Highlights
- The Game Awards 2023 will celebrate the best games of the year and also feature awards for Best Content Creator, Best Esports Athlete, and Best Adaptation.
- Despite past flops, video game adaptations have been improving in recent years, with many projects in 2023 being well-received by gamers and non-gamers.
- The Last of Us TV adaptation has received universal acclaim and is considered a massive leap forward for video game adaptations, making it the likely winner of the Best Adaptation award.
UPDATE: The Last of Us won Best Adaptation at The Game Awards 2023!
The Game Awards 2023 will be all about celebrating the best games of the year, but the ceremony will also focus on broader industry events and figures, as it will feature awards like Best Content Creator, Best Esports Athlete, and, of course, Best Adaptation. This category features both TV shows like HBO's The Last of Us and movies like Gran Turismo as nominees, and it's sure to be one of the more interesting aspects of The Game Awards 2023.
With The Game Awards honoring so many action, adventure, role-playing, and fighting games, it might be easy to forget about the numerous high-profile adaptations that arrived in 2023. Movie and TV adaptations have always been something of a contentious subject in the games industry, with many writing them off as pointless or ill-advised in most circumstances.
Although several movies and shows based on video game properties have flopped in the past, things have been changing a bit over the past few years, with many projects being well-received by video game fans and non-gamers alike. 2023 has been representative of this shift, as many of these adaptations have been critically acclaimed, while others have been more controversial.
2023 Best Adaptation Nominees
- Castlevania: Nocturne
- Gran Turismo
- The Last of Us
- The Super Mario Bros. Movie
- Twisted Metal
The Game Awards 2023: Predicting The Best Indie Winner [UPDATE]
The Game Awards has finally announced its nominees and the 2023 line-up for Best Indie game of the year features some truly excellent experiences.
Castlevania: Nocturne
Although Castlevania has inspired many games, the series has been mostly dormant in the world of modern gaming. This is not quite the case when it comes to television, however, as Netflix brought the franchise to its platform with a critically acclaimed animated series in 2017. Now, Castlevania: Nocturne continues the series' presence on the small screen, serving as a sequel to the original Netflix series. Nocturne adapts two of the most beloved Castlevania games, Rondo of Blood and Symphony of the Night, and it appears to have done so successfully; the series has enjoyed a similar level of critical acclaim as its predecessor, with many viewing it as a promising start to the next chapter in Castlevania's TV legacy.
Gran Turismo
Gran Turismo may be one of PlayStation's best franchises, but it's likely not what most people would first think of when it comes to movie adaptations, as the games are rather sparse on narrative, serving as more direct, no-frills racing simulators. However, the Gran Turismo movie isn't an adaptation in the traditional sense, as it doesn't attempt to adapt the narrative of one of the games. Rather, it tells the true story of Jann Mardenborough, a Gran Turismo player whose skills in the game led to a real-world racing career. Critical reception has been decent, with many considering it a fun movie that is sure to appeal to many racing fans. That said, its nomination for Best Adaptation may seem strange to some, as it's more of a biographical film about Mardenborough than a video game adaptation.
The Last of Us
While The Last of Us has been subject to criticism due to the bold narrative decisions of its second entry, HBO's TV adaptation has dodged such controversies, for the most part. In fact, the TV adaptation of The Last of Us has enjoyed almost universal critical acclaim and cheer from audiences, with many considering it not just a success in its own right, but a massive leap forward for video game adaptations as a whole. The show's incredible production value, cinematography, writing, and impressive performances from leads Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal are among the most common points of praise.
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
While the other nominees for Best Adaptation seem to be aimed at more adult audiences, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is decidedly family-friendly, colorful, and exuberant. The movie was developed independently of the current Super Mario games, but it still manages to capture the charisma and energy of the famed gaming franchise, serving up visuals and humor that are consistent with the identity of the franchise while making significant alterations (having a fully-voiced Mario, for one thing) that land remarkably well. The casting announcement for the film may have drawn some ridicule from gamers, but the performances of actors like Pratt, Black, and Day proved to be entertaining and charming.
Xbox Has an Unfortunate 10 Year Streak at The Game Awards
Xbox has an unfortunate 10 year streak at The Game Awards, but hopefully it can break it at future Game Awards events.
Twisted Metal
Twisted Metal hasn't exactly landed glowing reviews, with an aggregate Metacritic score of just 53, so its nomination for Best Adaptation may come across as a bit strange. The film has been widely panned by critics for its crude humor and one-dimensional characters, and it's not generally thought of as one of the best adaptations of its kind. At the same time, fans of the show defend its straightforward and crass approach to storytelling, arguing that it's part of its charm. Those fond of the original PlayStation series may get a kick out of Twisted Metal as well, and the talents of actors like Anthony Mackie and Will Arnett also increase the show's value, but all in all, it seems like the least likely winner of the Best Adaptation award.
Final Prediction
The groundbreaking success of The Last of Us on HBO puts it above the rest of the competition. For many, the show serves as an example of what video game adaptations can be, as it manages to be nuanced, intriguing, and well-written, all while remaining faithful to the game it is based on. The Super Mario Bros. Movie is a close second, but The Last of Us is the only 2023 game adaptation that can be called revolutionary, becoming an instant hit with gamers and non-gamers alike.
With The Last of Us's second season on the way, the TV adaptation will likely remain in the public zeitgeist for longer than the other nominees on this list. The show's critical success is matched only by its popularity, and it's sure to be thought of as one of the best video game adaptations at The Game Awards 2023 and beyond.
