The 10 Best Games of 2023 Ranked by Metacritic Score

2024 was an amazing year for video games, but with a month still left to go, it felt a little premature to make a list of the best games of 2024. So, why don’t we turn back the clock and look at the best games of 2023, ranked by their Metacritic score?

The 10 Best Games of 2023 According to Metacritic

10. Jack Jeanne

9. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

8. Slay the Princess

7. Against the Storm

6. Street Fighter 6

5. Super Mario Bros. Wonder

4. Resident Evil 4

3. Metroid Prime Remastered

2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

1. Baldur’s Gate 3

10. Jack Jeanne (Metascore: 90 Based on 9 Critic Reviews)

Although this game came out in Japan in 2021, it didn’t head overseas until 2023. Better late than never because this game is amazing.

It’s a fusion of multiple different genres, and while that can be a recipe for disaster in some cases, Jack Jeanne manages to not only juggle these different genres but also blend them neatly. Not only is it a visual novel but it’s also a rhythm game plus a life/school simulator to top it off.

Jack Jeanne has a high Metascore score of 90 based on 9 critic reviews and a user score of 7.4 based on 43 user reviews.

9. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (Metascore: 90 Based on 151 Critic Reviews)

This is the third game in Sony’s Spider-Man series, and according to Metacritic scores, it’s the best of the bunch. The first game earned a Metascore of 87 while the second game earned an 85. This newest game, however, has a Metascore of 90 based on 151 reviews and a user score of 8.8 based on 8,736.

But what makes this game so great? Well, it sees our two friendly Spider-Men team up to take on a slew of their most iconic villains including Sandman, Mister Negative, and of course, Venom. A lot of people viewed this game as more of the same, but I like to look at it as them perfecting their craft. It doesn’t change or re-work anything drastically; everything has stayed largely the same but they just keep getting better and better.

So, I can’t wait to see how Marvel’s Spider-Man 3 continues the trend of refining the series’ recipe.

8. Slay the Princess (Metascore: 90 Based on 24 Critic Reviews)

Now, this was a game I hadn’t heard about until a couple of weeks ago, and I’m upset that it took so long for me to learn about it. It’s unique and weird, and if you like games that are a bit out there, this will be right up your alley. It’s a visual novel which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea but it does have the advantage of being fully voiced if you’re the type that hates reading.

And to get a grasp of what the game is about, just read the title: Slay the Princess. It’s your job, it’s your duty to kill the princess. Way, way easier said than done though. Things can get messy in a flash, and the princess will try every trick in the book to get you to spare her life.

Slay the Princess’ Metascore is currently sitting at 90 based on 24 critic reviews, and its user score is at 8.2 based on 180 user reviews.

7. Against the Storm (Metascore: 91 Based on 20 Critic Reviews)

After the popularity of games like Slay the Spire and Hades, it seemed that a lot of games were looking to add roguelike elements to their game. Sometimes, this was a good addition, and other times, it just didn’t fit. Like a puzzle piece for the wrong puzzle. So, when I heard about a city-building game that had some roguelike DNA inside it, I was cautiously optimistic.

Fortunately, Against the Storm met and exceeded my expectations. I’m not big on city-building games, but I do love me some roguelikes, and Against the Storm had just enough of both to keep me hooked. Even if your settlement fails, it’s not a big deal. Pick yourself (and your resources) up, and try again and again and again. The nice part of this game is that even when you “lose,” it’s still fun.

And it looks like I’m not the only one who enjoyed Against the Storm. Its Metascore is currently a 91 based on 20 critic reviews, and it also has a user score of 8.0 based on 169 user reviews.

6. Street Fighter 6 (Metascore: 92 Based on 99 Critic Reviews)

Sitting snugly on the sixth spot is Street Fighter 6. One of the juggernauts of the fighting games genre, it’s great to see Street Fighter still going strong with its sixth installment. After the turbulent launch of Street Fighter 5 and the rocky first couple of seasons, people were wary of Street Fighter 6.

