With the newer lineup of Apple M3 Silicon making its way to shelves, a new era of gaming is making its way to Macos. While the MacBook had the performance to run games previously, things are taking a turn for the wilder aspects of gaming thanks to the power of Apple’s newest and latest M3 chips.

Gaming is no longer limited to macOS in 2023. You can enjoy a plethora of different gaming experiences, whether it’s the best AAA titles, the best RPGs, or the best indie games–you can find them all on macOS in 2023. So, without further ado, let’s dive into the best games for macOS in 2023.

Note: Every single one of these titles were released on Mac in 2023.

Best Mac Games Released in 2023

Baldur’s Gate 3

Taking every Game of The Year category by storm in 2023, Baldur’s Gate 3 has been crowned one of the best D&D campaign games to date. Developed by Larian Studios, you dive into a fantasy epic classic tabletop world with some spiffy graphics added into the mix.

You get to choose from a variety of memorable characters and are tasked with making some difficult choices along the way. You can curate your very own adventure from the ground up. Be the hero or become the villain–it’s all up to you.

Baldur’s Gate 3 is not only one of the best macOS games of 2023, but one of the best games of the year. If you’re a fan of story-driven RPGs with immersive and beautiful cinematic cutscenes that draw you in, gaming on a lightweight MacBook is worth the salt in 2023 with Baldur’s Gate 3.

System requirements: Apple M1, 8 GB RAM, Apple M1 GFX, 150 GB Space

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💡 And if you’d prefer something entirely different, this 100 Best Mac games guide covers the most popular games across all genres.

Disco Elysium

Disco Elysium isn’t just one of the best macOS games of 2023. It’s also one of the best isometric RPG games ever made. You dawn the role of an amnesic detective who’s head deep into solving a murder mystery in the seaside district of Martinaise in the imaginary city of Revachol.

What this game does great is nail the gritty and dark atmosphere of the title while also providing an experience that isn’t too far detached from reality. It also addresses a few intriguing and engaging philosophical questions, political ideologies, and more.

The alternative history and post-war setting, with a cast of memorable characters, captivating dialogue, and some decent encounters running its course on a dice-rolling system, depending on your stats, is an entertaining idea that the developers played around with.

System requirements: macOS 10.11 or later, Intel Core i5 or better Processor, NVIDIA GTX 650 or better Video, 8 GB RAM, 18 GB of Hard Drive space.

Art	Game	Genre	64-bit?	64-bit	API	M1 Support	Performance
	Disco Elysium	RPG	Yes		Metal	Native	Good

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Dave the Diver

On the surface, Dave The Diver seems like your run-of-the-mill, cookie-cutter fishing or restaurant management game, but it’s addictive. You’re bound to spend hours in one of the best games of macOS in 2023.

Even after spending hours and hours in this game, you’ll still be enthralled by the creative new systems and fun that the game has to offer. The game captivates you with its gorgeous pixel art and hundreds of different sea creatures to capture.

You’ll spend your time killing sharks, hacking sea creatures, and using grenade launchers and samurai swords to battle it out with what you’ll find in the ocean. The game is charming and fun and gives you good vibes all throughout.

The game gives you a whopping 30 hours of content to enjoy, and it feels like a real adventure. Kill sea creatures, serve sushi, battle bosses, and get new weapons. Rinse and repeat. The fun is never-ending.

System requirements: Catalina 10.15, 8 GB RAM, Radeon Pro 555X, 11 GB.

Art	Game	Genre	64-bit?	64-bit	API	M1 Support	Performance
	DAVE THE DIVER	Adventure	Yes		Metal	Rosetta	Good

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Celeste

If you’re not a fan of platformers, then this game isn’t for you. Still, Celeste is worth a try. The core mechanics of the game are pretty simple. It’s a platforming game where you’re supposed to jump, climb, and avoid death traps and obstacles.

It’s an indie classic through and through, reminiscent of the platforming sequences a 2D Mario game would offer. But Celeste kicks things up a notch with its tougher levels and challenges. But the best part about this game is that it doesn’t feel unfair at all. Don’t expect to smash that neat MacBook keyboard anytime soon playing this indie title.

