2023 Video Game Tierlist - Dr. Dray

round three baby let's go longtime viewers should know the drill by now it's time for my annual end of year tier list where I rate the games I played this year on my patent pending six tier scale no I didn't play all the games that came out this year no this is not limited to games that only came out this year and no I'm not reviewing literally every game I played this year because what is there really to say about Call of Duty 2 and FIA European truck r in Championship the [ __ ] these are the games I felt like talking about because I don't have enough time to do 20 different game reviews throughout the course of the year I managed to squeeze 18 minutes out of Doug floody's maximum football just imagine how long a video on balers Gate 3 would be these reviews are short but they try to encapsulate what I like and dislike about these games and their placement on the tier list is determined by how highly I recommend them so without further Ado here is my 2023 list [Music] I derive no pleasure in reporting that Sports story is by far the most underwhelming game I played this year primarily because I absolutely adore its predecessor golf story was super Charming with its great humor fun story and addictive gameplay it wasn't the best golf game nor the best RPG but it was a textbook combination of those two genres sport story on the other hand is glitchy ious and frequently quite vague the humor just misses the mark on this go round and the game is very fond of telling you to do something but not explaining how or where golfing feels overly simplified when compared to its predecessor in fact almost all of the sports are severely lacking in depth to the point where most are little more than mini games it's almost like the devs got tired of working on such an ambitious project and just said [ __ ] it here you go it really feels like sidebar games bit off more than they could chew and gave up on the game before it could be properly finished which is just really disappointing for a game so consistently praised as one of the PS4's defining titles I found Horizon zero Dawn to be surprisingly monotonous almost every decision this game makes seems to go against what it wants to be fighting dino robots is super cool but not when combat feels weightless and unimpactful it's very heavily story driven but that story is hampered by poor writing and excessive amounts of dialogue options and generally drags down the pace of the game which is the last thing you should be doing for an open world title even the world itself despite having an incredible setting in visuals isn't all that fun to explore each area feels nearly identical to the next and you're surprisingly Limited in the ways you can Traverse the map even just movement and animations themselves feel kind of clunky aside from the atmosphere Horizon doesn't really have have many strengths to play to and really ends up feeling like just another open world game especially when you're releast the same week of breath of the wild man that is some tough [Music] timing hey back to back open world games to me Sonic Frontiers always seemed like the kind of project that would end in heartbreak as exciting as the prospect is an open world didn't appear to be a good fit for a series that has always emphasized speed and precision which as a design Choice goes hand inand with structure and linearity just looking at the game it's clearly very unpolished not just graphically but also in concept the world looks like a map from a totally different game that someone dumped Sonic obstacles and some random Collectibles into it just doesn't feel natural it's an idea that logically shouldn't work but despite the game's numerous problems I'm no longer convinced that it couldn't work because I feel like there really is some inkling of magic here there's something nothing undeniably cathartic about zipping around an open map at high speeds having these little platforming challenges that you can absolutely blast through it's a surprisingly refreshing change of pace like Pokemon Legends archus Sonic Frontiers feels more like a prototype than a proper game correctly combining these two things is still a roadblock that hasn't yet been fully overcome but if the Sonic Team really does figure out how to craft an open world that feels custom made for Sonic then I will be at the front of the line to buy that game and maybe if they fix all the bugs oh baby it's oh yeah I'll be honest I had some low expectations for this game and having played through it I don't think those expectations were entirely unwarranted to be fair there is a lot to like within hogwart's Legacy attention to detail is fantastic and the world is absolutely massive with a ton to explore as a Harry Potter fan this game feels like a deeper dive into the Wizarding World or at least Hogwarts than than pretty much anything I've yet experienced books and movies included however it's also riddled with bugs performance issues repetitive missions and the story is generally mediocre which stiff animations and voice acting don't exactly help with it leaves me pretty torn because as a Harry Potter game I think it's absolutely worth checking out but as an open world game once again it really didn't leave much of an impression on [Music] me alongside Sports story curse to golf was one of my most anticipated Indie titles in recent memory I can't help it I'm a [ __ ] for golf curs to golf is far from a bad game it successfully turns golfing into a 2d rogal likee which should be considered a feat unto itself it's got plenty of charm and a cute pixel art style though some Corners were cut in the animation Department however I think the glaring issue here is the difficulty it's brutal curs to golf's difficulty starts high and kind of just St stays there the lack of a progression system means there's not really any way for your character to improve or level up so any progress made feels just as much a product of luck and the randomly drawn ace cards as it does one's own skill and efforts that on top of the game's already slow pacing means it's