Well, as a huge fighting game fan, I’m happy to say that Capcom learned from its mistakes and has worked hard to make SF6 a really enjoyable game. It’s the first Street Fighter game that I have really gotten into, and I’m sure that if you gave it a shot, you would like it too.

Street Fighter 6 has a Metascore of 92 based on 99 critic reviews and a user score of 7.5 based on 930 user reviews.

5. Super Mario Bros. Wonder (Metascore: 92 Based on 135 Critic Reviews)

Speaking of a long-running franchise, Mario is still coming out with bangers even after all this time, and Super Mario Bros. Wonder is no exception. Although it retains (mostly) the same formula as previous Super Mario Bros. games, what Wonder does is give it a fresh coat of paint, new mechanics, and it takes off all restraints.

Mix all of those things together and what you get is a wonderfully weird, unique, and fun game. This is the most fun I’ve had in a mainline Super Mario Bros. game in a long time, and the reviews agree.

It currently has a Metascore of 92 based on 135 critics and a user score of 9.0 based on 2,453 user reviews.

4. Resident Evil 4 (Metascore: 93 Based on 133 Critic Reviews)

It’s only fitting that Resident Evil 4 is in the fourth spot on this list.

When you’re remaking an already amazing game, it’s hard to mess up. However, it happens more often than you think. Fortunately, that was not the case here. Spectacular original game and a spectacular remake to boot.

Resident Evil 4 sees Raccoon City survivor Leon S. Kennedy tasked with saving the President’s daughter from a village in Spain. But danger lurks everywhere, and Leon will have to shoot, slash, and backflip his way out of there.

Resident Evil 4 currently has a Metascore of 93 based on 133 critic reviews and a user score of 8.8 based on 6,043 user reviews.

3. Metroid Prime Remastered (Metascore: 94 Based on 100 Critic Reviews)

From one amazing remake to another, Metroid Prime remastered also makes it on the list. This game allowed fans to see a different side of the Metroid franchise. Instead of the usual side-scrolling Metroidvania that they were used to, it turned everything on its head by giving it a first-person perspective.

A franchise completely reinventing itself like this is extremely rare, and although it still pressed forward with its regularly scheduled Metroidvania installments, it’s still crazy to think about the fact that it took such a big risk like this. A risk that paid off.

It spawned its own subseries and also received a remaster 21 years later; a remaster that is just as good and fun as the original.

Metroid Prime Remasted has a Metascore of 94 based on 100 critic reviews and a user score of 8.9 based on 1,389 user reviews.

2. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (Metascore: 96 Based on 156 Critic Reviews)

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is considered by many to not only be one of the best Zelda games ever, not only one of the best open-world games ever but one of the best games ever. Point blank period.

So, it goes without saying that the sequel to Breath of the Wild had to be nothing but amazing, or else it would fall short of everyone’s expectations. But of course, Tears of the Kingdom lived up to the hype.

Although it retains a lot of Breath of the Wild, there are two new big areas introduced that extra layers to the game: floating sky islands and an underground area. It also introduces several new mechanics that prevent the game from feeling the same as its predecessor.

The team’s hard work was not in vain as The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has a Metascore of 96 based on 156 critic reviews and a user score of 8.8 based on 12,616 user reviews.

1. Baldur’s Gate 3 (Metascore: 96 Based on 119 Critic Reviews)

I’m not going to lie to you guys; I had never heard of the Baldur’s Gate series until last year. Well, that obviously has changed. But it’s not just my eyes that were opened; it seems that the whole world, even people who are only casually into gaming, have learned and have fallen in love with Baldur’s Gate 3.

It made history as the first-ever game to win every major Game of the Year Award. But apart from all the fanfare and all the love from the critics; is it really that good? Well, I can attest that yeah, it is that good. I’ve played JRPGs and Action RPGs before but this was the first true RPG/classic RPG (whatever you want to call it) that I’ve played, and I became addicted. Even if RPGs aren’t your cup of coffee, I would still give Baldur’s Gate 3 a chance; that’s how good it is.

It currently has a Metascore of 96 based on 119 critic reviews and a user score of 9.2 based on 17,449 user reviews.

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