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[Grildon Tundy]

This thread is for those games that went under the radar in an absolutely stacked 2023.

My pick is Bramble: The Mountain King, which currently has an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam, and is available on Game Pass.

This entry in the "sad boy runs to the right" genre (per the Developer in their Reddit AMA) stands tall with the best. Think Limbo/Inside/Little Nightmares but with Swedish mythology that absolutely does not hold back in terms of violence, horror, and dark subject matter. Great pacing, boss fights, and tonal shifts. Personally, the trailer was good, but didn't do it justice. I have the feeling the reputation of this game will grow over time.

What's your lesser-known pick for games that released in 2023?

 

[hangdang69]

Does Pentiment count?

 

[amigastar]

I really like Against the Storm, don't know if people slept on it but it's on Game Pass.

Against the Storm

Banished meets Slay the Spire. Against the Storm is a roguelite city builder set in a fantasy world where it never stops raining. You are the Queen's viceroy - a pioneer sent into the wilds to establish and manage new settlements inhabited by beavers, lizards, and humans. Your goal is to...

www.metacritic.com

 

[Punished Miku]

This thread is for those games that went under the radar in an absolutely stacked 2023.

My pick is Bramble: The Mountain King, which currently has an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam, and is available on Game Pass.

This entry in the "sad boy runs to the right" genre (per the Developer in their Reddit AMA) stands tall with the best. Think Limbo/Inside/Little Nightmares but with Swedish mythology that absolutely does not hold back in terms of violence, horror, and dark subject matter. Great pacing, boss fights, and tonal shifts. Personally, the trailer was good, but didn't do it justice. I have the feeling the reputation of this game will grow over time.

What's your lesser-known pick for games that released in 2023?

I really enjoyed Bramble. One of the only horror games that alternates between beauty and darkness in the settings. Also has possibly my favorite horror boss fight ever in a game. You know the one.

 

[S0ULZB0URNE]

 

[Grildon Tundy]

I really like Against the Storm, don't know if people slept on it but it's on Game Pass.

Against the Storm

Banished meets Slay the Spire. Against the Storm is a roguelite city builder set in a fantasy world where it never stops raining. You are the Queen's viceroy - a pioneer sent into the wilds to establish and manage new settlements inhabited by beavers, lizards, and humans. Your goal is to...

www.metacritic.com

I slept on this one, even though I have Game Pass and like city builders and roguelikes. It's on my list now.

I really enjoyed Bramble. One of the only horror games that alternates between beauty and darkness in the settings. Also has possibly my favorite horror boss fight ever in a game. You know the one.

I actually don't, because a few of them come to mind. Is it
the Plague/Death fight when the phases are broken up by rowing the boat? The one in near-total darkness? The atmosphere on that one was great.

 

[Jesb]

There’s no way to play everything that comes out so how to even know.

 

[Punished Miku]

El Paso Elsewhere. Still going through it. Indie Max Payne vs Vampires. The shooting and gameplay are functional but not amazing. Still very fun. What really stands out is the art style, creative settings, noir tone and dialogue in short cutscenes and the killer OST that really catches you off guard. Feels like people made this that just had no rules. I dont even want to describe the music as it spoils the fun. I feel like I should be done but I looked it up and I'm on level 23 out of 50 so ... ways to go. Had to drop down the difficulty already. Frequent enemy swarms. This game is not flawless but no one will say these guys didnt have a unique vision.

After that is done I need to try Trepang2, Laika, and Amnesia.

 

[Punished Miku]

I slept on this one, even though I have Game Pass and like city builders and roguelikes. It's on my list now.



I actually don't, because a few of them come to mind. Is it
the Plague/Death fight when the phases are broken up by rowing the boat? The one in near-total darkness? The atmosphere on that one was great.

Spoiler

Boat lol. I thought it was just phenomenal.

 

[twilo99]

Starfield.

 

[amigastar]

I slept on this one, even though I have Game Pass and like city builders and roguelikes. It's on my list now.



