EntertainmentRolling Stone indicates: ten essential games for 2023 (and beyond)From Starfield to Spider-Man, passing through Mortal Kombat to Avatar, discover the mandatory titles for those who want to say goodbye to social life in the coming monthstoday at 09:45

Immune to the global crisis, the video game industry remains one of the most profitable and celebrated in the world of entertainment. This unshakable potential can be the result of a right combination of factors: tradition, creativity and technological ambition, aligned with the appeal of popular genres and consecrated multimedia franchises. This is all driven by heavy marketing campaigns based on hype and high expectations. Fans eager to say so.

Below, we present ten of the most interesting titles scheduled for release in the coming months, for consoles and PC. It is quite possible that at least one of these will deserve your attention and will probably consume all your free time. Get your fingers ready.

Immortals of Aveum

PlayStation 5 / Xbox / PC – August 22nd

Immortals of Aveum is a first-person action-adventure game with a sci-fi storyline, beautiful extraterrestrial environments, and a star-studded cast (the protagonist jak is voiced by Darren Barnetfrom the series I never…). But there is a crucial difference: despite functioning as a first person shooter Traditionally, the player never uses weapons. Instead, different forms of powers come out of the hero’s hands. “From the beginning, the Brett Robbins [diretor do game] wanted to do something different. He suggested: ‘What would a shooter without weapons?’ And I, as a designer, thought that was incredible,” explains the combat director. Jason Warnke.

Under the Waves

PlayStation 5 / Xbox / PC – August 29th

“A submarine routine simulator” might be a good description for Under the Wavesfrom the French independent studio parallel. But there is much more hidden behind the marine wonders: in command of a character inspired by the mythical explorer Jacques Cousteau, the player must carry out missions of an environmental nature while dealing with (also profound) questions of a personal nature. Even with its eco friendly character, the game is not sold as “ecological”. “It would be hypocrisy on our part, since the games industry is one of the most polluting in the world”, says the director Ronan Coiffec. Likewise, the game offers the option of a “low energy” mode, which reduces the graphic resolution and reduces the consumption of the console during the experience.

Starfield

Xbox / PC – September 6th

The most ambitious game ever created? Probably. By the same people responsible for the colossal The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011), comes the space life simulator that promises to spend all the time and social life of players who have always dreamed of exploring unknown planets: the studio Bethesda promises more than a thousand locations to visit, with several possible narrative lines. “Imagine being who you are, exploring new worlds, but in space, with no limitations on where to go and what to do?”, provokes the director Todd Howard, who has been in charge of the project for seven years. Those who prefer can just explore the galaxy without commitment, but Starfield it also encourages the establishment of relationships with the numerous characters encountered along the way, all to generate a lasting narrative that does not fall into routine.

The Crew Motorfest

PlayStation 5 / Xbox / PC – September 14th

A racing game for novices, but also a gateway for beginners: that’s how it is motorfestnext chapter of the franchise The Crewfrom the Ubisoft. In addition to offering different categories of vehicles (including the mythical Lamborghini Revuelto and even a shiny Formula 1 car), the game features a scheme of increasing challenges divided into “playlists”, with long tracks located in paradisiacal scenarios on the islands of Hawaii. “Sometimes it’s not about racing, it’s about exploring the world and enjoying the landscapes and the cars”, says the director Stephane Beley. “For us, it’s important to show that everyone can enjoy automotive culture. It’s something for everyone.”

Mortal Kombat 1

PlayStation 5 / Xbox / PC – September 19th

The newest version of the famous fighting franchise doesn’t skimp on the news: as the title delivers, the story is a reboot of the original 1992 game, while the cast brings the usual familiar faces (Liu Kang, scorpion, Raiden, Kung Lao, Sub Zeroamong others) and includes special appearances by characters from other media, such as Peacemaker (from the series of HBO Max) and the captain homeland (the antagonist of The Boysof Amazon Prime Video). The explicit cruelty of fatalities, another Mortal Kombat hallmark, is as sharp and scatological as ever. Another novelty is thekameo”, a mechanic that allows an allied fighter to be summoned to collaborate at any time during the fight.

Assassin’s Creed Mirage

PlayStation 5 / Xbox / PC – October 5th

Thirteenth title in the publisher’s adventure series Ubisoft, Mirage is set in 9th century Baghdad, decades before the plot of the previous game, valhalla (2020). The protagonist, basim, is a young member of the Assassin clan who faces the oppression of the totalitarian government of the time. “The inspiration came from real historical facts”, explains the narrative director Sarah Beaulieu, which recommends that players not skip the animated cutscenes that intersperse the action. “If you are one of those people who skip scenes, too bad for you. [risos]. Watching the actors perform, the interpretations with their voices, is a great experience. It’s like music.” Longtime fans can look forward to plenty of stealth assassination missions and fire-powered acrobatic escapes. Parkouractivities so typical of games Assassin’s Creed.

Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

PlayStation 5 – October 20th

Console exclusivity sony, Spider-Man 2 continues the saga of the friendly neighborhood superhero (or, in this case, superheroes): the player again has the opportunity to switch between Peter parker It is Miles Morales during grueling missions in a grand and detailed New York. The main antagonists of the time are novelties in the series produced by the studio Insomniac: the alien symbiote venom and the Russian mercenary Kraven. The promise is that of an even more emotionally deep and lasting experience than the first Marvel’s Spider-Manreleased for the Playstation 4 in 2018.

alan wake 2

PlayStation 5 / Xbox / PC – October 27th

alan wake 2 it works like an old-fashioned horror game, one of those that makes an effort not to depend on easy scares to get its message across. The idea of ​​the Finnish studio remedy is to disturb the player with a constant sense of strangeness and annoyance, making it clear that what we see on the screen does not always correspond to the reality of the facts. Cinematic graphics help with immersion, but it is impossible to remain impassive in the face of the sinister plot – which involves lucid nightmares, serial killers with animal heads and investigation with clue-collection in the style of the FBI – observed through the independent points of view of two characters whose stories intertwine at the end.

Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora

PlayStation 5 / Xbox / PC – December 7th

A first-person adventure based on the cinematic universe created by James Cameron, Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora does not lend itself to repeating the plot that earned billions of dollars on the planet’s big screens in 2022. “Our game is an independent story, which gives the player the chance to explore the universe of avatarbut in places he has not seen before”, explains the director Ditte Deenfeldt. “Video games can bring that interactivity, allowing you to live and exist in that universe, rather than just watching the narrative unfold.” Who has played games in the series Far cry will feel familiarity with the structure of the game, while fans of the movies will be surprised by the war potential of the (almost) always peaceful na’vi.

Blue Protocol

PC – 2024

Online RPGs (or MMORPGs, for the intimate) tend to scare old-school players, largely because of the obligation to deal with other human beings during the journey. Blue Protocoldeveloped by bandai namco and published by Amazon Gamestries to reduce gender barriers, with an experience free to play friendly, surrounded by beautiful graphics and the breakneck pace of a Japanese cartoon. “You don’t have to interact with others, but it’s a lot more fun if you do,” he explains. Mike Zadorojnydirector responsible for the franchise at Amazon Games. “For example, if you take a lot of damage in a battle, other people can help you get back into combat. Having other players around only helps to improve your experience.” Already released in Japan, the game is expected to reach the western market sometime in 2024.