In a year full of blockbuster releases, Sarah Thwaites found some of their favourite experiences in smaller games.
These are some of the best bite-sized experiences from 2023.
All in GOTY
Kate Robinson Hightlights Some Of The Best Sleeper Hits Of 2023 | Winter Spectacular 2023
In a year full of triple-A bangers there is no doubt you missed some truly special smaller games.
That’s why Kate Robinson has rounded up some of the sleeper hits of 2023.
Branford Hubbard Reflects On A Wholesome Year in Gaming But There’s Still Work to Do… | Winter Spectacular 2023
2023 was an exceptionally tough year for many, but the characters in video games and media made Branford Hubbar feel a bit better about the year.
Jordan Oloman Just Realised... This Is Not My Beautiful House | Winter Spectacular 2023
The games industry is moving and changing all of a sudden Jordan Oloman has realised this is not his beautiful house….
The Best Games Eoghan Watters Played This Year | Winter Spectacular 2023
2023 was a year so packed full of video games that it was hard to play even a fraction of them.
We welcome Eoghan Watters to the website to run down their favourite games from last year!
RL Crz On The Strange Existential Serenity of Bomb Rush Cyberfunk | Winter Spectacular 2023
The next Jet Set game might still be a long way out but, until then, RL Crz has found an exisential serenity in Bomb Rush Cyberfunk that makes it quite special.
Aric Leighton Needs You To Know Just How Good Pikmin 4 Was | Winter Spectacular 2023
Y’all here about these lil Pikmin dudes?
Because Aric Leighton REAAAALLY needs you to know just how good these lil dudes are.
Lex Luddy's Self-Indulgent 2023 GOTY List | Winter Spectacular 2023
Lexi has spent the last two months editing Winter Spectacular pieces where the state of the industry has been lamented by countless talented people.
It’s left her a little jaded come the end of 2023, but they still think it might be worth highlighting the games that got them through 2023.
Edward Lee Explains Why 2023 Was The Terrible Year Full Of Incredible Games | Winter Spectacular 2023
The contrast between *the product* and *the production* of video games has never been more stark than it was in 2023.
We welcome Edward Lee to the site to try to break down how some of the best games ever came out in such a terrible year for the industry.
Louise Chase Celebrates The Books That Make Our Games Feel Alive | Winter Spectacular 2023
We tend to think of literary works and digital art as two vastly different and somewhat incompatible art forms but Louise Chase has returned to the site to highlight how books can make video games feel more alive.
AFTER ALL THIS TIME, I’M STILL INDIE ME - Rach Macpherson On Why Being Yourself Is Important In The Games Industry | Winter Spectacular 2023
We welcome Rach Macpherson to the site to reflect on their journey into the games industry and staying true to yourself.
Marie Pritchard Asks What Makes A Game Cosy? | Startmenu Winter Spectacular 2023
Pull a seat up by the fire, wrap yourself in a blanket and grab a nice cup of tea, as Marie Pritchard returns to the site to ask, “Just what makes a cosy game, cosy?”
Harry Mitchell Explains How Lethal Company Blends Horror With Laughter | Winter Spectacular 2023
Lethal Company is the hottest game on Twitch and Steam, and everyone has their theories as to why.
Harry Mitchell has been thinking a lot about it and thinks its success might just be down to the fact we’ve all had to find comedy in a crummy job at some point in our lives.
The startmenu Awards 2023 | Winter Spectacular 2023
What a season. What a season.
2023 is almost over so the whole startmenu community came together to decide the honourable winners and, ummm, less honourable things worth talking about for the 3rd Annual startmenu Awards!
Mike Minotti Wants To Remind You That You're Doing Great | Winter Spectacular 2023
What a weird, fun, wild year.
Mike Minotti has proven himself to be the one man able to baffle Dan Ryckert, played a lot of Resident Evil 4, and dressed up like RoboCop… Like… A lot…
But he wants you to know that you’re doing great.
Shawn McDowell Wants You To Know Fighting Games Are for Everyone, Including You | Winter Spectacular 2023
It’s been a big year for Giant Bomb’s resident young person. But Shawn McDowell is just happy that fighting games are in the best place they’ve been in decades.
So he can’t help but wonder… Why are they still not getting the recognition they deserve?
Games Are For Children... And Jeff Grubb | Winter Spectacular 2023
As game budgets balloon in never-ending hunt for realism Jeff Grubb wants everyone to remember this holiday… Video Games are for children.
Tears of the Kingdom Saved Me - Jan Ochoa On His Second Favourite Game Of 2023 | Winter Spectacular 2023
It’s been a big year for Giant Bomb. From live shows to podcasts, and whatever the hell you call playing The Quiet Man for charity, Jan Ochoa has been there for all of it.
Now he joins us to explain how Tears of The Kingdom save him.
So You've Broken Into Games Journalism... What Next, Ask Jess Reyes | Winter Spectacular 2023
So you’ve broken into video game journalism… What now?
Jess Reyes might have some ideas for you.
James Law's Game Of The Year Was... Crosswords | Winter Spectacular 2023
Sometimes gaming is at its best when you take the video out of video games.
startmenu co-founder James Law returns to the site to talk about the joy they found in crosswords this year.