I actually don't, because a few of them come to mind. Is it
the Plague/Death fight when the phases are broken up by rowing the boat? The one in near-total darkness? The atmosphere on that one was great.

It really is great.

 

[Senua]

Robocop Rogue City.

I know it's got a following here but its still not enough I say! THIS GAME FUCKING RULES. It's so fucking fun, the hit feedback, the gibs. It's all so satisfying in an old school not bullshit kinda way

 

[GHG]

If you are to buy one game that gets mentioned in this thread then it should be one of these:

The end.

 

[Beer Baelly]

Bomb Rush Cyberfunk
Cocoon
Jusant

 

[Edmund]

Jagged Alliance 3



Age of Wonders 4

 

[Drizzlehell]

Dominatrix Simulator.

 

[Fredrik]

Cocoon. Do yourself a service and play this. Available on Gamepass.

 

[Labadal]

-Jagged Alliance 3
-Wandering Sword
-Caves of Lore
-Hero's Adenture: Road to Passion
-Colony Ship: A Post-Earth Role Playing Game

 

[T4keD0wN]

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew
Roboquest

Dominatrix Simulator.

 

[Duchess]

Cocoon. Do yourself a service and play this. Available on Gamepass.

This is Eurogamer's GOTY for 2023. The comments accused them of being hipsters

(I've not played the game myself, but it's in my backlogs - I've heard good things)

 

[Punished Miku]

This is Eurogamer's GOTY for 2023. The comments accused them of being hipsters

(I've not played the game myself, but it's in my backlogs - I've heard good things)

Galaxy brain level design

 

[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

 

[Poppyseed]

Cocoon. Do yourself a service and play this. Available on Gamepass.

I enjoyed it for an hour, and then it's just annoying, so I quit after maybe 2.5 hours of the same blah. There's nothing even particularly clever about it, and there's no sense of doing something special or new because there's only one way to play it.

 

[yamaci17]

planet of lana very beautiful title. made me teary eyed at times. beautiful music and art style

atomic heart. ppl are too harsh on this. its a cool shooter.

 

[Lunarorbit]

This thread is for those games that went under the radar in an absolutely stacked 2023.

My pick is Bramble: The Mountain King, which currently has an Overwhelmingly Positive rating on Steam, and is available on Game Pass.

This entry in the "sad boy runs to the right" genre (per the Developer in their Reddit AMA) stands tall with the best. Think Limbo/Inside/Little Nightmares but with Swedish mythology that absolutely does not hold back in terms of violence, horror, and dark subject matter. Great pacing, boss fights, and tonal shifts. Personally, the trailer was good, but didn't do it justice. I have the feeling the reputation of this game will grow over time.

What's your lesser-known pick for games that released in 2023?

It's pretty neat that we're getting all these myths from different cultures now. Those acorn guys in the trailer look like they hang in the same forest as baba yaga.

We had Witcher 3 (poland), stellar blade (korea), and now all the Chinese games to show off their crazy monsters from myths.

 

[twilo99]

Cocoon. Do yourself a service and play this. Available on Gamepass.

Its in my top 3 ... awesome game

 

[Grildon Tundy]

I enjoyed it for an hour, and then it's just annoying, so I quit after maybe 2.5 hours of the same blah. There's nothing even particularly clever about it, and there's no sense of doing something special or new because there's only one way to play it.

I loved Limbo and Inside, and the director of those made Cocoon, but Cocoon didn't click with me, either. I really wanted to like it.

 

[Arsic]

Something very special about this one from what I’ve played so far…

 

[rofif]

 

[bender]

I played through Bramble on Game Pass and I thought it was really poor mechanically. I know it is a matter of preference but I can't stand the character models either.

My Picks:

DoDonPachi Blissful Death Re:Incarnation

 

[Arsic]

We said slept on, not most likely to put you to sleep.

 

[ungalo]

I don't know if there is one.

