20 Best Video Games Of 2023 - RANKED

15. Hi-Fi Rush

At the start of the year, it felt like Hi-Fi Rush was leading the charge for what Xbox "could be".

Languishing for years with very few exclusives, suddenly out of nowhere, The Evil Within developers' Tango Gameworks dropped a cel-shaded rhythm hack n' slasher that looked like a Saturday morning cartoon you'd never seen, with gameplay and boss fights knitting together perfectly.

Its Forspoken-esque writing might not have been for everyone, but Hi-Fi Rush is arguably this year's most refreshing game, its combat based around a 4:4 beat that means you do more damage, unleash fancier specials and mitigate incoming attacks by staying on time.

With a robust endgame meaning you can then go back to each level with a cooler look and all your unlocked moves intact, Hi-Fi Rush is emblematic of an older-style approach to game design, when not every triple-A looking title felt like a second job.

The primary motivator here, is to put a smile on your face.