very much a grind to play through and while I'm sure that appeals to some I've lost interest in it a lot quicker than I would have hoped I'll probably come back to it eventually but it's a bit too much of a slog for my liking [Music] as it turns out this is the canonical sequel to Persona 5 which surprised me considering Strikers is a spin-off title that implements warrior style hack and/ combat if anything this game Nails the style of Persona 5 the music the presentation the voice acting it's all here furthermore the quirks of persona's term-based combat ended up getting translated over pretty well like a lot better than I thought they would sure the story is not as big or robust as Persona 5 obviously and I can't say it ever felt like I was playing the game correctly I think I've realized I'm just not a huge Warriors fan it seems like an odd choice to make such a fundamentally different game the canonical sequel but whatever at the very least it's a decent way to introduce some fans to the Warriors franchise it's not for me but it is a solid enough title and most importantly it does feel worthy of the Persona name the new Wolfenstein games are a lovely dive into the imaginary diesel Punk world of Nazi controlled everything sorry did I say lovely I meant [ __ ] horrifying Wolfenstein sets itself apart from other FPS games via its Gore weighty Gunplay strong use of stealth and a man in the High Castle esque world that has been fleshed out maybe a bit further than most people would care to see those things definitely give it a strong sense of identity but they also make it a much more intense and in accessible experience especially when compared to other first-person shooters it's not that it's necessarily a bad game but I can definitely see the brutality of both its combat and subject matter being a turnoff for a lot of people at least it kind of was for me and I think that's the main thing that prevents me from giving it my wholehearted recommendation if you don't mind that sort of thing then hey knock yourself out I'm sure you'll find plenty to love Oli Oli world is a skateboarding platformer that slaps you in the face with its awesome art Direction and then holds your attention with gameplay that's the perfect blend of Zen and challenging there's a surprising amount of depth to this game and its trick system but it does a good job of easing you in you start out by performing an oie here a kick flip there maybe grinding a rail or two on shorter slower stages and by the end you'll be able to combo through entire levels performing tricks that I didn't even think were physically possible until I tried search searching them up the difficulty does start to ramp up a bit towards the end especially if you're aiming to complete all optional objectives true Mastery requires more patience and dedication than I'm willing to provide but despite that its Whimsy and replayability kept drawing me back in it's easy to learn difficult to master and overall a great platforming [Music] experience there are frankly too many games that want to compare themselves to Dark Souls even when it's completely unnecessary I think we've kind of made the Dark Souls of uh competitive first person shooters for that reason I was pretty skeptical of tales of iron at first however it's more deserving of that comparison than most I wouldn't say it's entirely accurate this game isn't nearly as long deep or brutally difficult as any of from software's titles but it does pair solid combat mechanics with an awesome storybook art style and a world that's as fantastic as it is grim it feels like a modern fairy tale it's not a super long or compl Lex game by any means but the presentation in combat definitely carry the experience and because of them I'm happy to say that I not only enjoyed what I played but can definitely see myself coming back to it in the future without a doubt this was definitely one of the most difficult titles to place on this year's tier list because on one hand 3D World for me has always been one of the most forgettable entries in the Super Mario series I'm not saying that it's a bad game or poorly made or anything I think it's a totally fine experience with solid music and level design and the switch version is great it's just that as a game it feels very lacking in personality and ambition especially when compared to any other 3D Mario title on the other hand Bowser's Fury is a fantastic addition to the Mario Cannon it's primarily based on the most recent 3D Mario games taking 3D World style levels and placing them on an interconnected map with Odyssey like objectives essentially creating yet another take on the idea of a 3D Mario it's got good replay value though given its length and packaging it's hard to tell if Nintendo views it as anything more than a simple side game however by putting these two together even I'll admit that Nintendo has created a value soaked package that's worthy of being included in anyone's switch Library especially if you've never played 3D World due to not being one of God's Chosen Few even if I'm not quite as head over heels for it as others it's still a good deal on two very decent games the Lost Legacy is an experiment to see whether Uncharted Works without Nathan Drake and the answer is a resounding yes Khloe was already a fan favorite from Uncharted 2 so to see her take the spotlight for this game alongside Nadine from Uncharted 4 was really cool and it made for a fun albeit brief epilogue to the Uncharted story other than that it's pretty much just more Uncharted 4 same gameplay mechanics beautiful Graphics great writing and voice voice acting the whole shank personally I don't mind if Uncharted gets left as is I've definitely had my fix however if Naughty Dog does decide to continue the series I feel this is as strong a direction as any to take it with Spider-Man being undeniably one of the best games on PS4 it's no surprise that the sequel was as highly anticipated as it was but while it seemed to live up to the expectations that many fans had for it my opinions on it are the bit more mixed Insomniac made quite a few alterations to the Spider-Man formula some of which I do like such as faster movement and new traversal techniques which makes exploring the game's much larger map way easier not all those changes were winners for me though I like the idea of a lot of these combat abilities but I don't know man they just did not click with me more importantly though the story didn't grab me nearly as much as it did in the first game and that's probably the biggest part of why I love the 2018 entry as much as I do I don't mean to sound too critical of two I had a blast playing it and it's a great way to rebound after Miles Morales but I still prefer the [Music] original the use of letters and fonts in our everyday lives is taken for granted so often that very few ever consider the thought and effort that go into designing even the most simple of type faces typewriter sets out to prove that typography is truly an art form and it accomplishes that goal beautifully being able to craft fun and creative levels themed around a single set of characters their history and the feelings they evoke is itself an incredible accomplishment on its own but the developers went above and beyond by filling those levels with Dynamic backgrounds a powerful soundtrack and collectibles detailing the lives and events that help typography evolve into its current state it's a very short game one that clearly emphasizes presentation above all else but but it's such a well-crafted and artistically beautiful experience that no matter who you are as long as you can appreciate art then I dare say that this game is your type boom yes yes yes thank you thank you thank [Music] you there aren't many Zelda titles darker than Twilight Princess and it's a game that definitely Revels in that atmosphere every major element of the game from the enemy designs to the dungeons to the muted color palette helps drive home the idea that this is a corrupted Kingdom and it makes every fight just a bit more intense every challenge to be overcome a bit more impactful beyond that it's a very traditional Zelda experience it follows the ocarine of time formula pretty much to a te it is occasionally a bit unclear and there may have been one occasion where I had to look up what to do and where to go next okay maybe more than once the wi motion controls are also not my preferred way to play though that's not really a knock against the game per se just be careful of the platform you choose to play it on it's an excellent entry in the Zelda series with plenty of its own style even if it's not my favorite Zelda title hell it's not even my favorite Zelda Style game on this list it doesn't take a detective to figure out the extent to which tunic is inspired by the original Legend Of Z I mean just look at it come on it's every bit as cryptic as the NES entry you start out with nothing no tools no directions you can't even read the language so like the original Zelda a guide book is practically a prerequisite for playing this game however that is where tunic sets itself apart tunic's main Collectibles are pages to a virtual instruction booklet containing information on everything including controls enemies the world its secrets and so much more by collecting all pages you ultimately assemble a step-by-step guide on how to beat the game itself this is hands down one of the most genius ideas I have ever seen in any video game it modernizes what is already an alltime classic by addressing not only that game's biggest shortcoming but a change that has occurred within the game industry in the time since and solves that problem in a way that feels so unorthodox and yet so perfectly implemented and this game looks and sounds [ __ ] beautiful go play [Music] tunic if you watch enough YouTube You're Going to Hear people talk about this game as one of the all-time great 2D Platformers now I've never been a big platformer guy so I didn't really pay too much attention to it even purchasing it this year was more so on a whim than from a strong desire to play this game what I'm trying to say is I should have bought this game sooner there are are individual levels in tropical Freeze that ooze more creativity than the entirety of new Super Mario Bros U hell there are islands with more creativity than the entirety of the new Super Mario Bros franchise even The Sawmill the burning Sahara the silhouette stages you get an entire Island dedicated to showing you how fruit pops are made then to take it that one step further the developers throw in bright and beautiful visuals outstanding attention to detail a bopping soundtrack plenty of Collectibles and a firm but fair difficulty curve it's beautiful to look at easily replayable it has no real shortcomings there's really no other way to put it this is the best most replayable 2D platformer I have ever had the joy of experiencing or at least it was Super Mario Bros wonder is outstanding that's it full stop the level of undiluted wackiness present here is unbelievable I mean they hit you with the singing piranha plants in the second level the second level what more is there to say it's almost as if the developers had a massive Fishbowl of new ideas for the next Mario game and spontaneously decided hey these are some pretty good ideas what if we just use all of them and then they made it work perfectly ball Mario top down Mario elephant Mario Mario but it's survival horror remember the silhouette stages from Donkey Kong let's do that again except everyone's from [ __ ] long ring longland the ability to pack this much Ingenuity this many unique level designs into a single game and make it work so seamlessly practically defies belief it's a great family game a phenomenal multiplayer experience and after years of complaints about how stale new Super Mario Bros was feeling this is exactly what the mario franchise needed Pikman is definitely one of Nintendo's stranger franchises given the cute chiness of it all and what's especially bizarre about it is how that cuteness completely betrays the fact that this is an incredibly strategic game with plenty of Darker elements like homicide four is