Thank you for the shoutout to my colleagues Jon, it's been a tough year for the industry, mainly coming from terrible decisions to double down on live services from people high up the food chain. I was not affected by lay offs as I consciously never wanted to work on that type of game. We really do appreciate the support either way.
2023 was such a huge and absurdly stacked year for games that it almost feels impossible to pick a mere *ten* of them. But from the ones I managed to squeeze in time to play, these’re definitely some of my favorites: 10. Metroid Prime Remastered 9. Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe 8. Super Mario RPG Remake 7. Hi-Fi Rush 6. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective 5. Pikmin 4 4. Spider-Man 2 3. Resident Evil 4 Remake 2. Super Mario Bros Wonder 1. Tears of the Kingdom
I couldn't agree more about TotK. A lot of people focus on how it doesn't stand out as much as BotW, and they're right, but that's because BotW was grenre-changing when it came out. It's a more condensed experience that others have and will follow. An iteration won't stand out as much, and TotK is complicated in a way that will be hard to be derivative of. That being said, I've never had more fun with a videogame than I have with TotK. Its abilities mesh together insanely well, and absolutely nothing can match the feeling of building something ridiculous to solve a puzzle and having it work.
No way. Some people, like me, just feel like it strayed too far away from the exploration and magic feeing of botw. Exploring is so much easier that it takes away the magic of the journey to new areas and getting sidetracked along the way. Also the feeing of isolation and wonder in botw just feels missing. I couldnt help but feel dissapointed as I play, but I can still appreciate the game for what it is and what it achieves
@@chargegarg8234 I’ll give you that exploring is much, much easier to do now. On the other hand, there’s way more stuff that’s worthwhile to explore so to me, it kind of evens out.
I genuinely think OT2 will have a "rediscovery" over time. It didn't sell that well but I totally agree with Jon that is deserves to be talked about next to other classic JRPG greats.
The GOTY nominees were all fair but it's absolutely criminal that Octopath wasn't even considered for best RPG or best Soundtrack. What a baffling omission.
I still haven't played OT2, but the first game is one of my favorites of all time. It felt like a true sequel to the SNES turn based Final Fantasy games.
Jon, you hit the nail on the head about the hoverbike in TotK. I never use the hover bike because of what you said. I think Tears of the Kingdom is my favorite game of all time now
When I first played BOTW I had no experience with videogames and didn't know to look online for solutions. My entire playthrough was blind and I think thats the best way I couldve played it. The same goes for TOTK
@@facilityhues this is the best way to experience both games. I didn't use anything to figure out what to do, I just went where my heart desired and had a blast with everything I found
Jon made a good point that TotK basically had a ten year development time and it's hard for other developers to replicate the things that it achieves. Most open world games don't even have physics as intricate as BotW's because of how complex it is to put everything in a huge world into interaction. TotK is just that but to an even crazier degree with the building and the crafting. It would be hard for other devs to devote such time and resources into making a system that's similar. There are few devs and franchises out there that could even afford the time and energy needed to develop this kind of system. I'm thankful that Zelda decided to do this, and we have two really special games in our hands. Aonuma has already said that Ultrahand will not return in the next Zelda. I think that's a good thing mechanic-wise, but I don't believe this physics engine is simply gonna be abandoned. It is almost a gaming legacy at this point and IMO it would be silly for Nintendo to just ditch this valuable asset. It would be interesting to see how the next Zelda implements it.
This reminds me of that statement that's been circlejerked to hell and back about BG3's scope. Basically someone said that not every dev gets to do a couple years of early access and put 100 million dollars into their game. So I think both TotK and BG3 show what AAA should be - games that have an ambitious scope and use the enormous resources they have to accomplish that. And I agree with you in that I really hope that physics engine won't be lost, even if the specific gameplay mechanics won't be reused in future Zeldas
Ultrahand (all of the TOTK abilities really) must have been such a nightmare for them to code and fix the bugs for, so I could totally understand them not wanting to carry it forward.
Agree on the travel in Tears. I loved just messing around until I found something that worked on water, or if I needed to fly for whatever reason. That said, I spent much more of my play time traversing the world on foot at the beginning to explore the entire map, then mostly fast traveled from there. Something about this world that I like traveling on foot much more. Even the areas I already explored earlier in game, or during BoTW.
I think the great thing about TOTK that it partially took/is inspired by BOTW is the choices you can make. You mentioned that building vehicles and other contraptions was the core of the game for you, but for me I didn't really build much beyond the simple gliding machines and other auto-builds. Instead exploring every nook and cranny, completing side quests, finding rare and cool looking gear was what kept me so invested and unable to put the controller down. BOTW had exploration and side quests, but eventually the exploration reached a peak and the side quests weren't as immediately engaging. TOTK has so many side quests with interesting ways of drawing me in, I was shocked at how many I wanted to complete before finishing the main story. TOTK might reach a point where the exploration loses it's fun factor, but given how much time I spent playing and replaying BOTW, I think TOTK won't reach that point for a long time. My only wish is a Master Mode update, Gave me so many more replays with BOTW when that game got it, so I hope we get it in TOTK, even just as a free update.
I feel like the side quests in TotK have been under-appreciated! I wasn't bored by them in BotW at all, but I feel like they definitely gave them a bit more meat in TotK, especially in the stories they tell 😊
Dear John, please indulge me in my minirant, which i’ll allow myself to adress to you as you are genuinely one of actors i value the most in the gaming world. I can also acknowledge the rut 2d mario had fallen into, but i’m always disapointed that there are barely any word about mario maker, which while it in no way replaces a mainline entry is a really special beasts that is saddly too quickly forgotten. Basically if you haven’t tried it go for it, they are wonderful journeys to experience in there; but also for people who have not revisited in a while, it is really worth it to fire it up again, not only are there always new levels, but depending on when you last played, entire updates to discover. I myself let the game iddle for a long time and was really glad to reignite the flame, it is now one of my go to again especially since the games lends itself so well to shorter sessions. Cheers john, happy holydays everyone
So for me, Tears of the Kingdom was pretty great, yeah. I got me a bike in my autobuilds, because really, nothing climbs as efficiently, and it was dirt cheap to make. However, I got to the point where I realized "the bike is great when I want to fly, but when I want to stay close to the ground, it's annoying and hard to steer, and is bad at carrying cargo, which you need good cargo vehicles. So first, I worked on boats. Got some fun boats, and had a fun one that was like 6 fans on the underside of a large plank of wood, which could also move around on land, but friction kept it from being too maneuverable. But it gave me a quest. I needed to build a hover craft. It seemed possible. I spent a long time on this, with a lot of different Zonai devices glued with fans. I had one for a while with the small wheel cart, which acted like a low friction ground thing but didn't REALLY hover. In the end, I found it - 5 fans, steering stick, and the Zonai sled as the base. This combo just stayed off the ground naturally, didn't float up too high, and thus could float in water as well (sometimes you had to angle it down slightly, but you could it to work.) It didn't have much lift, but it had enough to get up hills and even parts of mountains. And I was so happy. It was the culmination of a project with the weirdest craft at the start, where I was like "no, I want something that's basically a boat AND a horse". And I found it.
