The Steam Deck has been something of a revelation for PC gaming. This powerful device allow?s you to play your PC games on a portable screen, allowing for an?? experience more akin to something like the Nintendo Switch.

This is all well and good, but some PC games require the pinpoint precision of mouse-and-keyboard input. That's why we're taking a look at the 15 be?st Steam Deck games,?? so you know which titles are worth playing on your portable PC device. All of the following games are marked "Steam Deck Verified," meaning you can guarantee a solid experience with these selections.

15. Phasmophobia

Hunting ghosts with friends, what could be more fun? Despite still technically being in Early Access, Phasmophobia is arguably the best game in its genre. You're placed on a map,?? which can be as small as a suburba?n house or as large as an entire prison, haunted by a ghost.

There are 24 different ghost types, each offering up three types of evidence to help you and your friends decipher what they are. You find this evidence using various types of ghost-hunting equipment, from spirit boxes to EMF readers. It's not entirely that simple, as these ghosts will drain your sanity before hunting and killing you. Phasmophobia is a blast, and we recommend playing w?ith friends.

14. Diablo 4

Blizzard's long-awaited follow-up in its iconic ARPG series was worth the wait. Diablo 4 follows the same general gameplay loop as previous iterations, defeating powerful enemi??es throughout dungeons while collecting hordes of loot to upgrade your build?.

While technically an RPG, Diablo 4's quests and storyline play second fiddle to the game's unique brand of chaotic action. There's nothing quite like melting swarms of demons while finding a rare item that takes the havoc up a notch. Some might recommend a mouse and keyboard for Diablo 4, but you can definitely do ju?st fine on a? Steam Deck.

13. Balatro

Balatro isn't your standard card game. There's almost too much complexity to sum up in a few sentences, but the gist of it is this: it's a roguelike deck-builder where you must score points by playing poker hands against blinds. With these points,?? you can upgrade your deck and buy joker cards, which affect the game in various ways. It's absurdly addictive and puts an impressive spin on a classic card g?ame.

Given the nature of Balatro's controls, it really doesn't matter whether you play on a regular PC or on a Steam Deck. It plays very well on Valve's portable devices, so if you're looking for a more laid-back Balatro, Steam Deck is the way to go.

12. Portal 2

Portal 2 might be well over a decade old at this point, but it can still kick it with any modern release on the market. With sharp humor, challenging puzzles, and an endlessly replayable co-op mode, Portal 2 remains one of the best video games ever made.

Valve gets so much mileage out of one simple concept: you have a portal gun that you can use to open portals around the game world. You must use these portals to solve puz?zles throughout each level, most of which are physics-based. Luckily, these puzzles don't require pinpoint mouse precision, which is why this is perfect for chilled-out Steam Deck play.

11. Cyberpunk 2077

Cyberpunk 2077 had its troubles upon its 2020 release, disappointing almost everyone. In the years since, CD Projekt Red has remained committed to making it the best game it can be via countless patches and the sublime 2023 expansion, Phantom Liberty.

At long last, Cyberpunk 2077 is (almost) everything it was hyped up to be, and it runs great on the Steam Deck. With engaging characters, powerful RPG choices, and the staggeringly beautiful open world of Night City, Cyberpunk 2077 is a g??ame you can really sink your teeth int??o nowadays.

10. The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth

If The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth isn't the best roguelike ever, then I don't know what is. Straight from the brain of Super Meat Boy developer Edmund McMillen, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth sees you fight through procedurally-gen??erated dungeons against some of the most terrifyingly-designed monsters you'll ever see in a video game.

As you progress, you collect items on each floor. This contributes to your build, but not every item complements one another. This means you're constantly making important c??hoices about what to pick up and what to leave behind. Each run is permadeath, resetting yo??u right to the start if you die while progressing through the floors. Because of the randomized floors and items, it might be one of the most replayable games ever made.

9. Dave the Diver

How many games do you know that can blend the action-adventure and restaurant simulator genres seamlessly? There's not many, let me tell you that much. Dave the Diver is one such t??itle, and it's undoubtedly one of the be??st games on the Steam Deck.

Dave the Diver is split into two gameplay sections. During the day, you dive into the sea, collecting ingredients from the ocean floor while fighting sealife with your harpoon gun. Later in the evening, you use these ingredients to run a sushi restaurant, improving its reputation through good food and service. All of ?this is complemented by a gorgeous pixel art style, resulting in a game unlike anything you'll have played before.

8. Resident Evil 4

2023's Resident Evil 4 might be the best remake in the series to date, and that's a high bar to ??clear. The game sees the return of Leon Kennedy, who is tasked with rescuing the president's daughter, Ashley. You're faced with hordes of the undead throughout your adventure, which tops the 2005 original in just about every way.

Its graphics? Stunning. Its controls? Modern. The story? It has a tighter pacing this time around. And that's before we even get to the atmosphere, which is the real star of the show in the Resident Evil 4 remake. It's abso?lutely dripping with tension, which carries over even on the small screen of the Steam Deck.

7. Skyrim

13 years after its launch, and there's still nothing that quite evokes the same feelings as Skyrim. It's a classic RPG in every sense of the word, with one of the most detailed open worl??ds you'll ever explore, even after all this time. Interesting questlines and memorable characters are the tip of the iceberg in Bethesda's magnum opus.