A game like Jagged Alliance 3 for example is more niche than it is overlooked, i heard nothing but praises from everyone who played it, but you got to be interested in the first place.

I don't think there is a game that had potential for a bigger reception than what it received this year, i don't see it personally.

 

[GymWolf]

GHG just made me discover this one and it's pretty great

 

[Represent.]

COD: MW3

 

[GHG]

GHG just made me discover this one and it's pretty great

This one was actually a recommendation from Holammer so all credit goes to him.

 

[dreamstation]

I know point and click adventure games aren't for everyone but this game really should be experienced by more people. The brotherhood really punch above their weight. One of my favourite games of 2023.

 

[simpatico]

Turbo Overkill

Offered up more content than Doom Eternal. Maps and gameplay scale are equal if not larger. Only actual concession is texture resolution and model complexity. (aesthetically they made up for that)

I can't imagine anyone who likes set piece FPS games not finding something to like here. The demo does not do it justice. This shit is a wild ride.

 

[Topher]

Does Pentiment count?

Yeah......in 2022

 

[Mediocre Arachno-Lad]

Doom Eternal rogue-lite with goated OST that borrows from the best, and masterfully solves not all, but vast majority of inherent FPS rogue-lite problems.
Might be the most important game in the genre and nobody's talking about it.
Crickets from big name publications like IGN and Gamespot, like they're boycotting it or something.

 

[Drizzlehell]

Shadow Gambit: The Cursed Crew
Roboquest

Quality VR game. Highly recommended if kissing the feet of big tiddy anime goth GFs is your thing.

 

[ShadyAcshuns]

Basically anything that's not a high profile aaa title.

 

[adamsapple]

Turbo Overkill

Offered up more content than Doom Eternal. Maps and gameplay scale are equal if not larger. Only actual concession is texture resolution and model complexity. (aesthetically they made up for that)

I can't imagine anyone who likes set piece FPS games not finding something to like here. The demo does not do it justice. This shit is a wild ride.

Oh this looks good. Reminds me of Prodeus.

 

[Fabieter]

It has to be forspoken.

 

[bender]

GHG just made me discover this one and it's pretty great

GHG is more of a Bronie than a Prony.

 

[simpatico]

Oh this looks good. Reminds me of Prodeus.

I love Prodeus, but TO is much better and more varied. Really recommend ya try it out for this price. There's a ton of content and by the end of it, you feel like a ninja F-22. Power fantasy unlike anything I've played. The set pieces rival anything in gaming in scale and scope, just low rez textures and models. But you keep learning and "leveling up" until the very end of the game. Prodeus is a bit of a one trick pony in comparison.

 

[Poppyseed]

I loved Limbo and Inside, and the director of those made Cocoon, but Cocoon didn't click with me, either. I really wanted to like it.

Same. Loved Limbo and loved Inside. I think the reason we got on with those is simple: Among other things, they tell a story. Cocoon tells no story. Just you're a weird thing doing even weirder things, with no sense of time/space. It's appalling (lack of) exposition.

 

[simpatico]

Cocoon just feels like Diablo traversal simulator without the combat. I don't even see the point in playing it. Stuff like that gave indie games a bad name with me for so long.

 

[Poppyseed]

Cocoon just feels like Diablo traversal simulator without the combat. I don't even see the point in playing it. Stuff like that gave indie games a bad name with me for so long.

So many games like this, unfortunately. Overhyped, snooze-fest. Planet of Lana, Jusant, too. Making me dislike gaming when I have to play stuff like that...

You know how games like Mario Odyssey or Wonder constantly engage the player with their ever evolving gameplay despite the core mechanics staying the same? Yeah, the aforementioned three have none of those things. You know exactly what you're getting from beginning to end.

 

[cormack12]

 

[Fredrik]

Its in my top 3 ... awesome game

Yeah top 3 for me as way, totally unique and that ain’t happening often, worth to be talked about more,