My Top 8 Games of 2023 (Yeah I only played 8 I liked enough to list, wanna get around to Alan Wake 2 and Baldur's Gate 3 especially) 8: Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe Got into Kirby with Forgotten Land and this was a delightful follow up 7: Zelda Tears of the Kingdom Great game and the ultrahand stuff was impressive but it didn't fix many of my big issues with BOTW 6: Super Mario Bros. Wonder Not the biggest Mario fan ever but this game wonderful (hah) and the first 2D Mario I seriously into since New Super Mario Bros DS 5: Metroid Prime Remastered This is actually my first Metroid game and I'm not even into Metroidvanias in general, but holy shit I see why this is considored one of the greatest games of all time! 4: Bomb Rush Cyberfunk The spiritual successor to Jet Set Radio I've waited over a decade for since playing the HD port of the original! 3: Hi-Fi Rush This game was a hell of a surpise, unique take on the character action genre with a great art style, characters and soundtrack! 2: Resident Evil 4 Remake I only got into Resident Evil a few years ago with 2 Remake and I've only played a little bit of the original RE4 before dropping it due to the controls, but I think I'll have to give it another try because damn this remake is good and I wanna see how it differs from the original for myself 1: Spider-Man 2 I'll admit it's less genre re-defining than most of the other big games of 2023 but I just love Insomniac's take on Spidey this one lived up to my expectations personally, I'm just in awe that Insomniac managed to release Spidey 2018, Miles, Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart and Spidey 2 within roughly 5 years in an industry where triple A studios often take that long on just one game... Please let these folks tackle Jak & Daxter!
Thank you Jon for taking the time to shout out the video game devs who have been dealt an awful hand this year with all the massive layoffs across the industry.
My top 5: 1. Totk 2. Pikmin 4 3/4: Super Mario Wonder 3/4: Against the Storm 5. Warioware: Move It A great year for Nintendo. Honestly, Against the Storm is so good that it's tied with Super Mario Wonder. Honorable mention to Starcraft 2's new maps :P
So glad you gave attention to Armored Core 6. It feels like From Software just got kinda ignored this year because it wasn't a Souls game, but in my opinion it was the best game they've ever made and the best game to come out this year. I was worried it wouldn't be able to top the masterpiece that is Armored Core Last Raven, but they absolutely did.
From Software is like Game Freak with Souls and Pokémon, people only care and praise both games and they don't even care when they make other games. With a glare difference that FS make good games unlike GF.
This year had a ton of great games. Thought Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe was my GOTY. Due to the connection to the original being back and better than ever
I agree with you about the bike build in Tears of the Kingdom. I was scrolling shorts one day and came upon the build and I wish I never had. I had less fun once I learned of it and started to use it. TotK was still my favorite game of the year, though. Whenever I go back for a second playthrough, I will never use that bike again. Also, great list, Jon. :)
I haven’t played too many 2023 games tbh, but my ranking looks like this: 4) FE Engage 3) Kirby’s Return to Dreamland DX 2) The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog (yes, really) 1) Ghost Trick (played the new version for the first time this year, my goodness what a game!)
@@neoshenlong aside from the controls and new arrangements, there’s achievements and some slide puzzle thing (not sure if these are actually new, never played the DS version)
Fantastic list, Jon ^_^ Haven't played Octopath Traveler II yet, but the more I hear about it, the more I want to! Just wanna quickly shout out Theathrhythm Final Bar Line from February. It was for me such a consistently fun experience, with great music choices from across the Final Fantasy series to get my toe tapping . It single-handedly inspired me to make FFXI's OSTs my most-listened to music in Spring 2023, despite my never having played FFXI.
The Chains of Promathia soundtrack is incredible for its time and is even more impactful in context. If you need to relax/meditate after a major test or other difficult event, start with Lufaise Meadows. That will simulate the feeling of success over the stressful, grueling trio of Promyvion zones to unlock the area. Hearing the Lufaise Meadows track and looking upon the landscape felt like climbing out of a deep, hellish chasm into a paradise... a deceivingly brutal yet beautiful paradise. While untold horrors lie ahead, for the moment, you are at peace...
@@savagej4y241 That's a beautiful description of what's a phenomenal track ☺️ relistening to it, I'd agree it really has an aura of "you've come a long way; time to unwind for a bit". I look forward to eventually enjoying it within context 🙂 As a few examples of some FFXI tracks I enjoyed, I really liked Goddesspeed from the Gifts of Vana'diel OST; anything by the Naana Mihgo's is a good time. Breaking Ground from Seekers of Adolin soundtrack wowed me from first listen with its exploratory, adventurous vibe. Finally, the Sanctuary of Zi'tah just is so atmospheric, chill and reflective. Perfect for just leaning back in a chair and pondering while drinking a cup of tea after a busy day.
Sea of Stars is my GOTY. It left the biggest impact on me and I was completely hooked from release until I 100% completed it. I don't normally do new game + playthroughs but this game was like a ride I didnt want to end.
You got to the top 5 and I thought “aww no way Octopath has made his list. Well imagine my surprise! Loved this list and totally agree with it. Thanks Jon!
HELL YEAH, PIZZA TOWER! Definitely my Game of the Year and one of my favorite games of all time now! I'd also like to shout-out Born of Bread, just came out December 5th on all platforms including PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5 and the Xbox consoles, really funny and charming game heavily inspired by classic Paper Mario, a nice way to hold yourself over until TTYD remake comes out next year!
Great point on F-Zero 99! I was so baffled watching AntDude laugh about "how pissed off F-Zero fans must be". I didn't see any of that and I was thrilled. (love AntDude tho)
As much as I love Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, I feel like they're the two most similar games in the series. I do hope they go in some crazy new direction in the next one, but I also hope they'll find a way to keep making traditional Zelda games as well.
