TGA Best Narrative Opinion *NO SPOILERS*

i guess i have somewhat of a controversial take on one of the nominees for TGA's Best narrative :
As much as i like Silent Hill 2, i don't think they should be able to be nominated for Best Narrative, we should celebrate NEW stories.
Rewarding 20 year old story feels pretty weird. It's still one of the best for sure, but it's still the same as it was 20 years ago.
Let's celebrate it for what it did to the gameplay, voice acting, Visuals and more ! but leave the best narrative to newcomers.

What do you guys think ?

I haven’t played the Silent Hill 2 remake, but I generally agree it shouldn’t be nominated, unless it has significant new narrative/story elements not present in the original game. Is this the case? I should get around to watching a playthrough of it, I guess.

I have less issue with FF7 Rebirth getting award nominations for narrative, since its story has some deviations and significant expansion from the original FF7.

If MGS: Delta gets nominated for best narrative in a year or two, that would be wild.

This is my view as well. If the remake has substantial new or different story content in it then sure, it can be in the running. If it's just a faithful remake of the old game with the exact same story as the old version then it's a bit weird.

I know nothing about Silent Hill, but as long a game isn't just plugging in the literal exact same script from the original game, I'm fine with it being considered for awards.

Metaphor being the only one I played, can't really say.

Funny though, only the script of Hellblade Two is originally in English and I don't think it would win.

It's the same as the original down to the script, thats why i think it's a problem.

I agree. If it's a faithful-to-the-original remake, it's kind of moot to essentially give a nostalgia nomination/award to an old game's script - it's the 2024 awards, after all.
I also don't think it's very sensible to nominate DLC like Erdtree--as great and expansive as it was--when you have a "Best Ongoing"-category. Elden Ring already got its flowers, and there have been plenty of other great games worthy of a nomination.

But it's not that important. Overall, all the nominated games are good to great and deserving of additional recognition. If only 1000xResist had a bigger impact... this one not even being on the indie or VA categories does hurt a bit.

@instinct666: I went to look at some comparison videos, and while what I saw seemed very faithful to the original script, there was still some editing done to it in terms of fleshing out lines to seem more like a natural conversation, and bringing it up to date in what passes for dialogue in a game in 2024 vs the 2000s. Is it the best work done on a video game this year? I have no idea. But I think that type of modernization work should get it's recognition as much as any other type of modernization does in this industry.

I disagree with Final Fantasy VII Rebirth not being nominated, because it's based on an old game and a narrative. For starters, the story is expanded, adding a lot of plot that wasn't in the original game. For example, story elements that tie the overall story to other games that didn't exist at the time, like Crisis Core. The way the overall story is told is also different and more dramatic. Saying Rebirth shouldn't get nominated for being a remake is like saying the Cape Fear remake shouldn't have gotten those Oscar nominations, because it's a remake of an already classic movie. It's the same movie. The same basic plot. Only the remake is in color and has Robert De Niro going ham. Rebirth is a 2024 game, and therefore should be considered, even if it ultimately doesn't win. Remakes in television and theaters get awards all the time, despite being based on something already made in the past. Video game stories should not be no different, especially if the story is changed just enough to make revisit worth it. The Rebirth remake did that, IMO.

For the record, I'm not saying that a game with a new story that just blows everything out the water in terms of plot, shouldn't take center stage over a remake story. For example, if Metaphor's story is as good as I heard, and it's up against Rebirth for best narrative, then I think Atlas new game should win, but that doesn't mean Rebirth should get ignored if the remake did a great job retelling a great story.

Not to get into another game I haven't played, but wasn't their some criticism going around about FF VII Rebirth fumbling it's ending or something when it came out? That's the one I was surprised about being included in best narrative given what I remember the general chit chat being about that one.

It's not so much a fumbling as it was a disappointment for some. If you haven't played it, I won't spoil it. Let's just say, fans were hoping something would be changed in the end, and it didn't, though it was teased that it could, if that make sense. While at the same time leaving more question for the final game in the remake trilogy. And that thing people were disappointed about, could still be changed in the final game... or not.

