thatHITBOX Game of the Year 2023
A spiral of excellence.
By Jonathan Garrett
08/01/24
This has been a remarkable year for videogame releases. From outstanding new IP to stalwart sequels that have managed to somehow exceed expectations, the industry has cranked out some wonderful efforts. Tills have been set alight and fanbases satiated. At the same time, it also feels like a bizarrely sombre few months for those making a living from this complex creative pursuit.
Massive layoffs at high profile companies like Bungie, Epic, Unity, and various Embracer owned teams stung in a profound way. We very much hope that this is not an indication of an ongoing trend, and that everyone affected has landed on their feet. Regardless of any bad management decisions or mis handled budgets, the art created by creators in this space has been wonderful.
Our nominees this year are one short. Starfield would likely have got a nod, but we simply haven’t played it enough to either review or nominate. Rounding out our potentials list were The Finals, which has proven to be a reliable stalwart of our online sessions, and a wonderfully polished effort. Then there’s Hi-Fi Rush, the shadow dropped banger of a surprise, and of course Super Mario Bros. Wonder, which delivered an endless cavalcade of weird tweaks to a well tuned formula.
However, our official thatHITBOX Game of the Year for 2023 goes to the incomparable Alan Wake 2. Remedy’s long gestating sequel hit us like a dark and stormy freight train; a relentless barrage of narrative rug pulls and taut, high stakes combat. There really is nothing quite like it.
TARPS?
At the bottom of some of our articles, you’ll see a series of absurd looking images (with equally stupid, in joke laden names). These are the TARP badges, which represent our ‘Totally Accurate Rating Platform’. They allow us to identify specific things, recognise positive or negative aspects of a games design, and generally indulge our consistent silliness with some visual tomfoolery.
