These are The Economist’s favourite video games of 2023

This game balances quiet exploration and procedural detective work with moments of dizzying terror. Players can follow one of two characters, whose stories converge: a horror novelist stuck in a nightmarish alternate reality or an FBI agent trying to solve mysterious murders. One of the best survival-horror games ever made, it is not for the faint-hearted.

A street thief transforms into an expert killer in Baghdad in 861ad. The city is sumptuously portrayed in this historical action game: the architecture, language and music of the period have been carefully researched. The adventure is partly about investigation and stealthy slaughter and partly about inhabiting a fascinating time and place.

In this fantasy role-playing game, players must lead a party through various martial and magical quests in an effort to thwart an evil curse. A host of fun characters brings a sharp sense of humour to the action. One for fans of “Dungeons & Dragons”.

Eight years after the hugely successful first instalment, Colossal Order, a Finnish developer, returns with another brilliant urban-management simulation. It begins with a blank slate, on which players lay down districts and zones, before the need arises for roads, critical services and leisure amenities. Rather like a modern “SimCity”, the game is a lot more fun than it sounds.

The player is placed in a Tower of Babel-inspired structure of storeys and steps and encounters unfamiliar people who speak in foreign languages. Communication seems impossible but, by completing logic puzzles, the player can overcome the language barriers.

Jeppe Carlsen, a designer of masterpieces such as “Inside” and “Limbo”, created this charming series of puzzles. In the form of a winged bug, the player must seek out globes that are both their own little worlds and contain clues to puzzles in other globes. The game is engrossing and beautifully rendered.

Ostensibly an old-school game about underwater fishing and running a sushi restaurant, “Dave the Diver” turns into an absorbing narrative adventure. The player is unexpectedly diverted into new stories and challenged to an array of engaging mini-games.

A triumphant entry in the “Final Fantasy” series, which had its premiere in Japan in 1987. This edition is inspired by “Game of Thrones” and set in a combative world of magical crystals and wicked humans. “Final Fantasy XVI” is a violent, colourful tale of revenge and redemption.

Music is at the heart of this game: the young hero must face down robot enemies in time to different beats. The skill rests in setting attacks to the tunes of Nine Inch Nails and the Prodigy, while vibing through a kaleidoscopic world of colour and movement.

A dog tries to lead large crowds of lemming-like humans through a series of obstacles. The game is said to be inspired by the movement of crowds; the dog (and the player) must learn new ways to control and navigate people. A deeply satisfying problem-solving game.

Nintendo’s original “Zelda” game, released 37 years ago, was an enduring classic of exploration, puzzle-solving and combat. Although there have been plenty of follow-ups, few boast the masterful design of this one, in which the player embarks on an adventure through a beautiful world, meeting intriguing characters.

New York is the star of this game, in which Spider-Man swings his way through detailed neighbourhoods, fighting crime and beating bad guys. Players are encouraged to try new moves and to string them together into tight fighting sequences worthy of any movie scene.

Fighting games can be both simple and complex. Novices may press a few buttons to deliver jumps, kicks, parries and punches. More advanced players can learn combinations that deliver tricky special moves and game-winning defences. This particular take on the genre is enjoyable for beginners and experts alike.

If you have fond memories of playing games such as “Super Mario Bros.”, then you are likely to get a kick out of Nintendo’s modern 2D rendering. The basic elements remain the same—avoiding pitfalls, collecting coins, jumping on enemies—but they have been updated with a host of cute new ideas that make Mario feel new all over again.

A mother moves from India to Canada with her husband and young son. As the family acclimatises to its new life, Indian food provides a link to the homeland. Players learn to cook Tamil dishes by picking the correct ingredients and following recipe instructions. But the real flavour comes through an unfolding family drama of assimilation, identity and love. ■