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From Baldur’s Gate 3 to Armored Core 6, 2023 saw the release of some incredible games, but a few were more disappointing. For various reasons, they failed to live up to the hype, leaving many players far from satisfied. That’s not to say that these games are bad. Some players will enjoy their time with them, but these titles are nonetheless marked by flaws that hold them back from the greatness they might otherwise have achieved. Maybe you bought them on launch day but never got around to playing them. Maybe you waited for the reviews to arrive before committing. Either way, here are 5 mediocre 2023 games probably still in your backlog.
Forspoken
There was a lot of hype behind Forspoken, and it’s easy to see why. Square Enix is a legendary developer, responsible for Final Fantasy and a number of other beloved franchises. The promise of a new IP was tantalizing, but when it was released, Forspoken was mostly disappointing. From the cringy voice lines to the underwhelming powers, the title failed to connect with gamers. It’s a beautiful title and has a few fun gimmicks like familiar hunting that make it worth a look, but if this mediocre 2023 game is still in your backlog, no one will blame you. Hopefully, Square Enix can get back to its usual standard of excellence with whatever comes next.
Warhammer 40,000: Darktide
Warhammer is a gargantuan universe. If you’re not into the franchise, you might not realize just how many games, comics, action figures, and other related materials exist. Classic Warhammer brought us the Vermintide games in which the player and their friends face off against the Skaven menace. Warhammer 40,000: Darktide brought that same bloody formula into the future, but it failed to capture the same magic that Vermintide did. Though the enemy designs other game elements brought the feel of the 40k universe, the gameplay didn’t stay fresh enough to keep most players engaged. It’s no surprise it hit the 2023 backlog after that.
Payday 3
Payday 2 is arguably the best heist game ever made, and players hoped that the sequel wouldn’t stray far from its winning formula. In it, four robbers execute a series of heists, either utilizing stealth and clever planning or through a series of bloody shootouts against the police and SWAT. Unfortunately, server issues, bugs, and crashes sullied the release for many players. Despite mods, things didn’t improve much from there, as many players spoke out against the lack of content and lack of support compared to the previous game. Payday 3 isn’t awful, but it’s a basically mediocre game that has a home in many players’ 2023 backlog.
Immortals of Aveum
Immortals of Aveum delivers everything you’d expect from a blockbuster fantasy action game: a troubled world, a dashing protagonist, and a flashy magic system. It’s a first-person magic FPS, and though that subgenre existed before Immortals of Aveum, it hasn’t gotten much love lately. That’s part of the reason there was so much excitement surrounding Aveum‘s release. In cutscenes as well as combat it’s a gorgeous game, but many felt that the gameplay was too shallow and restrictive overall. Performance problems and so-so writing further dragged down the experience, dooming this one to the 2023 backlog for many gamers.
Diablo 4
Diablo 4 might be a controversial pick, but there’s a strong argument for it. ARPG loot-em-ups don’t get any stronger or more influential than the franchise’s earlier titles. It’s a genre that promises nearly infinite replay value, whether you want to theorycraft your necromancer build and min-max every stat or just trek into hell for some mindless monster-slaying.
Unfortunately, Diablo 4 has some massive problems compared to the earlier titles. Problems ranging from shallow end-game content and balancing issues to lackluster patches and support disappointed many eager fans. If you’re looking for an okay ARPG you could do worse. Still, there’s a reason Diablo 4 remains in the 2023 backlog.
