It only takes a quick browse in the local video game store to reveal that publishers love to release software based on films and TV shows. It isn’t surprising really; the cynical businessmen responsible for deciding what goes on sale are well aware that they can cover a multitude of development sins by slapping an established Hollywood brand on the box. They also know the resulting sales will be far beyond what the same game could achieve minus its license.
Unsuspecting fans of the movies/shows quickly hand over £40, desperately yearning to play as their favourite characters but sadly, in the majority of cases, they end up disappointed. There are exceptions of course; Goldeneye instantly springs to mind, closely following the story of the film while playing superbly at the same time. Plus there are one or two of the more recent Simpsons’ titles which have succeeded in combining the show’s incessant humour with some pretty decent (albeit borrowed) gameplay. In general however, tie-ins do not make for AAA games and their creators usually end up either murdering the source material or churning out something that barely relates to it.
In my humble opinion, part of the problem lies in which films and shows are being transferred across. ‘The powers that be’ need to look beyond the obvious blockbusters like Lost or Avatar. At the end of the day, gamers have been marooned on desert islands and fighting/befriending strange breeds of aliens for years now and they’re looking for something different. It’s high time producers tapped into some of film/TV’s less prestigious offerings. The worlds of these hidden gems could lend themselves far better to the interactive experience and they’ll also be unlike what’s currently on the market.
Here then, is a short list of films and TV shows (some current, others from yesteryear) that I feel, with a little care, would not only survive the difficult journey across the mediums, but would make it in style.
Casualty/Holby City
With the former nearly 24 years old and the latter approaching 12, the fact that we’re yet to see a video game spin-off for either of these series is staggering. Too many of the current XBox360 and PS3 games are based in America/Japan and British gamers seeking some regional empathy are being short-changed. What better tonic could there be for us than a new take on the Theme Hospital premise, based round two TV shows that have become institutions in these isles?
Players would be charged with the responsibility of overseeing the smooth running of both Holby City’s surgical department and Casualty’s A and E. This would involve encompass a variety of tasks I.e. keeping tabs on the budgets, managing the fiery egos of the various members of staff and ensuring there were no riots down at reception. Every now and then there could even be one of those dramatic bomb-scares/crazed maniac taking hostages moments that both shows have become famous for.
Obviously the game would feature a broad range of characters, including those who have long since left the series. There’d be everyone from Holby’s uber-cool consultant Ric Griffin (who incidentally played Captain Panaka in The Phantom Menace) to Casualty’s ubiquitous male nurse Charlie Fairhead (a man who spends most of his screen time scratching the back of his neck in bemusement) and the player must decide who to hire/fire based on their skills and temperament. By the time the legendary theme tunes have been factored in, this tie-in is as sure of being an instantaneous hit as nurse Faye Morton (Patsy Kensit) is of having further relationship problems.
Groundhog Day
Rather than only selecting the obvious action flicks for their adaptations, publishers need to think outside the box. Wouldn’t it be great if someone like EA or Ubisoft decided to give the latest effects-heavy/plot-light blockbusters a miss and chose instead to re-visit the hilarious Bill Murray picture, Groundhog Day from 1993?
Surely this of all films would translate perfectly to a GTA-style sandbox experience with gamers taking control of Phil Connors and exploring the quaint little town of Punxsutawney. The twist of constantly re-living the 2nd of February would fit snugly into the playing experience. Basically players would find themselves trapped in a loop of self-contained adventures, trying to have as much fun as possible before night-time when everything would reset itself. As in the film, Phil would be starting from scratch each morning, with the only things he would be able to keep from previous days being the knowledge and skills he’d acquired from his prior exploits.
Clearly there wouldn’t be the usual focus on drug-dealing and drive-by shootings, but instead Phil’s main objective would be to win over producer Rita with various imaginative dates. For those gamers who aren’t romantically inclined there would be plenty of scope for racing round in cars, delivering weather forecasts, evading weird folks who claim they went to school with Phil and using the time-loop to feign psychic abilities. And what would make it truly stand out from the crowd would be the wonderful sense of abandonment gained from knowing there wouldn’t be any future in-game consequences from each day’s actions.
