Narrative is reason. Narrative is drive. Narrative is feeling; feelings of happiness, sadness, curiosity, pleasure, and pain. It gives us the motivation and meaning behind the actions we take in games. It provides essential context, transforming gameplay and the world into something more than pixels and button presses. Narrative is the air that games breathe, pressing players farther into the wild untamed lands that wait and provoking every button press we make. There were a lot of great stories told this year. Here are the PlayStation LifeStyle nominations for Best Narrative in 2020.
- The Last of Us Part II
- Ghost of Tsushima
- Spider-Man: Miles Morales
- Final Fantasy VII Remake
- Cyberpunk 2077
Best Narrative 2020 Winner
The Last of Us Part II
A story of love. A story of loss. A story of vengeance and hatred and hope and forgiveness. The Last of Us Part II told an incredible tale about the consequences of actions, about perspective, and about growth and moving on. It’s story moved everyone, whether you loved it or hated it, there’s no denying it made a strong impact on everyone, and that’s the hallmark of any great story. Focusing less on the “zombie apocalypse” side of things and more on the genuine character interactions and development, The Last of Us Part II is a strong narrative that we won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
Reader’s Choice Winner
The Last of Us Part II
As divisive as The Last of Us Part II was, the Reader’s Choice vote wasn’t even close, and the Naughty Dog game won by a large margin. The narrative resonated with our readers too. Through feelings of sadness, pain, anger, suffering, and those brief fleeting windows of hope and joy, The Last of Us Part II was a heavy emotional burden through a powerful character journey, and you agreed that it was the best of the year.
Don’t miss our full lineup of nominees for the PlayStation LifeStyle Game of the Year awards. We’ll be revealing more winners all throughout the week, leading up to the Game of the Year on Friday January 1.