@brian_: We’re splitting hairs at this point, but if it were Oscars categories, Silent Hill 2 would pretty firmly be in “Best Adapted Screenplay”, not “Best Original Screenplay.” So in my gut, it’s just weird to see those kinds of scripts/narratives go head-to-head.

I can’t be bothered to argue Silent Hill 2’s narrative eligibility much anyways, as there’s at least a 50% chance this award will just get tossed off during the pre-show with no fanfare or acceptance speech.

@bisonhero: Sure. If Keighley wanted to make that distinction that's fine too. But he doesn't, and I've long since given up on him turning that show into anything more nuanced than the thing it is now.

"And now a moment to remember the trailers we've lost this year ..."

Those Fear Effect Inferno trailers that led nowhere still hurt.

I have lost all my trust and respect in TGA after they decided to add DLC to GOTY category. Yes, I understand that it is Elden Ring and yes, I know it is massive and fantastic. Still, it is just a DLC. There should be a separate category for DLCs and expansions.

In terms of stature, I guess it's fine. I look it as it taking another game's spot but this award show is geared towards the AAA. What would take Shadow of the Erdtree's place in a year that's been missing some of those big hitters?

@shindig: I’m not personally aggrieved that Erdtree is nominated for Game of the Year, but if they took it out, I think you could make a case for Infinite Wealth being nominated (but certainly not winning).

On the topic of “what do you put in its place”, as irked as I am that Silent Hill 2 is even eligible for Best Narrative, I am at a bit of a loss for what to even put in its place. Honestly maybe the campaign meta-narrative of Helldivers 2, but maybe that’s too outside the box for the narrative category.

Unless someone wants to tell me Unicorn Overlord secretly has a gripping RPG story, I wouldn’t say many other high profile nominees have a best-in-class narrative. The Frostpunk 2 campaign narrative looked interesting based on some streams I watched, but it’s more a management game than a narrative game.

It’s an admittedly weak year for AAA narrative games I guess, but if the judges would nominate some indie games, I’d gladly bump out Silent Hill 2 and replace with 1000xRESIST or Tactical Breach Wizards.

Come to think of it, Tactical Breach Wizards is shockingly overlooked in the indie/strategy categories.

I mean we all are familiar with this song and dance at this point. There is always some silliness to the nominees every year, and while we know they winner is voted on by an “academy” including critics we know, what we don’t know is how nominees are added to the list to begin with, and I suspect it’s got a formula to make a list that includes at least one controversial pick, one based purely on sales, one based on critic reviews, one based on customers reviews and so on.

It’s also an awards show that only shows the awards for half the categories, because what it’s really about the commercials. More so each year, too. It feels like it would eventually phase out the awards part.

So personally while I really don’t think a really faithful remake, specifically when the narrative is almost an identical script to the original, should get a best narrative in 2024, I’m also not surprised it’s on the list.

I've thought about this a lot because people are really annoying about it on the hell site these last few days and I think I've settled on if the DLC seems like it would win or the remake seems like it would win then fuckin' Skill Issue for the newer games I guess.

Be better than the DLC to last years winner or a 20 year old story and then maybe your game can also have Keighley talk about it for 15 seconds in between another trailer.

Just skimming through my reviews for the year to see if anything jumps out at me.

Tekken 8 for best narrative seems like a stretch but would you take that over Silent Hill 2? Beyond Galaxyland if you're looking for a wildcard in art direction. Man, I feel like spent most of the year reviewing remasters and re-releases.

That's not to say there isn't stuff this year I want to check out. I really want in on WuKong and Pacific Drive. I have an aversion to card games but the sheer noise about Balatro might get me there.

The problem with the story of Tekken 8... Harada brought Heihachi Mishima back, after claiming he was dead for good. This completely ruined the story for both Tekken 7 and 8. Not many fighting game fans were pleased. I understand the business reasons. He's a popular character, but narrative wise, killed any interest in the storyline they were trying to tell for decades now.

I agree with that. I'm not tired of the Mashima bullshit (it was my first Tekken) but I'd heard enough to know that Heihachi being killed off was a big thing. Kazuya seemed a capable villain in his absence.