When video games become movies, things usually don’t turn out so great. Street Fighter, Doom, and Super Mario Bros. still scar the memory of older gaming fans today and make them wary of upcoming film adaptations like Detective Pikachu and Sonic the Hedgehog. This expectation changes a bit when the situation is reversed. As evidenced in titles like GoldenEye 007 and Mad Max, not all video game adaptations end up being lackluster. The following are some movies that would great games if the studios and distribution companies behind them are willing enough to give them a shot.
Movies That Would Make Great Video Games – Kill Bill
Quentin Tarantino films are a great fit for video game adaptations, predominantly for how action-heavy and silly they are. Imagine a developer like Grasshopper Manufacturer working on a game set in Kill Bill‘s ludicrous universe. Both volumes could be featured in the title, which may serve as a neat recap just before a third part arrives in theaters. Iconic scenes like the Bride fighting against 88 assassins at once could be thrilling to experience with a controller in hand. Of course, each film’s well-written dialogue needs to be included to effectively convey the emotional impact that the Kill Bill has.
Movies That Would Make Great Video Games – Django Unchained
The Red Dead franchise has proven that video game fans love Westerns. Another Tarantino property called Django Unchained seems like a no-brainer when it comes to game adaptations, especially considering how the film sees the titular character and his bounty hunting mentor roam through the South in search of its most despicable villains. Django and Schultz’s encounter with Calvin Candie could serve as a nice tie-in, though the bulk of the game should give players an open world version of Louisiana to stylishly shoot criminals in.
Movies That Would Make Great Video Games – The Raid
Does anyone remember Sleeping Dogs? Though developer United Front Games is now defunct, the spirit of its open world brawler gameplay can live on in a video game adaptation of The Raid and its sequel. The movie depicts the newest recruit of a special crime task force fighting his way to freedom after being barricaded inside a high-rise building filled with some of Indonesia’s most dangerous criminals.
Hand-to-hand combat should be just as prominent in the game as it is in the film, reintroducing fans to the brutal melee gameplay that modern titles eschew for guns nowadays. There’s a lot of joy to be found in punching someone’s face in. A game adaptation of The Raid would serve as the perfect reminder of that.
Movies That Would Make Great Video Games – John Wick
Keanu Reeves has always been pretty cool. A John Wick video game could put fans into the shoes of the actor’s most dangerous character yet. Just like the movies, a game adaptation would be fast and frantic. There’s little need to have the retired hitman steadily build his skill set, as his combat expertise is already implied.
Keeping the story simple retains the franchise’s charm and doesn’t bog it down from the spectacular action that makes it so great. It could be similar in vein to Max Payne, Doom, or Wolfenstein. With all the overwhelming choices that modern games present to us, maybe it’s time to go back and just kill stuff and avenge dogs.
Movies That Would Make Great Video Games – Battle Royale
Given the popularity of battle royale titles like Fortnite and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds today, it makes sense for the Japanese cult classic movie Battle Royale to receive a video game adaptation. The film does serve as inspiration for the entire concept, after all. As a means to ride off the success of the genre and redirect audiences to the motion picture that started it all, a Battle Royale video game would have players try their best to murder each one of their fellow students in an open-world, jungle arena.
This idea works for multiplayer and single player, with the latter mode introducing new traps and arming students with different weapons every time another match begins. The game may want to age its characters a bit, making them college students as opposed to just junior high school kids as it’ll be a bit controversial to have a bunch of kids fight each other to death in a modern video game. That being said, a Battle Royale game could even feature students from all around the world for inclusivity’s sake.
Movies That Would Make Great Video Games – Heat
Heat laid the foundation for what makes a great heist movie. Its dialogue and characters are intelligent yet relatable, and the film does a good job of exploring the fine line that separates good and evil. Though gaming isn’t a stranger to the heist genre, games like Payday 2 haven’t quite yet captured the thrill of robbery quite like Heist has, most notably because players aren’t given a chance to connect with the title’s characters very much.
Grand Theft Auto V does a better job of giving fans control of the crime, though the stakes aren’t nearly as high as they are in Heat. A video game adaptation of the movie would focus on its storytelling for a strong emotional impact that will make players both excited and nervous whenever they perform a robbery.
Not every movie is fit for a video game. Some experiences demand to be actively participated in with a controller, while others are better suited for watching and listening. While each entry above is certainly worth breaking out the popcorn for, a foray into gaming could help make each property relevant again in time for a sequel. With video games becoming more popular every year, it’s not hard to imagine fans busting up digital goons in a John Wick title sometime in the near future.
