Thanks to a slew of dreadful adaptations over the course of the last four decades, movies based on video games have been fighting an uphill battle to win the respect of audiences. Though video games often tell rich stories dealing with complex themes, studios have found it difficult to translate these stories to the screen, opting instead for cheap imitations and cash grabs. But with the right team — and a healthy level of respect for the source material — video game movies can be just as good as films based on books and plays. In truth, there are no problems with game adaptations that can’t be traced to clumsy directors or incompetent studio executives. All that you really need are the right people for the job — and, of course, the right game.
Though not every video game will stand out as suitable for a film version, there are those that seem tailor-made for the big screen — especially those with rich narratives and aesthetically pleasing worlds. In order to get a sense of the direction video game movies might take in the future, here are five notable examples of games that have the potential to be successful film adaptations.
5 Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors
Spike Chunsoft
This thrilling puzzle game and visual novel (also known as 999) helped to popularize the “escape room” subgenre. One part choose-your-own-adventure and one part point-and-click, it shook up the visual novel space when it released in 2009 on the Nintendo DS. It led to the development of the Zero Escape series, which includes two sequels that dramatically increase the scale of its overarching narrative. Nine Hours, Nine Persons, Nine Doors may seem a strange choice for a video game movie, as it would be hard to replicate puzzles or multiple endings in a non-interactive medium. But its tense, life-and-death escape room sections would make for thrilling sequences resembling the terrifying “games” of the Saw franchise. Alternate paths are harder to pull off, but 999’s “true” ending is also its best ending, and the one that would make the most sense for a film adaptation.
4 Bloodborne
Sony Computer Entertainment
One of the most beloved action role-playing games of all time, Bloodborne was released exclusively for the Playstation 4 in 2015. Today, it’s considered a classic, with a devoted fanbase that is always clamoring for a sequel or PC port (per Destructoid). Inspired by the literary worlds of H.P. Lovecraft, Edgar Allen Poe, and Bram Stoker, it blends Victorian aesthetics with cosmic horror in ways that are at once unexpected and apt. As an entry in the infamous “Souls” series from Japanese developers, FromSoftware, Inc., Bloodborne is known for its hyper-difficult gameplay and cryptic storytelling. A film adaptation would make its story and lore accessible to those who find the game’s combat too punishing. Whether in live-action or animation, it would be a real treat to see Bloodborne’s incredible art design brought to life on the big screen.
3 SOMA
Frictional Games
SOMA is a first person sci-fi horror game from the small Swedish studio, Frictional Games. It tells the story of Simon Jarrett, a car crash survivor whose brain is scanned and uploaded as part of an experimental treatment procedure. During the scanning procedure, Jarrett passes out, only to wake up in a new body at an abandoned geothermal power plant near the bottom of the ocean. As if this scenario isn’t frightening enough already, the year is 2104, and the plant (called PATHOS-II) has been overrun by murderous, AI-powered robots who believe themselves to be humans. Since the story is the highlight here, SOMA’s gameplay revolves primarily around exploration, which makes it a perfect choice for a narrative-driven film adaptation.
2 Bioshock Infinite
2K Games
There have long been discussions about adapting the first Bioshock game for the silver screen, but its spiritual successor may be the more deserving entry in the series. Bioshock Infinite takes place in a massive floating city called Columbia. Governed by powerful religious leader Zachary Comstock, Columbia is a dystopia masquerading as a utopia. As protagonist Booker DeWitt, you unearth its secrets with the help of Elizabeth, a telekinetically gifted young woman who you’ve been ordered to rescue. The narrative is far less simple than it first seems, with mind-boggling time travel (and dimensional travel) playing a major role in the game’s events. Per Kotaku, one common complaint from fans of the series is that Infinite contains too many combat sequences that interrupt the flow of the story. A film version would solve this problem by dialing back the action and focusing on what really counts — the game’s characters and the shocking truths they come to learn about themselves.
1 Portal
Valve
Portal may seem to be a difficult video game to adapt, as it is fairly light on story and best known for its physics-based puzzles. But players familiar with the game’s massively expanded sequel know that its lore runs much deeper than one might think. Even in the first Portal, there are hints of a tragedy that befell the employees of Aperture Laboratories, where the game takes place. We learn more of this from the primary antagonist GLaDOS, an artificial intelligence-powered robot who released poison gas into the lab facilities as revenge for some unnamed wrong. A film taking place in the Portal universe could tell this story, offering a history of Aperture Laboratories and GLaDOS before the events of the first game; or we could see a straightforward adaptation of the events of the second game; or perhaps a spin-off dealing with popular side character Cave Johnson (who is voiced by the great J.K. Simmons). The possibilities are there for any film studio willing to tackle this beloved sci-fi universe.
