Sports is always a weird category for impact sports awards. It's hard to define what it's really for, and why even at a show that seems to pay less attention to the process behind a vast array of games and titles than to the sales of the biggest blockbuster hits. It's usually full of odds and ends, which leave me torn about how I feel. But this year, it appears to be part of the show.
Of the six nominees for Game for Impact, three (Life is Strange: Double Exposure, Senua's Saga: Hellblade 2, and Neva) are nominated elsewhere. Compare that to the last two years when there were none of them, or three years ago when there was only one (life is also strange through true colors) and it's a big, positive difference. There were still good games in those crops – TheGamer's GOTY Citizen Sleeper being the obvious one – but they weren't TGA games. This year, they are. That is important.
Games for Impact has nominations in various categories
It brings the games to impact with the rest of the game's program. While it's nice to see unique games nominated on a representative level so more games can call themselves official TGA nominees, it's always been weird that games don't appear here and anywhere else. It made it look like a fake class. These were not 'real TGA nominees', just charity cases. Not so this year, and a rising tide lifts all boats.
Although Tales of Closer the Distance, Indica, and Kenzera: Go are the only nominees here, the category is legitimized by crossing names in other categories. Rather than being lucky to be nominated for anything, it now feels unlucky not to be in the Closer the Distance and Indica Indie categories.
It's still only a category open to certain sports, and a jury will likely disqualify major Triple-A titles to make room for others. But hopefully this is the beginning of being considered a part of the show for real instead of a participation trophy. A thin crop of great games in 2024 (nominees in most categories were strong and well-reviewed last year) may be a factor, but I hope it's part of a long-term trend.
I don't agree with the people named, but that's showbiz
I still don't think the choices are right, but that's how awards shows go. There is not a single category where, if I had my way, I would not change at least one candidate. But over the years, the implications for games have been sheltered from this. There were no games really in a race. It was a dignified peak to be the designated area.
Any criticism is mostly of the awards themselves, of the show and the judges failing to mesh the games for impact in the fabric of the ceremony. The titles themselves were above reproach. The fact that they are now open to evaluation is another sign that this is finally a real class. And it's in these games that help legitimize the award where there seems to be room for improvement.
Not Neva. Its parental allegory and environmental themes told wordlessly through the raising of a wolf pup is an Outstanding nominee and is worthy of other categories as well.
Hellblade 2 solves complex problems through Senua's psychology, though not in the same way the first game did. Then again, few have tackled mental health so fiercely, and with GOTY winner DLC for GOTY, maybe Hellblade isn't the worst double dipper on the docket. I'm convinced that the move behind Hellblade deserves a nomination, but seeing as it's also up for Best Story, the jury clearly disagrees.
Life is Strange Meanwhile is a great game for the Impact series. This is the fourth time it has appeared in the category, more than any other game. But this time it's hard to see why. It has a nice, relaxing feel to it – the games are always set in a progressive utopia, despite the carnage they feature – but I don't know what else it has. Maybe I'm taking life for granted. Double Exposure features many gay characters, lots of diversity, and a trans woman. This is in line with the award. But it feels a little bit like LiS is there by default, even though it certainly deserves a Hannah Tells nomination for best performance.
It also feels like a huge slight on Dragon Age: The Vigilguard. For all its lore and flaws that soften Dragon Age's bite, its trance representation is superb and deeply embedded within the game. Taash's coming out was divisive, but I understood the intent and imperfection as never before qualified in this category. Then there's Rook's own alternate transness, which is one of the best examples of embracing gender identity I've seen in a video game. Villegarde would be my pick to win, and it's not even nominated.
Perhaps those who voted rejected it because they kept it for 'real' categories, for which it didn't make the cut (novelty in access is decided by an expert jury), and who didn't vote. For it's major categories it's not liked enough to see its value in impact for games. In any case, the lack of Vilgard is a clear misfire in this category, even if I consider the other names incomplete.
It's hard to say who will win this year. I suspect the playerbase is oddly weighted for life and Hellblade will tip the scales. The category is taken a little more seriously, but not enough for jurors to make room in their calendars to play Closer the Distance. But if this trend continues over the next year, games for impact may finally feel like part of the show.