admittedly my first full Pikmin experience but it's been a very solid one at that it has a bit of a slow start but once you get past it there are some many beautiful areas so many Fun Collectibles so many strategic challenges to conquer night missions dandor battles there's so much here I was consistently surprised by how much this game keeps you on your toes and the way it drives you to be better with its underlying tone of constant Improvement you can always be faster you can always be more efficient it's a very well-rounded experience that doesn't skip out on anything I can think of and when combined with the charm and Charisma that we've come to expect from this series I get the distinct impression that this game was absolutely worth the wait for most fans and I haven't even talked about oi yet oh my God he's a good [Music] boy like Spider-Man 2 I do have some mixed thoughts on Ragnarok certain aspects of combat puzzle solving and other areas of gameplay have been tweaked to make Ragnarok feel distinct from its predecessor and for the most part I can take him or leave him it also has various other trade-offs compared to the 2018 version a better world for exploration but also more bugs a longer story which is generally more inconsistent in its telling but also contains higher emotional Peaks for me at least ultimately though it's still an outstanding game one that's every bit as good as the title that came before the world the story the characters the combat everything 2018 was acclaimed for this game delivers on as well it was everything I expected out of a sequel if you enjoyed the 2018 entry then there's no reason not to love this one but that's it for my a tiers so what game is left what was my favorite game of the year what game could possibly be worthy of s tier why am I still asking rhetorical questions when you already know the [Music] answer I waited 6 years for this game in that time I graduated high school began College started doing YouTube again traveled the world finished college and all the while I waited patiently my anticipation ever growing and the influence of breath of the Wild on the gaming industry becoming more and more apparent suddenly everyone wants to be open world Pokemon is open world Sonic is open world Dark Souls is open World gacha's open world Ubisoft tried to straight up clone breath of the wild and it's still sucked because it's [ __ ] Ubisoft what else is it going to do as we inched closer to release all eyes were on tears of the Kingdom to see if it could live up to its predecessor and like everyone else my expectations were as Skyhigh as that initial reveal trailer I don't think I can definitively say whether tears of the kingdom is better or worse than breath of the wild be that subjectively objectively or what have you what I can say is that it provided me with a passion an obsession for a game that I have not felt in about six years or so Nintendo kept their cards close to their chest prior to release and I think it paid off the world is so much bigger than I anticipated there is an unbelievable amount of new area to explore and that's on top of a map where no location feels entirely identical to how it did before creating weapons building Vehicles solving puzzles fighting new enemies there's so much fun to be had in this game that like breath of the wild fuels creativity like it's no one's business but in ways that feel completely new and revolutionary is it perfect of course not writing and voice acting is still pretty mid except now there's more of it so that's lovely several new mechanics feel clumsily implemented especially the sage abilities and if you didn't like the weapon breaking system in breath of the wild then you are really really not going to like it here but when I think of my time with this game what comes to mind are the dozens upon dozens of hours spent floating between Sky Islands revisiting old locations hunting Treasures fulfilling quests and falling back in love with a world that's so different from what I was previously familiar with I simply cannot help it this is not only my most anticipated game in years but it had the audacity to be everything I could have wanted out of a sequel to one of my favorite games of all time tears of the kingdom is my 2023 game of the year and regardless of what my opinions on its competition end up being I don't think that's a title that will be taken away from it so what have we learn today well it was a pretty solid year for Nintendo with multiple genre defining titles getting released as well as several others of note seeing such quality and variety being released on the switch this late and its life is awesome to see though for me it also reinforced the idea that the switch is getting phased out pretty soon probably within the next year to year and a half or so if I had to guess so it's nice to see the Nintendo wants it to go out with the bank not to be outdone though we also got plenty of solid titles for the Playstation Xbox and even some big Indie titles uh it was just all around a very solid year for games far better than what we've gotten over the past couple years in my opinion even though it was an unfortunate year for the industry itself you know with so many great games being released I almost feel bad for limiting myself to Just One S tier title when there are plenty of games that deserve that honor though I guess it means the tier list needs just a bit more stratification so allow me to introduce my new neverbe seen Triple S tier for the game I played this year that undeniably Reigns above all others and is quite possibly the greatest game ever made so let me tell you guys a little bit about Doug flu's maximum [Music] football a

Channel: Dr. Dray

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Keywords: randomguy66, random, guy, 66, randomguy, dr, dray, dr dray, dr. dray, gaming, list, tierlist, ranked, 2023, games, video, ranking, top 10, comedy, news, review, funny, ps5, nintendo, playstation, switch, ps4, xbox, series, console, pc

Id: V-k1LwrNulY

Length: 25min 37sec (1537 seconds)

Published: Fri Dec 22 2023