Despite blessing us with a few real gems, the past year was a somewhat underwhelming one for gaming on the whole. Coupled with a bunch of high-profile delays to hugely anticipated titles, 2022 also saw a number of big-name flops (looking at you Saints Row 2022) that made it apparent that the industry was still reeling from lockdown hangover. The good news is that last year’s loss looks to be this year’s gain, with a truly all-star lineup of video games set to release in 2023, especially on PC. With new graphics card launches and several legendary PC franchises making a comeback, 2023 promises to be a fantastic year for all types of PC gamers. The choices were not easy, but here are GameGrumble’s top 5 most anticipated PC games for 2023:
5. Baldur’s Gate 3
Just like the year past, 2023 promises to continue the trend of revivals and remakes in the video game industry. While high-profile revivals of classics such as Dead Space, Resident Evil 4, and Diablo 4 have garnered most of the attention, Larian Studios’ upcoming RPG Baldur’s Gate 3 just might boast the most impressive pedigree of all. Initially created by legendary developer Bioware, the series first launched way back in 1998 with the release of the original Baldur’s Gate, followed by Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn in 2000. Besides garnering critical and commercial acclaim, the series is also widely credited with pioneering many of the systems and tropes that are now commonplace in modern Western RPGs, including branching story paths, custom character creation, morality systems, adventuring companions, romance systems, and much more.
As the first major entry in the franchise in over two decades, Baldur’s Gate 3 will have the formidable task of delivering on decades of hype and anticipation. Fortunately for fans of the series, the game looks to be in good hands with Larian Studios. The Belgian developer enjoys a stellar reputation which was bolstered by 2017’s award-winning RPG Divinity: Original Sin 2, and the initial outlook looks very positive. On Steam, where Baldur’s Gate 3 is currently in Early Access, the user reviews lie firmly in the “Very Positive” category. The storyline (which will tie into events of the original Baldur’s Gate and Baldur’s Gate II) is largely inaccessible in the game’s current state of Early Access, however, the sheer variety of gameplay systems, combat encounters, character classes, races, and romance options on offer is encouraging. Baldur’s Gate 3 also already enjoys a thriving mod community, with over 100 mods already offering improvements to UI, gameplay balance, aesthetics, and more.
Baldur’s Gate 3 is set for a full release in August 2023.
4. Sons of The Forest
The term “open world survival horror” has become something of an anathema for gamers tired of years of low-effort and buggy releases that have plagued the genre for a long time, but 2018’s The Forest was definitely an exception to the rule. While the game had its fair share of bugs, it offered an authentic survival horror experience with a genuinely creepy premise and subtle visual storytelling. A plane crash, a missing son, a sinister forest, terrifying cannibals, and a deep dark mystery at the heart of it all. Despite not being the biggest fan of the genre, I found myself enjoying my time exploring the mysteries of The Forest.
Sons of the Forest is developer Endnight Games’ upcoming sequel to the 2018 indie sleeper hit, and it looks like everything that worked in the first game is going to be dialed up a notch or two here. Besides a much needed upgrade to the graphics and technical presentation, Sons of the Forest will also expand the size and density of the open world – a living forest where any tree can be chopped down and every character/creature has personal agency thanks to the revamped AI system. Like the original, there will be a heavy focus on cooking, crafting, building, hiding, and fighting in order to survive the harsh elements and the even harsher natives. As the name suggests, the story of Sons of the Forest will tie in with the ending of the original, and can be experienced solo or with up to 8 other players in co-op.
Sons of the Forest is set to launch on Steam on February 23, 2023.
3. Kerbal Space Program 2
The original Kerbal Space Program was an indie phenomenon when it first launched way back in 2015, and it has aged remarkably well given the timeless nature of its core gameplay. A simulation game where you create and manage your very own space program and launch manned rockets to the moon, all while learning about real-world aerodynamics and orbital physics. The game was so successful that it eventually got full console releases on both the last generation and current generation PlayStation and Xbox consoles, although the PC still offers the best overall experience in terms of ease of controls and the added benefit of a thriving mod community.
However, despite the original’s enduring popularity, it has now been over 3 years since the developer first announced Kerbal Space Program 2 at Gamescom 2019. Originally set for a 2020 release, the game has seen multiple delays over the years but now finally looks set to target an Early Access release in early 2023. Based on what we’ve seen so far, KSP 2 features the same engaging core gameplay while greatly expanding the scope of what is on offer. While the scope of the first game mostly paralleled our real-world capabilities and technologies with a focus on travel within the solar system, KSP 2 looks to be shooting for the stars, literally and metaphorically. The sequel will feature interstellar spaceflight technologies, new star systems, colonies, and explorable environments, all while addressing the biggest gripe fans had with the original – the complete lack of suitably engaging tutorials to explain the game’s plethora of options and smooth out the difficulty curve of learning the basics of rocket science. KSP 2 promises a revamped UI and cutesy animated tutorials to help novice astronauts begin to reach for the stars.
Kerbal Space Program 2 is set to launch in Early Access on Steam and Epic Games on February 24, 2023.
2. Diablo 4
When it comes to modern revivals of legendary PC franchises, Diablo 4 is certainly the biggest name on this list in terms of mainstream appeal (and yes, I’m not counting the 2022 mobile game cash-grab that was Diablo: Immortal). Set to release a decade after the massive commercial success of Diablo III and over two decades after the genre-defining popularity of Diablo II, Diablo 4 has big shoes to fill, especially amidst the backdrop of a controversial few years for developer Activision Blizzard. Fortunately, the early signs appear to be rather encouraging.
The newest iteration in the action RPG series will be introducing a whole host of changes to streamline the classic formula of hack-and-slash combat, dungeon crawling, and indiscriminate looting for more modern audiences. This time around there is a greater focus on class choice and identities, with five playable classes announced so far as well as full character customization for the first time ever. Diablo 4 will also see the series transitioning into a fully open world setting featuring a wide variety of handcrafted environments and biomes. However, one major departure from the classic Diablo experience is the new inventory system. While sorting and shuffling through limited inventory space was a big part of the first three games, Diablo 4 looks set to buck that trend with a focus on seamless gameplay uninterrupted by obsessive inventory management.
Diablo 4 is set for a full release on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox on June 6, 2023.
1. STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl
Despite not having a mainline release in over a decade, the STALKER series is practically royalty when it comes to FPS games on PC. The series still enjoys an enthusiastic fanbase and remains a critical darling lauded for its organic approach to open world design, dynamic NPCs, and commitment to atmospheric immersion. Needless to say, fan expectations for the upcoming STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl have only grown since the game was first announced by Ukranian developer GSC Game World in 2018. Initially set to launch in April of 2022, the game’s release was pushed back due to delays resulting from the invasion of Ukraine and the relocation of the development team to Prague.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl seeks to preserve the core of what made the previous games so memorable for fans while bringing the series into the modern era. Built from the ground up in the new Unreal Engine 5, STALKER 2 will fully support features such as ray traced lighting, enhanced character models, seamless level transitions, and even an upgrade to the much-vaunted AI and simulation systems of the older games. If everything works well together, this might just turn out to be the most immersive STALKER game we have ever seen. In keeping with the world of STALKER, the story itself will be a non-linear affair featuring a cast of unsavory characters with haunting pasts, where the player’s choices will dictate the short and long-term consequences in the world.
STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl does not have an exact release date yet, but the Steam page indicates a launch is expected sometime in December 2023.