On PC, Skyrim modding takes things to another level. Nexus Mods has almost 100,000 mods to download for the game, so the question is: can you mod Skyrim on Steam Deck? Yes! It's a bit more hassle, but it's certainly possible, meaning you can bring Skyrim up to modern standards on your handheld device.

6. RimWorld

Ludeon Studios' RimWorld is a far deeper game than it seems on the surface. At first glance, it appears to be just another construction and management simulator. Simply put, it isn't. RimWorld gives you numerous starting scenarios, where you must attempt to survive and escape from a procedurally generated plane?t.

To make every playthrough unique, it employs the use of an AI storyteller, which can make decisions on the fly to affect proceedings. You can choose from various storytellers, each of which will change its behavior based on various parameters. Want something intense? Go with Randy Random. Want a more traditional narrative? Cassandra Classic will make that happen. The third is Phoebe Chillax, which offers a more laid-back experience. It's this storyteller feature alone that elevates RimWorld above every other game in the genre.

5. God of War

2018's God of War finally arrived on PC in 2022, breaking Santa Monica Studio's masterpiece free from its PS4 rest?raints. The game tells a powerful ??story between Kratos and his young son, Atreus, and their journey to spread the ashes of their wife and mother, Faye, at the highest peak in Jötunheim.

Its hack-and-slash gameplay is similar to previous God of War games, yet the combat still manages to feel distinctly modern. That's an achievement in itself. Just everything, from the impeccable score from Bear McCreary to the awesome world design, comes together as a full package to make God of War one of the best Steam Deck games.

4. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt

How will CD Projekt Red ever top The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt? The culmination of an epic trilogy, this title is an extraordinary RPG, with impactful choices to be made even in the smallest of moments. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt features some of the most well-written side-quests you'll ever see, as well as two fantastic expansions in Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine.

For a 2015 release, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt holds up extremely well from both a visual and gameplay perspective. The c??ombat still feels very fluid, ??which is why it remains one of the best Steam Deck games you can play after almost a decade.

3. Stardew Valley

There's a reason life-simulation fans are still returning to Stardew Valley almost nine years after i??ts release. ConcernedApe's game strips the formula back to basics but does everything it attempts just about perfectly.

There's farming, fishing, building, mining, socializing, romancing, and even combat - it's a pretty simple life in Stardew Valley. If you enjoy life-simulators, there's a good chance you've already played this game. If you haven't, there's a good chance Stardew Valley will convert you to the genre.

2. Elden Ring

Elden Ring is not for the impatient gamers out there. This open-world RPG by FromSoftware will test the limits of your patience, punishing you with sweet, sweet death over and over again. It's a classic Souls-like, defined by nigh-impossible bosses and frustratingly infrequent checkpoints, but with a bigger scale than anything the studio has ever attempted before. The satisfaction from victory in Elden Ring will have you jumping for joy.

Given that many would recommend Elden Ring with a controller anyway, I feel safe saying the game works grea??t with the Steam Deck joysticks. Go forth and explore the Lands Between from the comfort of your o?wn couch.

1. Baldur's Gate 3

Top spot was only ever going to Baldur's Gate 3. Larian's 2023 CRPG is an instant classic. With deep customization, fun combat, brilliant companions, and a gripping narrative, Baldur's Gate 3 is a game we'll all be playing for many years to come. I could wax further lyrical about its epic world, engaging quests, ??and a staggering level of freedom, but I reckon you get? the picture.

Baldur's Gate 3 feels made for the Steam Deck in many ways. The turn-based combat lends itself well ?to the joystick c??ontrols, and the slow-paced gameplay in general makes it perfect for kicking back on the couch and playing at your own pace.

The post 15 Best Steam Deck Games appeared first on Destructoid.

Yesterday, the BAFTA Game Awards 2024 honored the past twelve months of the industry. Hosted by comedian and former Taskmaster contestant Phil Wang, the show was a celebration of wha??t gaming has achieved re??cently.

As is? typical with a lot of award shows, there were some varying attempts at humor. Which is a shame because, knowing Phil's work, I suspect he was not responsible for a lot of the jokes written on the telepro??mpter.

Still, it didn't detract from the jubilation, as a lo??t of games released in the past year �as well as their respective developers �were given their due credits. Below are the list of all ??the winners and nominations from this year's event.

Animation

• Alan Wake 2
• Hogwarts Legacy
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2
• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder
• WINNER: Hi-Fi Rush

Artistic Achievement

• Baldur's Gate 3
• Cocoon
• Diablo 4
• Finaly Fantasy XVI
• Hi-Fi Rush
• WINNER: Alan Wake 2

Audio Achievement

• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
• Hi-Fi Rush
• The Legend of Zelda: tears of the Kingdom
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2
• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
• WINNER: Alan Wake 2

British Game

• Cassette Beasts
• Dead Island 2
• Disney Illusion Island
• Football Manager 2024
• Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin
• WINNER: Viewfinder

Debut Game

• Cocoon
• Dave the Diver
• Dredge
• Stray Gods: The Roleplaying Musical
• Viewfinder
• WINNER: Venba

