (for such a long time) regarded as a gold standard developer. The improved narrative elements, the great character and world design, the huge variety in buildcrafting and gameplay, and the overall experience of Diablo IV has been so excellent that we can see it sneaking its way in and being in for a shot at the GOTY award.
Our favourites to win
Metroid Prime Remastered
In the world of remakes and remasters, it can feel as though a fair few companies are just after a quick buck with a visual overhaul of their most famous titles. However, then you get games like Metroid Prime Remastered, which elevate the already exceptional experience of the original to a whole new level. There is a dreadful chance that this game falls somewhat by the wayside due to recency bias later in the year, but this phenomenal shooter is one we'll remember throughout 2023 and beyond, and hopefully this translates to some GOTY awards later down the line.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
While we have seen more than a few overhyped disappointments in recent years, one that certainly would have had fans questioning everything were it to have gone wrong was The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Luckily, we live in the reality where Nintendo knocked it out of the park, where the physics engine is something that wows even veterans of the industry, and the world manages to be even more enthralling than that of The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. There is a lot of hype about this game even as the time passes from release, but this is one of those rare occasions where the hype is met. Truly a stand-out hit in a year that has been full of them. We can't imagine Tears of the Kingdom going without any awards later this year.
Final Fantasy XVI
It may be the most recent of the bunch, but it's by far the least deserving to be on this list. Square Enix has looked to really rewrite the book on what a Final Fantasy game is with this title, and has done so with such high production that Final Fantasy XVI sometimes feels more like a movie than it does a game. The narrative, graphics, theme, gameplay, accessibility, it's all masterfully imagined, even if it doesn't reflect what we've come to expect from the long-running Japanese series over the years.