Tears of the Kingdom is an incredible achievement in gaming, I mean it. The Zelda Cycle already has some hating on the game but I stand by that it is the perfect evolution of BOTWs gameplay
nah, the perfect evolution (for a sequel, not DLC) would have been a new or completely changed world, not the same world with new mechanics. BOTW was about exploring and a perfect evolution would have involved more new things to explore - not new ways to explore the same thing.
@@mandatorial That would have been a continuation not an evolution, and they decided to take the mechanics of botw and build a game with a different type of exploration. Botw was a game about exploring a world, totk is a game about exploring the possibilities of building and using your creations to find new parts of the old world.
Lmao what cycle are you talking about? People have had real grievances with the game since launch but still adore BOTW. So tired of people chalking up all negativity to some intangible cycle
18:37 agreed, unfortunately after dozens of hours it gets harder to make those random contraptions when getting somewhere when you already have a blueprint to something that would solve it Before I got more efficient using found items on the sky islands was super fun
Jon has got a point, Wonder is definitely a videogame of the year. Again, I really wish the game has a bit more challenge despite the last few levels in the Special world, and the bosses again suck. But I definitely still have so much fun playing the game, and definitely is at least top 10 games of 2023.
Imo Mario Wonders is the best 2D Mario Nintendo ever made BUT I gotta say its not a Game of the Year type of game to me. Thats mainly because I think the game is kinda too "simple" Its way more easy to make a great 2D Plattformer vs a great Open World RPG game with a lot story and choices and all that shit. Mario Wonders doesnt need to have a good story or good voice acting or good written dialoges. Mario Wonders doesnt need advanced tech that runs performant. Theres a lot things Mario Wonders just doesnt need to be a outstanding 2D Plattformer. I love the game but I feel like a game has to be ambitious and good to be a GOTY Contendor.
@SeloCGN That's the advantage that other games already have over Wonder though. Simple games are a safer bet, but more ambitious games are inherently more appealing for many people. Simple games really have to be masterpieces to stand a chance at winning. The fact that Wonder was even nominated shows that Nintendo played their cards extremely well. I think it'd be totally fair if it won.
Zelda and SF 6 were my top 2!! Great list! BG3 was my most anticipated game this year but I just started it so it got put off… RE4 was definitely a great too…. And Pikmin 4 was tops for me as well. Great year! Can’t wait to try armored core 6 and octopath!!
I actually played more new games in 2023 than in most years previous, and even then I haven't played many! 1. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Future Redeemed 2. Sea of Stars 3. Zelda Tears of the Kingdom 4. Metroid Prime Remastered 5. Reaident Evil 4 6. F-Zero 99 7. Pikmin 4 8. Super Mario RPG And while I haven't played them yet, Hi-Fi Rush and Final Fantasy XVI are easy contenders as well.
Good on you, Jon, for remembering the terrible treatment of workers in the gaming industry. It's shameful how they have been treated, both when at work through crunch, and through the horrendous lay-offs. It's a great irony that it's been a banner year for games and this is how the workers are treated. Plus, a great list as always.
Hearing Octopath 2 appreciation? Marvelous! I adore Octopath 1. The birth of HD-2D in combination with argueably one of the best OSTs ever, was enough for me to make it outstanding. It never bothered me that the Travelers didn't interact besides travel banter and battle quotes, because I was always under the impression that this game was meant to have 8 seperate paths to follow, hence the name. Nowadays it makes sense for HD-2D to just be overlooked when it comes to talking about Octopath because it's being pretty much standardized by Square. Although VGM appreciation has risen over the years, for many people gameplay is everything (which is fine). Which leaves us with what? People getting destroyed by Galdera and people expecting more from the story. Add a sprinkle of criticizing AAA being the trendy thing to do and we get in this situation where Octopath 1 gets trashed on a lot for comparedably little reason. It's a shame that Octopath 2 just got swept away by that and the fact that Square was just kinda ignoring the marketing. At least it seems like Octopath 2 gets a respectable hidden gem status kinda like Triangle Strategy which is good to see. It still deserves better but oh well... I don't think it does everything right(a bit too easy to get busted and story is still just solid), but it's nonetheless absolutely a masterpiece of a JRPG and I hope the series still has a bright future^-^ ... .. . ... Also, Hikari is the best Fire Emblem character of 2023 :3
I agree about the flying bike in TotK, but the Depths, for me, were better because of it. When I'm out and about in the world or in the sky then I avoid using the bike.
I’ve mostly been playing through my backlog, so I only have a top 8. 1. Sonic Dream Team 2. The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom 3. Super Mario Bros Wonder 4. The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog 5. Super Mario RPG 6. Sonic Superstars 7. Kirby Return to Dreamland Deluxe 8. F Zero 99 Honourable mention to the free content updates to Sonic Frontiers
I've focused on my backlog of games this year. The only new games of 2023 I've played are Warioware Move It!, Suika Game and F-Zero 99. finished Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition and definitely loved it! It took Smash's 5th year anniversary before I fully appreciated Spirit mode. I'm also finishing Great Ace Attorney Chronicles.
Your review of Octopath Traveler 2 inspired me to check the game (series) out! Specifically it was when you mentioned that it was as great as Final Fantasy 6, before you mentioned 7. Final Fantasy 6 is hands down my top favorite rpg of all time - so I'm very much looking forward to playing Octopath Traveler II once I get to it. :) Is it necessary to play through the first, before I play the second? Is each game a whole different world/story, like Final Fantasy or instead are the games connected in one way or another? Would appreciate any feedback! Thank you so much for the video! :)
Each game is it’s own thing and I highly recommend you play II. It’s vastly superior to the original and is the game worthy of being compared to greats like FF6
I knew this list was going to be good when he put RE 4 at 10. Nothing against RE4, just appreciate someone with different taste. Thanks Jon. Happy holidays
My GOTY for 2023 goes to *The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie* (on PC/Steam). It's an incredibly UNDER-rated franchise that definitely deserves more attention! I would love if you can give the series a shot and let us what you think, Jon! :)
Loved reverie as well, but it’s a little rough to recommend it to newcomers because of the 9 previous games you should play before starting. Also hope Sky trilogy gets ported everywhere so the series is easier to get into
@@JimmyRoche4 That is why I specifically said *"series"* when asking Jon to check it out (NOT just "Trails into Reverie" by itself). Thankfully, the whole series/franchise games are available on *Steam/PC,* so definitely the best place to try out the series for JRPG/turn-based lovers.