Evolving Game

• Final Fantasy XIV Online
• Fortnite
• Forza Horizon 5
• Genshin Impact
• No Man's Sky
• WINNER: Cyberpunk 2077

Family

• Cocoon
• Dave the Diver
• Disney Illusion Island
• Hi-Fi Rush
• Hogwarts Legacy
• WINNER: Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Game Beyond Entertainment

• Chants of Sennaar
• Goodbye Volcano High
• Terra Nil
• Thirsty Suitors
• Venba
• WINNER: Tchia

Game Design

• Cocoon
• Dredge
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2
• Viewfinder
• WINNER: Dave the Diver

Multiplayer

• Baldur's Gate 3
• Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3
• Diablo 4
• Forza Motorsport
• Party Animals
• WINNER: Super Mario Bros. Wonder

Music

• Alan Wake 2
• Assassin's Creed Mirage
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2
• Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
• WINNER: Baldur's Gate 3

Narrative

• Alan Wake 2
• Dredge
• Final Fantasy XVI
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Star Wars Jed: Survivor
• WINNER: Baldur's Gate 3

New Intellectual Property

• Chants of Sennaar
• Dave the Diver
• Dredge
• Hi-Fi Rush
• Jusant
• WINNER: Viewfinder

Performer In A Leading Role

• Amelia Tyler (Narrator in Baldur's Gate 3)
• Cameron Monaghan (Carl Kestis in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor)
• Neil Newbon (Astarion in Baldur's Gate 3)
• Samantha Béart (Karlach in Baldur's Gate 3)
• Yuri Lowenthal (Peter Parker in Marvel's Spider-Man 2)
• WINNER: Nadji Jeter (Miles Morales in Marvel's Spider-Man 2)

Performer In A Supporting Role

• Debra Wilson (Cere Juna in Star Wars Jedi: Survivor)
• Ralph Ineson (Cidolfus "Cid" Telamon in Final Fantasy XVI)
• Sam Lake (Alex Casey in Alan Wake 2)
• Tony Todd (Venom in Marvel's Spider-Man 2)
• Tracy Wiles (Jaheira in Baldur's Gate 3)
• WINNER: Andrew Wincott (Raphael in Baldur's Gate 3)

Technical Achievement

• Alan Wake 2
• Final Fantasy XVI
• Horizon Call of the Mountain
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2
• Starfield
• WINNER: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

EE Players' Choice Award (public vote)

• Cyberpunk 2077
• Fortnite
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Lethal Company
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2
• WINNER: Baldur's Gate 3

Best Game

• Alan Wake 2
• Dave the Diver
• The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
• Marvel's Spider-Man 2
• Super Mario Bros. Wonder
• WINNER: Baldur's Gate 3

BAFTA Game Special Award

• SpecialEffect, presented to founder and CEO Dr. Mick Donegan MBE for "outstanding contributions to games, film and television" in helping "people with even the most severe physical challenges to access video games."

The post BAFTA Game Awards 2024: All winners and no?m?inations appeared first on Destructoid.

After enjoying great success on PC, Dave the Diver is? coming to PlayStation in April. This news com?es from the latest State of Play, though we don't get an exact date just yet.

What we do get is a? sneak peek at a possible collaboration with Godzilla which should spice things up in May.

Though Dave The Diver has been acknowledged as an indie title in several? awards ceremonies, this has also drawn controversy because the developer is owned by the billion-dollar corpor??ation Nexon.

How you view the ga??me is ultimately up to your beliefs of what quali??fies as an indie title.

The post Dave the Diver coming to PlayStation appeared first on Destructoid.

Dave the Diver was one of 2023's unexpected hits that accumulated plenty of awards in addition to a wave of fan support. On Twitter, Mintroc?ket announc?ed that the game has sold 3 million copies globally.

This is certainly an achievement to be proud of, but it is far from the only thing the studio has to celebrate. Dave the Diver recently won the Sit Back and Relax award at The Steam Awards, and found itself nominated at both The Golden Joystick Awards and The Game Awards 2023. Our own Christine Choi gave the game a 9/10, praising its ability?? to "offer a lighthearted story and engaging gameplay."

Despite the accolades, the game has attracted some controversy due to frequently being labeled an indie title, including at The Game Awards. Although Mintrocket is a smaller studio, it falls under the billion-dollar corporation Nexon, which brings the game's indie status into question. This raises debates over what qualifies as indie, and whether the category has?? become more a matter o?f aesthetics.

There are further content updates in store for Dave the Diver, as developers beli?eve the characters still have more stories to tell. Planned content includes further side missions added t??o the latter half of the story.

The post Dave the Diver has sold 3 million copies appeared first on Destructoid.

As we head into one of the last holiday weekends of the year, we're wrapping up ??GOTY-related announcements with more nominees. This time, it's for Destructoid's best PC game of 2023, and I reckon you alrea??dy know it's a competitive bunch.

We've already hit the PlayStation and Xbox consoles, along with more specific categories like best indie and ongoing game. Looking back, I realize 2023 is one of the toughest years for GOTY choices I've had in ages, and I'?m thankful this was a staff-wide endeavor; otherwise, this list would've taken until next year to shape up.

