In a media driven world, few people are finding the time to pick up a good book. It seems like most of the people who still read regularly are the self-proclaimed “nerds” or “geeks”. Yet, somehow we still have bestseller fandom phenomenons like the Twilight series or Harry Potter (though I hate to mention those two titles in the same sentence), which are flying off of the shelves, into our theaters, and finally, into our games.
But what’s the point in playing a game if you already know the story line and the graphics are lackluster versions of what you saw in the theater?
I’ll admit, I read the Twilight series. I know for some it was the epitome of good literature, but for me it was just a nice break for the ol’ noggin. I would never shell out money to buy a game based off of the series. It just doesn’t have enough substance.
Yet developers still try to capitalize on the easy money that comes from making any product related to teen fiction mega-hits. And it’s not just games that are being polluted by crazes. I still walk into stores and see Twilight paraphernalia. But Twilight isn’t the only offender. There are great movies or television shows that have flopped when translated into games, just as there are great books that have been utter disasters in theaters.
So many developers fall into the trap of creating a game that has the right basics, but lacks all ingenuity or creativity.
A perfect example of this was Avatar: The Last Airbender. The movie was a disaster and any games that have come out of the television show have lacked the humor and wit that it is so well known for. In essence, developers captured the action, but not the personality of the series. And the Avatar series had plenty of material to work with.
On the other hand, if we start talking LOTR or Harry Potter, then it is a whole different story. Granted, Harry Potter doesn’t really embody your typical action-packed-tension-filled video game until the later books, but stepping into the shoes of one of those beloved (and well written) characters is thrilling in its own right. I’ve got to admit, I loved flying around on my Nimbus 2000, dodging bludgers, and catching snitches.
And then, of course, there is LOTR. Playing Lord of the Rings: Return of the King for PS2 was one of the highlights of my childhood. Inching through the paths of the dead and hearing the bones crunching under my animated feet would have me flashing back to the movies. EA games managed to create a product that highlighted the finest parts of the movie, transforming it into an interactive experience.
A game that is created off of a cultural phenomenon should give fans an opportunity to immerse themselves in the world they hold dear.
It shouldn’t be a ploy for money. I know developers have to make money to make games, but the whole reason people are drawn to these books or shows or movies is because of the content. Even with Twilight, its fan base is drawn to the story… and, admittedly, sometimes the shirtless men.
In the end, developers should be looking at their audience of gamers and realize that we tend to be the cream of the crop. We are out there reading these books and watching these movies because we are passionate and invested. We want to play games that pick up on the subtleties only we will notice: like the bones crunching beneath our feet or the stack of orc corpses that stands at a realistic height.
It’s a good thing that most of these games fall more along the lines of LOTR and Harry Potter. If you liked the book and the movie, then chances are you will like the game. In some lucky situations, you might even love it!
What do you think of the transition from book to movie to game? Do you have any particular favorites?
