10 Hidden Gem Video Games Of 2023
9. T'chia
And now for something completely different.
Where Void Stranger is dark, foreboding and brutal, Tchia is colourful, welcoming and joyous. Developer Awaceb's lovingly crafted tribute to their homeland of New Caledonia is a delightful piece of video game tourism, and a genuinely excellent open-world game to boot.
Travelling across the New Caledonia archipelago in a sail boat initially gives off strong Wind Waker vibes. As inspirations go, there's few better, but Tchia then one-ups Nintendo's masterpiece by giving its eponymous protagonist the ability to possess any animal in the game.
Flying from island to island as a gull - with a button dedicated to the act of pooping, no less - before retransfiguring back into Tchia on the ground never ceases to be a thrill, and it's only one of the dozens of creatures (and objects) Tchia can possess throughout the game.
A lovingly crafted, island-hopping odyssey with a killer mechanic and the best ukulele in video games, Tchia is a wonderful virtual vacation spot to explore during the winter holidays.