Skip To...
Early Access continues to be one of the best ways for developers to begin building hype on their games, with some of 2023’s most exciting and viral titles being Early Access titles. The co-op horror genre seems to have taken over the medium at this point, but there are still a number of other games across all different styles that launched fantastic Early Access experiences this year for players to experience. It’s difficult to rank some of them against each other considering how different they are, but these are the best Early Access titles that hit the Steam page in 2023.
10. Mechabellum
The tactical battle sim genre of Mechabellum instantly makes it fairly niche. For players who can’t stand games like StarCraft, there’s likely not much to see here, but for players who are into this type of game and are looking for a fresh experience, look no further. Mechabellum has its own style and take on the genre that is familiar but complex in many promising ways.
9. The Coffin of Andy and Leyley
The Coffin of Andy and Leyley made waves this year around the internet for all the wrong reasons. The reaction from certain audiences to a particular aspect of this game’s story is the definition of not being able to understand the deeper nuance of the story being told here, and there is certainly a great story going on that’s worth being experienced in The Coffin of Andy and Leyley.
8. Dune: Imperium
Dune: Imperium is the video game adaptation of a fantastic board game, and Dire Wolf has done an amazing job bringing it to the digital space. This is a game that can be played either solo or with friends and it’s a great time for anyone who’s a fan of Dune that is interested in a game that remains true to the world and its lore while also having a lot of deck-building fun.
7. The Matchless Kungfu
An open-world RPG centered around East Asian-style martial arts culture and combat is an unexpected combination, but far from an unwelcome one. The Matchless Kungfu sets itself apart from much of its ilk just through that distinction alone, and while it certainly has some rough edges to work out (Fairly expected for Early Access) there is a very promising base here that will hopefully gradually change into something amazing.
6. Death Must Die
Death Must Die is certainly worth keeping an eye on for fans of other hack-n-slash titles like Vampire Survivors. This game certainly does wear its inspirations on its sleeve, but not to the extent that it winds up feeling like a watered-down version of anything, and it has all the weapons and increasingly challenging enemy types a player could ask for to make the gameplay loop nice and addicting.
5. The Outlast Trials
Taking the horrifying, gruesome, and oftentimes shocking world of Outlast and throwing it into the buzzing world of co-op horror sounds like it could be amazing or potentially mix like oil and water. Thankfully, The Outlast Trials comes out feeling like a lot of fun while still maintaining its disturbing tone that is sure to make the whole Discord group call scream in unison.
4. Starship Troopers: Extermination
The cult-hit movie Starship Troopers has finally received a video game that perfectly encapsulates how players would want to experience this world by cleverly utilizing the hoard shooter genre. This game will likely be a big relief for anyone who likes this type of game but was sick of everything in the genre being zombie-based in some way. Starship Troopers: Extermination has its own tone, enemies, and weapons that make it feel unique enough for anyone, not just fans of the franchise, to play, but franchise enjoyers will certainly fall in love with this, no doubt.
3. Sons of the Forest
The follow-up to the survival-horror hit The Forest does exactly what fans are expecting, which is to update those same mechanics to feel better than ever while wrapping it in new story and surroundings. In that way, there’s nothing particularly groundbreaking in Sons of the Forest, but anyone who’s a fan of this genre will be able to get some significant mileage out of this, especially with how often Endnight is adding new stuff.
2. Mortal Sin
The solo project of developer Nikola Todorovic both looks and feels incredibly creative and psychedelic. This game is a visual nightmare, but that’s meant as high praise and to attract any players looking for an interesting take on the roguelike genre. There are plenty of creeps and monsters lurking around the corners here, and the art style of the game only fuels the eerie sensations.
1. Lethal Company
Lethal Company has been going viral all across the internet in 2023 for a reason, it’s just that much fun, even in this early state. The game takes a similar approach to what’s seen in Phasmophobia but spins in a way that manages to maintain some of that terror while simultaneously cranking the hilarity of the game up to a new level. This is undoubtedly one of the most promising titles worth keeping an eye on as the developers continue to add new monsters, maps, and other content in the future.
