We live in a world where video game adaptations are having a renaissance. Sure, there are certainly some that are terribly made and have no substance whatsoever (looking at you, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie), but most modern-day adaptations have really taken the cake for how well-done they are.
One that I personally love is the acclaimed adaptation Fallout. With an easily accessible Amazon Prime subscription, I have been able to enjoy some of the best action sequences and well-crafted storylines in this adaptation. And, as a fan of the games, I am still quite pleased. However, it got me wondering how many other video games are out there that deserve the same treatment—and for that, I have a list of five.
Ghost of Tsushima
The fights would be epic
Let me tell you a little story. When my current fiancé and I first moved out of our little college apartment and into our adult apartment, we knew we had to play two games first on our big-screen TV—The Last of Us Part II and Ghost of Tsushima. We got through the former, but when we played the Ghost of Tsushima, our lives were forever changed. And I am not being dramatic.
The premise is simple: Jin Sakai, a samurai, seeks to protect Tsushima from the first Mongol invasion. Many elements would translate well into an adaptation. The story itself is phenomenal, with takes on morality, justice, ethics, and more. This series could be Shōgun-level good because it really makes the player question their choices.
The history and scenery are compelling. The game’s stunning graphics would look fantastic on TV and blow away those who haven’t played it. If HBO picked it up, I could already see a ton of people buying HBO Max subscriptions to watch it. It would be legendary.
There is an anime in the works that is based on this, according to Variety, but I can’t stop picturing what a live-action one would be like. A girl could dream.
Resident Evil
A proper adaptation
No, I do not mean any of the older adaptations; get that out of your head right now. We are not going to address those. They do not exist in this timeline.
I’m talking about a faithful adaptation of the first few Resident Evil games. No spin-offs. No new characters, except maybe Ethan from some of the latest games. Just core zombie chaos with Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Leon freaking Kennedy. We have yet to get a good adaptation of him, and that, my friends, is just sinful.
The game series mainly follows humanity’s fight against zombies created by the T-virus, which mutated and, of course, brought humanity’s downfall with it. There’s a ton of lore in this franchise that would make an excellent scary show that fans would love.
But every time an adaptation has been done, it’s always wrong and never well-executed. I mean, if you love horror movies, you should love Resident Evil, and this, as a series, would be amazing.
Resident Evil
- Released
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April 30, 2002
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
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Capcom Production Studio 4
Mass Effect
Space series? Yes, please
If we wanted something more sci-fi, Mass Effect would be a great franchise to adapt into a television show. The video game franchise primarily follows Commander Shepherd, a soldier trying to unite alien forces to stop the Reapers, a powerful race that could exterminate all human life.
I mean, aliens? Spaceships? Galactic fights? This could be an easy pick-up for one of the many streaming services out there now. But we haven’t gotten the Mass Effect adaptation that we clearly need. Sci-fi has only become more popular with movies like Dune and shows like Stranger Things. Why not give this a shot, too?
Red Dead Redemption
It would be the ultimate Western
I’m a sucker for anything Rockstar makes, and Red Dead Redemption is one of those franchises that I wish were a real show. It would actually make me like Western TV series.
You can now stream Fallout season 1 for free on YouTube (but not for long)
Hurry before it’s too late!
The first game in the franchise follows John Marston, a former outlaw who must hunt down the old members of his gang to save his kidnapped family, but of course, things turn south, or take a massive turn, or you just so happen to get distracted entirely in this open-world landscape. The second game—following Arthur Morgan—is even better.
Adapting the first game for TV would be excellent. It offers rich storytelling and many directions to explore. Partnering with a strong Western studio, like HBO or Paramount, would be ideal.
A fantasy that would rival Game of Thrones
You knew The Elder Scrolls series would be here. I’m a fantasy nerd—it’s in my blood.
I can’t even get into what Elder Scrolls is because every game is so different. But the basic idea is that it takes place in the high-fantasy world of Tamriel, where the player is a chosen hero who must fight through battles, monsters, and more to save the people from an impending doom. But every game is different, with a vast, incredibly detailed open world that you will get lost in.
But come on, this as a TV show? It would be gold. Gosh, the amount of lore you could use to create a good series – we would have seasons upon seasons. I could see it now—heck, we could probably have a whole series while we wait for The Elder Scrolls VI to release (whenever that will be).
What video games do you want as a TV series? It’s time to revisit these titles—anyone up for a gaming weekend?
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
