And here is the list that most of you have been looking forward to. These are the top 10 best optimized games that came out on PC in 2023.
In our opinion, a game that is optimized for the PC is one that can scale well on multiple CPU cores, that is not plagued by ‘console-ish’ side effects (like really low FOV, controller-only on-screen indicators, awful K&M controls and mouse acceleration/smoothing issues). We also take into account the stuttering issues that affected a lot of PC games in 2023.
We should also note that a game that justifies its high GPU requirements also falls in this category. However, it should also be able to scale down on older GPUs. So keep that in mind for one particular game.
So, without further ado, here are the best optimized PC games of 2023.
F1 23 was the best-optimized racing game that came out on PC in 2023. Now what’s interesting here is that this year, Codemasters implemented numerous Ray Tracing effects to it. PC gamers were able to enjoy RTGI, RTAO, RT Reflections and RT Shadows. Even without these RT effects, though, the game ran silky smooth on PC and looked great. The reason it’s in the tenth place is because the graphical improvements over F1 22 are not THAT big without the RT effects.
It’s no secret that System Shock Remake was in development hell. As such, we were expecting it to be a complete mess. Instead, Nightdive offered a pretty solid PC release. The game runs with 60fps on a lot of graphics cards, and it does not require a high-end CPU for gaming at high framerates. System Shock Remake did have a few traversal stutters, though I’m certain that most PC gamers didn’t even notice them. And, while System Shock Remake is not pushing the best graphics that the PC platform is capable of, it does have an amazing art style, and it runs smoothly on a wide range of PC configurations.
Armored Core 6 does not push the graphical boundaries of current-gen games. However, it runs smoothly on PC. For those wondering, we did not experience any shader compilation stutters, and the K&M controls are amazing. The PC performance of Armored Core 6 was exceptional. The reason is not higher in the list is because its graphics are not THAT impressive (at least compared to the other games).
We were pleasantly surprised by Atomic Heart. Although the game uses Unreal Engine 4, it does not suffer from any shader compilation stutters. The fact that it also came from a relatively unknown studio in such a polished state was also a big shock. Truth be told, there were some minor traversal stutters. However, the game felt smooth for the most part. Not only that but it looked and performed great on PC.
Resident Evil 4 Remake was an incredible PC release, showcasing the capabilities of the RE Engine. Not only did it run smoothly on PC, but it’s also one of the best-looking PC games of 2023. Capcom did an incredible job, and most PC gamers will be able to fully enjoy it.
5.) Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart was one of the best-looking games on PC and ran incredibly well on PC. The game has a lot of graphics settings, and supports all available PC upscaling techniques. It also features a number of Ray Tracing effects. At launch, the game had some issues on PC. However, Nixxes has addressed most of them. Right now, Rift Apart looks and runs great on PC.
We were pleasantly surprised by Diablo 4. This was one of the best-looking action “hack n slash” RPGs, and it ran incredibly well on PC, even at launch. We are talking about over 140fps at Native 4K/Ultra on the RTX4090. And, for even higher framerates, players can use AMD FSR or NVIDIA DLSS 3. Diablo 4 also does not require a high-end CPU for high framerates.
Lies of P is one of the best optimized PC games of 2023. The game can run smoothly on a wide range of PC configurations, and it looks great. Moreover, while it uses the Denuvo anti-tamper tech, we did not experience any performance or stuttering issues. This was a pleasant surprise.
Talking about surprises, here is something we couldn’t even imagine happening. Dead Island 2 was in development hell and changed three gaming studios. It was also powered by Unreal Engine 4, and most were expecting a sub-par product. Instead, we got one of the best-looking PC games of 2023 that ran incredibly well on a variety of PC configurations. Dambuster Studios has exceeded expectations, so kudos to the studio.
1.) Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora stands out as the best-optimized PC game of 2023. It doesn’t require a high-end CPU, and despite being an open-world game, it runs smoothly without any annoying hiccups. Sure, it needs a beefy GPU, especially if you want to play at native resolutions. But trust us. Its stunning graphics make it worth it. The cool part is, if your PC isn’t powerful enough, you can dial down the graphics settings and still enjoy a good-looking game. Plus, there is support for DLSS 3.5 and FSR 3.0, which can give you a significant performance boost. The game even has a bunch of settings just for PC, and it feels great playing it with the KB&M. In a nutshell, Avatar was a solid PC release!
John is the founder and Editor in Chief at DSOGaming. He is a PC gaming fan and highly supports the modding and indie communities. Before creating DSOGaming, John worked on numerous gaming websites. While he is a die-hard PC gamer, his gaming roots can be found on consoles. John loved – and still does – the 16-bit consoles, and considers SNES to be one of the best consoles. Still, the PC platform won him over consoles. That was mainly due to 3DFX and its iconic dedicated 3D accelerator graphics card, Voodoo 2. John has also written a higher degree thesis on the “The Evolution of PC graphics cards.”
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