The end of the year is approaching, and you know what that means.
It's time to look back on another incredible year in gaming to see which title comes out on top - the “Game of the Year”.
The list of 2023 Game of the Year awards nominees for Geoff Keighley's yearly celebration, The Game Awards, just recently broke cover. And boy, is it a doozy.
It's not very likely that everybody has played every single game on this list, because 2023 was absolutely jam-packed with awesome games. However, if you want to be fully educated on all of the greatest games that came out this year, we at Gameflip are here to help!
Read on to learn about the full list of GOTY 2023 contenders, where you can play them, and how you can get each one for the lowest price possible. It's just too many games to buy at full price!
Let's get started.
Note: This article will only cover the “Game of the Year” nominations specifically. The Game Awards gives out recognition to plenty of other games through other categories, which you can also find online.
Alan Wake 2
Don't mind Alan, he's just blasting away the competition. (Image Source: AlanWake.com)
Developer: Remedy Entertainment
Publisher: Epic Games Publishing
Release Date: October 27th
Metascore: 94
Saying that Alan Wake 2 came out of nowhere would be a little disingenuous.
Remedy Entertainment has killed it on just about every game they've put out, and Alan Wake 2 is no different. Horror, mystery, twisted visuals, and intense survival horror gameplay all come together to create an awesome experience that - in many ways - is unlike anything we've ever seen, let alone in other games released this year.
But then again, Remedy Entertainment is the same studio that brought us Control.
Alan Wake 2 is available on PC via the Epic Games Store as well as PS5 and Xbox. PC players are out of luck until the game eventually makes its way over to Steam, but PS5 and Xbox players can take advantage of the Gameflip marketplace to get their horror fix.
PS5 users can explore our offerings of discounted digital game codes, or buy the appropriate amount of PlayStation gift cards at a lower rate than what you would find in stores.
Xbox users can similarly check out our digital game listings for a good price on Alan Wake 2, or buy cheap Xbox gift cards to fund their purchase on the Xbox Store.
Baldur's Gate 3
Baldur's Gate 3 has hundreds of characters, but the only one that matters is Karlach. (Image Source: BaldursGate3.game)
Developer: Larian Studios
Publisher: Larian Studios
Release Date: August 3rd
Metascore: 96
What can we say about Baldur's Gate 3 that hasn't been said already?
The game is a masterpiece on every front, as it should be. Larian Studios had it in early access for a number of years before the big release, and all of that time and feedback definitely paid off. BG3 has almost single-handedly brought back the CRPG genre from near-dead, and for that alone it deserves a nod.
At the moment, Baldur's Gate 3 is only available on PC and PS5.
Since it's listed on Steam, PC gamers can save some money by purchasing some deeply discounted Steam gift cards from the Gameflip marketplace.
PlayStation users can either find a digital code for the PS5 version from one of our millions of community members, or snatch up some PSN gift cards at great prices.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2
All of the nominees are fantastic, but only one of them has Venom in it. (Image Source: Insomniac.games)
Developer: Insomniac Games
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Release Date: October 20th
Metascore: 90
Spider-Man held a special place in our hearts back when all of his games were trash, so you can probably imagine how we feel about the character these days.
Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is another triumphant entry into Insomniac's very own Spider-Man universe, and it masterfully expands the lore while setting the franchise on an interesting path for future installments. There's probably still some DLC to be had, but the released version up to this point has definitely earned its accolades.
Like its predecessor, Marvel's Spider-Man 2 is a PlayStation exclusive and probably will continue to be for quite some time. You'll be able to take advantage of our deals on Steam gift cards when it drops there in a year or two, but for now, you'll have to settle for the fantastic prices on digital games and PlayStation gift cards that we have in the Gameflip marketplace.
Resident Evil 4
Leon is back (again), and both he and his coat have never looked better. (Image Source: ResidentEvil.com)
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: March 24th
Metascore: 93
What year is it again?
Continuing their crusade to bring all of the classic Resident Evil games into the modern age, Capcom released a revamped and renewed version of one of the best survival horror games of all time: Resident Evil 4.
Like the Resident Evil Remakes released prior, 2023's Resident Evil 4 looks and plays absolutely immaculately, with the most realistic graphics to date and some thoughtful twists on classic, well-known gameplay. Wherever Resident Evil goes from here, it's going to be extremely exciting.
You can play Resident Evil 4 right now on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC, and soon it'll even be on Apple platforms like iPhone and iPad!
PlayStation, Xbox, and PC gamers should know the drill by now. You can get Resident Evil 4 for a steal by shopping on the Gameflip marketplace either for a digital code for the full game or by picking up some cheap gift cards for the associated stores.
As for Apple gamers, you still have a little bit of a wait before you can play RE4 on your devices, but now's a good time to prepare for its release. Since the game will only be available digitally on those platforms, your only real option is to check out our lineup of discounted Apple gift cards to stock up your Apple Wallet. And why would you stop at the cost of Resident Evil 4? Other full-console games like Assassin's Creed Mirage and Death Stranding are making their way to these platforms soon as well, so grab these Apple gift card deals while you can!
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
One of the new power ups turns you into an elephant. That's weird, but also whimsical! (Image Source: Nintendo.com)
Developer: Nintendo EPD
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: October 20th
Metascore: 92
Nintendo never goes too long without releasing a new Mario game, but the last actually new title was 2017's Super Mario Odyssey!
It's been a long time since then, and while remakes of classic games are great and all, Mario deserves a new game. And with Super Mario Wonder, he definitely got that.
A new art style, new powers, new gameplay, and even entirely new characters! Super Mario Wonder is new from the ground up, and you can feel every ounce of love that was put into this game in every frame.
Since this is a Nintendo game, you can only play Super Mario Wonder on the Nintendo Switch. That means gamers on other platforms are out of luck, but it also means that Nintendo gamers can pick up Super Mario Wonder and any other awesome Nintendo game on the Nintendo eShop with Nintendo gift cards from Gameflip! We have every denomination of Nintendo gift card that you could possibly want, and they're all at slashed rates compared to other marketplaces and retailers.
Nintendo had a pretty awesome year thanks to multiple high-profile game releases, so you'll probably want to get more Nintendo gift cards than you think you need.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Few games can rival this moment. (Image Source: Nintendo.com)
Developer: Nintendo EPD
Publisher: Nintendo
Release Date: May 12th
Metascore: 96
Remember when I said Nintendo had an awesome year?
Fire Emblem Engage, Kirby's Return to Dreamland Deluxe, Pikmin 4, WarioWare: Move It!, Super Mario Wonder, and more all came out this year.
However, these games mostly pale in comparison to one of the most technically impressive, adventurous game releases on any console in many years - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
The follow-up to Breath of the Wild is literally three times the size of that already massive game, while also adding a frankly impossible crafting system on top of an improved physics engine. The fact that Tears of the Kingdom is playable on the Switch still boggles our minds months after its release, and we aren't alone. This is definitely a strong contender for game of the year, as well as game of the generation, when it comes to the Nintendo Switch.
Like Super Mario Wonder, you can get the best price on Tears of the Kingdom by using the discounted Nintendo eShop gift cards that are listed on the Gameflip marketplace. Or, if you're a Nintendo Purist, you could pick up the physical version of the game by taking advantage of the other cheap gift cards we have listed, including:
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and many more!
2023 has already gone down in history as one of the best years in gaming thanks to these releases, and we aren't even done yet! There are still a few more high-profile games to come out before we greet 2024, and you can believe that Gameflip will be here to help you stay on top of the hottest game releases with the lowest prices possible. Thanks for reading, and we'll see you next time on the Gameflip Blog!