Definitely wanna try tears for all the new stuff they introduced, but I honestly was let down by botw so much it's hard to justify full price on the risk personally. tears really feels like it pushes the game mechanics far harder though. I respect it though. Overall really good list, got such a huge spread of good games on here. Also really appreciate the dev shout-out at the end. Its such a rough field for so many people (unless your like a billionaire CEO or something)
I don't know if I did something wrong while playing Octopath II, but that game really frustrated me with all that grinding. And that's kinda weird since I've always loved old JRPGs like Dragon Quest 🤔
Jon! Somehow, you need to borrow Steve's PSVR2 to play RE4 Remake in VR. It is the "Wii" version of the game, if that makes sense and easily the best way to play.
So wait, you only put games that have a physical release on this but then there's f-zero 99? You know, a game designed for an online only subscription service.
I'm not unwilling to play digital games of course. However if it carries the price of a full retail release without a physical print I'll just wait until it eventually gets one
18:05 I don't see that as a compliment. The fact that you said that made me realize how *undercooked* the puzzles that require that mechanic are. If anything, they should have chosen *one* of these mechanics and honed in on making great puzzles with them (in the overworld, not the shrines, they didn't fundamentally fix them from Botw) but the fact that the mechanics are all here in one game kind of reveals that they are equally *underdeveloped* .
I don't feel they're underdeveloped at all, you use ascend the entire game and it never stops feeling useful, and things like ultrahand give way to some of the most ingenious puzzles in the entire series and using rewind totally changes how you interact with certain enemies, in general i feel like the new abilities just feel like extensions of link that let him interact with Hyrule however he pleases
Amazing top!! Oh gosh I was so worried about your 1st place.. Seeing how most of the Zelda community is backslashing on Tears of the Kingdom, it is so wicked to say that your Top 1 game of the year is actually a CONTROVERSIAL pick!! But that game is so good on it's own and as part of the era of the wild phase of Zelda, is beautiful.. Tears of the kingdom is an ACCOMPLISHMENT by nintendo and it's devs... It just doesn't get appreciated enough..
To be fair, I think most of the backlash stems from people who mostly care about the lore of Zelda while not understanding what Zelda was always supposed to be. Since the franchises inception, the game was supposed to have a heavy emphasis on exploration and that got lost due to hardware limitations and then needing to go with a more linear style so the games would run. BotW and now TotK, they legitimately capture the original feeling of Zelda more so than any other game in the franchise Edit: basically it's just the old good, new bad crowd being obnoxiously loud. I saw someone call BotW/TotK haters the, "vegans of Zelda fans" because you don't have to ask if they like those games, they'll randomly just start bashing them unprompted...Like how vegans are the first to tell you they're a vegan without anyone asking
There’s no doubt in my mind that it’s a great game. As someone who hasn’t played it yet, it seems overwhelming, super niche, and floundering. But it’s Zelda, so of course it’s focused. I can’t wait to play it, but I don’t blame anyone who might get turned off by it
Thank you for the shoutout to my colleagues Jon, it's been a tough year for the industry, mainly coming from terrible decisions to double down on live services from people high up the food chain. I was not affected by lay offs as I consciously never wanted to work on that type of game. We really do appreciate the support either way.
Great list!
This feels like the first proper discussion about Pikmin 4 on this channel so glad to finally see something about it. Also how high is placed for you!
It released around the time my son was born which left me absent for quite a while. Glad we could finally talk about it! - Jon
@@GVG Better late than never! Glad you enjoyed it! Hope you and your family are having a nice holiday season!
2023 was such a huge and absurdly stacked year for games that it almost feels impossible to pick a mere *ten* of them. But from the ones I managed to squeeze in time to play, these’re definitely some of my favorites:
10. Metroid Prime Remastered
9. Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe
8. Super Mario RPG Remake
7. Hi-Fi Rush
6. Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective
5. Pikmin 4
4. Spider-Man 2
3. Resident Evil 4 Remake
2. Super Mario Bros Wonder
1. Tears of the Kingdom
I couldn't agree more about TotK. A lot of people focus on how it doesn't stand out as much as BotW, and they're right, but that's because BotW was grenre-changing when it came out. It's a more condensed experience that others have and will follow. An iteration won't stand out as much, and TotK is complicated in a way that will be hard to be derivative of. That being said, I've never had more fun with a videogame than I have with TotK. Its abilities mesh together insanely well, and absolutely nothing can match the feeling of building something ridiculous to solve a puzzle and having it work.
Yeah. I think people are trying to be hipsters by crapping on TotK. As a GAME, it’s one of the best produced in years.
No way. Some people, like me, just feel like it strayed too far away from the exploration and magic feeing of botw. Exploring is so much easier that it takes away the magic of the journey to new areas and getting sidetracked along the way. Also the feeing of isolation and wonder in botw just feels missing. I couldnt help but feel dissapointed as I play, but I can still appreciate the game for what it is and what it achieves
@@chargegarg8234 I’ll give you that exploring is much, much easier to do now. On the other hand, there’s way more stuff that’s worthwhile to explore so to me, it kind of evens out.
20:58 "And by that time, we'll probably have the next Zelda" Oh Jon, you optimist you
Jon coming through with the Octopath 2 inclusion 👌
I genuinely think OT2 will have a "rediscovery" over time. It didn't sell that well but I totally agree with Jon that is deserves to be talked about next to other classic JRPG greats.
The GOTY nominees were all fair but it's absolutely criminal that Octopath wasn't even considered for best RPG or best Soundtrack. What a baffling omission.
I still haven't played OT2, but the first game is one of my favorites of all time. It felt like a true sequel to the SNES turn based Final Fantasy games.
Jon, you hit the nail on the head about the hoverbike in TotK. I never use the hover bike because of what you said. I think Tears of the Kingdom is my favorite game of all time now
Agreed, Tears of the Kingdom is a phenomenal game
When I first played BOTW I had no experience with videogames and didn't know to look online for solutions. My entire playthrough was blind and I think thats the best way I couldve played it. The same goes for TOTK
@@facilityhues this is the best way to experience both games. I didn't use anything to figure out what to do, I just went where my heart desired and had a blast with everything I found
Jon made a good point that TotK basically had a ten year development time and it's hard for other developers to replicate the things that it achieves. Most open world games don't even have physics as intricate as BotW's because of how complex it is to put everything in a huge world into interaction. TotK is just that but to an even crazier degree with the building and the crafting. It would be hard for other devs to devote such time and resources into making a system that's similar. There are few devs and franchises out there that could even afford the time and energy needed to develop this kind of system. I'm thankful that Zelda decided to do this, and we have two really special games in our hands.
