The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has been topped IGN’s Greatest Sport of 2023, narrowly beating the much-celebrated role-playing sport Baldur’s Gate 3. Regardless of lacking out on the principle honor, Larian’s RPG nonetheless walked away with three awards, particularly Greatest PC Sport, Past’s Greatest PlayStation Sport and, unsurprisingly, Greatest RPG. It equalled the variety of awards picked up by Tears of the Kingdom, which was topped Greatest Open-World Sport and NVC’s Greatest Nintendo Sport along with Greatest Sport of the 12 months.
Different huge winners embody Barbie, which picked up each Greatest Film and Greatest Character in Ryan Gosling’s Ken, and Alan Wake 2, which additionally received two awards – Greatest Horror Sport and Unlocked’s Greatest Xbox Sport. Succession was named Greatest TV Sequence and narrowly missed out Greatest Holy F**ok Second of 2023 – a brand new award for this 12 months, which was received on the final minute by the trailer for GTA 6.
The IGN Awards had been voted for by the content material group accountable for making every little thing you learn and watch on the positioning, and rolled out during the last week. You’ll be able to see an entire checklist of winners under, or by flicking by means of this slideshow.
Moreover, we’re proud to saying right here the winners of our ultimate classes together with Greatest Combating Sport, Animated TV collection, and Comedian Ebook Adaptation. With a lot greatness to have a good time, let’s soar proper in with the primary of our ultimate winners.
Greatest Puzzle Sport: Cocoon
Cocoon is the sensible new sport from former Playdead lead designer Jeppe Carlsen, who beforehand labored on video games like Limbo and Inside. Just like Carlsen’s earlier video games, Cocoon is an ingenious mixture of environmental puzzles however with an orb-based twist we received’t spoil right here. Beautiful aesthetics and mind-bending puzzles collide on this brief however very candy expertise. Cocoon might have gotten a bit misplaced within the shuffle of this 12 months’s hectic fall gaming season, however you received’t wish to sleep on our Greatest Puzzle Sport winner.
Greatest Indie Sport: Dredge
Our Greatest Indie Sport winner was created by a group of 4 builders in New Zealand. However Black Salt Video games’ first title, Dredge, is such a assured debut that we hope to see the studio develop even larger and extra formidable for his or her eventual follow-up.
A Lovecraft-inspired sport that’s extra spooky than full-on horror, Dredge is a finely-crafted expertise the place you’re the captain of a small boat, working in a fishing hamlet the place you’re inspired to not fish previous darkish. However alas, you begin making your manner into the waters as evening falls and that’s the place the enjoyable actually kicks in. Dredge is stuffed with splendidly creepy surprises, mixed with a compelling boat administration sim that simply makes it our favourite indie sport of the 12 months.
Greatest Combating Sport: Avenue Fighter 6
Capcom’s renaissance continued sturdy in 2023 thanks not solely to its newest Resident Evil remake, but additionally our decide for the Greatest Combating Sport of the 12 months: Avenue Fighter 6.
Capcom’s earlier Avenue Fighter sport, Avenue Fighter 5, was a barebones affair aimed squarely on the aggressive preventing sport scene. Not a lot for Avenue Fighter 6, whose sturdy providing of various modes and management schemes means that is one of the best Avenue Fighter sport to play for each new and returning followers.
The World Tour mode specifically is a staggeringly wealthy single-player mode that feels prefer it might’ve been launched as a standalone expertise. Moreover, the Trendy and Dynamic management schemes are excellent for newcomers who’re desirous to study extra concerning the rewarding world of preventing video games.
Greatest Racing Sport: Forza Motorsport
Xbox’s marquee racing sim is again and higher than ever with Forza Motorsport, IGN’s Greatest Racing Sport winner of 2023. In contrast to the Forza Horizon spinoffs, Forza Motorsport is for the racing purists and developer Flip 10 has refined the expertise to really feel higher than ever. Actually, IGN’s evaluate known as Forza Motorsport “one of the best feeling” Motorsport sport within the collection due to a brand new stage of polish unseen within the collection till now. With extra automobiles to select from and probably one of the best next-gen racing sim expertise to date, you’re going to wish to seize your racing wheel setup and start to grasp hitting these apexes.