As always, our platform categories don't mean the game only released on that platform. Plenty of the nominees here launched on both console and PC, but our formula still keeps games limited to one nomination in any g??iven category. In the spirit of PC ??gaming, we approached this with more of a "Is this the preferred way to play?" �same with consoles. Anyway, here's some really good games.

Starfield

Look, as far as I'm concerned, until we get mod support on Xbox then Starfield is a PC-only release. ?I'm joking (kind of), but Bethesda's modding community is too damn good to ignore. But on that note, perhaps put the open-world RPG on your wishlist any way you can, as our swiss-army knife of a staff writer Steven Mills gave it the rare 10/10, making it one of Destructoid's "essentials."

In his review, Steven concluded:

"I wasn’t sure if it could be done, but Bethesda has managed to raise the bar for sandbox games even higher. In the end, Starfield is an epic sandbox open-world RPG with a beautifully immersive universe, a capti?vating story, and fun and compelling gameplay the whole way."

Cocoon

Cocoon is among the year's major visual delights. Even as someone who long grew tired of more puzzle-focused titles, Geometric Interactive demands attention with Cocoon's bright pops of color and bizarre biomes. It's got this smooth balance in its gradual inc?line to the more difficult mysteries, and even for those of us who don't immediately rise to the challenge, it's satisfying to poke around and fail.

Perhaps it's no surprise, but the puzzler comes from the lead gameplay designer on Limbo and Inside ?Jeppe Carlsen. It's not nearly as grim ??as the two of those, but there's still a lot to the alien world that's hauntingly mysterious and loaded with "aha!" moments of brilliance.

Slay the Princess

What a damn good year for indies, doubly so if you're into cosmic horror and visual novels. Slay the Princess delivers on all fronts, with a premise and art style just as striking as its name. In hindsight, my i?mage choice makes this look like a very nice, to-?the-point, Princess Peach rescue-style situation. It's not.

Usually, senior editor Eric Van Allen's tastes line up well with my own, so his word was enough for the sale. In Eric's review of Slay the Princess, he's got plenty? o?f praise to offer, and sums it up with:

"It’s about the interpersonal relationships that can wou??nd us, make us versions of ourselves we never imagined, yet te??ach us. It is a damn good story, and one worth experiencing."

Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty

I'll say it right off the bat: I'm not in the camp of belief that you can't count Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty as its own thing or even as something that was ongoing. Expansions, add-ons, DLC �whatever, there's a whole valid debate there for next year on where we need to see new categories, but the RPG delivered on PC with more cleanup and intrigue in a "fitting swan song for Cyberpunk 2077."

Our senior editor's description fits, as CDPR's RPG, for real this time, just launched its last big update on December 5 with the Ultimate Edition. Whatever becomes of the series' future, Phantom Liberty was a good place to bookend ou??r ad?ventures in 2077's Night City.

BattleBit Remastered

It's always nice to find another gem playable on my ancient relic of a laptop. BattleBit Remastered low-poly massive FPS battleground is easy to pick up and put down for some satisfying chaos with friends or just 200-something strangers. It's a nice change from some of its massively online genre cousins, and even in the chaos of having way too many people around you in a firefight, BattleBit plays keeps up just fine.

This was one of those games that hit big in the year and somehow missed until the very end, but the arsenal of vehicles, combat role focus, and destructible arena scratch an itch I'm not getting from the more mainstream. Bonus points here for keeping anti-cheat woes top of mind; when I get a new Steam Deck, it'll (hopefully) join my very short list of multiplayer games where EAC didn't r??ain on the portable experience.

Baldur's Gate 3

If there were a "game with most characters Andrea would like to kiss" award, it'd go to Baldur's Gate 3. And while I really don't want to put words in their mouth, I think the sentiment rings true for all two of us named Andrea at Destructoid. Contributor of excessively good takes, Andrea Gonzalez, wrote about how BG3 is a delightful dating sim. Andrea Shearon approves.

Okay, okay �outside of all the love-dovey stuff, BG3 is the incredible culmination of a CRPG that spent years in early access, with developer Larian Studios ??tweaking the formula with fan feedback along the way and delivering this massive, choice-driven adventure. It's also one I refuse to play on a console, so here we are.

Dave the Diver

I've always ??heard it's pretty damn hard to find success as a restaurateur, and Dave's experience here says as much. Developer Mintorocket's adventure RPG drops the pro Scuba diver into a cheeky journey with his friends opening a sushi business. At night, you'll deal with the restaurant. ??In the day, you'll fight underwater creatures like a half-crab, half-tractor (?) abomination.

It's all to keep the business going. The juggle between grinding for fish and managing the sushi spot was one Destructoid contributor Christine Choi adored. In her review, Christine mentions how she "can't put it down" as Dave the Diver aces the balance betwe??en gameplay styles and delivers something lighthearted, engaging, and easy to take at your own pace.

What’s next on Destructoid’s GOTY schedule

We're reaching the halfway point as Destructoid's nominee announcements draw to a close. Next week, on December 18, check in again as we reveal this year's winne??rs.

Destructoid’s Best PC Games of 2023:

• Starfield
• Cocoon
• Slay the Princess
• Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty
• BattleBit Remastered
• Baldur's Gate 3
• Dave the Diver

The post Nominees for Destructoid’s Best PC game of 2023 appeared first on Destructoid.