Being one of the best macOS games for 2023, Celeste allows you to take the role of a young lady by the name of Madeline, who’s on her way to traverse a mountain. Aside from the fact that the game is a platformer, it does take a deeper toll on the story aspect of things, delving into themes of depression, self-discovery, turmoil, and the many problems plaguing Madeline.

System requirements: Lion 10.7.5, Core i3 M380,  2 GB RAM, OpenGL 3.0+

Art	Game	Genre	64-bit?	64-bit	API	M1 Support	Performance
	Celeste	Action	Yes		Vulkan	Rosetta	Poor

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Total War: Pharaoh

The newest mainline additions of the Total War series also make their way to macOS. Yes–Total War: Pharaoh is also one of the best macOS games in 2023. While it’s not one of the best games of the year, it’s still one of the best macOS games in our books.

Creative Assembly has done a lot to spice up Total War: Pharaoh. You get to choose from different faction-specific axemen, spearmen, swordsmen, chariots–you name it.
There are tons of systems to account for, like attrition that turn up the difficulty factor of this Total War title. Defending cities has tons more perks than previous Total War entries.

While some parts of the game are a bit drier in terms of characters like generals, Total War: Pharaoh does a great job of drawing out the history and culture of its ancient Egyptian theme. The campaign’s map is meticulously detailed, and the game looks drop-dead gorgeous on your MacBook or iPad.

All in all, Total War: Pharaoh is worth the salt, and it’s amazing that Creative Assembly managed to make such an incredibly hard civilization and setting work so well despite being dry in some aspects.

System requirements: macOS 13.4, Apple M1, 8 GB RAM, 50 GB space

Art	Game	Genre	64-bit?	64-bit	API	M1 Support	Performance
	Total War: Pharaoh	Strategy	Yes		Metal	Native	Good

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Stray

While modern games are known for being expansive, Stray is a short experience that’s worth the salt. Stray finally made it to macOS in 2023 and packs tons of fine details and experiences that hook you from the get-go.

You control a stray cat and roam a futuristic city, interacting with a host of quirky characters and robots. While it’s a short game, the main story is deeper than your usual indie game. It’s an immersive title that does a great job of making you feel like a part of the world.

While the main game can be finished in a few hours, the side quests kick things up a notch by a few mere 3 hours, but they’re definitely worth it. The game is basically a puzzle game, and it’s surprisingly very well done. It’s engaging and will keep you scratching your noggin for yours.

All-in-all, Stray is a beautiful experience from start to finish. If you’re looking to play a relaxing and cozy experience with some eye-popping visuals on your MacBook, then Stray is worth looking into.

System requirements: macOS 13 Ventura, 10 GB Space, Apple Silicon

Art	Game	Genre	64-bit?	64-bit	API	M1 Support	Performance
	Stray	Adventure	Yes		TBC	Native	Good

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Lies of P

We get and understand all the hate this game is getting. Lies of P seems like a Souls Like rip-off on the surface, but it’s by far one of the best macOS games of 2023. It makes sure to distinguish itself from the Souls games and Souls formula.

The developers have added an interesting range of mechanics that distinguish itself from other games. Take the example of the unlockable attacks that are parried successfully, make for a rewarding experience, and end up becoming extremely punishing if you mess things up.

Another unique quirk of this game is the puppet parts that function as pieces of your armor. It frees you from the monotonous need of wearing specific armor sets and gives you a sense of customization never before seen in Souls Like games.

The enemies bring a wealth of challenges to the combat system. You’ll mostly go up against puppets with choreographed barrages of attacks that sometimes mess up or short-circuit, making the combat aspect of this game a bit unpredictable.

If you’re a fan of Souls Like games but want a bit of flair added into the mix, then Lies of P is the next big thing to play in 2023, especially if you’re looking for a gut-punching souls-like experience on macOS.

System requirements: macOS Ventura 13.0, Apple Silicon, 8 GB RAM, 50 GB space

Art	Game	Genre	64-bit?	64-bit	API	M1 Support	Performance
	Stray	Adventure	Yes		TBC	Native	Good

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Immortality

While it’s been out since 2022, Immortality recently made its way to macOS in 2023, and it’s an adventure game and interactive trilogy from Sam Barlow. Marissa Marcel, a film star, made a trilogy of movies, but now, she’s disappeared.

