Art direction is one of the most important facets of any video game. While graphics only continue to grow more impressive and realistic over time, that doesn't matter a whole lot if a developer doesn't know what to do with it. A great game needs an equally great sense of art direction, where the developer is able to use a variety of visual elements like animation, color, tone, and style to give the game a specific atmosphere. Good graphics just aren't enough to make a game stand out anymore, and the five games nominated for The 2023 Game Awards' Best Art Direction category know this.