Summary
UPDATE: Baldur’s Gate 3 won Best RPG at The Game Awards 2023!
Just like many other genres, RPGs have flourished in 2023. This wealth of quality is reflected in the list of nominees for Best RPG atThe Game Awards 2023, which features not only the best role-playing games of the year, but some of the best games of the year, period. Whether the award goes to a highly-anticipated title likeStarfieldor acharming indie hit likeSea of Starsdepends on several factors, as each nominated game exceeds in some areas, while falling short in others.
The RPGs nominated for this award vary greatly in terms of presentation, budget, and general design. There’s the more action-oriented RPGs, like theDMC-inspiredFinal Fantasy 16and theBloodbornehomageLies of P, the tabletop-influencedBaldur’s Gate 3, the retroSea of Stars, andStarfield, which is an open-world Bethesda game through and through. Despite the gulfs of difference between each of these nominated titles, they are all connected by central RPG staples, like a focus on storytelling, progression, and freedom of choice. How well each game delivers on these RPG conventions will play a major role in their performance atThe Game Awards 2023.
2023 Best RPG Nominees
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Baldur’s Gate 3
Baldur’s Gate 3’s nomination for Best RPG is hardly surprising.BG3is a Game of the Year contender, and is tied withAlan Wake 2for most nominations at The Game Awards, so it makes sense that so many gamers have this title pegged for Best RPG. The game’s stellar critical reception has been matched by its success with audiences, with its open-endedness, sharp writing, satisfying combat, and vast, unfolding structure all being common points of praise. However, the game has still had its detractors, as some have criticized it for being too slow and for its occasional technical issues, particularly in its third act. Still,Baldur’s Gate 3is undeniably one of the best games of 2023, and a strong candidate for the Best RPG award.
Final Fantasy 16
Final Fantasy 16’s likable protagonist Clive, dark fantasy world-building, and character-action combat inspired by the likes ofDevil May Cryhave helped to make it one of the more interesting RPGs, not just of 2023, but of theFinal Fantasyseries as a whole. Compared to the other nominees,Final Fantasy 16arguably has the most flashy combat, which is juxtaposed with its dark lore that will remind more than a few players ofGame of Thrones. LikeBaldur’s Gate 3,Final Fantasy 16takes place in a traditional high-fantasy world, complete with dragons, wizards, and powerful kingdoms, all of which come together to make a memorable and engrossing tale, bolstered by stunning visuals, dramatic music, and impressive lead performances, even if the game struggles at certain points.
Lies of P
Coming from the mostly unproven Korean studio Round 8, theBloodborne-inspiredLies of Pmay have raised some eyebrows in the leadup to its release. The game sports an impressive and distinct visual style, unapologetically FromSoftware-style combat, and some intriguing lore based on the works of Carlo Collodi, but it seemed almost too good to be true, with the most skeptical gamers accusing it of being aBloodborneknock-off. Ultimately,Lies of Pproves to be neither of those things, as it is technically polished, features tight combat mechanics, and rewarding exploration.
It wears its influences on its sleeve, but it also manages to stand on its own two feet, with a one-of-a-kind story and enough new mechanics to keep the gameplay feeling fresh and exciting.Like anySoulsgame,Lies of Pwon’t be for everyone, but it’s a fantastic game in its own right and a pleasant surprise for manyBloodbornefans.
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Sea of Stars
Also nominated for the Best Indie Game award,Sea of Starsis one of 2023’s most visually stunning, artfully crafted titles. With this game, it appears that Sabotage Studio has refined and expanded what madeThe Messenger, its other best-known game, so beloved.Sea of Starsadopts a pixel art approach for its aesthetic, while featuring enough modern design considerations to keep it from feeling like nostalgia bait. It says a lot that, even in a year packed withindie hits likeDredge, the seemingly quaintSea of Starshas managed to make a strong impression on the gaming landscape, and it’s proof that it excels as both an indie game and as an RPG.
Starfield
AlthoughStarfielddoesn’t have much of a presenceat The Game Awards this year, its nomination for Best RPG is well-deserved. As the first new IP from Bethesda Game Studios in over two decades,Starfieldrepresents a major leap for theElder ScrollsandFalloutdeveloper, as it moves the company in a bold, new creative direction. It’s also the first BGS game to be released following Microsoft’s acquisition of ZeniMax, making it a significant piece of gaming history. The game’s sprawling, interplanetary map, wealth of content, and unique approach to replayability are some of the aspects most commonly praised by fans, though others have criticized the game for feeling outdated, with some troubling performance issues.
Despite launching to a strong initial reception,Starfieldhas suffered from significant criticism from PC players, earning a “Mixed” review average on Steam.
Final Prediction
While gamers have had the luxury of several fantastic RPGs this year, one game stands head and shoulders above the rest:Baldur’s Gate 3. As the only game nominated for bothBest RPG and Game of the Year,BG3may seem like a shoo-in for the award, but the reasons it deserves to win Best RPG go a bit deeper than that. While the other games nominated for this award may do certain things better,Baldur’s Gate 3is great specifically because of how it succeeds as an RPG; the game prioritizes freedom, customization, and open-endedness more than anything, while being highly polished with an astonishing degree of replay value.
All the nominees for Best RPG are impressive and enjoyable in their own right, but onlyBaldur’s Gate 3managed to take the gaming world by storm, potentially helping revitalize the CRPG genre in the process.Larian Studios' next big gamecould be even better, but for now, it’s safe to say thatBaldur’s Gate 3will do well atThe Game Awards 2023.
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