The game is immaculately constructed and perfected and raises the bar of what interactive games and the interactive movie genre can achieve. While they’ve been around for a long time, as far back as the 90s, Marissa’s interactive storyline, portrayed by Sam Barlow, is just one perfect mind f*ck from start to finish.

Immortality is basically a detective game that spans the length of three movies. It starts with one clip and introduces you to a set of intuitive mechanics where you sift through each clip back and forth to discover new elements in the story.

The game is rooted in NSFW themes and voyeurism, and it somehow feels nastier as you’re interacting with the footage through all the sexual themes you have to scrub through. It’s pretty hard to explain the provocative yet enthralling and captivating nature of this interactive game in words. You can take advantage of your Apple Silicon-powered hardware and enjoy the rich visuals of one of the best interactive games on macOS in 2023.

System requirements: macOS Ventura, Apple M1, 16 GB RAM, Discrete GPU, 30 GB Available Space

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GRID Legends

Sim Racing on macOS in 2023? Don’t worry, Grid Legends has finally popped into the picture and runs like butter, powered by Apple Silicon. It’s instantly playable, and fast, and is the epitome of sim racing in 2023.

While the added story mode kicks things up a notch, there’s been improvement in the handling department of the game. The 2019 Grid Reboot didn’t seem worth the salt, but with Grid Legends, handling feels tight, making this game a great experience for newcomers to the sim racing genre.

The other thing that’s the icing on top is the live-action story mode. You join the struggling Seneca team and take on your rivals from Ravenwest and their top driver, Nathan McKane. The story is scripted quite well for the most part, but it’s not the best story experience you’d expect. Sure, if you’re looking for a bit of story-driven depth, similar to F1 2021’s rendition of a story mode, Grid Legends does stand up there with it.

There are tons to do in Grid Legends. Career Mode exists, though it does feel like a bit of filler. It’s not an all-time classic like the original Race Driver Grid, where the violent clanking of metal and rubber meant something. It’s more of a bigger brother to the track-based Dirt 5, with contrasting tastes of both the good, the bad, and the ugly.

All-in-all, there are only a few great sim racing games in the current climate, especially on macOS in 2023, and Grid Legends seriously packs a punch on Apple Silicon.

System requirements: macOS 13.3, Apple M1, AMD Radeon PRO 560, 35.6 GB available space

Art	Game	Genre	64-bit?	64-bit	API	M1 Support	Performance
	GRID Legends	Racing	Yes		Metal	Native	Excellent

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Everspace 2

So what exactly is Everspace 2, and why is it so darn good? It’s a fast-paced spaceship shooter game, something we’ve seen time and time again. But there’s a deep emphasis on space exploration and traversing planets. There’s lots to loot, loot, and loot. You get a few RPG elements here and there, with the added elements of mining resources and crafting some essentials.

It’s bombastic, vibrant, and punchy–all in one go. The loot-and-shoot RPG mechanics go flawlessly with the arcade-style dog fights you get to experience in Everspace 2. While it seems like a space exploration, crafting, and mining sim on the outside, you’d be mistaken to think that Everspace 2 exists within the same realm.

Through and through, Everspace 2 takes a deep dive into the loot and shoot arcade-style, flashy dog fights in outer space. While the first rendition of this game was more of a roguelike with procedurally generated elements, Everspace 2 emphasizes the more traditional RPG genre with a main story to relish, tons of side quests to partake in, and cracking your head open with some open-world puzzles.

You get to check out tons of randomly generated contracts and take a gnaw at the main story with around a hundred hours of playtime. While it’s a direct sequel in terms of story, Everspace 2 changes up the mechanics of the game quite a bit. The writing is somewhat iffy, with a few disposable characters, but the gameplay is the bread and butter on macOS in 2023.

System requirements: Apple M2 Pro, 8 GB RAM, Apple M2 Pro, 35 GB available space

Art	Game	Genre	64-bit?	64-bit	API	M1 Support	Performance
	EVERSPACE 2	Action	Yes		Metal	Native	Good

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Before you go…

Looking for more the best MacBook games out there regardless of release date? Check out our list of the best MacBook games ever made.

The post Best Mac Games 2023: Games of The Year appeared first on Mac Gamer HQ.