Aonuma has already said that Ultrahand will not return in the next Zelda. I think that's a good thing mechanic-wise, but I don't believe this physics engine is simply gonna be abandoned. It is almost a gaming legacy at this point and IMO it would be silly for Nintendo to just ditch this valuable asset. It would be interesting to see how the next Zelda implements it.
This reminds me of that statement that's been circlejerked to hell and back about BG3's scope. Basically someone said that not every dev gets to do a couple years of early access and put 100 million dollars into their game. So I think both TotK and BG3 show what AAA should be - games that have an ambitious scope and use the enormous resources they have to accomplish that.
And I agree with you in that I really hope that physics engine won't be lost, even if the specific gameplay mechanics won't be reused in future Zeldas
Ultrahand (all of the TOTK abilities really) must have been such a nightmare for them to code and fix the bugs for, so I could totally understand them not wanting to carry it forward.
LEGO Fortnite has TOTK physics and crafting
Yeah, I agree that it had a ten year development time, when you realize how much of Botw is reused... But that is not a compliment.
@@escargoat8552No it does not bro 😭
Agree on the travel in Tears. I loved just messing around until I found something that worked on water, or if I needed to fly for whatever reason. That said, I spent much more of my play time traversing the world on foot at the beginning to explore the entire map, then mostly fast traveled from there. Something about this world that I like traveling on foot much more. Even the areas I already explored earlier in game, or during BoTW.
I think the great thing about TOTK that it partially took/is inspired by BOTW is the choices you can make. You mentioned that building vehicles and other contraptions was the core of the game for you, but for me I didn't really build much beyond the simple gliding machines and other auto-builds. Instead exploring every nook and cranny, completing side quests, finding rare and cool looking gear was what kept me so invested and unable to put the controller down. BOTW had exploration and side quests, but eventually the exploration reached a peak and the side quests weren't as immediately engaging. TOTK has so many side quests with interesting ways of drawing me in, I was shocked at how many I wanted to complete before finishing the main story. TOTK might reach a point where the exploration loses it's fun factor, but given how much time I spent playing and replaying BOTW, I think TOTK won't reach that point for a long time.
My only wish is a Master Mode update, Gave me so many more replays with BOTW when that game got it, so I hope we get it in TOTK, even just as a free update.
I feel like the side quests in TotK have been under-appreciated! I wasn't bored by them in BotW at all, but I feel like they definitely gave them a bit more meat in TotK, especially in the stories they tell 😊
Dear John, please indulge me in my minirant, which i’ll allow myself to adress to you as you are genuinely one of actors i value the most in the gaming world.
I can also acknowledge the rut 2d mario had fallen into, but i’m always disapointed that there are barely any word about mario maker, which while it in no way replaces a mainline entry is a really special beasts that is saddly too quickly forgotten.
Basically if you haven’t tried it go for it, they are wonderful journeys to experience in there; but also for people who have not revisited in a while, it is really worth it to fire it up again, not only are there always new levels, but depending on when you last played, entire updates to discover. I myself let the game iddle for a long time and was really glad to reignite the flame, it is now one of my go to again especially since the games lends itself so well to shorter sessions.
Cheers john, happy holydays everyone
So for me, Tears of the Kingdom was pretty great, yeah. I got me a bike in my autobuilds, because really, nothing climbs as efficiently, and it was dirt cheap to make. However, I got to the point where I realized "the bike is great when I want to fly, but when I want to stay close to the ground, it's annoying and hard to steer, and is bad at carrying cargo, which you need good cargo vehicles.
So first, I worked on boats. Got some fun boats, and had a fun one that was like 6 fans on the underside of a large plank of wood, which could also move around on land, but friction kept it from being too maneuverable. But it gave me a quest. I needed to build a hover craft. It seemed possible.
I spent a long time on this, with a lot of different Zonai devices glued with fans. I had one for a while with the small wheel cart, which acted like a low friction ground thing but didn't REALLY hover. In the end, I found it - 5 fans, steering stick, and the Zonai sled as the base. This combo just stayed off the ground naturally, didn't float up too high, and thus could float in water as well (sometimes you had to angle it down slightly, but you could it to work.) It didn't have much lift, but it had enough to get up hills and even parts of mountains. And I was so happy. It was the culmination of a project with the weirdest craft at the start, where I was like "no, I want something that's basically a boat AND a horse". And I found it.
My Top 8 Games of 2023 (Yeah I only played 8 I liked enough to list, wanna get around to Alan Wake 2 and Baldur's Gate 3 especially)
8: Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe
Got into Kirby with Forgotten Land and this was a delightful follow up
7: Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
Great game and the ultrahand stuff was impressive but it didn't fix many of my big issues with BOTW
6: Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Not the biggest Mario fan ever but this game wonderful (hah) and the first 2D Mario I seriously into since New Super Mario Bros DS
5: Metroid Prime Remastered
This is actually my first Metroid game and I'm not even into Metroidvanias in general, but holy shit I see why this is considored one of the greatest games of all time!
4: Bomb Rush Cyberfunk
The spiritual successor to Jet Set Radio I've waited over a decade for since playing the HD port of the original!
3: Hi-Fi Rush
This game was a hell of a surpise, unique take on the character action genre with a great art style, characters and soundtrack!
2: Resident Evil 4 Remake
I only got into Resident Evil a few years ago with 2 Remake and I've only played a little bit of the original RE4 before dropping it due to the controls, but I think I'll have to give it another try because damn this remake is good and I wanna see how it differs from the original for myself
1: Spider-Man 2
I'll admit it's less genre re-defining than most of the other big games of 2023 but I just love Insomniac's take on Spidey this one lived up to my expectations personally, I'm just in awe that Insomniac managed to release Spidey 2018, Miles, Ratchet & Clank Rift Apart and Spidey 2 within roughly 5 years in an industry where triple A studios often take that long on just one game...
Please let these folks tackle Jak & Daxter!