Yes Bill Murray’s fee might be eye-wateringly high, but the potential for some gameplay that’s a little more uplifting/intelligent than just gunning down anything that moves, makes Groundhog Day worth the expense.
Smallville
Though not as critically acclaimed or widely popular as other Sci-Fi TV series, such as Lost or The X Files, Smallville has nevertheless proved to be remarkably durable. Now fast approaching its 10th season, the show tells the gripping backstory of the greatest of all comic-book heroes; Superman aka Clark Kent. In the early seasons the plot focussed on Clark discovering his powers and Kyrptonian heritage out in the Kansas’ sticks, while more recently the action has shifted to Metropolis and Clark’s struggle to balance a fledgling career in journalism with the responsibility of protecting the entire city.
In my mind, there’s a lot of scope for an excellent 3rd person action game here. First off, there’s an impressive variety of locales for a potential developer to get their teeth into. The mere prospect of touring round the Kent Farm, Smallville High, the Luthor mansion, The Talon, the Kawatche Caves and the Daily Planet will have many Man of Steel fans salivating profusely. On top of that there’s a great mix of allies and enemies from the various seasons. Friends like Pete Ross, Chloe Sullivan and Green Arrow could be on hand to assist CK in his battles against the likes of Morgan Edge, Doomsday and Lex Luthor himself.
The thing that could make a Smallville game really stand out from the crowd though is Clark’s desire to remain anonymous. Part of the challenge for players would be not only ensuring they stop the crooks and meteor freaks intent on harming others, but that they do so without revealing Clark’s true nature to the world. This would make things altogether more interesting and add a stealth element to the gameplay. It goes without saying that there’d need to be lots of opportunities for using the special powers at Mr Kent’s disposal (X-ray vision, super-speed, heat-vision etc.) and plenty of stray lumps of Kryptonite, dotted around, to keep him on his toes.
With Batman: Arkham Asylum showing the industry just how much fun can be had with super-hero gaming capers, Smallville really should be a no-brainer for publishers.
Heartbeat
Although many TV viewers find the sci-fi genre too geeky and others can’t see the appeal in period dramas, everybody loves a good cop show. It seems that regardless of age or gender, people enjoy nothing more than watching clues being pieced together and bad guys getting arrested. Because of such widespread popularity, UK channels have always maintained a healthy selection of quality police dramas and though many of these are home-grown (like Silent Witness and The Bill), there’s also a fair quantity of imports from the US (such as CSI and NCIS).
Now while I’d never seek to belittle the fast-paced, tightly scripted efforts from our American cousins, it must be said there’s nothing quite like the spectacle of an old-fashioned British copper whacking robbers with his truncheon. To that end, surely it’s time for the release of a law-enforcement game based in good old Blighty. And what better choice could there possibly be than the long-running ITV series, Heartbeat?
Admittedly the plots are terribly clichéd and 90% of the cast seem incapable of basic acting yet, despite these flaws, Heartbeat remains a favourite way for many to spend a Sunday evening. That’s probably due to the show’s unique 60s rural Yorkshire setting and the fact that it’s one of the few series left on our screens that can still be described as ‘good, clean fun.‘
Players could either work a member of the local constabulary or go about causing trouble as the infamous Claude Greengrass. Undercover work, bike chases, stake-outs and manhunts would all be par for the course, accompanied by the quintessential soundtrack from the era. Two things would distinguish this from the majority of cop games on the market at present. Firstly a gung-ho approach would definitely not be tolerated and players would have to very conscious of how different things were back in those days. Secondly the action wouldn’t be based in the usual generic US city centre shopping malls we’re all sick and tired of. Instead the player would be hopping over stiles, running though fields, scouring woods and visiting the Aidensfield Arms.
So if any UK publishers happen to be reading this, stop denying today’s gamers their wonderful policing heritage and give them the chance to pit their wits against the Dale’s finest petty criminals.
