Warning, this list may contain one or two spoilers for some games plot points
I recently been thinking about why video games never turn into good movies and I have come up with a simple conclusion, time. This is because games normally last around 6 hours and within those 6 hours you have things such as plot and character development that is nicely set out, however when you try to put that in a movie you end up with all that compressed into at least 2 hours. With all the game’s plot and characters compressed into that time span you end up with a movie with characters just being there and a plot that doesn’t really come close to that of the original source which makes for a bad movie and a bunch a unhappy fans. That is why I say that people should stop making video game movies and start making more TV series, and as the title to this blog says they should be none live action so that characters look like they should and there is a good chance you can get the characters original voice for it. So I have made a list of the 5 games I believe could make a decent TV series if done right.
5. Sly Cooper
I love the Sly Cooper games and the main reason I think a TV series should be made of it is because the levels in the game are already set up like episodes. At start of each level there is a really good cut scene that helps build up the suspense for the actual level and each level all ways had a catchy name like “sunset snake eyes” or “the cold heart of hate”. The animation for the cut scenes were good as well and the animation got better in each new game, I feel that if a TV series is made of it then it should be done in the style of the game’s cut scenes if not then in the style of the Japanese cartoon version of the opening and ending cut scenes which I all ways found strange, why put in the effort to make a animated version of a game and only do the opening and closing scenes?
4. Games within the Source Engine universe
Ok I may be slightly cheating with this one but hear me out, with source games there is so much more going on than what you see within. For those who don’t know what I am on about Source games are games made by Valve such as Half Life, now I’m not saying make a series directly based on Half Life instead make episodes based on events around the games. For example between Half Life and Half Life 2 there is at least a 20 year gap between the 2 games, so wouldn’t it be interesting to see what happened within those 20 years before Gordon arrived in City 17. Another interesting episode could show how GLaDOS took control of Aperture Laboratories or how Aperture went from making shower curtains to portal technology. Either way a TV series would be a great way of filling in the parts we the players didn’t get to see in the game.
3. Fallout
I may have only played Fallout 3 but from I saw in terms of the content in the game I think something can be made within that game’s universe, again it doesn’t have to be done directly around the main plot of the game because there is so much more you can show. However one thing I will say is that it should be done in the style of the Animatrix and Halo Legends in the way that each episode was its own story and was done in its own style of animation whether it is toon like or full CGI. The reason I say this is not only because it would be amazing to watch but also could be a chance to fully show the back story of the game’s setting, Animatrix did this by showing how the machines took over the world and Halo Legends showed how and why the rings where made. There are so many quests in the game and each one has some sort of story to it and it would be nice to see each story given its time to be told.
2. Super Smash Brothers Brawl
Now I know this seems like a silly idea but just think about it, when you sit down and watch all of the cut scenes from the game you start to release that it has a truly epic story with drama, action and a tiny bit of humour in it. I believe that this could be made into a decent anime and I am sure if someone were to make it that the right voice actors would be found. If a animated series is not possible then why not use the cut scenes from the game, each one was at least under 2 minutes long all they would need is make some filler, add voices and you would have a great series that stays true to the game. So far the closes I have seen to a Smash Brothers series is in the media of machinima and the best example of it is a series called Smash King which I highly recommend to any gaming, machinima, Nintendo or anime fan to watch. Whether it be animated or not Smash Brothers deserves its chance on our TV screens.
1. Star Wars the Old Republic
This game isn’t even out yet and I already feel it would make a great TV series, forget a movie from what has been shown in both the cinematic and the timeline trailers there is a massive amount of story in it which cannot be compressed into just 2 hours. It would also be a good idea to do it in the style of the cinematic trailers because the way it is made it just looks fantastic also the series itself can be used as a real tie in to the game’s major plot points. With the constant milking of the clone wars era it would be refreshing to see and newer Star Wars TV series on our screens with plenty of action and a more interesting story to tell.
We may never see any of these games get the real attention that they deserve but with hope maybe one day these games if not any will make it big on the small screen. But until then we still got in game cut scene, machinima and fan made stuff to watch and of course the never ending hope that someone in the movie industry will get their act together and make the film we gaming fans have been waiting for.
I recently been thinking about why video games never turn into good movies and I have come up with a simple conclusion, time. This is because games normally last around 6 hours and within those 6 hours you have things such as plot and character development that is nicely set out, however when you try to put that in a movie you end up with all that compressed into at least 2 hours. With all the game’s plot and characters compressed into that time span you end up with a movie with characters just being there and a plot that doesn’t really come close to that of the original source which makes for a bad movie and a bunch a unhappy fans. That is why I say that people should stop making video game movies and start making more TV series, and as the title to this blog says they should be none live action so that characters look like they should and there is a good chance you can get the characters original voice for it. So I have made a list of the 5 games I believe could make a decent TV series if done right.
5. Sly Cooper
I love the Sly Cooper games and the main reason I think a TV series should be made of it is because the levels in the game are already set up like episodes. At start of each level there is a really good cut scene that helps build up the suspense for the actual level and each level all ways had a catchy name like “sunset snake eyes” or “the cold heart of hate”. The animation for the cut scenes were good as well and the animation got better in each new game, I feel that if a TV series is made of it then it should be done in the style of the game’s cut scenes if not then in the style of the Japanese cartoon version of the opening and ending cut scenes which I all ways found strange, why put in the effort to make a animated version of a game and only do the opening and closing scenes?
4. Games within the Source Engine universe
Ok I may be slightly cheating with this one but hear me out, with source games there is so much more going on than what you see within. For those who don’t know what I am on about Source games are games made by Valve such as Half Life, now I’m not saying make a series directly based on Half Life instead make episodes based on events around the games. For example between Half Life and Half Life 2 there is at least a 20 year gap between the 2 games, so wouldn’t it be interesting to see what happened within those 20 years before Gordon arrived in City 17. Another interesting episode could show how GLaDOS took control of Aperture Laboratories or how Aperture went from making shower curtains to portal technology. Either way a TV series would be a great way of filling in the parts we the players didn’t get to see in the game.
3. Fallout
I may have only played Fallout 3 but from I saw in terms of the content in the game I think something can be made within that game’s universe, again it doesn’t have to be done directly around the main plot of the game because there is so much more you can show. However one thing I will say is that it should be done in the style of the Animatrix and Halo Legends in the way that each episode was its own story and was done in its own style of animation whether it is toon like or full CGI. The reason I say this is not only because it would be amazing to watch but also could be a chance to fully show the back story of the game’s setting, Animatrix did this by showing how the machines took over the world and Halo Legends showed how and why the rings where made. There are so many quests in the game and each one has some sort of story to it and it would be nice to see each story given its time to be told.
2. Super Smash Brothers Brawl
Now I know this seems like a silly idea but just think about it, when you sit down and watch all of the cut scenes from the game you start to release that it has a truly epic story with drama, action and a tiny bit of humour in it. I believe that this could be made into a decent anime and I am sure if someone were to make it that the right voice actors would be found. If a animated series is not possible then why not use the cut scenes from the game, each one was at least under 2 minutes long all they would need is make some filler, add voices and you would have a great series that stays true to the game. So far the closes I have seen to a Smash Brothers series is in the media of machinima and the best example of it is a series called Smash King which I highly recommend to any gaming, machinima, Nintendo or anime fan to watch. Whether it be animated or not Smash Brothers deserves its chance on our TV screens.
1. Star Wars the Old Republic
This game isn’t even out yet and I already feel it would make a great TV series, forget a movie from what has been shown in both the cinematic and the timeline trailers there is a massive amount of story in it which cannot be compressed into just 2 hours. It would also be a good idea to do it in the style of the cinematic trailers because the way it is made it just looks fantastic also the series itself can be used as a real tie in to the game’s major plot points. With the constant milking of the clone wars era it would be refreshing to see and newer Star Wars TV series on our screens with plenty of action and a more interesting story to tell.
We may never see any of these games get the real attention that they deserve but with hope maybe one day these games if not any will make it big on the small screen. But until then we still got in game cut scene, machinima and fan made stuff to watch and of course the never ending hope that someone in the movie industry will get their act together and make the film we gaming fans have been waiting for.