The annual The Game Awards ceremony is coming up, and thanks to the amazing titles we've received this year, the competition is tight. Host Geoff Keighley recently had a Twitch stream where he addressed questions from the public and spoke a bit about why Dave the Diver has found it??self in the Best Independent Game cate??gory.

As Keighley highlights, people interpret the term indie differently. While some might consider a game's budget, others will look at the team's size, and it's also possible to focus on the aesthetic or scale of the game. Consequently, some have argued that Baldur's Gate 3 is an indie game, or even Death Stranding which was created by an ind?ependent stu??dio despite receiving major funding from PlayStation.

In the case of Dave the Diver, the game is made by Mintrocket which is a small, South Korean group. The group is a part of Nexon which is a very large publisher. Keighley explains that you could argue both ways, as the game could be considered indie in spirit, as it is made by a small team that like?ly had a relatively small budget. However, this doesn't cancel the fact that it is still from a larger?? entity.

Ultimately, Keighley concludes that there are no set rules, and The Game Awards allows people? to "use their best judgment." Although TGA judges have decided that it is an indie title, this is certainly not a viewpoint shared by all.

As Zoey Handley argues, the indie category should be available for smaller developers without major financial backing to still receive the spotlight. Dave the Diver's nominat?ion potentially signals "that any major corporation can produce a game with pixel art graphics to buy away that recognition." One can easily see how this could end up pushing genuinely small crea??tors out of their own category.

Geoff Keighley answers your burning The Game Awards questions

Keighley touched on several other topics as he addressed questions posed to him on Twitch. He confirmed that the security will be tightened this time around. This is to be expected, as troublemakers have found their way onto Keighley's stage a few times prior, including at this year's Gamescom Opening Night Live where a troll ran on stage demanding GTA 6. Though he wouldn't go into details for security reasons, he states the? following: "we definitely have plans and we’re trying to do all we can to keep me safe, but also everyone watching the show, the audience, people participating in the show and everything."

He speaks about the possibility of new categories being added to the event and confirms that it is some??thing that is always being discussed. Categories that have been pr??oposed include Best DLC and Best Remake, but Keighley explains that one of the problems is that there may not always be 5 or 6 great remakes a year to fill the category.

Keighley also mentions that there won't be any "world premier" title cards this year. This doesn't mean there won't be big announcements. Instea??d, because of the nebulous nature of the phrase "world premier," they'd rather just treat it all as great gaming content.

He speaks a bit about his relationship with FromSoftware's Hidetaka Miyazaki. He explains that he has worked with the Elden Ring director and that he is very grateful for his contributions to Summer Game Fest. A viewer asks Keighley what the trophies are made of. Interestingly, Keig?hley explains that they're "steel plated" and made in New Zealand.

For more traditional indie titles, check out the Best Ind??ie Debut category. As Keighley explains, this category typically features games from small teams with minimal funding. These games aren't receiving help from large corporations which perhaps makes them indie in the purest sense.

The Game Awards stream globally on December 7, 2023. You can watch it on YouTube and Twitch.

The post Geoff Keighley explains why Dave the Di??ver has been nominated as an indie game appeared first on Destructoid.

As 2023 comes to a close, the games industry once again prepares for another ceremony recognizi??ng the year's line-up of adventures that made us laugh, cry, and everything in between. While we all have our personal lists, The Game Awards (TGA) packages that into something a little more formal.

We've crafted our way through Hyrule, rolled in the Forgotten Realms, explored the Settled Systems, and swung through New York. As a massive celebration of video games, TGA acts as a sign-off and spotlight for things to come. With its formal list of nominees planned for a November 13 reveal, I figured I??'d highlight a few of ?2023's dark horse candidates. Commit the box art to memory 'cause I'm hoping for some snubs, surprises, and success stories out of these.

Sea of Stars (Sabotage Studio)

It's an understatement to say Sea of Stars hit big upon release. Created by Game Award winner Sabotage Studio (The Messenger), the RPG felt like it came out of nowhere and surprised everyone, myself included. It's a turn-based 2D RPG harkening back to classics like Chrono Trigger in more ways than one. Andrea Shearon, who reviewed Sea of Stars and awarded it a 9/10, noted how it manages not only to capture what made retro-RPGs special but also charts its ow??n path.

As for what titles it may run for, it's no stretch to pin it in the Game of the Year category. Its Metacritic score, 91, ranks second among the other contenders here. There's plenty else it works as a nominee for, too, like Best Indie Game, Best RPG, Best Soundtrack, and Best Art Direction. One that wouldn't be too surprising to see it up for is Best Game Direction, as, for an indie studio, the amount of work and polish Sea of Stars has is impressive. There are plenty of stars in the sky right now, but this one might outshine others just enough??.

The second indie on this list, Mintrocket's Dave the Diver captured hearts (and fish) aplenty when it arrived in June. The subnautical adventures of deep-sea diver and sushi restaurant manager Dave as he fishes for the best product was a sleeper hit on PC. Its endearing themes, beautiful graphics, and fun gameplay got many critics (including Christine Choi) 'hooked'. Now, with its release on Nintendo Switch, many more people have taken the div?e and fallen ?in love with its variety and charm.

