10 Hidden Gem Video Games Of 2023

10. Void Stranger

Ooh boy, this is going to be a tricky one to talk about.

Void Stranger is, ostensibly, a sokoban style puzzler (i.e. one where you rearrange blocks to make a path to the exit). But saying "Void Stranger is a puzzle game" is a bit like saying "Undertale is a JRPG". Both sentences are undeniably true, but they fail to convey the tricksy majesty of either game.

That Undertale comparison wasn't chosen at random, by the way. Like Toby Fox's 2015 masterpiece, Void Stranger delights in subverting player expectations. Fourth wall breaks aside, this seemingly straightforward puzzler soon goes places that... well, to say more would spoil it, but let's just say there's a reason the game's TVTropes entry has a substantial amount of content filed under "Nightmare Fuel".

Honestly, Void Stranger is one of those games where you just have to trust the critics (and its "Very Positive" rating on Steam) and take the plunge while knowing as little as possible. It's not for everyone (it can be maddeningly obtuse at times), but when the potential rewards are this rich, it's a risk worth taking.