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2023 would be a notable year for video games on the strength of a 

follow-up isn't the only massive title delayed by the pandemic to have a credible release date in the coming months. Here are the games our staff most look forward to, in order of when they (should) come out.

twice all the way through, savoring each character's dialogue and obsessively tracking their relationships with each other. This entry

looks more brash and candy-colored, but if it delivers the tactical depth and quality cast I'm hoping for, I'll be well-engaged indeed. -

James Mastromarino, Join the Game editor and Here & Now producer 

It's been a long time since Square Enix debuted a brand new IP, and I'm hoping 

will bring a fresh twist to the action RPG genre. It's developed by Luminous Productions, which was assembled from the team that worked on 

a game I loved for its beautiful environments, snappy gameplay, and overall charm. 

also gathered formidable writing and soundtrack talent, including Bear McCreary, who just won Best Score and Music at The Game Awards for 

. Amy Hennig, one of the main writers, lead the 150-person team behind the legendary 

has a lot going for it, and if it all comes together, I'll have a great time playing it. -

 upped the game for space survival horror all the way back in 2008. With visual enhancements and other quality of life improvements, I can only hope this remake of Isaac Clarke's harrowing journey lives up to the original. -

Bryant Denton, Grove Support Associate for Member Partnership 

Season: A Letter to the Future (January 31)

The games I've been playing lately are far from peaceful. Biking around while quietly documenting a pre-apocalyptic, Miyazaki-esque landscape sounds like a nice vibe to kick off the new year. 

-Justin Lucas, Director, Communications and Audience Relations 

fans soured on J. K. Rowling's Wizarding World after the author started loudly defending her 

 ahead of its release. The game presents an intoxicating escape to a magical place entire generations grew up with — and while 

 — time will only tell how fun and inclusive it really is. -

Horizon Call of the Mountain (February 22)

is a launch title for Playstation's VR 2, a headset that promises to go toe-to-toe with beefy hardware like the Valve Index. If 

's robot dinosaur-filled world, then maybe PSVR2's $550 price tag might just be worth it. -

James Delahoussaye, TED Radio Hour Producer

 will probably put wind behind other studios' 

and will likely build off of the Team Ninja's own 

titles (which may not have been GOTY material, but were very enjoyable). Plus, there will be co-op! -

Director, Communications and Audience Relations 

 offered a great cast and story. The combat and exploration didn't quite hit the highs of the games that clearly inspired it (

-James Delahoussaye, TED Radio Hour Producer

I fell head over heels for the series' trademark schlock and mayhem over the pandemic — and I look forward to seeing the beloved 

 get the meticulous remake treatment that so improved 

. It's sure to be gorgeous and gorey — and I hope it preserves the campy spirit of the original voice-acting too. -

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (May 12)

I'm not the most experienced gamer, but I've spent 560+ hours playing 

over the past two years. I've found most of the Korok Seeds, solved most of the shrines and completed most of the quests. I still scream in fear when I encounter a Lynel in the world, and can still taste the accomplishment and empowerment I felt when I beat my first one. If 

gives me more of that feeling, I'll be entertained for years to come. 

-Natalia Fidelholtz, Talent Development Manager

In a world where angels and demons run rampant, Actvision Blizzard offers a big-budget return to the dungeon crawling series that kicked off in 1997. While critics cried foul at the 

could restore the franchise to its glory days. -

Bryant Denton, Grove Support Associate for Member Partnership

could be a return to form for the franchise while also taking the storied RPG series to new heights. It's the first mainline title to receive a Mature rating, and its trailers have drawn comparisons to 

, but with the series' memorable monster summons taking center stage. It's sure to be the blockbuster gaming event of the summer, and I'm looking forward to immersing myself in yet another breathtaking fantasy world from the imaginative minds at Square Enix. -

 when they first came out. I've beaten them a dozen times combined, with hundreds of hours played. While their engine and mechanics now feel dated, developer Bethesda promises a whole new upgrade for 

. I love open-world games, so the promise of over a thousand planets to explore has me hopeful it'll be just as immersive as Bethesda's other titles. 

Insomniac Games revolutionized web-slinging with 2018 and followed up that feat with a Miles Morales story that had all the flare and personality we can expect from his take on Spider-Man. I'm hyped to see this sequel bring both Peter Parker and Miles together against the comic's most beloved villains. -

Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon (Undated 2023)

I haven't played any of the previous games in FromSoft's giant robot series, but I'm looking forward to checking out 

this year. I trust anything the studio puts out: I was blown away by the first 

when I picked it up in 2012 (around when the last installment of 

 was released) and have enjoyed every game they've made since. While 

feels like a departure from the studio's most recent work, I still look forward to dying a bunch — this time in a mech suit. 

When a wrestler (Kenny Omega) who loves video games is helping oversee the production of a wrestling game, I can't help but be intrigued. Omega is a huge fan of the Fire Pro Wrestling games, considered some of the best in the genre. With previews revealing an engine that runs similar to 2000's classic 

, there's a chance this could be the best wrestling game of the year. -

Matt Adams, Audience Engagement Supervisor

Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & butterfly (Undated 2023)

 was my favorite game of 2020. Two years later, I'm still replaying it because the characters, story and music are so good! I can't wait to see where they go with 

Rakiesha Chase-Jackson, Member Partnership Project Manager

Arkane Studios has helmed GOTY contenders for years. It surprised no one that 

drew hella praise for its 2021 reveal trailer alone. It had an audacious and diverse cast, as well as a horrifying display of vampiric enemies in the titular Redfall, Massachusetts. Stan Layla Ellison! -

) is a futuristic hack-and-slash announced at the PlayStation showcase in 2021. Although details have been sparse, the gameplay previews show off stunning visuals and fast paced combat in a new IP. -

I've been waiting since 2014 for Telltale Games to release a sequel to 

. I loved the Fables comics it was based on and the original game provided such an engaging way to interact with those characters. Nearly a decade later and after the studio's 

 -Rakiesha Chase-Jackson, Member Partnership Project Manager

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chernobyl (Undated 2023)

has always been hard to sum up: a cult-favorite, magically-real, survival horror, first-person shooter series, loosely based on a 1979 Tarkovsky movie? The game's development had stuttered for years — and then when a release finally looked plausible, the Ukrainian company making it faced a 

. I hope these incredibly resilient folks have all the time and funding they need, and I'll play whatever they end up shipping. -

opened the door to a radically-new retelling of the 1997 original. The sequel, 

will likely depart even further — but it's also likely to get delayed to 2024. -

 may be the best Metroidvania ever made — and that includes the 

games! That feat is even more impressive since it came from a small indie studio. 

looks like it will deliver another beautifully-illustrated and vast world, complete with deep combat and traversal mechanics. Needless to say, there's a lot to look forward to in this sequel — which is rumored to finally come out this year. -

should get an early access release this year and it's hard to overestimate my expectations for it. I fell in love with the first game for the same reasons as everyone else: the sumptuous art, rich mythology, finely-tuned combat... and obviously, the romance! 

has already promised almost all that and more (though I haven't seen any romancing yet). There's still plenty we don't know about our new protagonist Melinoë and the band of gods, witches, and miscellaneous creatures who will join her, but what we have seen looks like a perfect second invitation to the underworld. -

Megan Lim, All Things Considered Producer

Arts and Culture

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James Perkins Mastromarino

Author

Even with the game delays we've gotten used to, 2023 is shaping up to be a banner year.

NPR's most anticipated video games of 2023

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