UPDATE: Elden Ring won Best Game Direction at The Game Awards 2022!
There is a lot of work that goes into creating a video game. Years upon years can be spent crafting the perfect experience for the player, ensuring that the narrative, score, gameplay, and other elements all blend to create a piece of art with a clear vision.The Game Awardsis reminding gamers that it takes an extraordinary amount of effort to make the great titles they’ve enjoyed in 2022 through theBest Game Direction category. This award not only celebrates the games in the nominees list, but it also praises the clear creative vision and innovation in game design.
Given that gaming has been around for decades, it might seem difficult to innovate on what has been done in the past, but plenty of 2022’s greatest titles have managed to either add a fresh coat of paint on a previous concept or march confidently in their own direction. Two of 2022’s heaviest hitters inElden RingandGod of War: Ragnarokare up for the Best Game Direction award this year, withImmortality,Horizon Forbidden West,andStrayalso on the nominees list.
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Elden Ring
With a lot of gamers already referring toElden Ringas their Game of the Yearbefore the first quarter of 2022 had even wrapped up, it’s no surprise to see FromSoftware’s latest title on this list. The studio is now renowned for outstanding game design, consistently building on the unique formula of the Souslborne series.Elden Ringmarks FromSoftware’s most ambitious expansion on its previous works to date, with a sprawling open world to explore and hundreds of hours able to be poured into the Lands Between.
Directed by the acclaimed developer behind the first and thirdDark Soulsgames,Bloodborne, andSekiro: Shadows Die Twice,Hidetaka Miyazaki,Elden Ringsoars to new heights in its game design, consistently impressing fans and critics who already had big expectations going in. The game also manages to avoid the open-world tropes that have become bland for many, showing a bright future for the genre.
God of War: Ragnarok
As mentioned, it is difficult to create an outstanding game, and this process only becomes more pressurized when dealing when the game a developer is making already has a very well-received predecessor. However, considering the overwhelminglypositive reception forGod of War: Ragnarokthat has been dominating the internet since its release, it’s clear the game has met and exceeded expectations.
This appears more impressive when considering the fact that Cory Barlog, thedirector for the 2018God of War, did not assume the role again for its sequel. Instead, the director forGod of War: Ragnarokis Eric Williams, who stated that he wanted to make the transition between the two games appear as seamless as possible. A lot of players would agree that Williams has succeeded on that front, asGod of War: Ragnarokfeels like a true triumph of a sequel.
Horizon Forbidden West
If there’s one thing fans will likely notice from playingHorizon Forbidden West, it’s the creative vision Guerrilla Games has put into crafting the vast open-world title and the world it lives in. TheHorizongames have a rich and deep lorethat essentially required Guerrilla to make its own world, complete with a pre-history that involved a war with machines and tribes that exist inHorizon Forbidden West’smodern day, each with their own distinct cultures and traditions.
Beyond the creativity that has clearly gone into crafting the world ofHorizon, the sequel toHorizon Zero Dawnalso manages to build on the foundations set by the first game, expanding the open world players can explore with the titular Forbidden West, which includes vast prairies, dense jungles, and arid deserts. Despite being slightly overshadowed by the launch ofElden Ring,Horizon Forbidden Westhas still seen plenty of praise, and it is clear to see its achievements in game design.
Immortality
Perhaps the most unique game on this list of nominees,Immortalitycomes from Half Mermaid and Sam Barlow, who previously worked onHer StoryandTelling Lies. Rather than following a character as they journey to stop Odin or sit on the Elden Throne,Immortality’snarrativehas the players attempt to find out the truth behind the disappearance of model and actress Marissa Marcel.
Stray
Strayis a fairly short, tight adventure, taking players through a city where humans have disappeared, leaving their robot servants to build a society in their stead.Straymight not run as long as some of the other entries on this list, but it makes up for its short length by providing a lot of creative concepts in the hours that a player does spend with it.
Final Prediction
Despite delays of some major titles, 2022 has been a strong year for video games, which makes predicting which titles will win out atThe Game Awardsquite tricky. However, as many have already stated, it appears that a lot of categories are going to be battled over betweenElden RingandGod of War: Ragnarok. The award for Best Game Direction appears to be no different, and while both of these games could feasibly win,Elden Ringappears to be the favorite.
Elden Ring’sapproach to the open-world genredoes away with climbing towers to discover portions of the map, question marks dotted all over, and many of the other features that these expansive games are so well known for. FromSoftware’s latest action-RPG does much to improve upon the works of the studio’s past, standing as a triumphant achievement on its own and making it deserving of the Best Direction accolade.
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