It’s been a big year for Android, with some huge titles dropping and battling it out for your attention. And Droid Gamers has been here to cover all of them.. or as many as we can at least. What are the best games, though? Well, that’s very subjective. So we’re not going to pretend otherwise. Instead we’re going to fight. We’ve invited each of the Droid Gamers team to name their favourite game of the past year and plead their case on which deserves the crown as the best Android game of 2023.
You’re welcome to make your own choice from our picks… or disagree with us completely in the comments. We can take it!
The Best Android Games Of 2023
Here are each of the team’s picks!
Meriel’s Pick: Oxenfree II: Lost Signals
I love a good story, especially a good mystery, and Oxenfree II is a worthy successor to the first that was great to see on Android (though some people might have complicated feelings about the Netflix tie-in).
The game benefits from great writing, an intense atmosphere, and a good balance between spooky moments and a character-driven narrative.
The fact that all the dialogue is chosen by you makes it far more immersive than a lot of games that sell themselves on their story. You feel fully involved rather than like you’re just piloting a pre-defined character from one interaction to another and occasionally making a choice.
The story is fire, the visuals are great, and the voice acting is top-tier.
Sho’s Pick: Reverse 1999
My Android mobile pick of the year has to go to Reverse 1999. I know what you’re thinking, a gacha trumps all, really? Well, this title was excellent and well-hyped from the get-go. Here on DG, we have covered so much of this game with tiers, codes, and general guides. This gacha is so unlike games of the same genre. Which works for me since I’m not much of a gacha gamer anyway.
Reverse 1999 is enriched with gorgeous visuals and cut scenes, the game takes you back in time but keeps the essence of modern-day graphics. Even down to the combat sequences this game is magnificent in delivery and I can’t sing praises about its visuals enough!
More than story and banner pulls, there’s a lot of strategy and puzzles entwined within this game. And to be fair some of them are so cleverly designed that I’ve rushed to make a guide on the “How to” after figuring it out for myself! (On our sister website that is).
Regardless if you’re a fan of gachas or not Reverse 1999 is a true passion project with the players at the core. So, it gets my vote for the best mobile release of the year, and you can check it out over on the Play Store!
Adele’s Pick: Honkai Star Rail
The resident gacha gamer has arrived! My top pick for 2023 is Honkai Star Rail – who’d have guessed? I expected Honkai Star Rail to do brilliantly in the months leading up to the game’s official release, and it’s done amazingly well so far.
While it’s much simpler when compared to Genshin Impact, there’s something quite relaxing about the more laidback approach to a HoYoverse game. Auto-battles might not be for everyone, but trust me, they’re incredibly useful when you just want to get your dailies done quickly without having to think.
The main story for Honkai Star Rail is also fantastic – I was intrigued from the get-go! The lore behind each area expands into something much more exciting, with a variety of interesting characters joining in too.
Speaking of characters. All their personalities are so diverse that it’s always a pleasure to interact with them throughout the abundance of quests on offer. Plus, they look great, which is always a plus!
Honkai Star Rail runs brilliantly on mobile too, without being overly demanding on the device. This makes it a perfect entryway into the gacha genre for newcomers. With its more simple elements, it’s still got a ton of in-depth game modes. And a bounty of content to keep players coming back.
Honourable Mentions
This section is a small shoutout to games we recognise as stellar releases but didn’t quite become our personal favourites of the year.
Final Fantasy VII Ever Crisis
We can’t not mention the release of Final Fantasy 7 Ever Crisis. It takes you through a faithful retelling of the original VII storyline, whilst throwing in a few never-before-seen cutscenes. Engaging turn-based combat awaits, and a wide range of obtainable outfits for your favourite characters such as Tifa, Aerith, and Cloud!
Monster Hunter Now
Those of you who have stuck with us through this year will remember all our MHN guides (including our referral links and friend codes!). Our team all got in on playing this game and the game’s unique playthrough premise made it worth an honourable mention.
Warcraft Rumble
We love a good RPG strategy game! Packed with a chaotic campaign and immersive PvP it’s a no-brainer we gave this game a little spotlight!
We Have Reached The End!
Want some more great games? Our best new Android games this week feature is constantly updated with fresh titles.
