We have been incredibly fortunate to have a wide selection of excellent games in 2023. However, if your computer cannot render the polygons, it is improbable that you have been staying updated with high-end games such as Baldur’s Gate 3 or Lies of P. But that’s cool since there are more than enough fantastic games that don’t require a high-end rig.
If you have a less powerful desktop, a laptop without a separate graphics card, or even a Steam Deck you want to use for more than two hours without charging, you should look at my annual evaluation of low-power PC games. All are compatible with Windows and other platforms, and they should function properly on your reliable, aged system. It’s also worth noting that they are all considerably less expensive than new AAA titles.
Pizza Tower
Enthusiasts of unconventional, unattractive animated shows from the late 1990s and fast-paced platform video games will discover a distinctive combination in Pizza Tower. It combines Sonic’s fast speed, Wario’s various forms, and some excellent music for a skill-focused game. Despite utilizing pixel art, the game does not have an 8-bit style. Instead, it resembles the lively and animated drawings from your eccentric middle school days, created using MS Paint.
Please be aware that in Pizza Tower, there are extensive portions where you will be navigating through the stages quickly, and the boss fights can be pretty frustrating, requiring you to have a good grasp of the game’s mobility and attacking abilities. But to be frank, that’s what platformer enthusiasts are here for.
Book of Hours
Attention TikTok users who enjoy reading: this game is tailored to your interests. In Book of Hours, you oversee a mystical library, renovating each chamber and delving into its books to uncover a profound enigma, all while attending to the library’s peculiar guests. The game combines features from a management simulation with a crafting-oriented RPG. Still, in the unique manner of developer Weather Factory (known for Cultist Simulator), there is no direct fighting.
It’s similar to being Belle at her library once you’ve left the Beast and his talking furniture behind to pursue your genuine love. With various character histories and tale options, there is much to discover once you finish reading the story for the first time. It might be worth playing through numerous times to create the ideal library.
The Last Spell
The Last Spell combines elements of tower defense and grid-based tactics as you protect a city from an endless swarm of undead creatures. Suppose you manage to keep the mages alive for a long time. In that case, they will utilize the spell with the same name to eliminate magic from existence and permanently eliminate those creatures. Charming pixel imagery conceals a surprising level of strategic complexity and diversity in addition to the typical challenging nature of a roguelike game.
The Last Spell offers a well-designed strategic progression, beginning with a modest foundation and gradually growing in several directions. This allows you to customize each playthrough according to your preferred style or try new approaches. Once you overcome the initial challenge, you will discover a surprisingly satisfying experience. However, I would prefer to avoid playing this on a Steam Deck due to the little visual features and graphic details in the pixelated art style.
Dave the Diver
Dave the Diver is a game that is difficult to describe. However, because this is my occupation, I should attempt it nonetheless. The primary gameplay loop has you exploring the ocean’s depths, bringing your catch back to the local sushi bar and serving it up. But it’s also crammed with minigames and a surprisingly deep tale, which pours personality.
Reviewers claim that this game faces challenges in establishing its unique characteristics, although this will be acceptable for many relaxed gamers. The continuous introduction of eccentric new individuals and things might bring a sense of calm, as you never know what might appear on the upcoming game day, whether on the unexpectedly dangerous water or the supposedly calmer land. This is the one if you’re searching for an enchanting game that will consistently wow you.
Also Read: Best platformer games
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood
Using tarot cards to predict the future is not a novel concept, but doing so in an asteroid prison is unique. As a young witch named Fortuna, you will create your own set of magical cards similar to clip art (reminiscent of Kid Pix), intending to serve an “entity” to achieve independence. The combination of the immersive tale and innovative drag-and-drop gameplay is genuinely one-of-a-kind. However, some individuals may find the leisurely pace slightly discouraging.
The Cosmic Wheel Sisterhood conceals profound connections and mature concepts beneath relaxing music and stunning 2D visuals, so please note that it is unsuitable for children (or those who expect periodic explosions). However, finding a better option for a relaxed game that offers significant opportunities for player creativity is challenging.
Cardboard Town
Contemporary urban planners aim for incredibly high realism in their city designs. Cardboard Town is a purposeful and direct dismantling of that concept. The game streamlines the well-known aspects of managing resources and planning space using a card-based interface, giving your city a slightly more natural and less meticulously planned feel. Sometimes, it can seem more like a puzzle game than a traditional city-builder.
I like the images of the craft store (technically 3D, but simple enough to operate on integrated graphics) and the calming music. How each building takes shape as it is positioned is oddly gratifying, akin to observing someone with great skill in papercraft. A recent software update included a point-of-view (POV) mode that allows you to experience your town from the perspective of one of your minor cardboard characters. Additionally, this mode may be used as a visually appealing screen saver.
Typecast
As someone passionate about keyboards, you can expect me to be interested in any game that will make typing enjoyable and eventually eliminate the negative influence of Mavis Beacon. Typecast merges the never-ending 2D combat of twin-stick shooters (one stick is your mouse, the other your hand on the keyboard) with the fast-paced, twitchy typing of the Dead, producing a combination of combat and secretarial abilities.
Arcade-style sessions are quick and intense, with various weaponry and power-ups that ensure each run is unique. You may feel discouraged if you don’t enjoy the fast-paced and challenging gameplay of bullet hell shooters. However, as you become familiar with some of the game’s more compelling features, your experience might improve. However, if you persist, you will eventually achieve a high ranking on the online leaderboards and could receive a substantial medical invoice for carpal tunnel syndrome.
Sea of Stars
There is no lack of new 2D RPGs that remind us of the Super Nintendo era, but Sea of Stars is undoubtedly the best among this year’s selections. The turn-based structure with a concentration on combination strikes will be familiar to anyone who’s liked Chrono Trigger, with a touch of timer-based additional damage to keep you on your toes. The game also eliminates some of the genre’s outdated features, such as random encounters and repetitive gameplay.
The tale is conventional in the anime style, but the game’s impressive 2D visuals and an extensive assortment of minigames will ensure you consistently discover new activities. Yasunori Mitsuda, a highly regarded composer known for his work on the Chrono Trigger, Mana, and Xenogears series, has created exceptional orchestral music.
Cassette Beasts
Can you think of two things more representative of the 1990s than Pokemon and the Sony Walkman? You cannot, which is likely why the developers combined them to make Cassette Beasts. In this RPG game centered around battling monsters, you will explore different regions of the planet accompanied by a magical cassette player. You aim to enhance and gather musical creatures to defeat powerful adversaries and unlock previously inaccessible locations.
However, this is more than just a rehash of previous concepts. You must merge with your partner to access your monster’s most potent attacks. Your partner can be controlled by various AI characters or by a human Player 2. The visuals combine elements of both 2D and 3D but should work well with integrated graphics, mainly due to the turn-based monster battle.
Laika: Aged Through Blood
The Soviet space dog and the stop-motion animation studio Laika do not refer to themselves as “Motorvania.” What is the meaning of that? Picture the physics-driven motorcycle movement of Trials coupled with the 2D shooting action of My Friend Pedro, and you’ll get something akin to it. Everything happens in the setting of a furry adaptation of Mad Max.
Controlling the speed and momentum of your motorcycle while performing slow-motion flips to defeat enemies requires some practice. Still, it’s the emotional core of this game that is genuinely unexpected. The narrative unfolds amidst the stages with surprising authenticity and a few stunning elements of two-dimensional landscapes. The adorable character designs starkly contrast the post-apocalyptic setting and intense brutality. Thus, it’s best not to have children present when playing.