Dave the Diver has a little edge over some due to its massive popularity and continued updates. Of course, the pixel art and graphics are prime for a nod in Best Art Direction. It's easily one for Best Indie Game and Best Debut Indie Game, too, as this is Mintrocket's first game. We may see it given a Best Direction nomination, as some indie studios made the mark in years past. Most recently, BlueTwelve Studio was nominated for its indie darling Stray last year and, in years past, games like Hades and Outer Wilds have garnered a spot in the category.

Like a Beyonce album, Hi-Fi Rush dropped out of nowhere and surprised everybody. Created by Tango Gameworks (The Evil Within), the action-rhythm game was revealed and released the same day on Game Pass. It follows Chai, a wannabe rockstar with a 'heart' for music, dismantling a large corporation alongside a team of fun misfits with his trusty scrap-metal guitar and killer beat. The rhythm-based gameplay was a hit with many critics, including Cheri Faulkner, who applauded the creativity. For audiences, the art style and characters were charmi??ng and kept us moving and grooving to its fanta?stic soundtrack.

There is a possibility that Hi-Fi Rush could get some big nods this Game Awards. As the game was available on Game Pass, the title's got a sizeable reach. Nominations for Best Art Direction, Best Audio Design, and Best Soundtrack seem like easy targets for the music-based game. With the game being the last for iconic director Shinji Mikami (Resident Evil 4, God Hand), Hi-Fi Rush easily makes the case for?? a Best Direction nod. Either way, the rock n' roll adventure is sure to hit some high notes come ?nominations Monday.

Out of all the titles on this list, Cocoon may be the most silent but deadly. The Annapurna Interactive-published platformer blossomed from lead Inside and Limbo gameplay designer Jeppe Carlsen. As a world-hopping beetle, you'll explore various settings via mysterious orbs and solve puzzles to unlock the universe's secrets. Cocoon boasts a 92 on Metacritic, ranking the best of these entries and even some AAA releases this year. Much like the games Jeppe has been part of, Cocoon has followed suit in becoming a staple indie gem.

While indies are a bit foreign for big categories, it's possible Cocoon could sneak up and take some giants down. Best Debut Indie and Best Indie are gimmes. There are strong contenders for Best Soundtrack, Best Art Direction, and Best Game Direction, but the high praise from critics may lead to it being in at least one. Furthermore, when it comes to Game of the Year, indies have been known to sneak in there occasionally, like 2022's Stray and 2020's Hades. Cocoon is one of those titles that may do just that.

Much like its predecessor, Octopath Traveler II continues its reign as a beacon for 2.5D titles. The classic RPG charm from decades ago shines here as the sequel maintains its eight unique protagonists, gorgeous music, and beautiful art style. This time, though, it essentially one-uped the original with more intertwined narratives and new gameplay mechanics. Eric Van Allen found the title captivating, with loads of content and a landmark title for the fairly new franchise. Octopath Traveler II sets the bar f??or 2.5D games and shows that classic RPGs never ?went out of style; they've just evolved.

At the 2018 Game Awards, Octopath Traveler was nominated for Best Art Direction, Best Soundtrack, and Best RPG. This year, we may have a case of deja vu. I predict Octopath Traveler II will find itself back in its predecessor's nominated categories. Much of the game's praise revolves around its classic RPG gameplay and 2.5D art direction, all done with a fantastic soundtrack. Like the rest of the entries, its competition is very solid but not irreplaceable. To that end, Octopath Traveler II could stand?? up to those and earn a highly-coveted spot.

French for ebb (the motion of waves), Jusant paints a new horizon for Don't Nod. The company known for narrative-driven titles like Tell Me Why and Life is Strange took a risk when announcing a rock-climbi?ng platformer as their next title. However, people fell in love with its simple and endearing gameplay and art style, alongside its usage of environmental storytelling.

As a lone wanderer, you climb up an abandoned tower and discover relics of another time. Smangaliso Simelane highlights the simplistic yet thoughtful gameplay, as it makes for a wholesome and? pleasurable experience. Jusant is proof that Don't Nod can go outside the box, and this is just the tip of the iceberg for new ideas and concepts.

With Jusant's recent release, it may hinder its chances at big nominations. However, Don't Nod's departure from the norm and risk-taking could pay off. The game's narrative is a hit or miss for some, but truth be told, it's reminiscent of Shadow of the Colossus in ter??ms of using the environment as a narrative device. In terms of its direction, both art and game, it's the risks that come in, as the simplistic art and gameplay make for an accessible experience.

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MINTROCKET, the developer behind Dave the Diver, has announced their next title, which might not be what you’d expect. NAKWON: LAST PARADISE, according to the deve??loper, is “an ambitious zombie apocalypse stealth-survival game, set in Seoul, in which players must use their wits to avoid detection, loot items, and escape to survive.�The game is a 16-player PvPvE experience and will be available on PC.

In this multiplayer survival experience, players will take on the role of survivors while the zombies will be control?led by the game’s AI. Like with other games set in a post-apocalypse, the zombies can be lured from their route or position by making sounds. If the undead enemies see you, they’ll chase after you, so be wary of how and where you’re moving abo??ut the environment. 

