VGChartz’s Lee Mehr: “One of the most common category critiques in games is the action/adventure genre’s elasticity. When does a first-person shooter with a heavier emphasis on exploration and puzzle-solving cross into this territory, instead of simply being categorized as a shooter? You can apply this same question to other genres as well. Until formal rules are codified into law, the next best answer runs parallel to Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart’s definition of hardcore pornography: “I know it when I see it.” The inherent fuzziness of the genre seems destined to be a permanent fixture in award season discourse.
There’s also a benefit as well: by having a wider tent, it tends to be the most competitive genre. From long-dormant sequels – perhaps suggesting at one time that they’d never release – to expected follow-ups that build upon a studio’s previous foundation, this genre’s theme last year was about one thing: refinement. Between Sucker Punch, Retro, Hazelight, & Team Cherry, the competition is incredibly steep.”
