Seven Movies That Should Be Games

Seven Pounds

Developer : Lionhead Studios

You play as Ben Thomas, a man haunted by a secret from his past. As a way of redemption, he offers to sacrifice himself to help the lives of seven strangers who he feels deserves it the most. It’s up to you to choose the right people, learning about each of them one by one and deciding who has lived their life as well and as honest as possible. Will you choose the right people who will look after their gift the most? Does anybody really deserve their lives changed by someone they don’t know?

Would it work?

If anyone could make this work, it’s Peter Molyneux. An idea like ‘Seven Pounds’ is right up that alley. A game about life choices and decisions that will affect the lives of individuals instead of worlds. If a person squanders their gift, it’s game over. You’ve made the wrong decision and have to start again. It sounds utterly fascinating. I want.

FORREST GUMP

Developer : Rockstar

From IMDB :

” Forrest Gump is a simple man with little brain activity but good intentions. He struggles through childhood with his best and only friend Jenny. His ‘mama’ teaches him the ways of life and leaves him to choose his destiny. Forrest joins the army for service in Vietnam, finding new friends called Dan and Bubba, he wins medals, starts a table tennis craze, creates a famous shrimp fishing fleet, inspires people to jog, create the smiley, write bumper stickers and songs, donating to people and meeting the president several times. However this is all irrelevant to Forrest who can only think of his childhood sweetheart Jenny. Who has messed up her life. Although in the end all he wants to prove is that anyone can love anyone”.

You live the life of Forrest Gump. A naive man seemingly thrust into one extraordinary circumstance after another. You fight in Vietnam, learn how to master table tennis (with motion control, of course), control a fleet of shrimp fishing boats and become a runner, meeting Presidents along the way. Imagine ‘Shenmue III : Forrest Gump’. If you could possibly think that’s the worst thing that can ever happen in the history of mankind, you’re probably best to look away now.

Would it work?

It’s a tough call, but I think it might just. Whatever you may think of the film it’s a great story, with many layers which could involve the player on a real emotional level. With the ultimate goal of just trying to get home to see your family, it could become a personal struggle as well as physical and mental one. Rockstar are the Kings of this, and again, an open world could be just what a game based on this movie would need. I don’t know about you, but doesn’t this sound really interesting now?

THE DEPARTED

Developer : Rocksteady

You have the choice to play as either good guy Billy Costigan or bad guy Colin Sullivan. You have the choice to work on the right side of the law or live a life of crime. You’re both undercover in each of your chosen careers, and as you find out about each other it becomes a race against time to uncover their true identities.

Would it work?

Definitely. A story as action packed and psychologically involving as this one has it’s natural home in videogames. Playing on either side will give you a guilty conscience, and you will want to make sure it’s rectified, which gives you a reason to continue playing once it begins. With a movie as successful as this one, you would need a champion development team behind it, and Rocksteady are the team of the moment. Already proving themselves with licences after the excellent Batman : Arkham Asylum and it’s Most Wanted Game Ever sequel Arkham City, they know plenty about hiding in the shadows and double crossing, reassuring us that a Departed game would be nothing less than superb.

SHAUN OF THE DEAD

Developer : Capcom

You’re Shaun. A 9-5 loser with nothing going on in his life. Having just been dumped by his girlfriend, he fights desperately to win her back. Naturally, this happens right in middle of a mass Zombie Apocalypse. You’ll have to fight off the undead in all the famous movie locations, using your trusty cricket bat alongside your best friend Ed to save your friends, family…perhaps the world.

Would it work?

Oooohh yes. This is one of the biggest movies of the last ten years. I don’t know anybody that doesn’t love it with all their heart, so its success is more or less guaranteed. As long as it rocks, of course. I chose Capcom as they know Zombies almost as well as Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright do, with their history including Dead Rising and Resident Evil. Combine their knowledge and skill with the humour of the movie, it’s almost a wonder why it hasn’t been done already.

That’s my seven choices. Do you agree? Disagree? Have anymore you think will work? Sound off in the comments section.

NOTABLE MENTION

Killing Bono

Would it work?

Uh, isn’t it obvious?

Get your thinking caps on and come up with some films that would be great games that I haven’t mentioned here. Give a reason and I’ll update this post and put them in. Until then, I’m off to watch Scott Pilgrim, you know..with her?

Um, sorry. Any excuse to look at Ramona Flowers. Aahhhhhhh.