So in my ever-evolving quest to involve my girlfriend in my
gaming hobby, I recently picked up Lost: Via Domus for Xbox 360. She watched
the show back when it first aired and I just recently finished watching all of
the seasons, so I figured it’d be a good game for us to try together. For a
casual night of gaming, it wasn’t bad. She got to enjoy her favorite show from
a new point of view and I got a topic for a blog article.
For those of you who haven’t seen Lost, you should probably
get on that because it’s quite possibly one of the greatest shows of all time.
Yes, of all time.
But that’s another topic, entirely. As I watch her play
through the game, which admittedly has its flaws (GameSpot really echoes my feelings on the game in their review), I come to the realization that many TV show offer a good amount
of IP that could be transformed into great games if put into the right hands.
Below is a list of the top 5 TV show IP that should be made
into video games and my recommendations for how it should be done. (Note: most of these are already being made/have already been made, but the descriptions provided
are purely my suggestion of how I would’ve done it. Additionally, I've played none of the games with the exception of the Lost-based game.)
5. The Walking
Dead
Originally adapted from a comic book of the same name by
Frank Darabont, the Walking Dead serves as perfect source material for a video
game. While I haven’t personally seen the show yet (I know, I know, I’ll get on
it) the iTunes
store offers this synopsis: “After waking from a
coma in an abandoned hospital, police officer Rick Grimes finds the world he
knew gone - ravaged by a zombie epidemic of apocalyptic proportions. Nearby, on
the outskirts of Atlanta, a small encampment struggles to survive as 'the dead'
stalk them at every turn. Can Rick and the others hold onto their humanity as
they fight to live in this terrifying new world? And, amidst dire conditions
and personal rivalries, will they ultimately survive one another?” Now
doesn’t that sound ridiculously like a video game set up? The only possible
criticism I can see for not making this show into a game is the sheer amount of
zombie-based games that are already on the market. Do we really need another Resident Evil- or Fallout 3-esque experience?
What a lovely smile you have! | blogs.amctv.com |
Short answer: Yes. Longer answer: Yes, if it’s done right. I
imagine this game being a non-linear sandbox adventure with exploration and
progression similar to Grand Theft Auto games, where completing missions
unlocks more of the map, but in general you can do whatever you please. Missions
could be presented in a variety of ways,
preferably with cut scenes setting up each mission to explain the objective and
the narrative significance (similar to Prototype)
or could be obtained simply from overhearing others or from short conversations
with NPCs (like some of the fetch quests in Mass
Effect 3 or quests in Fallout 3).
The game’s play style would likely be third-person over-the-shoulder shooter or
a standard FPS with some light platforming elements. Either way, the setting
would provide a lot of different options to game developers.
The first episode of The Walking
Dead video game is scheduled to
come out April 25th, 2012. Let’s hope they did a good job with it.
4. Game of
Thrones
This seems to be another no-brainer. Fresh in the beginning
of its second season on HBO, Game of Thrones is based on a series of novels by
George R.R. Martin titled A Song of Ice
and Fire. Following the stories of several houses (families), Game of
Thrones is a sort of medieval fantasy that offers a massive amount of video
game material. Small-scale governmental drama between factions, large-scale
war, political intrigue, wolves, dragon eggs, melted gold, beheadings, and a
small-statured nobleman who is absolutely hilarious all add up to quite an
amazing adventure waiting to be had.
Tyrion Lannister | fanpop.com |
As far as a game adaption is concerned, the IP could easily
be turned into a Real-Time Strategy (RTS), but where would the inventiveness
be? Instead, what if it was an amalgamation of gaming styles? I’m thinking Civilization V RTS for large-scale war
mixed with segments of exploration similar to Skyrim or Dragon Age: Origins.
Combat in those segments could easily be Final
Fantasy X turn-based fights (which gives the gamer a break from fast-paced
strategy) or, alternatively, could be set up with an Active-Time Battle gauge
system (similar to Final Fantasy VII).
Add in a dash of Mass Effect style
story telling with dialogue options that can actually sway the outcome of the
game (or at the very least the journey you take to reach the end) and you’ve
got yourself quite an epic tale.
Game of
Thrones is expected to release for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC in
2012. It is expected to be a role-playing game. Let us hope it does the novels
and the TV series justice.
