Gaming Adaptations: The Rising Genre

By Gaming Editor Bonny Murphy

Recently I watched the Five Nights at Freddy’s movie (FNAF) with a few friends, and it inspired me to take stock of the gaming adaptation space as a whole. My thoughts on the FNAF movie will be revealed further on, alongside five other gaming adaptations to film or television. The genre of film has been known in the past to fail spectacularly in capturing the quality and enjoyment of those who loved the games; however, I think this is changing. This list covers adaptations from various different genres of games including horror games, multiplayer online battle arena’s (MOBA’s), AAA games and platformers. As with all conversations and opinions about games or movies, most notably dangerous when combined, these are all my own takes. Feel free to agree, disagree or do some watching if any adaptation I mention is new to you.

Five Nights at Freddy’s

As mentioned above, the FNAF movie snuck up on me until the fated day when I arranged to see it with some friends. I must admit when leaving the cinema, I felt a mix of nostalgic joy, confusion, and a sense of wonder at some of the strange lines from the movie. For those who are not aware, FNAF is a game series which first takes place in a creepy pizzeria, where you play as a night security guard fending off against violent animatronics used to entertain children during the day. The movie has potential to follow the game’s structure and be a successful franchise, although it does have some kinks to work out. Some of the writing felt odd, mainly for the character of Vanessa, who’s emotions and allegiances seemed to flip-flop too much, causing a lack of consistency. My main problem and cause for praise for the film revolves around the animatronics themselves. The art and sound design of the animatronics was great and instantly brought back nostalgic feelings of when I played the game. However, this is immediately followed by the fact they are simply not scary enough. Granted, the FNAF movie had a 15A rating which leaves some openness to younger audiences coming along. A core aspect of the FNAF game was jump scares, not gore or extreme disturbing visuals, just simply catching the player off guard with a scare. The movie did not have this at all really, which brought down how true of an adaptation the movie was.

The Last of Us

The next adaptation, I whole-heartedly recommend and have no real or substantial complaints about. The Last of Us released initially as a AAA game to massive success. A refreshing take on the zombie apocalypse with a veteran male survivor and a teenage girl forming an unlikely bond. The games strengths lay in the deep and thought-provoking narrative and immersive environment. Both aspects made it a great contender for film or television adaptation. Once announced there would be a television series based on the first game the hype was large, and the show did not disappoint. While the narrative of the game was enough to satisfy a gaming audience, the show went further and beefed-out other characters and storylines to create compelling television while staying true to the core game narrative. As far as I could tell, the show only added more and took nothing away and most importantly, what they added stayed within the theme and feeling of The Last of Us world. I want to note also that the casting for this show was perfect, and I am not sure if it would have achieved what it did without such strong actors who understood the assignment so well.

Arcane

I am following one banger show with another now, this being Netflix’s Arcane based on the MOBA League of Legends. This adaptation has been long awaited by the League of Legends community and it went far and beyond the expectations of the community alone. It is the highest reviewed adaptation on this list by IMDB, Arcane tells the story of a small few of the huge catalogue of characters present in the game. The game’s mechanics do not feature much in the adaptation rather the show focuses on the crafted narrative of the characters by the League of Legends team. The show is animated in a beautiful pastel artwork style with creative shot designs and impressive fight sequences. This art style alone is wonderfully unique and gives Arcane an edge in the adaptation space. The narrative draws upon class struggles and mental health in a respectful and interesting way, contemplating the question; is anyone ever too far gone? The colourful style also contributes to these types of themes by adding visual cues to complement the heavier subject matters. Another aspect of the show that stood out to me in particular was the music. The score for Arcane has some great tunes to enjoy, well paired with scenes and a good listen as a stand-alone album.

The Witcher

My next choice, I have mixed feelings on and had a complicated run as a television show. The Witcher, also from Netflix, is jointly based on the games and books based in the universe of the same name. The game, books and show all follow the story of a monster hunter, known as a Witcher, becoming entangled in the life of a prophesised princess with great power. The narratives are often darker, creating moral questions on life, death and monsters. The show’s lead is Henry Cavill, a passionate fan favourite for the role, is brilliant as the main character the Witcher Geralt. The first season of the show we relatively well received. In particular the first episode of the show is very strong with an impressive fight sequence. The show’s art, character and monster designs are compelling which creates opportunity for interesting action set pieces and immersive environments. However, as seasons progressed, the show lost popularity due to the logic of character decisions becoming increasingly confusing, causing the show to lack consistency. One notable moment involves a character from the game being introduced and killed although he is alive in the games still. This was the moment that signalled the end of The Witcher for many fans and soon after the last season Henry Cavill left the show. While it is an enjoyable adaptation, it drains over time and lacks the consistency necessary for compelling storytelling.

Detective Pikachu

My next adaptation is the Detective Pikachu movie which takes on imagining the world of the Pokémon games. The movie was a hit upon release but has had some more mixed takes as time has gone on. The narrative is not similar to any Pokémon games I have played, though the world remains the same. The movie follows a young man whose dad has gone missing and all that remains is his Pokémon, which can speak. The two then seek to solve the mystery of his dad’s disappearance. Ultimately the performances and writing are completely standard and fine, with the occasional line that hits. However, where the film really excels is in its depiction of Pokémon. The film shows great interpretation of various Pokémon designs and powers. A worthwhile watch, at least visually.

Sonic the Hedgehog

My final adaptation is Sonic the Hedgehog which recently came out with a sequel. Sonic the Hedgehog is a platformer game involving a little hedgehog who moves through levels at supersonic speed collecting shiny rings. The movie adapts this by having Sonic arrive on Earth and battle his super-villain Dr. Eggman, with the help of human friends. The movie’s weaknesses surround the human character’s weak dialogue and involvement in the plot. Also notable is Sonic’s initial horrifying design for that was released before the film and caused such fan backlash the studio changed it. The positives almost entirely rest on Jim Carrey’s performance of Dr. Eggman. He is a wonderfully eccentric villain with great comedic timing and wit. Frankly, the villain is almost too charismatic and enjoyable, he outshines the heroes. The film is enjoyable and definitely worth seeing, just for more Jim Carrey performances.

This list hopefully provides some insight into the gaming adaptation space and encourages you to seek a new film you have not seen. Or maybe the opposite and you have seen any movie above but haven’t played the game. Either way, each and every one of the adaptations shows the Hollywood interest in strong gaming audiences and maybe one day, your favourite game will get some airtime too!