20 Best Video Games Of 2023 - RANKED

1. Baldur’s Gate 3

We said it about Skyrim in 2011, and The Witcher 3 in 2015: "Just how the hell did they pull this off??"

Baldur's Gate 3 is the new bar; the new genuine FEAT of pure game design. Every last permutation of player agency is accounted for; every whim you might have, combat or explorative suggestion you'd like to try; every which way you think you could take a character or narrative interaction, Larian Studios has you covered.

It's hard to put into words just how staggeringly complex and beautifully realised this all is, until you FEEL the game reacting to your every move. Stealthing through rooms of enemies to ambush a boss, resurrecting a dead side character to find out their secrets, speaking to some trapped giant spiders about helping them defeat their captors, or turning into a cloud to slink through the ventilation shaft of a factory filled with robots.

At some point there are major plot beats to hit so a three act structure slowly plays its hand, but Baldur's Gate 3 is by far the MOST game on offer this year, with the overwhelming majority polished, refined and made for mass consumption. It was only possible through a specific combination of genuine MASTERS of the craft of making video games, the budget to continually finance all those ideas, and six years of robust development, plus an early access period, to finally bring it to life.

Baldur's Gate 3 is a remarkable game, and something we should all simply treasure that we get to experience in our lifetimes.