Also lik??e in other zombie-related media, “human beings are the last ones you can trust,�and you must be okay with taking what you need from ?other players, regardless of what that means for them, according to the game's page on Steam.

"We wanted to make a real survival game where you have to hide, run away, eat, and survive in a world where Zombies hunt Humans, rather than the other way around," said director Jang Kyoung Han. "The game's development started less than a year ago, but getting community feedback is going to be very important to us, and so we’d like to start sharing information early and openly.�/p>

NAKWON: LAST PARADISE is listed on Steam as ‘coming soon,�and no other information on a potential release date has been made public. MINTROCKET has created a server on Discord for ?any prospective players ?to discuss the game and its updates. The developer plans to host a pre-alpha later in 2023.

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I first sat down to play Dave the Diver expecting a few hours of casual fishing fun. 30 hours of game time later, I’m realizing that Dave the Diver goes much deeper than you’d expect from a $20 title. Its writing is hilarious, its art is simple but gorgeous, and its gameplay scratches my exploring/collecting itch in a way that’s suprem??ely satisfying.

Dave the Diver was developed and published by Mintrocket, a brand-new subdivision of Nexon. Though Dave the Diver is the first game from Mintrocket, Nexon has a long history of mostly free-to-play online games like Maplestory and Blue Archive. Dave the Diver is neither free-to-p?lay nor online though, and it offers a complete experience for the price of the box.

Dave the Diver (PC [Reviewed], Nintendo Switch)
Developer: Mintrocket
Publisher: Mintrocket
Released: June 28, 2023 (PC), October 26, 2023 (Switch)
MSRP: $19.99

Dave the Diver’s premise is simple. You are Dave, a professional SCUBA diver currently en??joying a tropical vacation. Suddenly, your best buddy Cobra calls, inviting you over for the best darn sushi of your life. Unable to resist, you hurry over to find that there is no sushi…yet. Cobra wants to o?pen up a sushi restaurant, and he needs your help to manage it and catch fish.

From there, the gameplay is an addicting loop? of exploring the Blue Hole, a mysterious undersea region full of fish from around the world. You’ll work with the sushi chef Bancho to add new fish to ?the menu, manage your restaurant to improve its rating, and even do some farming. While all this is going on, there is an overarching story involving an enigmatic lost civilization of Sea People.

The story is silly, yet endearing. The game as a whole doesn’t take itself too seriously, and it’s not afraid to exploit clichés or use over-the-top visual gags. It’s full of?? ??references to internet memes, anime culture, and hilarious writing all around. The cutscenes are true works of art and I refuse to skip a single one.

Each and every one of the NPCs is memorable. Bancho is technologically inept, but a master sushi chef. Duff, your weapons dealer, is a basement-dwelling anime girl superfan. Sato, who collects trading cards based on the fish you catch, is straight-up an adult Ash Ketchum. I didn’t have to look up any of these characters�names. I ?remember them all because I love them all.

Diver by day, restaurateur by night

You’re able to do two to three diving trips each day: once in the morning, afternoon, and evening. These diving excursions are used to gather materials, cooking ingredients, and of course, fish. Fishing is done primarily with a harpoon that ??can be aimed in the 2D space around you. As you continue playing, you unlock various types of weaponry to dispatch larger, more aggressive creatures. There are also nets and traps, giving you some flexibility in what method you want to use to capture your quarry.

The Blue Hole is ever-changing though, with different landscapes every time you dive and random items found in each chest. No two dives will go the same way. Dave the Diver isn't a roguelite, but it might help to go in w?ith the same "take what you get" mindset that roguelites encourage?.

Your oxygen m??eter doubles as your health bar, and taking damage drains your oxygen. Return to the surface before you run out, or find one of the many oxygen canisters scattered around the Blue Hole. If you run out of oxygen underwater, Cobra will rescue you, but you’ll only get to keep one of the items you acquired during your dive. It sucks to lose a bunch of fish, but I've never felt pressured to load a previous save because of it.

Any fish you take back to your restaurant can be served to customers in the form of sushi or other, fancier dishes. I enjoyed designing my own wacky menu based on what ingredients I have and my customers�tastes. The restaurant opens every evening to serve customers and earn money. As you get busier, you’ll b??e able to hire employees t?o help you with cooking, serving, and acquiring ingredients.

The diving portion and restaurant management portion of Dave the Diver work together to create a wholesome, satisfying gameplay loop. You explore and fish during the day and run your restaurant at night, making more money to buy more upgrades so you can catch ever more exotic fish. I always grin when I see that I’ve beaten my all-time sales record or caught my biggest fish. But I know that I can make more money and catch even bigger fish. And s??o I ??hop back into the water even though I really should stop playing and go to bed.

That's not all, though. There’s so, so much more to Dave the Diver than just diving and running a restaurant. You can open a fish farm, a vegetable farm, and a seaweed farm. You can race seahorses, gamble, play rhythm games, and even r??aise a Tamagotchi-like virtual pet. Each of these events are introduced gradually over the course of the story, preventing you from getting overwhelmed at the start.