3. House M.D.
House chronicles the work of Dr. Gregory House, an expert in
diagnostic medicine, whose famed expertise is only rival by his infamous bad
attitude. Lacking any bedside manner, House would rather pop pills than
interact with his patients. With a team of doctors at his side, House sets off
to cure the wide variety of illnesses afflicting patients in his hospital.
beyondhollywood.com |
While this may seem a bit boring for a video game concept,
it could nonetheless be utilized in training for medical students. Granted, the
majority of cases are not rare forms of malaria or Lupus, it would nonetheless
serve an interesting backdrop to relay potentially boring information.
Textbooks are the tried and true method of study for most disciplines, but
imagine if technology could be utilized to parlay that same information in a
more creative, interesting way. Alternatively, the game could be simply a
cinematic experience, giving the player the option to watch the story unfold
based on their choices. In fact, why not do a Dr. Mario game utilizing the House
IP. Creating a “easy to learn, difficult to master” puzzler with some narrative
every few matches could be a great way to revitalize a somewhat ignored genre.
There is currently a House video game for the Nintendo DS, which
had lackluster reviews and reception.
2. Dexter
If you hadn’t noticed, gaming has become more and more story
driven in recent times. Games like Super
Mario World are now being replaced with story heavy games like the Final Fantasy series or, to an even
greater extreme, games focused almost entirely on the narrative such as Heavy Rain. Dexter focuses around a protagonist of the same name who is a blood
spatter pattern police officer by day and a serial killer, punishing any
criminals who he believes the justice system wouldn’t, by night. Not only has
the show been on for 6 years and garnered a massive following; there is also a
substantial amount of material in the show that could be adapted into a video
game.
cdn.screenrant.com |
Imagine: You play as Dexter. During the day, you solve
puzzles revolving around blood spatter patterns during the day, which
eventually lead you and your comrades to the perp. You are now heavily
engrossed in a mysterious game full of dialogue and narrative options. If you
manage to choose the right kinds of interrogation questions and/or find the
right kinds of evidence, you may be able to put the criminal behind bars. Some
of the criminals are more careful, however. Because of their attention to
detail and knowledge of the legal system, they manage to escape justice. The
moon rises as the second half of that particular chapter unfolds and you are
now in an action game, based heavily on stealth, like Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell, except with automatic weapons and more
surgical tools. Alternatively, the game could play out entirely different,
showing the day-to-day adventures as cut scenes and focusing heavily on
Dexter’s nighttime activities… There are a lot of possibilities.
While a fully realized game has yet to surface, for the time
being we can enjoy a Dexter video game on the iPhone.
1. Lost
Now you might be asking yourself, “Dave, didn’t they come
out with a Lost game? In fact, didn’t
it inspire you to write this article?” Yes. Yes, it did. The game failed to do
justice to the series as a whole, however. Lost centers around survivers of a
plane crash on a deserted island. Each season focuses on a new overarching
storyline, most of which center around the character development of the story’s
main 15+ characters.
vinegeek.com |
If I were to make Lost
a video game, I would’ve focused more heavily on the character development
side of things, like the show did. In fact, I don’t see any reason why a MMORPG
couldn’t be made using this IP. Consider utilizing the existing platform where
each server is its own island. Like World
of Warcraft, you could choose a faction: the Survivors or the Others, and
would gain benefits based on which side you chose. You could determine your
background (soldier like Sayid, medic like Jack, Swindler like Sawyer, etc.),
which would be the equivalent of a class.
Once in game, you complete missions that range from fetch
quests (need more wood for the fire) to recon missions (investigate the other
faction). Exploration would be a fundamental part of the game as well. In fact,
maybe when you hit a certain level you can receive a mount (I’m talking baby
blue Volkswagon Hippie Van!) Combat would be handled primarily with simple
firearms and hand-to-hand combat with the inhabitants of the island (Polar
Bears, sharks, wildlife, or the Black Smoke). Conversations would flow fluidly
and naturally and would serve a greater purpose than to be time consuming and
extend play. Implementing a loyalty system (similar to that of Dragon Age:
Origins) would help immensely in determining your standing with the other
factions.
It’s not a perfect idea and there are a lot of unanswered
questions, but it certainly has the backbone for a really interesting release.
Well there you have it! Some games that were already created
based on TV IP that could be made even better. What are your thoughts? Drop some
comments and let your voice be heard!
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