Video Game Movie Adaptations That Wouldn’t Suck

There are some fantastic movies out there, some that provide enrapturing stories, brilliant characters, and mysterious worlds you can just lose yourself in. Some of these films are so fantastic, you stand surprised they haven’t been co-opted into  equally fantastic video game experiences.

After all, taking a great movie and turning it into an awesome game should be a no brainer, right? Games are the superior medium afterall-and you can go ahead and call me a nerd, but I’ll still think it’s true! Not only do games offer all that a movie can, they offer more than a movie ever could. They involve interactivity, game play, multi-player, hidden secrets, puzzles, combat, all of this and everything else under the Mario galaxy. So how about we think of how we could turn some great movies, into some even better games.

Now, of course there are certain movies that have been given great game adaptations, such as the Lord of the Rings and Star Wars franchsies, and all of these are excellent. But there are just a few I think the gaming industry are really missing out on.

Avatar – the 2009 epic that brought us the horrors of 3D films. A fantastic film really, a unique universe, grand story telling, epic battles and wars, maybe a tad long winded. I love the universe of Pandora, its vast and beautiful and vividly colourful with its range of alien lifeforms, like the strange plants that curl away as you touch them, or the visually beautiful Ewa gods that hover about like dandelion seeds. It is an entirely new world that, in the restrictions of a film, only a certain amount can be explored and enjoyed. But, were they to turn Avatar into an open-world adventure game, we would be able to explore it in all its glory.

Now we’re talking.

We could choose which race to play, the Na’vi or humans, both races offering differing abilities, weaponry, and location in Pandora. With humans, you could ride mechs, war machines, and fire lasers and explosives, while as the Na’vi, you would have access to their dragon-like creatures of flight, bows and hand to hand weaponry, and, well, you’d be blue – which is always cool. Once that’s done, you’d be given free reign to do whatever, with perhaps a starter mission that introduces the world of Pandora. Afterwards, you could interact as you see fit, and choose to effect (or not effect) the growing war between the invading humans and the native Na’vi, the world would be yours for the taking…or defending!

You could increase skills in agility, in order to leap through trees gracefully, or in mechanics to build imposing weaponry that can destroy your enemies, maybe even animal relations to connect with the expansive alien wildlife Pandora offers. The story of Avatar already creates a great starting point for a game, a world on the brink of war, with humans out of resources and out of luck, while the Na’vi fight with passion for their home and their gods – and all of it is your choice to save it or to destroy it. There is, in fact, an actual game already James Cameron’s Avatar: The Game – but it did not listen to my wisdom.

Spirited Away – A quirky, beautiful anime of 2001 that found its way from Japan to become incredibly popular throughout the world. Following ten-year-old Chihiro, our protagonist finds herself lost in a unknown, bizarre and generally crazy universe that is the Spirit World. There, she meets all sorts of unusual, unique creatures and characters, such as Yubaba, the witch with an enormous head, No-Face, the creepy, faceless spirit whom despite appearances is actually a very nice guy, even Haku, an elegant dragon of the river – and Chihiro must find a way out and back to our own realm to rescue her parents.

I would love to see this film as a game, as an adventure puzzle game not unlike the Legend of Zelda. Again, the Spirit World is a brilliant universe, with a lot to offer that a film just cant fully include. Having the Bath House as your domain, you would take control as Chihiro and find your way about, uncovering secrets and interesting characters, helping them along your way as you quest to discover a entrance back to your world. There would be a vast range of unusual puzzles to solve involving the equally bizarre characters of the Spirit World. For example, a quest of interest could involve someone wishing you to “deal with” No-Face, as everyone fears him, and your mission is to uncover his secret life, only to realize that he could well be your closest ally for escape.

The animation would be visually enjoyable and familiar, as anime always makes for great gaming, and the amount of unique dungeons and zones Chihiro could explore are vast and expansive-all of which could present new side quests and new depths into the universe of Spirited Away.

Now that sounds like a game worthy of legend.

Troy – Now Troy the film isn’t actually that great, its too long, overly dramatic, and I can’t bear to watch it all the way through without sleeping. So I’m just using it as a front to say that I want a game based on the endless amounts of Greek Mythology, the War of Troy being one tale that could potentially produce an epic game.

If you don’t know, the War of Troy is one of the most important and biggest catalyst wars in the entirety of Greek Mythology, in which the Greeks and the Trojans raged a brutal and violent war against one another for years on end. After what seemed like an eternity of fighting, the two sides ended up rendering their world war-torn and wrought in revenge and blood-lust…and alll over a beautiful woman, Helena. Its a fantastic story basis that many people will know and love, and has an easy time boasting it’s importance and helping to add to all of our myths.

I would love to see it as an action adventure, where you could take on the role of Menelaus, King of Sparta, or Paris of Troy, and battle through, bloodied with sword and shield, through one of the most epic wars in our culture. It could include intense combat, unique game play style, and gore galore. And hey, you could tell your parents its educational and get away with it!

Game of Thrones – Now I’m fully aware that Game of Thrones is not actually a film, it’s popular enough and amazing enough that I think it should qualify to be part of this rant. And I’m a nerd about it, ok? There are a few Game of Thrones endorsed games, such as Game of Thrones: The RPG, Game of Thrones: Ascent, and the various hundreds of mods that exist online – but none of them really measure up to the level that is Game of Thrones.

As I’ve recently discovered the beauty that is The Walking Dead, and in general TellTale Games, I think a Game of Thrones game designed by TellTale Games would be amazing! Something that makes Game of Thrones so great is the story depth behind every little thing, the emotional connection with each character (all of whom will inevitably die) and the enormous universe of Westeros that has so many secrets to offer, and so many choices to be made. The only way a game could do all of that justice, is if it were the kind of game that is constantly praised and awarded for their in depth narratives, their characterizations, and their tendency to kill off much loved characters… in other words, a game produced by TellTale Games. They work perfectly together! Both love stories, and both love killing people you like! A match made in heaven!

A TellTale Games Game of Thrones Game could produce dozens of characters, lost in the War of Four Kings or the rising threat of dragons. They would struggle through the trials and tribulations of Westeros, under the violent scrutiny of King Joffrey, King Stannis or King Robb, trying to survive in a war-torn world of magic and misdeeds. The game would connect you to their world, connect you to their characters, only to tear them away cruelly and brutally and without mercy! George RR Martin would be proud!

What movies do you think would make great games? Let us know in the comments below!