I think with Armored Core VI, the word you were looking for was “bombastic”. “Bodacious” was a fun substitute though, lol
I refuse to believe that "Give Me Toilet Paper!" didn't make this list.
Thank you Jon for taking the time to shout out the video game devs who have been dealt an awful hand this year with all the massive layoffs across the industry.
TotK was my goty too. Wonder was great as well. I just started BG3 and it's also blowing me away.
Jon, you are one of my favourite commentators and you have been since Nintendo Life. Thank you!
He's been my favorite too since I saw him on Nintendo Life. Love that he's a big Zelda, 3DS and Wii U fan like me.
I’ve followed Jon since the Gamexplain days
@@DidgeridudeEXhere here!
My top 5:
1. Totk
2. Pikmin 4
3/4: Super Mario Wonder
3/4: Against the Storm
5. Warioware: Move It
A great year for Nintendo. Honestly, Against the Storm is so good that it's tied with Super Mario Wonder.
Honorable mention to Starcraft 2's new maps :P
1) prime remastered.
2) TOTK
3) Jedi survivor
So glad you gave attention to Armored Core 6. It feels like From Software just got kinda ignored this year because it wasn't a Souls game, but in my opinion it was the best game they've ever made and the best game to come out this year. I was worried it wouldn't be able to top the masterpiece that is Armored Core Last Raven, but they absolutely did.
From Software is like Game Freak with Souls and Pokémon, people only care and praise both games and they don't even care when they make other games. With a glare difference that FS make good games unlike GF.
@@TheRodlack gamefreak made drill dozer too which was fine
This year had a ton of great games. Thought Kirby’s Return to Dreamland Deluxe was my GOTY. Due to the connection to the original being back and better than ever
It’s one of my favourite Kirby games, right behind Forgotten Land and Planet Robobot
I agree with you about the bike build in Tears of the Kingdom. I was scrolling shorts one day and came upon the build and I wish I never had. I had less fun once I learned of it and started to use it. TotK was still my favorite game of the year, though. Whenever I go back for a second playthrough, I will never use that bike again.
Also, great list, Jon. :)
I haven’t played too many 2023 games tbh, but my ranking looks like this:
4) FE Engage
3) Kirby’s Return to Dreamland DX
2) The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog (yes, really)
1) Ghost Trick (played the new version for the first time this year, my goodness what a game!)
All fantastic titles ^_^ Glad you had a great time with Ghost Trick especially! I find it to be such a phenomenal experience. :)
Is there anything particularly new to Ghost Trick? I played the original on DS more than a couple of times and absolutely love it.
@@neoshenlong aside from the controls and new arrangements, there’s achievements and some slide puzzle thing (not sure if these are actually new, never played the DS version)
Definitely unique picks, thank you for sharing
My top 3 games of the year are the same as yours Jon! Octopath 2 especially needs more love, what an incredible game.
Fantastic list, Jon ^_^ Haven't played Octopath Traveler II yet, but the more I hear about it, the more I want to!
Just wanna quickly shout out Theathrhythm Final Bar Line from February. It was for me such a consistently fun experience, with great music choices from across the Final Fantasy series to get my toe tapping . It single-handedly inspired me to make FFXI's OSTs my most-listened to music in Spring 2023, despite my never having played FFXI.
The Chains of Promathia soundtrack is incredible for its time and is even more impactful in context. If you need to relax/meditate after a major test or other difficult event, start with Lufaise Meadows. That will simulate the feeling of success over the stressful, grueling trio of Promyvion zones to unlock the area. Hearing the Lufaise Meadows track and looking upon the landscape felt like climbing out of a deep, hellish chasm into a paradise...
a deceivingly brutal yet beautiful paradise. While untold horrors lie ahead, for the moment, you are at peace...
@@savagej4y241 That's a beautiful description of what's a phenomenal track ☺️ relistening to it, I'd agree it really has an aura of "you've come a long way; time to unwind for a bit". I look forward to eventually enjoying it within context 🙂
As a few examples of some FFXI tracks I enjoyed, I really liked Goddesspeed from the Gifts of Vana'diel OST; anything by the Naana Mihgo's is a good time.
Breaking Ground from Seekers of Adolin soundtrack wowed me from first listen with its exploratory, adventurous vibe.
Finally, the Sanctuary of Zi'tah just is so atmospheric, chill and reflective. Perfect for just leaning back in a chair and pondering while drinking a cup of tea after a busy day.
Sea of Stars is my GOTY. It left the biggest impact on me and I was completely hooked from release until I 100% completed it. I don't normally do new game + playthroughs but this game was like a ride I didnt want to end.
You got to the top 5 and I thought “aww no way Octopath has made his list. Well imagine my surprise! Loved this list and totally agree with it. Thanks Jon!
HELL YEAH, PIZZA TOWER! Definitely my Game of the Year and one of my favorite games of all time now!
I'd also like to shout-out Born of Bread, just came out December 5th on all platforms including PC, Nintendo Switch, PS5 and the Xbox consoles, really funny and charming game heavily inspired by classic Paper Mario, a nice way to hold yourself over until TTYD remake comes out next year!
Thank you Jon for this video and showing the respect to devs making awesome complicated games, its been a wierd and intense year for video games!
Octopath 2 has literally one of the best super secret final bosses in video game history. Fight me.
Though nothing can dethrone Tears of the Kingdom, I cannot agree more on how fantastic Octopath II is, great list Jon!
Thank you for giving Pizza Tower some love! Great game.
Great point on F-Zero 99! I was so baffled watching AntDude laugh about "how pissed off F-Zero fans must be". I didn't see any of that and I was thrilled. (love AntDude tho)
Octopath 2 was largely overlooked and it's a shame, because it's really worthy. Great list!
As much as I love Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom, I feel like they're the two most similar games in the series. I do hope they go in some crazy new direction in the next one, but I also hope they'll find a way to keep making traditional Zelda games as well.
I thought TOTK was mostly a lazy rehash, and I hate how we have to tip toe around saying it just bc some fans are super defensive
@@bens5859 I'm just glad more zelda content creators are admitting it's not a good formula or a perfect game
Octopath Traveler 2 is INCREDIBLE. My GOTY, easily. Such an epic adventure.
Star Ocean 2 R was like being back in the 90s again- loved it! Way more than Octopath traveler.
