We can all agree that 2023 was a fantastic year for games, with players across the globe adding new favorites to their all-timers lists. I tend to lean much more toward strategy games and indies, and my little corner of the gamersphere saw just as many quality releases as the big names.

My favorite games offer challenge and replayability alongside a compelling story - either scripted or emerging through gameplay. If a title introduces something I've never seen before, so much the better! These ten titles have earned my top picks for 2023.

This article is part of TheGamer's Editor's Picks series. Once all the selections are submitted, the games chosen by the most members of our team are held up for TheGamer's overall Game of the Year selections.

10. Total War: Pharaoh

I've wanted for a long time to see what a war game set in ancient Egypt would look like, and in 2023 I finally got my wish.

Total War: Pharaoh gives players a look into a period of history that’s only understood through fragments, turning names carved in stone into living personalities of flesh and blood. If you’re a Total War fan, this is the complete package.

9. Age Of Wonders 4

I got into the Age Of Wonders series pretty late, picking it up with 2019’s sci-fi spinoff Planetfall. I was hooked from that point on, though, and Age Of Wonders 4 took everything I liked about Planetfall and spun it into a fantasy setting.

The latest entry in the series offers some of the best faction customization of any 4X game available, and the Pantheon system lets you immortalize your favorite heroes for later campaigns.

8. World Of Horror

I first tried World Of Horror at PAX East in 2020, and for weeks afterward I gushed about it to anyone who would listen. The game has had a rough road through early access, but now that it’s launched officially, it finally lives up to its potential.

Part roguelite, part choose-your-own-adventure, part RPG, World Of Horror perfectly captures the unsettling themes and pacing of Japanese horror. The retro look - all created in Paint - is a pixelated cherry on top.

7. Alan Wake 2

Alan Wake 2 is a tough game to describe. It’s a risky supernatural horror mystery, but that doesn’t really do it justice. The only real way to get why Alan Wake 2 is getting so much hype is to play it.

The storytelling in Alan Wake 2 is strong enough to make it a Game of the Year contender on its own. Plus, I’m always a sucker for a good musical number.

6. Darkest Dungeon 2

I didn’t care for the original Darkest Dungeon, but I absolutely adore Darkest Dungeon 2. It breaks the franchise’s roguelike gameplay down to the essentials while maintaining its signature visual style and themes.

Each completed run feels like a major accomplishment, doubly so when you finally bring down the final boss. Darkest Dungeon 2 also has a special place for me as the first game I ever wrote about for TheGamer.

5. Dune: Spice Wars

Another game that I’ve been following through its early-access period, Dune: Spice Wars not only gave me a new favorite RTS, but finally got me into the legendary sci-fi series. It focuses on economics and politics just as much as it does on warfare, and its low unit count makes each battle feel decisive.

Dune: Spice Wars got a big overhaul when it launched out of early access, and is still being tweaked and rebalanced in response to community feedback, so I can see myself coming back to this one over and over again.

4. Shadows Of Forbidden Gods

It’s been a very long time since a game has destroyed my sleep schedule like Shadows Of Forbidden Gods. Created by a solo developer, it puts players in the role of an ancient evil out to destroy a fantasy world.

Each playable god has a vastly different playstyle and lore, and there’s a devilish delight to be had in manipulating monarchs and covering the land in darkness. The dev just announced a DLC coming in early 2024, so I might need to plan for some all-nighters around February.

3. Resident Evil 4 Remake

Resident Evil 4 is everything a remake should be. It clarifies lore, deepens characters, and holds onto everything that made the original great without being strictly beholden to it.

The remake is now the definitive way to experience Resident Evil 4, a distinction that most remakes and remasters would never come close to.

2. Terra Nil

This delightfully chill environmental reclamation puzzler was a joy to experience. Its deeply satisfying and just-challenging-enough gameplay made Terra Nil an instant favorite for me.

Each biome presents new options and requires a different approach, especially once the harder maps are unlocked. I only wish there were more of them - Terra Nil is a game that’s over much too quickly.

1. SpellForce: Conquest Of Eo

One of 2023’s earliest releases also happened to be my favorite of the year. SpellForce: Conquest Of Eo blends RPG and 4X strategy gameplay in a way that I never would have expected to work, and pulls it off brilliantly.

With several playable classes, an enormous map to explore, and randomized rival mages, Conquest Of Eo tells a compelling story while still leaving the path from start to finish up to the player. It’s essentially created a new subgenre, one that I hope to see more of in the future.