Our Most Anticipated Games For 2023

Looking back the gaming year of 2022, we have, as expected, seen both some good and some bad. We have seen some really cringe-inducing games in the metaverse, continued to suffer from chip shortages, rip-off prices on graphics cards, and now even super expensive electricity to run it all.

But even so, my wish list on Steam continues to grow (even though I purchase games there all the time!), and there have been some interesting developments in the retro game space, with big publishers picking up licenses for beloved and classic retro arcade games, most notably, Zero Wing which will be released by Bitwave Games.

Presenting here is the staff-picks of our most anticipated games for the coming year, in no particular order;

Vengeful Guardian: Moonrider

Quality run ‘n gun packed with action and inspired by Sega’s great Shinobi franchise? Count me in!

Raiden IV x MIKADO remix

The Raiden series is easily an all-time favorite, and seeing a new edition of Raiden IV on the current platforms (or perhaps more importantly on PC) will be amazing.

GrimGrimoire OnceMore

Vanillaware’s games always have a special place in our hearts, and this vibrant fantasy adventure is a remake of a well-received PlayStation 2 release from 2007.

Puzzle Bobble Everybubble!

The Puzzle Bobble games have always been excellent comfort-games that you can just pick up and enjoy for a quick session, or even a prolonged one. It has incredible replay value, great gameplay, and music. This new version has big boots to fill, but it looks like it will be a worthy successor in every possible way.

R-Type® Final 3 Evolved

I backed the R-Type Final 2 kickstarter back when it was announced, but sadly have not found the time to actually play the game! Nevertheless, I’m always up for more arcade style shooting games, and R-Type has always been one of the best in its genre.

R-Type Tactics I • II Cosmos

Yes, even more R-Type is on the horizon for 2023, and this one is a two-game remake that will introduce us here in the EU to R-Type Tactics II for the very first time. We’ll finally get to explore more of the R-Type universe and its cryptic lore.

WRATH: Aeon of Ruin

Ultra violent and grotesque retro FPS shooter with amazing graphics and super tight gameplay? I’ve been waiting for this game for so long already, and it looks like it’s finally going to release in spring 2023.

Street Fighter 6

The Street Fighter games are obviously big ones on our radar, and it looks like the new iteration will have everything it needs to once again revitalize the fighting game genre and its loyal fan base and community.

Super Bomberman R 2

Bomberman as a concept just never gets old, and this new offering looks crazier than ever before, packed with more content, new game modes, and of course, massive PvP battles. (We’ve also spotted the Vic Viper skin in the trailer!)

Warhammer 40,000: Boltgun

Amazing looking trailer for an amazing looking game; a Warhammer 40k themed retro FPS shooter that looks insane, extremely gory, and just glorious.

Ion Fury: Aftershock

The amazing-looking expansion to the excellent retro FPS Ion Fury has been delayed, and it looks like it will release in the coming year. But we’re still holding out for it…

Phantom Fury

We obviously enjoyed the hell out of the previous game Ion Fury, and this next iteration looks like it will be something very special for all the retro FPS fans out there.

Suikoden I & II HD Remaster Gate Rune and Dunan Unification Wars

Wow, this one takes you back, doesn’t it? I loved the first Suikoden game on the PlayStation, but sadly never got the chance to play the sequel. This HD remaster is a welcome one, indeed!

Last Epoch

No release date (or year) has been officially confirmed to my knowledge, but I’m at least hoping that this game will launch out of its (very long) Early Access status in 2023.

Wizardry: The Five Ordeals

The classic Wizardry game series has also been stuck in a Early Access status for a while now, but at least they recently released the official English translation. Hopefully the full game will be released in the coming year!

Resident Evil 4 Remake

Gorgeous remake of the genre-defining, timeless Capcom classic; Resident Evil 4. Following the previous (very good) Resident Evil remakes, we’re hyped to say the least.

Baldur’s Gate 3

We’re huge fans of epic fantasy adventure roleplaying games, and Baldur’s Gate 3 has a lot going for it; great co-op, nice looking graphics, and interesting combat mechanics, with all the different races and classes.

Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader

This grim dark roleplaying adventure in the world of Warhammer 40,000 is in our sights, promising exploration, strategy, and interesting character options.

Tales of Symphonia Remastered

Tales of Symphonia is a beloved classic rpg adventure, and we’re delighted to see that a remaster is coming to current generation platforms!

Test Drive Unlimited Solar Crown

We’ve been anticipating this game to be released before, and we’re still waiting. This game looks to be filled to the brim with atmospheric scenes, locations, and extremely cool cars. Can’t wait to drive these busy city streets!

Selaco

Another amazing looking retro FPS that is marked as “coming soon”. This game has an astonishing art style, hard core action, and blazing fast gameplay – what’s not to love!? A demo is out on Steam, but hopefully the whole game should be out in the coming year.

Armored Core VI Fires of Rubicon

We’ve been following the Armored Core franchise for a very long time, and it’s good to see that a new game is finally on the horizon!