The perfect video game for you could be a life-changing story, a whole new world or a casual multiplayer experience. Here, The Chariot has compiled a list of ten new games to check out in the upcoming year. This list includes a variety of games from both well-known developers as well as small, indie teams.

Final Fantasy XVI 

This will be the 16th game in the Final Fantasy series; a great choice for people who are already committed to the franchise. “Final Fantasy XVI” will take place in Valisthea, a land blessed by magical aether from the Mothercrystals, which are beginning to fade, causing conflict. Valisthea is split into six realms and is home to the deadly and powerful Eikons, which are essentially weapons of magical mass destruction. The Eikons each reside in a person known as a Dominant, who can summon their Eikon at will. Not much information is yet available on the storyline, but the story will follow Clive Rosfield, his younger brother Joshua, who is a Dominant, and their friend Jill Warrick. The game’s setting is vast, but will not be entirely open-world; rather, it will be an independent area-based game that still gives players the chance to explore and take on quests as they choose. 

“Final Fantasy XVI” is set to be released on June 22, 2023 as a PlayStation Exclusive for the PlayStation 5 only, but the developers have promised a PC release at some point in the future. Pre-order “Final Fantasy XVI” here.

The Last of Us Part I PC Release

NaughtyDog’s “The Last of Us” is gaining new popularity with the recent release of the HBO Original Series, “The Last of Us,” based on the game. The original 2014 game and the 2022 remaster, as well as the 2020 sequel, “The Last of Us Part II,” are currently only available on PlayStation, but NaughtyDog has had a PC release in the works for years. 

“The Last of Us” takes place 20 years after an outbreak of the deadly cordyceps fungus, which has left the world in a destroyed, apocalyptic state. The story follows Joel Miller, who is now surviving as a smuggler in a quarantine zone in Massachusetts after tragically losing his daughter, Sarah, in the initial outbreak. He becomes tasked with transporting Ellie Williams, a young girl who is miraculously immune to the cordyceps fungus, across the country in hopes that a group known as the Fireflies can make a cure by studying her. It is a single-player action-adventure game with a linear storyline and contains graphic, tense fight sequences and emotional cutscenes.

“The Last of Us” will be released on PC on March 28, 2023. Pre-order “The Last of Us” on Steam here.

Minecraft Legends 

“Minecraft Legends” is a new action-strategy Minecraft spinoff from Mojang. Players can explore the Minecraft universe and are tasked with protecting it from an invasion of piglins from the Nether with the help of other overworld mobs. It is a third-person game that can be played solo and is available in both cooperative and competitive multiplayer. 

“Minecraft Legends” is set to be released on April 18, 2023. It will be available on Xbox Game Pass, PC Game Pass, Windows, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PlayStation, Steam and Nintendo Switch. Check out the game’s official website here.

Cocoon  

“Cocoon” is a top-down puzzle adventure game from developer Geometric Initiative, featuring staff from Playdead’s award-winning games “Limbo” and “Inside.” In “Cocoon,” players control a winged, insect-like character and collect orbs. Each orb contains an entirely new world inside of it which players can enter and explore, and the orbs can be combined, rearranged and manipulated to solve puzzles. 

“Cocoon” does not have a set release date, but it is expected to come out sometime in 2023. It will be available on PC, Xbox and Nintendo Switch. Add “Cocoon” to your Wishlist on Steam here.

Tchia

“Tchia” is an open-world, physics-driven sandbox game from developer Awaceb. The story follows a young girl named Tchia on a quest to save her father from the cruel ruler of their archipelago. The game challenges players to find creative ways to use their surroundings to their advantage. “Tchia” is heavily inspired by the Awaceb co-founders’ homeland, New Caledonia, and features many aspects of New Caledonian culture, including traditional language. 

“Tchia” was released on March 21, 2023. It is available on PlayStation and PC. Check out the game’s official website here. 

Sea of Stars

“Sea of Stars” is a retro turn-based RPG game from developer Sabotage Studio. It is a prequel to Sabotage Studio’s 2018 game, “The Messenger.” “Sea of Stars” tells the story of two Children of the Solstice: Valere, who wields the power of the moon, and Zale, who wields the power of the sun. Together, Valere and Zale fight to defeat the evil Fleshmancer, combining their powers to perform Eclipse Magic. Players can play as up to six different characters and engage in puzzle solving, turn-based combat and a variety of side quests. 

“Sea of Stars” is set to release on Aug. 29, 2023. It will be available on PC, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. Check out the game’s official website here and add it to your wishlist on Steam here.

This Bed We Made 

“This Bed We Made” is a third-person mystery from developer Lowbirth Games. It is told from the perspective of Sophie, a chambermaid at the Clarington Hotel in the 1950s. The game lets players indulge their nosiness as Sophie snoops around hotel guests’ rooms to discover clues to solve a sinister mystery. The player can choose which rooms to explore, which characters to form relationships with, and more. Similar to popular games such as “Life is Strange” and “Until Dawn,” players are presented with a variety of choices that will have consequences and affect the overall story. 

“This Bed We Made” does not have a set release date, but it is confirmed to be released sometime in 2023. Add it to your wishlist on Steam here. 

Lies of P 

“Lies of P” is a twisted retelling of the story of Pinnochio from developer NEOWIZ. The story follows a mechanical Pinnochio who must navigate the city of Krat, facing horrific creatures and bosses on his way to find Geppetto and become human. The game is an adventure RPG that takes inspiration from classics such as “Dark Souls,” “Bloodborne” and “Elden Ring.”

“Lies of P” is set to release in August 2023 and will be available on PC through Steam, as well as on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S and Xbox One. It will be a day-one GamePass release on Xbox. Check out the game’s official website here.

Two Falls  

“Two Falls,” also known as “Nishu Takuatshina,” is an upcoming single-player narrative game from developer Unreliable Narrators. The game is meant to tell indigenous stories and was made in collaboration with indigenous people. Players alternate between playing as Jeanne, a 17th century Frenchwoman who ends up shipwrecked in an unfamiliar wilderness, and Maikan, a young Innu who instinctively senses something threatening his native forest and culture. The game features an intricate environment which changes to reflect the protagonists’ familiarity with their surroundings. Players can explore the environment and interact with the land as well as engage in meaningful dialogue with non-playable characters.

“Two Falls” is set to be released in the third quarter of 2023. It will be available on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox X/S. Add “Two Falls” to your wishlist on Steam here.

Nine Sols

“Nine Sols” is a two-dimensional action-platformer from Taiwanese developers RedCandleGames. The game has a charming, hand-drawn art style and a “Taopunk” setting, a term coined by the developers to describe their Taiwanese- and Japanese-influenced style that blends cyberpunk and sci-fi with Taoism and Taiwanese mythology. “Nine Sols” tells the story of a vengeful hero exploring a world once inhabited by an alien race. The hero is on a journey to slay the nine sols, who are the powerful rulers of the realm. The game is single-player and features Sekiro-inspired, deflection-focused combat. 

“Nine Sols” is set to be released in the second quarter of 2023. It will be available on PC, PlayStation and Nintendo Switch. Add “Nine Sols” to your wishlist on Steam here.

The games in this list include rich fantasy worlds, inspiration from underrepresented cultures, compelling storylines and captivating gameplay. This is not a comprehensive list of every new game: there are plenty more video games to be released this year; keep an eye out for new releases!