Octopath traveler 2 was my GOTY until I played alan wake 2. Definitely deserves the praise
Tears of the Kingdom is an incredible achievement in gaming, I mean it. The Zelda Cycle already has some hating on the game but I stand by that it is the perfect evolution of BOTWs gameplay
I agree with this, TotK was my game of the year
nah, the perfect evolution (for a sequel, not DLC) would have been a new or completely changed world, not the same world with new mechanics. BOTW was about exploring and a perfect evolution would have involved more new things to explore - not new ways to explore the same thing.
At this point in time it's the most impessive virtual engineering tool to ever exist
@@mandatorial That would have been a continuation not an evolution, and they decided to take the mechanics of botw and build a game with a different type of exploration. Botw was a game about exploring a world, totk is a game about exploring the possibilities of building and using your creations to find new parts of the old world.
Lmao what cycle are you talking about? People have had real grievances with the game since launch but still adore BOTW. So tired of people chalking up all negativity to some intangible cycle
Jon is the only one that played up to 10 games this year. The rest don't got the time to play games like that.
Can’t wait to see everyone’s videos! I can’t believe it’s that time of year already. Felt like I was just watching GVG’s GOTY vids a couple months ago
Good stuff Jon
18:37 agreed, unfortunately after dozens of hours it gets harder to make those random contraptions when getting somewhere when you already have a blueprint to something that would solve it
Before I got more efficient using found items on the sky islands was super fun
This may be the best 2023 list video I've seen this year. Great job Jon
Jon has got a point, Wonder is definitely a videogame of the year. Again, I really wish the game has a bit more challenge despite the last few levels in the Special world, and the bosses again suck. But I definitely still have so much fun playing the game, and definitely is at least top 10 games of 2023.
Imo Mario Wonders is the best 2D Mario Nintendo ever made BUT I gotta say its not a Game of the Year type of game to me.
Thats mainly because I think the game is kinda too "simple"
Its way more easy to make a great 2D Plattformer vs a great Open World RPG game with a lot story and choices and all that shit.
Mario Wonders doesnt need to have a good story or good voice acting or good written dialoges.
Mario Wonders doesnt need advanced tech that runs performant.
Theres a lot things Mario Wonders just doesnt need to be a outstanding 2D Plattformer.
I love the game but I feel like a game has to be ambitious and good to be a GOTY Contendor.
Honestly I didn't like the boss fights at all to a point I just used Yoshi just to get it over with
@RevolvingCube Wait, are you saying you had trouble with the bosses?
Where were these critics of easy Mario games when Odyssey released?
@SeloCGN That's the advantage that other games already have over Wonder though. Simple games are a safer bet, but more ambitious games are inherently more appealing for many people.
Simple games really have to be masterpieces to stand a chance at winning. The fact that Wonder was even nominated shows that Nintendo played their cards extremely well. I think it'd be totally fair if it won.
Octopath Traveler 2 was exceptional. I think it might very well be my favorite JRPG.
OT2 was great, but PLEASE play Sea of Stars, best RPG of 23
OT2 was great, but PLEASE play Sea of Stars, best RPG of 23
Zelda and SF 6 were my top 2!! Great list! BG3 was my most anticipated game this year but I just started it so it got put off… RE4 was definitely a great too…. And Pikmin 4 was tops for me as well. Great year! Can’t wait to try armored core 6 and octopath!!
I actually played more new games in 2023 than in most years previous, and even then I haven't played many!
1. Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Future Redeemed
2. Sea of Stars
3. Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
4. Metroid Prime Remastered
5. Reaident Evil 4
6. F-Zero 99
7. Pikmin 4
8. Super Mario RPG
And while I haven't played them yet, Hi-Fi Rush and Final Fantasy XVI are easy contenders as well.
Good on you, Jon, for remembering the terrible treatment of workers in the gaming industry. It's shameful how they have been treated, both when at work through crunch, and through the horrendous lay-offs. It's a great irony that it's been a banner year for games and this is how the workers are treated.
Plus, a great list as always.
Hearing Octopath 2 appreciation?
Marvelous!
I adore Octopath 1. The birth of HD-2D in combination with argueably one of the best OSTs ever, was enough for me to make it outstanding.
It never bothered me that the Travelers didn't interact besides travel banter and battle quotes, because I was always under the impression that this game was meant to have 8 seperate paths to follow, hence the name.
Nowadays it makes sense for HD-2D to just be overlooked when it comes to talking about Octopath because it's being pretty much standardized by Square.
Although VGM appreciation has risen over the years, for many people gameplay is everything (which is fine).
Which leaves us with what?
People getting destroyed by Galdera and people expecting more from the story. Add a sprinkle of criticizing AAA being the trendy thing to do and we get in this situation where Octopath 1 gets trashed on a lot for comparedably little reason.
It's a shame that Octopath 2 just got swept away by that and the fact that Square was just kinda ignoring the marketing.
At least it seems like Octopath 2 gets a respectable hidden gem status kinda like Triangle Strategy which is good to see. It still deserves better but oh well...
I don't think it does everything right(a bit too easy to get busted and story is still just solid), but it's nonetheless absolutely a masterpiece of a JRPG and I hope the series still has a bright future^-^
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Also, Hikari is the best Fire Emblem character of 2023 :3
Awesome list, but I hope that you enjoy Sea of Stars when it releases physically
Jon I think the b word you were looking for in regards to armored core was bombastic
Nice list. Now with Bladiurs Gate 3 the developers have decided to sell physical copies of it from their own website and I’m glad they are doing this.
Yea, 2024 looking good. All those nice games. And I am especially happy about Silksong releasing in 2024! Right, guys?! Right?..
SO glad you’re giving Street Fighter 6 the love it deserves. It’s such a terrific game.
Everyone needs to experience that Pizza Tower finale because it’s so unhinged
I agree about the flying bike in TotK, but the Depths, for me, were better because of it. When I'm out and about in the world or in the sky then I avoid using the bike.
I’ve mostly been playing through my backlog, so I only have a top 8.
1. Sonic Dream Team
2. The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom
3. Super Mario Bros Wonder
4. The Murder of Sonic the Hedgehog
5. Super Mario RPG
6. Sonic Superstars
7. Kirby Return to Dreamland Deluxe
8. F Zero 99
Honourable mention to the free content updates to Sonic Frontiers
I just bought Octopath Traveler II.
I'll play it next year, I don't have heard good things from it, I've heard GREAT things from it!
I will shout from the rooftops with Jon about Octopath Traveler 2. It’s my GOTY.