Flash Gordon
I re-visited the original Halo’s excellent single player campaign recently and though the graphics have dated slightly, working the Master Chief in the war against The Covenant/The Flood remains as engrossing as ever. There was one thought that struck me, however, as I watched the various cut-scenes between the levels, ‘don’t a lot of today’s games take themselves far too seriously?’
Of course it’s important that some of them do. People expect some games to feature epic stories with characters who are convinced their own actions and conflicts matter more than anything that has ever happened before. Just as in cinema, there needs to be games packed with major crises and end-of-the-world scenarios to keep audiences on the edge of their seats. But alongside that there should also be titles which are more light-hearted to contrast with these tense thrillers. Unfortunately unlike the world of films, gaming hasn’t quite managed to achieve a balance between the two.
A tie-in of the classic 80s camp sci-fi picture, Flash Gordon would be just the sort of game our medium needs to bring a bit more equilibrium to its catalogue. Yes, Gordon had the responsibility of saving earth from Ming the Merciless but everything, from the kitsch costumes and gaudy sets to Brian Blessed’s raucous laughter, smacked of a film that was big on silly escapism and small on self-importance.
Needless to say, players would take up the role of Flash and have the opportunity to take part in the key scenes from the movie, from the absurd inter-galactic American Football scuffle to Flash’s lone assault on Ming City, piloting that glorified jet-ski. There could even be a couple of side missions where players get to work Dale as she escapes from Ming’s bedchamber. With cameos from Timothy Dalton (as Prince Barin) and Brian Blessed (as Prince Vultan) thrown in and the Queen soundtrack providing the icing on the cake, this would be a sure-fire hit.
The most important thing though is keeping the tongue-in-cheek flavour of the movie. If the developers could ensure the cut scenes and script retained the sense of knowing that everything had in the big screen incarnation, a Flash Gordon game could be just the tonic we need for this epidemic of pretentiousness that’s sweeping the market.
The Fugitive
“I didn’t kill my wife.” “I don’t care.”
The Fugitive is one of those exceptional films that, even on repeated viewings when the eventual outcome is known, manages to fill its audience with anxiety over the fate of its protagonist. The story is relatively straightforward. Doctor Richard Kimble, falsely accused of murdering his wife, manages to escape incarceration and proceeds to lead the FBI a merry dance as he seeks to prove his innocence. Starring Harrison Ford as Kimble and Tommy Lee Jones as Sam Gerard, the US Marshal hot on his heels, the film was basically one brilliantly elaborate chase sequence and, in my mind, could quite easily be turned into a breathtaking video game.
I personally feel a first-person adventure, along the lines of Half-Life, would be the best way to go. With no need for separate levels or mission briefings, it would just be one man, continually on the run, desperately searching for the truth. The tension in the film came from Dr Kimble having to always be looking over his shoulder and trying to uncover evidence while remaining inconspicuous. These things would need to be the key components in the interactive version too. There’d be few, if any, weapons available to players and the emphasis would be on evading capture and staying one step ahead of the pursuing FBI officers. The famous scenes set at the dam, the hospital and on the L train would all feature and maybe, if the developers had enough ambition, they could include the an option for players to work Gerard as he oversees the manhunt.
Overall it’s a film that is crying out for a publisher to use as source material. Tommy Lee might not care if you killed your wife Harrison, but he certainly is concerned that he’s not yet been allowed to hunt you down virtually.
Despite a complete lack of basic hand-eye coordination, Simon Cooper has been dabbling in Video Games for years. His obsession with gaming began almost two decades ago when a portly man, wearing a red suit, deposited a Sinclair Spectrum in the family living room. Ever since, Simon has been furiously hammering joysticks/keyboards in a futile attempt to get various collections of colourful pixels to obey his wishes.. with little success. "
2 Comments
The Fugitive would make a great game, particularly of it flowed like Mirrors Edge.
Groundhog Day would be awesome! Any hint of Bill Murray in a videogame and I’d be there like a shot.