UPDATE: Deathloop won Best Direction at The Game Awards 2021!
This year's annual Game Awards show is just around the corner, returning to an in-person event after two years of virtual events. While there are certainly front runners in many of the 30 categories of awards, there is no one stand-out game likely to dominate the awards. As the gaming industry (and the world) continue to be affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, a variety of unexpected challenges were experienced, and thus the games released this year reflect that. However, games like Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and Deathloop racked up nominations in six and nine categories, respectively.
While Best Game Direction is a very coveted award, right up there with Game of the Year, the category does cause some confusion. The nominees are selected based on how cohesive and well-rounded the game feels, and so rather than one specific aspect of a game, the game's overall design is what matters. As such the category is similar to the Game of the Year award, and often (though importantly, not always) the winner of both categories will be the same game. Last year, both awards were received by The Last of Us Part 2, but in 2019, the GotY was Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice but Best Game Direction went to Death Stranding. 2021 could be the same scenario.
Deathloop
Deathloop has the most nominations this year, and has been really positively received by critics and gamers alike. The game has a unique narrative and fun time loop mechanics that give the player the opportunity to explore and master a repeating day on a mysterious island. There's a wealth of lore embedded in the game too, and with a stylish veneer and excellent voice acting, the game does have strong direction overall.
As the most nominated game, Deathloop is in a good position to win this category. However, for many players, the narrative somewhat falls apart near the end of the game, and characters aren't as developed as they could be. While there are some flaws in Deathloop's combat and gameplay mechanics, the time looping mechanic was generally praised. As such, it's definitely a strong competitor for the award.
It Takes Two
If there's ever a time for co-op games to thrive, it's during worldwide lockdowns due to a global pandemic. It Takes Two stands out amongst co-op games in its innovative and fun gameplay, while the game's subject matter is surprisingly dark, but never feels too heavy.
As a strictly co-op experience, It Takes Two is at a disadvantage since not all gamers will give it a chance. However, It Takes Two developer Hazelight Studios has established itself as an expert in creating immersive and collaborative co-op experiences. Since Best Game Direction is based on the game's overall design, It Takes Two is a strong contender thanks to an emphasis on collaboration and varied gameplay mechanics. In particular, It Takes Two harkened back to old-school couch co-op games in a refreshing way, but this may actually alienate younger gamers without as strong a nostalgic attachment to the genre.
Returnal
Many feel that Returnal was largely snubbed by the Game Awards this year, with nominations in only three categories. As such, it may seem a strong contender to win this award, but as the only nominee that is not also up for the Game of the Year award. Unfortunately, this makes Returnal an unlikely win, based on how the past few years have gone.
While both Returnal's sci-fi narrative and time loop mechanics were largely praised, the lack of a save feature and how easy it is to lose progress were criticized. Since Best Game Direction is a category about overall cohesion and innovation of gameplay, the criticism Returnal has received does affect its potential to win. However, the game has amassed plenty of big supporters, so while it's an unlikely win for the category, it is possible for Returnal.
Psychonauts 2
A long-awaited sequel to a cult classic, Psychonauts 2 has already received the Xbox Game of the Year award at the Golden Joystick Awards last month. Infamously, the first game received great critical praise, but in terms of sales, it flopped. The popularity of the game grew quietly and steadily since then, and this sequel was a hugely anticipated game that generally pleased fans. However, while the game received overwhelming praise for its story and subject matter, it was criticized for having dated gameplay mechanics.
While this game gave many longtime fans a great sequel to the original 2005 Psychonauts, some of the rough edges in Psychonauts 2's mechanics mean it doesn't quite have the cohesion inherent in this category. As the sequel to a very well-beloved game, Psychonauts 2 may very well win any of the five categories it's nominated for, but out of the nominees, it makes less sense as a winner for Best Game Direction.
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
The second most nominated game this year, Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart, is certainly one of the PS5's strongest releases so far. While there has been some criticism of the game's mechanics, it received strong praise for how it utilized the PS5's capabilities. Like other Ratchet & Clank games, the gameplay and narrative are both whacky, light, and designed to be fun to play. In particular, Ratchet & Clank has been praised for its accessibility options, with disability advocates noting that while it's not perfect, it is way up there in terms of accessible play.
With its accessibility in mind and the inherent innovation involved in utilizing the relatively new game mechanics possibilities of the PS5, Ratchet & Clank may have an edge over Deathloop and the others in this category. However, there is a separate category for Innovation in Accessibility that Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart is nominated for, and so it's not quite a shoo-in for Best Game Direction. Like others on the list though, it does make sense as a winner and does fit the category well.
Predictions for the Winner
Each game nominated for Best Game Direction has multiple merits in terms of innovation and direction. While Returnal has strong supporters and fans, its exclusion from the Game of the Year category makes it an unlikely win. Similarly, while Psychonauts 2 was a satisfying sequel to a cult classic, the criticisms of specific gameplay mechanics make it less likely to win. However, surprises happen at the Game Awards every year, and it's only possible to speculate based on the information available. The votes will likely be close with strong fanbases to all of the games mentioned, although it is clear some have more advantage over others.
The other three nominees each have key elements that could make them good winners. Deathloop taps into the popular time loop trend in gaming as of late, and was enormously popular with broad appeal. This may be enough to make Deathloop the winner, but like Psychonauts 2, the mechanics do have some rough edges. Since the criteria for Best Game Direction is broad in some ways, some minor flaws may not matter if the game had enough impact. Deathloop certainly had this impact and stirred up a decent amount of buzz when it was released.
It Takes Two is a strong competitor due to its celebration of couch co-op gaming, emphasis on collaborative play, and fun mechanics. However, as a couch co-op game, the appeal is limited; the developers did make online co-op a similar split-screen experience, but it's difficult to create the experience of playing the game in-person with someone. Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart has a lot going for it in terms of game direction, with innovative use of the PS5 and robust accessibility. However, since accessibility is a different award category, it is possible for Ratchet & Clank to miss out on this award due to the popularity of other nominees.
While Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and It Takes Two both have innovative gameplay and design, Deathloop is probably the most popular game on the list. Voting is still taking place, and as such, the winner could be any of the nominees. Based on previous years, the winner of Game of the Year is likely to snag this category too, and with Deathloop being a strong contender for that award, it may receive Best Game Direction as well. It Takes Two winning would be a great sign for co-op fans, and while its narrative may lack in some places, it is a well-designed game. Since Ratchet & Clank's innovation is largely based on PS5 capabilities, and PS5s have been hard to get, the game may miss out on the award, though it certainly has strong direction and design.
The Game Awards streams live on December 9, from 5 p.m. PST / 8 p.m. EST.