I've focused on my backlog of games this year. The only new games of 2023 I've played are Warioware Move It!, Suika Game and F-Zero 99.
finished Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition and definitely loved it!
It took Smash's 5th year anniversary before I fully appreciated Spirit mode. I'm also finishing Great Ace Attorney Chronicles.
Thanks for sharing your list! I love watching your videos. Happy 2024!
Oh this is where Jon moved to after nintendo life. I have subscribed jon. I will be contributing to your videos
I think Totk was goty. Now time to farm the comments of people saying it was $70 dlc after 4 years of that petty argument.
Jon is just that dude 🙏🏼 🐐
Picked up Humanity after watching. Loving it so far!
in my totk replay i avoided the hover bike at all cost… hover bike is for helping in post-game completion
Mans deep voice doesnt match his face, but tis why i love this dude
Spread the Octopath love ❤
I built a robot a giant mech in tears just building stuff it’s so fun
Finally some recognition for octopath traveler 2.
Curious if you considered XBC3 Future Redeemed for this list but it didn't make it, or didn't even consider it because it was technically a DLC
Great list, I have to play that Pizza Tower game for sure. Have you played Hi-Fi Rush? It is in my top 3 of the year, a game 10/10.
Your review of Octopath Traveler 2 inspired me to check the game (series) out! Specifically it was when you mentioned that it was as great as Final Fantasy 6, before you mentioned 7. Final Fantasy 6 is hands down my top favorite rpg of all time - so I'm very much looking forward to playing Octopath Traveler II once I get to it. :)
Is it necessary to play through the first, before I play the second? Is each game a whole different world/story, like Final Fantasy or instead are the games connected in one way or another? Would appreciate any feedback!
Thank you so much for the video! :)
Each game is it’s own thing and I highly recommend you play II. It’s vastly superior to the original and is the game worthy of being compared to greats like FF6
Merry Christmas John
I wish Jon had his own TH-cam channel
As a fighting game connoisseur I’m happy that Street Fighter 6 is in your top 3!
I would this video on #1 of my top 10 ASMR top 10s of the year
Your sweater is my favorite game of the year!
I knew this list was going to be good when he put RE 4 at 10. Nothing against RE4, just appreciate someone with different taste. Thanks Jon. Happy holidays
My GOTY for 2023 goes to *The Legend of Heroes: Trails into Reverie* (on PC/Steam).
It's an incredibly UNDER-rated franchise that definitely deserves more attention! I would love if you can give the series a shot and let us what you think, Jon! :)
Loved reverie as well, but it’s a little rough to recommend it to newcomers because of the 9 previous games you should play before starting. Also hope Sky trilogy gets ported everywhere so the series is easier to get into
@@JimmyRoche4 That is why I specifically said *"series"* when asking Jon to check it out (NOT just "Trails into Reverie" by itself). Thankfully, the whole series/franchise games are available on *Steam/PC,* so definitely the best place to try out the series for JRPG/turn-based lovers.
I don't give youtuber's much praise (which is prob unfair)... but love your particular presentation skills. Good luck and looking fwd to more in 2024!
I love Jon so much oml
Thank you for putting up with American hours.
Incredible!
This year was the best year for games,but the worst year for game developers and that really sucks
Definitely wanna try tears for all the new stuff they introduced, but I honestly was let down by botw so much it's hard to justify full price on the risk personally. tears really feels like it pushes the game mechanics far harder though. I respect it though.
Overall really good list, got such a huge spread of good games on here.
Also really appreciate the dev shout-out at the end. Its such a rough field for so many people (unless your like a billionaire CEO or something)
Next evolution of Zelda formula is ... Zelda 99!
I don't know if I did something wrong while playing Octopath II, but that game really frustrated me with all that grinding. And that's kinda weird since I've always loved old JRPGs like Dragon Quest 🤔
Jon! Somehow, you need to borrow Steve's PSVR2 to play RE4 Remake in VR. It is the "Wii" version of the game, if that makes sense and easily the best way to play.
Pizza Tower let's gooo
nathan b
How’s the Phillips adverts going?
So wait, you only put games that have a physical release on this but then there's f-zero 99? You know, a game designed for an online only subscription service.
I'm not unwilling to play digital games of course. However if it carries the price of a full retail release without a physical print I'll just wait until it eventually gets one
I could listen to Jon all day on a loop.. love his dulcet tones ❤
Octopath 2 lets GOO!
PIZZA TOWER
TotK is my favorite game of all time
18:05 I don't see that as a compliment. The fact that you said that made me realize how *undercooked* the puzzles that require that mechanic are. If anything, they should have chosen *one* of these mechanics and honed in on making great puzzles with them (in the overworld, not the shrines, they didn't fundamentally fix them from Botw) but the fact that the mechanics are all here in one game kind of reveals that they are equally *underdeveloped* .
I don't feel they're underdeveloped at all, you use ascend the entire game and it never stops feeling useful, and things like ultrahand give way to some of the most ingenious puzzles in the entire series and using rewind totally changes how you interact with certain enemies, in general i feel like the new abilities just feel like extensions of link that let him interact with Hyrule however he pleases
Amazing top!! Oh gosh I was so worried about your 1st place.. Seeing how most of the Zelda community is backslashing on Tears of the Kingdom, it is so wicked to say that your Top 1 game of the year is actually a CONTROVERSIAL pick!! But that game is so good on it's own and as part of the era of the wild phase of Zelda, is beautiful.. Tears of the kingdom is an ACCOMPLISHMENT by nintendo and it's devs... It just doesn't get appreciated enough..
To be fair, I think most of the backlash stems from people who mostly care about the lore of Zelda while not understanding what Zelda was always supposed to be. Since the franchises inception, the game was supposed to have a heavy emphasis on exploration and that got lost due to hardware limitations and then needing to go with a more linear style so the games would run. BotW and now TotK, they legitimately capture the original feeling of Zelda more so than any other game in the franchise
Edit: basically it's just the old good, new bad crowd being obnoxiously loud. I saw someone call BotW/TotK haters the, "vegans of Zelda fans" because you don't have to ask if they like those games, they'll randomly just start bashing them unprompted...Like how vegans are the first to tell you they're a vegan without anyone asking
There’s no doubt in my mind that it’s a great game. As someone who hasn’t played it yet, it seems overwhelming, super niche, and floundering. But it’s Zelda, so of course it’s focused. I can’t wait to play it, but I don’t blame anyone who might get turned off by it