Two last years have seen releases of great games, and here we will give you our top list from the point of view of industry professionals. The number and quality are so high that limiting the list to the top 10 is difficult. We asked our game developers team to name their favorites and created this subjective list of the best AAA games 2023/2024, explaining why each of them became a hit.
Even if you are working on indie or niche games, you would follow the news about AAA games anyway. Not just because it’s hard to avoid but because they have a massive impact on the industry. With huge budgets and the expectations to deliver top-notch player experience, the publishers use the newest tech advances to reach the top in a crowded gaming market.
AAA games’ developer teams try hard to create the most original storylines and high-quality graphics. After gaining success, these titles go on in sequels and often get a new life in TV series or award-winning movies, such as The Last of Us or The Super Mario Bros.
AAA, or Triple-A games, are typically made by big publishers who can afford high production costs. In return, these products bring extra revenue through downloadable content, merch sales, and other revenue models that can help bring more profit than just simple game sales. That’s why their marketing budgets are pretty big as well.
Given all this, top AAA games often set trends for the whole industry, both in technology and creative aspects. Let’s start with the best triple-A games of 2023.
5 best AAA games of 2023
In 2023, the gaming industry saw quite some big releases in all genres. When looking at all triple-A games 2023 had to offer, not just action RPGs but also 2D platformers became hugely successful. Here is our selection, based on Opencritic reviews, awards, and of course, the opinion of our lead game developers.
Hogwarts Legacy
Platform: PlayStation, Xbox, PC
Genre: Action RPG
Publisher: Warner Bros. Games
This is the best-selling game among AAA games released in 2023, but that’s not the only reason why it’s on this list. Naturally, a massive part of its popularity comes from the immense fanbase of Harry Potter and everything related to him. The interesting part is the place that Hogwarts Legacy found in this universe.
The game doesn’t follow any of the books about Harry Potter and doesn’t even have familiar characters. Hogwarts Legacy plays on the dream of all Harry Potter fans: to go to the wizard school themselves. In the game, players can create their wizards, attend classes, explore Hogwarts and the wizard world, and fight evil themselves. 15 million sold copies serve the best review possible.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Genre: Side-scrolling platformer
Publisher: Nintendo
The game maintains a perfect balance between preserving the vibe of the old game that everybody loves and bringing new elements, such as Wonder Flowers, to entertain fans and enhance gameplay. The graphics and mechanics of the game were polished to perfection.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder was massively successful in both reviews and sales. It sold 4.3 million copies in the first two weeks after release, becoming the fastest-selling game in the Super Mario franchise. On Opencritic, it has a 91 Top Critic Average score.
In 2023, the Super Mario Bros. franchise was indeed flourishing. The Super Mario Bros. Movie, released the same year, grossed $1.02 billion globally, becoming the highest-grossing animated movie of the year.
Baldur’s Gate 3
Platform: PC, PlayStation 5
Genre: RPG
Publisher: Larian Studios
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1086940/Baldurs_Gate_3/
Baldur’s Gate 3 is a long-awaited CRPG set in the Dungeons & Dragons universe. The main character is infected by a mind flayer parasite and goes on a quest to find a cure while trying not to turn into a mind flayer themselves. The game features rich storytelling, superior tactical turn-based combat, and extensive freedom. All of this results in high replayability, which makes gamers addicted for a long time.
Of all triple-A games released in 2023, Baldur’s Gate 3 got the most Game of the Year prizes from respected awards such as The Game and Golden Joystick. The reviews from players are as high as critics’. The game continues the tradition of Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2, each of which was truly remarkable.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Platform: PlayStation 5
Genre: Action-Adventure
Publisher: Sony Interactive Entertainment
Following two previous games in the Insomniac’s Spider-Man series, Marvel’s Spider-Man (2018) and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales (2020), this edition includes both Peter Parker and Miles Morales. Each has a unique skill set, and the player can switch between the two.
The game introduced an expanded open-world exploration of New York City, including Queens and Brooklyn. Players can swing through the city using the new Web Wings traversal mechanic and fight classical Marvel villains — Venom, Kraven the Hunter, and The Lizard. Both old fans and new gamers loved the game for its rich storyline.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
Platform: Nintendo Switch
Genre: Action-Adventure
Publisher: Nintendo
The game is a direct sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Long-term fans of Zelda can continue Link’s journey in the kingdom of Hyrule, where players can explore new floating islands and subterranean environments. The game introduced innovative gameplay mechanics such as weapon fusion and time manipulation.
Like many other top AAA game sequels, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom takes a deeper dive into the story, opening new characters and developing their stories. Altogether, the game has earned a spot on the list of new triple-A games of 2023.
5 best AAA games of 2024
This year is full of great titles. 2024 AAA games include sequels to classics Star Wars, Final Fantasy, and Call of Duty, along with other interesting releases. Here is the selection of the Top 5 from Kevuru game developers and gamers (based on average rates on Opencritic).
Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Platform: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S
Genre: First-Person Shooter
Publisher: Activision
The game is set in the early 1990s, a time of global transition after the end of the Cold War. Playing Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 feels like being in a spy-thriller. Exciting story twists take players to different locations all around the world. Black Ops 6 has 16 new multiplayer maps that provide much space for continuous gaming.
One of the most interesting features of this edition is Omnimovement, a new movement system that allows players to sprint, slide, and dive in any direction. It makes the combat process more fluid. Also, the control system is easier and more accessible for players of all skill levels.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
Platform: PC, PlayStation 5, 4, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One
Genre: Action RPG (Role-Playing Game)
Publisher: Bandai Namco Entertainment
The game is an expansion for the action RPG Elden Ring. The story is set in a vast open world called the Lands Between. Players navigate through fantastical landscapes filled with dangerous creatures and ancient ruins. Shadow of the Erdtree makes a deeper dive into the story of the Elden Ring universe with new narrative threads, characters, and backstories.
With a score of 94 on OpenCritic, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is the highest-rated game release of the year as of October. High-level visual design of fantastic landscapes and complex level design will surely earn this game a spot on the list of top AAA games 2024.
Frostpunk 2
Platform: PC
Genre: Strategy
Publisher: 11 bit studios
Frostpunk 2 blends survival, city-building, and resource management genres. Players take on the role of the Steward, leader of the city of New London. The world is in conditions of harsh cold, and city life is impacted by complex social and political dynamics.
The reviews claim that Frostpunk 2 is twice as hard as its predecessor, which makes players love it twice as much. The game features a story campaign and “Utopia Builder” sandbox mode, allowing for infinite gameplay outside the main storyline.
Star Wars Outlaws
Platform: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
Genre: Action-Adventure
Publisher: Ubisoft
The legendary franchise is so productive that a new game is released yearly. Star Wars Outlaws followed the Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, released in 2023. The reviews for the latter were often superior, noting its immersive narrative, fluid combat mechanics, and story depth. On the other hand, Outlaws was criticized for its limited combat options, as players couldn’t use lightsabers or Force abilities, and for the unbalanced role options and lack of a traditional progression system, which affected gameplay variety and overall balance.
The reason why Outlaws is present on this list is that it introduced the first open-world game in the Star Wars franchise (and because having two Star Wars games on one list is a bit too much). However, with all the imperfections, it has a 76 points Top Critic Average score on Opencritic.
At Kevuru Games, we have a special sentiment for the Star Wars franchise as we have collaborated with Lucasfilm to create 3D characters for Star Wars: Tales from the Galaxy’s Edge VR-based game. You can read more about this project in our case study.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth
Platform: PlayStation 5 (exclusive)
Genre: Action RPG
Publisher: Square Enix
The game is based on the 1997 classic Final Fantasy VII, which was recently continued with Final Fantasy VII Remake. Critics note the “nostalgic recreation of key moments,” but the secret of the game’s success is not just nostalgia.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth introduces several vital features that expand the world from the previous version. The game offers a larger, open-world structure, allowing players to explore new locations like the Gold Saucer and Cosmo Canyon. The combat system improved with Synergy Abilities, which enabled two characters to perform combined attacks. Another innovation is the “Dynamic” mode, which adjusts to the player’s progress, providing a tailored experience.
Which games will pass to history as the best AAA games of all time?
For our short and subjective list of the best triple-A games of 2023 and 2024, the prediction would be as subjective. The games that will mark these years in the future of gaming will most likely be Baldur’s Gate 3 and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.
Out of upcoming AAA games in 2024, the one likely to take place on this list is S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl, a survival horror by GSC Game World. With its focus on immersive environment graphics, intense survival mechanics, and a vast open world set in the Chornobyl exclusion zone, it promises to be a major contender for numerous awards in its genre.
Kevuru Games Expertise in Triple-A Games
Over the years, we have worked with many AAA games publishers and developers, such as Lucasfilm, Housmarque, Epic Games, Bandai Namco, and others. Key areas of our expertise in this niche are:
- 3D characters (skins, outfits, creatures and animals)
- Environment art and props (vehicles, weapons, individual elements to objects)
- Full-cycle game development
Our favorite projects are the characters for Star Wars mentioned above and skins for Fortnite. We created 120 unique skin concepts for the latter, from girl-next-door Chance to fantastic Bushranger.
We work with both realistic and stylized game art, which makes our range of projects very wide. Contact us to find out how our team can help you create one of the best AAA games of all time.
Conclusion
Each year, we see top publishers competing with each other by introducing new tech innovations and polishing graphics to perfection to provide the best possible gaming experience. The vast majority of new AAA games 2024 published recently are sequels of famous games and, therefore, need less effort to attract gamers compared to brand new stories. Nevertheless, each one jumps higher every time to deliver the best product. And we will stay on watch for the next big thing.
