40 years ago, computer entertainment fans first picked up a Nintendo Famicom console, and it changed the gaming industry. Reaching a wide audience, the Nintendo Famicom took over the global video game market in the 1980s and remains a significant player in the industry today. Despite a slight slowdown due to chip shortages and supply chain disruptions associated with Covid-19, the gaming industry is regaining its leadership position as one of the fastest growing segments in the global economic system. Releases delayed in 2021 and 2022 are lined up to be presented in 2023 and, together with fresh developments, will create one of the most exciting game lines in the last decade.
Each of the three leading console manufacturers has at least one blockbuster for fans: Starfield for Xbox, Spider-Man 2 for PlayStation, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for Nintendo. In addition, this year users are offered an impressive list that includes Hogwarts Legacy, Resident Evil 4, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, Street Fighter 6, Diablo 4, Final Fantasy 16, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Hades 2 and Mortal Kombat 1, and many others.
Starfield
Starfield Starfield is a new game from Fallout and The Elder Scrolls about the exploration of distant galaxies, which the developers call “Skyrim in space”.
The world of Starfield is dedicated to space colonization. The video game is developed in the genre of a sci-fi role-playing action movie. The story about the “beginning of the last journey of mankind” is set in 2330 and revolves around space travel and environmental exploration.
Starfield is a first- and third-person video game. The player can freely move around the “open world” and use spaceships to travel between star systems. During the game, you create your own character, shaping its history and appearance. For example, you can choose different spacesuits, each of which is resistant to certain planetary conditions, such as toxicity and temperature, types of weapons or robots. The player uses a variety of weapons and can also acquire robotic companions.
The game is expected to be released in September 2023 and will be the first major launch after the acquisition of Zenimax Media by Microsoft for $7.5 billion. Starfield is exclusive to the Xbox Series X/S and Windows 10 platforms.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 – The Heart of Chornobyl is a full-fledged sequel to the cult video game about the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone from the Ukrainian studio GSC Game World. It has been highly awaited by fans around the world for over a decade. Players will be immersed in a reality full of dangerous enemies, deadly anomalies, and powerful artifacts.
The developers of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 focus on the characters, the atmosphere of the Exclusion Zone, and the battle with new monsters. The attention to detail is so meticulous that each of the non-player characters has a unique tooth model (or lack thereof).
At the beginning of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, GSC announced that they had suspended development. One of the team members was killed at the front. Despite the impressive obstacles, in December 2022, the Ukrainian developers shared a trailer of the gameplay, so the game has every chance of being completed.
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is a unique gameplay with elements of first-person shooter, immersive simulator, and survival horror. The non-linear storyline takes place in the atmosphere of eerie post-apocalyptic fiction and the fate of the Zone and its inhabitants depends only on the player’s decision.
The Unreal Engine 5 engine provides an incredible level of graphics worthy of being called a real next-gen. Official support for modifications will allow “creative stalkers” to expand and enrich the game world on their own. The multiplayer mode will be available shortly after the release, scheduled for the fall, as a free update for the game.
This will be the first game in the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. series to be released on consoles
Hogwarts Legacy
The first game in the Harry Potter universe to be released in a long time is set in Hogwarts. The story takes place in the 19th century, long before Harry, Hermione, and Ron were born. Hogwarts Legacy is developed by Avalanche Software, which previously developed games under Disney licenses and moved to Warner Bros. in 2018.
Hogwarts Legacy offers a customized open-world role-playing game where players, for example, can make their avatars transgender.
“Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart. Make allies, battle dark wizards and decide the fate of the wizarding world. You create your own legacy,” the developers offer, and it seems that the game has found its fans, having received high marks in the ratings.
Dead Space
Dead Space 2023 is a spectacular remake of the original 2008 Dead Space game, spruced up with fresh textures and animations that are guaranteed to provoke an adrenaline rush when “wriggling, glistening parasites of this cursed, derelict space station try to attack you.” The updated version offers suspense and concentrated horror, rather than experiments with action, as in the unsuccessful attempts of Dead Space 2 and Dead Space 3.
This time, the developers offer to “enjoy” the carnage, blood, and a well-designed plot without excessive details. The story is inspired by “the best examples of science fiction and wrapped in a space horror wrapper” – engineer Isaac Clarke is trying to survive on a spaceship attacked by space monsters necromorphs.
Despite comparisons with the cult universe of dead space horror, the remake stands up to the competition. It seems that Motive studio has managed to strike a delicate and reasonable balance between innovation and respect for the classics. So one of the best survival horror shooters is back.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild is definitely the main exclusive of the year for the Nintendo Switch console. And, just as usual with Nintendo projects, this game has every chance to become a new benchmark of quality for the industry.
2018 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild made everyone realize once again why Nintendo Switch is the leader. The game demonstrated the developer’s impressive capabilities: a world open for free exploration, a non-linear story, and an exemplary user experience. The game’s 2023 sequel is expected to continue the triumph.
The plot of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom takes place a few years after the events of BotW – the kingdom of Hyrule is slowly recovering from a serious cataclysm and life seems to be getting better. But everything changes when Zelda and Link go down into a dungeon and encounter an unexplained substance called “gloom.” Zelda finds ancient records of monsters and demonic powers. The rest is up to you.
Unique and spectacular graphical solutions, immersive experience, and the ability to customize and improve your own reality in the game are all the reasons why fans love The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild so much will not disappoint this time either.
Source: The Gaze
