The Escapist’s Best Video Games, TV, & Movies of 2023

2023 was a pretty fantastic year for lovers of video games and entertainment. When the time came to compile a best of list of what we liked most this year, we reached something of a conundrum: In a year so stacked, how do you acknowledge everything.

So we decided to just split things up into separate lists, with each writer taking point on one or more with input from others. Without further ado, here’s a list of all of our best of the year lists, and if you’re thinking, “Wow! That’s meta,” it is. You’re welcome.

The Best Video Games of 2023

We did several lists for our best games centered specifically on the different genres that came out this year. We started off with the best action-adventure games of 2023, giving much deserved nods to games like Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 and Resident Evil 4.

But of course, we didn’t stop there. We also covered the best fighting games of 2023, and you better believe Street Fighter 6 and Mortal Kombat 1 made the list, though not the Nintendo Switch version of the latter. Never the Nintendo Switch version of the latter.

Outside of that, we also covered RPGs, which had a massive year thanks in large part to Baldur’s Gate 3, a game that, statistically, the people reading this can’t get enough of. And for good reason. It’s great! Also, if you want to get really specific, we also broke down our favorite JRPG-style games for 2023, since while there’s a lot of overlap, they’re technically distinct in some key ways. Here’s that list.

We also hit on the excellent shooters that came out in 2023, which gave us a lot of time to sit back and go wild. I mean, Counter-Strike 2 hit this year. That’s already real nice.

Of course, the Soulslike genre had some pretty stellar entries, too, with a couple of great surprise hits, titles like Lies of P among them. Overall, it was a pretty great year for anyone whose favorite sort of gaming experience is wanting to throw a controller through their TV.

And for anyone who doesn’t want to solo bosses, we also touched on some of the greatest co-op games to hit in 2023. After all, some of us have friends. Some.

Otherwise, 2023 was a truly fantastic year for indie games, and there are a ton you might have missed. We’ve compiled a list of our picks for the best indie games of 2023 here, and we’re hoping you find something you love there.

Finally, in terms of actual genres, we hit up horror games, which a lot of folks really love. I am, of course, a complete coward, so they’re not generally my cup of tea. But if you like horror games, our horror expert made a list of his favorite releases this year.

We also got a bit niche. Listen, 2023 was the year that I discovered how great VR is thanks to the newly released Meta Quest 3, so you better believe that I commissioned a list pretty much entirely for my own benefit of what released this year. Here’s a link to that.

Outside of that, we also dove into some specific consoles. We hit on the Nintendo Switch, which had a banner year with the release of Super Mario Bros. Wonder and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, two truly excellent games. You can read that list here.

And who could forget the humble PlayStation 5. In a year where a lot of you were finally able to get one for the first time, a few pretty notable games released. I mean, we mentioned one earlier: Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. That’s right: This list of lists has callbacks. Here’s our picks for the best PS5 games in 2023.

Maybe, though, you haven’t picked up a PS5 or Switch. That’s totally fine. You should game on what you want, and for some people, that means buying an Xbox Series X/S. Here are our picks for the best games on those consoles.

Maybe none of those tickle your fancy. Luckily, we covered our picks for the best games that are available through Apple Arcade, which is an underrated gem of a platform.

The Best TV & Movies of 2023

Of course, The Escapist is about more than just video games, although we do love video games. We also love TV and movies. (Please, do not print that we do not love video games. That would simply be untrue. Save your lies for when someone asks you about your New Year’s resolutions.)

If you saw Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, you probably already know that 2023 was absurdly good for animated movies, so we made a list of those, including all of your favorites and some you might hate for some reason I don’t understand.

We also rounded up our choices for the best animated TV shows, like Scavenger’s Reign. You really should watch Scavenger’s Reign, and well, all the other amazing animated TV shows on this list.

Oh, and let’s not forget anime. While there are definitely overlaps with those other two categories, there are a bunch of folks who love anime here at The Escapist, and it was another really great year for the medium. Really, after checking out our list by clicking on this blue text right here, you should immediately pick up a show.

Listen, this list of lists is full of shtick. The reason for that is I’m compiling this actively as we publish the lists, and I need to make things interesting for myself. Otherwise, I’ll go into shock. You probably don’t think I’m funny, but — segue alert — we’re pretty confident you’ll find these TV comedies from 2023 hilarious.

OK, that sort of set up and punchline has made you made. Dramatic, you might say. Well, in year with The Bear, how can you not put together a list of the best TV dramas of 2023? I admit, that transition was weaker. Please, read our list. I beg you.

Did just how pathetic that was disturb you? In that case, here’s our list of the best horror movies in 2023!

Oh, and don’t forget action movies. In a year when the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC Extended Universe struggled massively, there were still some pretty good things that came out! You can find our picks for the best action movies of 2023 here.