Baldur’s Gate III

Do you lack the free time and/or company for D&D? Have you ever wanted to feed a wizard your nicest pair of boots? You can have all that and more in Larian Studios’ 2023 game of the year, Baldur’s Gate III. Baldur’s Gate III is an open world RPG set in the world of Dungeons and Dragons. Combat in the game is challenging but rewarding. The stories – whether the overarching plot or character questlines – are all compelling and often tear-jerking. The main cast of NPCs is lovable and engaging, and even the most remote characters are still engaging enough to be some players’ favorite. That, along with the game’s musical score, voice performance, and art, makes Baldur’s Gate III one of the most enriching gaming experiences the world has seen.

Don’t Starve Together

If you’re a fan of co-op games, and difficult survival settings, Don’t Starve Together is the game for you! Don’t Starve Together sounds far easier in concept than it actually is. A more fitting name would be; Don’t Starve, burn, freeze, drown, get eaten by a wolf, go insane, get too damp from the rain, get hit by a meteor, steal eggs, or chop too many trees… Together. This game throws everything it has at you. There isn’t a second of gameplay that isn’t spent preparing for the next worst case scenario to occur. Accompanying the game itself is a series of animated shorts, expanding on the lore of the world and each character of the game’s extensive roster. The lore runs deep in this game. Beyond extra materials and playstyle, the game is incredibly thematically pleasing. With characters resembling paper-dolls, and a world resembling a stage, players are serenaded by orchestral music throughout their game, further immersing themselves into the old fashioned charm of the game. Don’t Starve Together is an overall exciting, charming, well developed game that’s great for playing with friends and family. It’s highly recommended to those with taste.

Hollow Knight

It’s never too late to cry over bugs. Hollow Knight can scratch that item off your bucket list for just 20 dollars on console or pc. It is a gorgeous 2d MetroidVania game that uncovers the history and secrets of the ancient and decrepit kingdom of HollowNest. The gameplay, the music, story, and art all combine into the most tragic, and heartfelt story about bugs since Disney Pixar’s A Bug’s Life.

The Stanley Parable, Ultra Deluxe

This is a game for those who do not like to follow orders, and do like to uncover secrets. The Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe, a partial remake of The Stanley Parable, follows an office worker named Stanley. A helpful disembodied voice accompanies him, narrating your story as you make your way through the game. The game picks up speed when the player is given the option to carve their own path- one that directly contradicts what the Narrator had planned. The decisions that the player makes dictate the ending of the story. There are 42 endings in total, making Stanley Parable Ultra Deluxe a perfect game for perfectionists. The beauty of the game lies in the atmosphere and dialogue. Endings can vary from two grown men fighting over a bucket, to a lone Stanley, aimlessly wandering through an endless desert, with no end in sight. Dialogue varies from “Please, I’m asking you not to take this away from me. I can’t go back to what I was before.” to “-then she backflipped all the way to work.” Find these cursed lines for yourself In The Stanley Parable, Ultra Deluxe.

Wobble Dogs

There are far too many pet simulator games that don’t take random mutation into account. Wobble Dogs remedies that issue. The game starts by giving you two fairly regular (albeit purple and rectangular) dogs. Throughout their lives, these pups pupate, making changes -small and large- in appearance. Sometimes the color of a dog will shift slightly. Other times, a dog will sprout wings, or gain a new head. As pups grow up, they become able to breed, and create new little monstrosities. Wobble Dogs takes irresponsible dog breeding practices to a whole new level. And it’s incredible. Buy Wobble Dogs, and start making adorable nightmares now.

By Maia Kinch