Most importantly, you don’t have to partake in these activities. Sure, farming will help you get more ingredients for special recipes, but you don’t regularly need to keep up with your farm in order to progress the story. If the management aspect becomes too much, it’s perfectly fine to ignore these extra mechanics until you actually ?need them.

Deceptively simple, supremely satisfying

My one core criticism of Dave the Diver is that a few of its gameplay elements are poorly explained. There were a small handful of moments during my playthrough where I wasn’t sure how to properly pour a beer or why my seahorses were seemingly disappearing. Still, these issues were infrequent and easy enough to overcome.?? The boss fights and puzzles are generally fairly easy for those with video game experience. Dying to a boss respawns you at the start of the fight, allowing you to try again immediately. There are a couple of puzzles that don’t spoon-feed you the correct answer, which I appreciate.

In a world full of fear and uncertainty, Dave the Diver is here to offer a lighthearted story and engaging gameplay. It doesn’t try to follow trends or emulate big AAA titles. It doesn’t have an in-game shop to try to get you to spend more money. It’s simply a silly, fun game? about a diver named Dave, and I can’t put it down.

Also, ??you can pet the baby whale. 9/10 would pet again.

_{[This review is based on a retail copy of the game purchased by the reviewer.]}

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Dave the Diver is a game about making delicious sushi and other dishes using exotic sea life as ingredients. The game doesn’t take itself too seriously, but I feel compelled to point out that attempting to eat some of Bancho’s dishes might not be the most pleasant experience. Would Bancho Sushi pass a health inspection, or would it kill some of its patrons? Let’s take a look at some of the…interesting food items in Dave the Diver.

Stinging Jellyfish

Let’s start with jellyfish. You can make sushi with several types of jellyfish, including the infamous box jellyfish. These things are among the most venomous living things on Earth, capable of killing swimmers in minutes if they get caught in their tentacles. And in Dave the Diver, Bancho serves them up raw with rice and nori. Strictly speaking, the bell portion of jellyfish should be safe to eat, since the stinging cells are only on the tentacles. But the in-game art features some tentacles served on the side. It’s unclear if they’ve been treated in some way to disable the stings (no, urine does not work)?, b?ut I personally would push them to the far side of the plate.

Other jellyfish, like barrel jellyfish or fried-egg jellyfish, probably won’t kill you even if you touch their tentacles. Their venoms are much less potent than the box jelly’s, though getting s?tung still isn’t pleasant. Despite the danger, many cultures around the world regularly consume jellyfish. (Speaking from experience, it’s kind of crunchy.) It’s important to note that some species of jellyfish are poisonous if not prepared properly, so let’s hope Bancho knows what he’s doing.

Poisonous fish

Speaking of poisonous seafood, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention pufferfish. Almost all pufferfish are poisonous to varying degrees, and the two species in Dave the Diver are no exception. Preparation of pufferfish as food is heavily regulated in Japan and Korea. It appears that Bancho does indeed have a pufferfish license, so it should be safe to eat the pufferfish he serves. Still, if you start to feel a n?umbing or tingling sensation in your mouth while eating, it’s probably best to put down those chopsticks.

Many predatory reef fish like triggerfish, barracuda, and moray eels can be poisonous as well. Depending on what the fish have eaten, they can accumulate high levels of ciguatoxin in their flesh. The toxin doesn’t hurt the fish, but in humans, it can cause an illness called ciguatera. While you’re unlikely to die from ciguatera, it can lead to numbness, vomiting, diarrhea, and s??erious neurological issues. On top of this, the same chemical properties that made it hard for the fish to expel the toxin also apply to you. Once it’s in your sy?stem, ciguatoxin is difficult to get rid of, and symptoms can last for days to years depending on how much you ate. 

Just plain gross

Food doesn’t have to be deadly in order to be unpleasant. Bancho serves a lot of shark dishes in various forms. Sharks have massive amounts of bitter-tasting urea in their flesh and blood. We humans excrete urea through our urine, but for sharks, the urea helps prevent them from dehydrating. When they die, the urea starts converting to ammonia, which has a foul odor on top of an acrid taste. There are ways to mitigate this, but in my experience, the smell and taste of ammonia can be so overpowering that the dish is nearly ??inedible. Shark meat isn’t something I recommend for the faint of heart.

Deep-sea fish in general have their own problems. Many of them, like the barreleye and snailfish, are uniquely adapted for extreme pressures. Bringing them to the surface causes the gases in their bodies to expand, damaging their internal structures and turning their flesh into gelatinous mush. I guess it would technically be edible, but it would be difficult to make sushi o??ut of.

Interestingly, nautiluses are entirely edible. You do need to get them out of their shell though, and their meat doesn’t have the classic brown stripes that are on the shell. The in-game art for nautil??us sushi is definitely striped though, so is Bancho serving you the shell too? I can’t imagine you’re supposed to crunch up and swallow the inedible shell. Maybe you’re meant to remove the shell before eating?

Is Bancho a star chef or a murderer?

So far, it doesn’t look li?ke anyone’s died from eating Bancho’s food. Dining at Bancho Sushi is probably perfectly fine, especially given thos?e high ratings in Cooksta.

Just exercise ??caution when eating seafood in the real world. Do your research before putting things in your mouth and make ?sure your food is prepared according to safety guidelines. 

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