It’s been a big year for games in 2023. A lot of games delayed by COVID piled in this year, so we’ve not been short on great choices. In this list, we’ll be going over the best 2023 games in the action-adventure category.
Best Action-Adventure Games of 2023
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Most action-adventure games can’t hold a candle to a new Marvel’s Spider-Man entry. This web-swinging game follows the formula of the series, but this time, it adds a twist with a two-for-one deal on heroes. You’ll get to play as both the Peter Parker Spider-Man as well as the Miles Morales Spider-Man. You can swap between the two whenever you like, as long as you’re not in the middle of a mission.
They each have some unique storylines and quests that they can complete, as well as full skill trees and gadgets that make for some exciting and varied combat between the two Spider-Men. Peter Parker has built a set of robotic spider-arms to use and features abilities that involve them, which is really cool. You’ll also get to use a certain special power later in the game, which I won’t mention for those who haven’t played it, but it sure is awesome! Meanwhile, Miles really goes all in on his electric powers as they grow and develop, and they sure do not disappoint in combat. He’s very strong and has some of the best combat to date.
The game has an excellent main story and is packed full of fun side content to explore and various collectibles to gather. It’s also got some of the most interesting puzzle variety I’ve come across in an action-adventure titles, which makes even that element of the game even more enjoyable.
Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4 needs no introduction. This legendary game was fully remade and given the full modern treatment with all the bells and whistles. Capcom did not disappoint and really delivered on this remake. It has stunning visuals and is a piece of immaculate game design that really gets you on the edge of your seat as you navigate the grim, creature-filled world. You’ll be breaking necks, shooting heads, and stabbing enemies left and right as you fight to survive and uncover what’s going on.
There are lots of weapons and items to gather and make use of that you can find spread out across various locations. Getting a new weapon like a good shotgun can make all the difference, especially when it comes to completing the epic boss fights.
In the remake of RE4, you can expect to find what made the original so good still intact but with a whole host of improvements made. You’ll find a nice mix of fighting for your life, thrilling action scenes that really get the heart racing, and plenty of head-scratching puzzle solving. There are even some entirely new boss fights that were put in to replace some of the more boring parts of the original to spice things up.
Related: The Best Suits in Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, Ranked
Hi-Fi Rush
Hi-Fi Rush stealth dropped this year from developer Tango Works and was immediately a smash hit. It’s a stylish action-adventure rhythm game that sees your character Chai labeled as a defect after he goes through surgery at a megacorp and accidentally has his music player fused into his chest. While the company sends out robots to eliminate the “defect,” Chai discovers that he now has new powers pulsing through him thanks to his music player fusion. He’s able to use weapons to fight the enemy robots on the beat, and the result is some really impressive and fun combat.
Hi-Fi Rush has an excellent story and is full of colorful and funny characters that will bring a smile to your face. Bopping your head to the beat of the fun navigation of levels and the thrill of combat results in one heck of an action-adventure game.
Final Fantasy XVI
Final Fantasy XVI really unleashes its fast, action-packed combat and takes a much different approach than you’re probably used to in a Final Fantasy game. It has an incredibly cool story to tell around a bunch of warring kingdoms battling it out for resources and land as their world is slowly engulfed by a creeping death draining the life out of locations it spreads to. Powerful Dominants who house the power of god-like creatures lead the power struggle between factions with their ability to turn into Eikons and unleash hell upon enemy troops and each other.
Navigating this war-torn land is the highly compelling character of Clive and the band of rebel misfits that he falls in with after a dramatic introductory sequence sets the scene for the game. The main storyline is excellent and is stacked with incredible characters with some truly top-notch voice acting. The only letdown in Final Fantasy XVI is the terrible side missions that are nothing more than filler quests that add nothing to the game whatsoever. As long as you avoid those and focus on the main story, you’ll have a fantastic time with this game.
Hogwarts Legacy
Despite all the controversy around the Harry Potter brand, Hogwarts Legacy is an undeniably magical and unforgettable action-adventure game set in the Wizarding World. It was absolutely incredible to see Hogwarts brought to life far before the time of Harry Potter.
Hogwarts Legacy has some of the most epic and satisfying spell-slinging combat imaginable. I couldn’t get enough of hitting enemies with a variety of spell combos to absolutely destroy them with some swift flicks of my wand. Dueling other Witches and Wizards felt great as well and really kept you on your toes, having to deflect spells and use others to counter their shields and create openings.
Aside from the beautifully crafted and magical setting, the characters and world-building were excellent. There was a wide variety of characters both in and out of Hogwarts that were all very compelling and enticing to get to know and complete quests for. Then there was the story, which was a brand new, unique narrative to explore some of the ancient magic that stemmed from the very roots of Hogwarts. It’s a fascinating story to play through, and anyone who loves the Harry Potter universe will certainly enjoy it.
That wraps up our list of the best action-adventure games released in 2023. It was a huge year for games, and many of us will likely be playing through a backlog of action-adventure games for quite some time with all these awesome choices.
For more of our Best of lists for 2023, check out the following:
Best Nintendo Switch Games of 2023
Best Apple Arcade Games for 2023
Best Xbox Series X/S Games of 2023
