Highlights
- The Game Awards 2023’s Best Game Direction category features five worthy contenders with outstanding creative vision and innovation in game direction and design.
- Alan Wake 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom stand out as top contenders, showcasing the power of a great central vision and delivering unique gaming experiences.
- Baldur’s Gate 3 may have the edge in winning the Best Game Direction award, with its innovative direction, design, and clear creative vision making it a standout in the category.
The Game Awards is almost here, and this year it’ll be celebrating its 10th anniversary, hopefully with a show worthy of the occasion. While Grand Theft Auto 6 might be beating it to the punch a little, there are still plenty of high-profile announcements rumored to be on the cards for 2023’s Game Awards ceremony. But, of course, the awards themselves should come first and foremost, and just like every other category this year, The Game Awards 2023’s Best Game Direction category is filled with worthy contenders.
A term that seems pretty simple on paper, but is actually pretty vague when it’s thought about for a little longer, The Game Awards officially describes its Best Game Direction award as one given for “outstanding creative vision and innovation in game direction and design,” essentially meaning that all elements of the game come together to form a cohesive and clear experience. All five nominees in 2023’s Game Awards Best Game Direction category fit into this description well, though there are one or two whose vision stands out just a little more than the rest.
2023 Best Game Direction Nominees
- Alan Wake 2
- Baldur’s Gate 3
- Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
- Super Mario Bros. Wonder
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
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Alan Wake 2
A sequel 13 years in the making, Alan Wake 2 is well worth the wait, and it’s all down to the singular creative vision that Remedy Entertainment had. For years now, Remedy has attempted to deliver truly innovative and groundbreaking video game experiences, and it feels like Alan Wake 2 is really the culmination of all the studio’s hard work. From a riveting story told expertly through a dual-narrative structure, to a bold leap into the realm of survival horror, to pushing forward the Remedy Connected Universe in a massive way, Alan Wake 2 realizes Remedy’s vision from start to finish. That gives it an excellent chance in this Best Game Direction category.
Baldur’s Gate 3
A game that needs no introduction, Baldur’s Gate 3 is the biggest surprise in gaming of 2023. In a year filled with highly anticipated sequels to decades-old franchises, it’s Baldur’s Gate 3 that’s become the year’s most discussed title, and for good reason. With a bold level of transparency that isn’t often seen in the gaming space, Larian Studios has managed to deliver one of the most complex and engaging D&D games ever made, bringing the tabletop game to life. When it comes to innovation, Baldur’s Gate 3 has it in spades, with the sheer wealth of possible dialogue choices and story outcomes giving the game more player-freedom than maybe any other RPG ever made.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Delivering an excellent sequel, Insomniac Games really knocked it out of the park with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2. It’s clear that Insomniac heard every bit of fan feedback about its last two Spider-Man games, and it’s used that to create a sequel that continues to build on its predecessor’s great qualities, while also fixing elements that fans didn’t like previously. It’s clear that Insomniac had a cohesive path forward when developing Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, but its lack of major innovation might end up hindering it in this particular category.
The Game Awards 2023: Predicting The Most Anticipated Game Winner
Looking past 2023, The Game Awards will be looking at the games that the industry is most looking forward to, with one being crowned Most Anticipated.
Super Mario Bros. Wonder
The first 2D side-scrolling Mario game in a decade, Super Mario Bros. Wonder is a game that’s certainly worthy of all its recent praise. From its visuals, to its score, to its platforming mechanics, every facet of Super Mario Bros. Wonder has been refined to near-perfection, and it’s a level of quality that hasn’t been seen in a 2D Mario game for quite some time. However, while Super Mario Bros. Wonder‘s main Wonder Flower gimmick is a lot of fun, it doesn’t really innovate on the usual 2D Mario formula all that much, and much like Spider-Man 2, that could cost it the Game Award here.
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
The very definition of great game design, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom innovates and expands in just about every way imaginable, and many ways that aren’t. Not content with just doubling the map size with its Depths, Tears of the Kingdom also adds in Sky Islands, along with a handful of new abilities that drastically alter the core Zelda gameplay formula, and have the potential to revolutionize the entire action/adventure genre once again. However, some fans do feel as though Tears of the Kingdom didn’t go far enough with its story, dungeon design, or Hyrule map, though it still has a good chance of winning the Best Game Direction Game Awards category.
Final Prediction
When all is said and done, there are three games out of the nominated five that truly stand a chance of winning the Best Game Direction category at this year’s Game Awards, with those being Alan Wake 2, Baldur’s Gate 3, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. Alan Wake 2 really shows Remedy at its best, and exemplifies how a great central vision can elevate a game far past expectations. Baldur’s Gate 3 has breathed new life into the Western RPG genre, really delivering a video game experience unlike any other. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is a practically perfect sequel in almost every way. Any of these games could walk away with the Best Game Direction trophy.
If there’s one game that has the edge, it’s Baldur’s Gate 3. Innovative in both direction and design, and with a clear creative vision running throughout its core, there’s no denying that Baldur’s Gate 3 ticks all of the boxes for The Game Awards’ own description of the Best Game Direction category. With so much positive discourse still surrounding it, this award seems like yet another that Baldur’s Gate 3 will sweep this year.