Greatest Sports activities Sport: MLB The Present 23
San Diego Studios has persistently delivered nice sports activities video games every year, and 2023 isn’t any exception. This 12 months’s big-name baseball sim has all of the polish you’ve come to count on from an MLB The Present sport, however with some essential new modes that can delight any sports activities fan. The massive new characteristic is a single-player Negro Leagues mode that’s nice to play whereas additionally serving as a loving tribute that provides an up-close take a look at this worthwhile piece of baseball historical past.
Greatest Technique Sport: Fireplace Emblem Interact
Clever Programs’ earlier Fireplace Emblem sport, Three Homes, went a bit too “Persona” for some conventional followers of the collection, with heavy emphasis on social interplay and life exterior the tactical battlefield. For Interact, it delivered a sport for the strategists that goes again to the collection’ roots. Whereas there’s nonetheless loads of social mechanics and extra-curricular actions to “interact” with, most of it’s properly and really non-compulsory. If all you wish to do is turn into a ways grasp, commanding your troops in battle utilizing Fireplace Emblem’s tried-and-true rock-paper-scissors type fight, you’re free to take action to your hearts’ content material.
Greatest Platformer: Tremendous Mario Bros. Marvel
Tremendous Mario Bros. Marvel is a really revolutionary tackle everybody’s favourite plumber. Nintendo’s newest side-scrolling Mario sport options among the most formidable, imaginative ranges within the collection’ historical past and takes cues straight from among the finest trendy platformers like Tremendous Meat Boy and Celeste. Tremendous Mario Bros. Marvel reveals Nintendo isn’t content material to relaxation on its laurels. As indie builders push the boundaries of the style, Nintendo met the newcomers with an exquisite response that reveals why Mario stays king of platformers.
Greatest Animated TV Sequence: Scott Pilgrim Takes Off
Scott Pilgrim Takes Off isn’t a lot an animated adaptation of Bryan Lee O’Malley’s iconic graphic novel collection as it’s a stealth sequel. In the identical manner Remaining Fantasy 7 Remake computer virus’d a reimagining of Sq. Enix’s basic RPG, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off is a radical departure from the supply materials that significantly recontextualizes a collection that was definitely displaying some age. By refocusing the narrative away from its title character, animation studio Science Saru mines new depths from Scott’s supporting forged who greater than outshine the jerk main man.
Greatest Comedian Ebook TV Sequence: Gen V
In our evaluate we stated that Gen V proves that Amazon is ready to capitalize on the recognition of The Boys with no need to depend on characters like Homelander or Billy Butcher. This faculty-set superhero present performs like a demented Harry Potter, solely as a substitute of whimsical magic spells and friendship, we’ve bought blood, guts, and exploding [redacted]. The brand new forged of characters greater than maintain their very own inside The Boys’ twisted universe, and Gen V seems like a really thrilling spinoff reasonably than a simple money seize. Additionally, as a substitute of simply having a brand new season of The Boys to sit up for, we will additionally eagerly anticipate the subsequent season of Gen V — IGN’s finest comedian ebook TV collection of 2023.
Be sure you try our full checklist of winners and all of our different IGN Award classes under, and thanks all for an exquisite 2023. We hope to see you right here subsequent 12 months for an equally thrilling 2024 of nice video games, films, books, and reveals.
Greatest Video Sport of 2023: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Greatest Film of 2023: Barbie
Greatest Open-World Sport of 2023: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Greatest Comedian Ebook Sequence or Authentic Graphic Novel of 2023: Daredevil
Greatest Horror Film of 2023: Speak to Me
Greatest Horror Sport of 2023: Alan Wake 2
Greatest Soulslike of 2023: Lies of P
Greatest Stunt of 2023: John Wick: Chapter 4: Overhead Shootout
Greatest Anime of 2023: Vinland Saga season 2
Greatest Motion Sport of 2023: Star Wars Jedi: Survivor
Greatest Sci-Fi/Fantasy Film of 2023: Spider-Man: Throughout the Spider-Verse
Accessibility Innovation in Video games in 2023: Forza Motorsport
Greatest RPG of 2023: Baldur’s Gate 3
Greatest PC Sport of 2023: Baldur’s Gate 3
Greatest TV Present of 2023: Succession
Greatest Character of 2023: Ken from Barbie
Greatest “Holy F**Okay” Second of 2023: The GTA 6 Trailer
Past Greatest PlayStation Sport of 2023: Baldur’s Gate 3
Unlocked Greatest Xbox Sport of 2023: Alan Wake 2
NVC Greatest Nintendo Sport of 2023: The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom