Even more scary than Adam Sandler’s Big Daddy – the world of Bioshock

List compiled by Eddie on 01/05/2015

While for many years there has been a stigma and unreasonable thinking in that video games are merely for children and man child’s, over recent years it’s become abundantly clear that video games are very much equal to the movie industry in their ability to craft emotionally engaging and thoroughly involving worlds.

Without a concreate figure it is my understanding that over 50% of frequent gamers are over the age of 30 showcasing in a fact based manner that games are anything but a children’s domain. It’s been a joy as someone that enjoys playing games (especially when an alternative may be Masterchef, Keeping up with the Kardashians or any such dross that may be on TV) to witness the constant evolving of the industry into something that caters to all ages and tastes.

With more focus on delivering a story alongside the gameplay, developers have now mastered the creation of games that inhabit a whole different level of involvement thanks to their stories and living worlds and with that movement, we’ve seen Hollywood appreciate the fact that there is much wealth to be mined from gaming worlds when it comes to movie adaptations and pondering the possibilities of this there comes to mind countless such games that are just crying out to be made, by anyone other than Uwe Boll.

Here are 5 standout candidates that we here at J and E think deserve the big screen treatment.

Disclaimer – plot summaries from IMDB.com 

5. Fallout 3 (2008)

The Fallout universe is filled with an array of colourful and dangerous creations

Centuries following nuclear war, a teen leaves the safety of his underground vault in order to find his father, who left in hopes of creating a water purifier.

An epic post-apocalyptic journey, Fallout 3 is a world ripe for an ample array of journeys. From its mutated humans, radio DJ’s, wasteland scavengers and bobble heads, Fallout 3 was an incredibly immersive gaming experience and it’s central plot that included Hollywood actors Liam Neeson, Ron Perlman and Malcolm McDowell was deep enough to suggest that there is a readymade story just waiting to be told via the film medium.

The dream actor – Tom Hardy; Mad Max vs ghouls.

The dream director – Guillermo del Toro; a haunting vision of the dystopian landscape.

4. God of War 1 – 3 (2005 -2010)

God of War presented us with countless set pieces that just scream “big screen treatment”

 Driven by revenge, Kratos, a former army leader, embarks on an epic journey to bring down Ares, the God of War.

Epic doesn’t even begin to describe the incredible wondrous vision and scope of the God of War franchise, a gaming series that constantly had you pausing just to take in the surrounds of its vast set pieces and landscapes. In its own right, an envelope pushing narrative that included most of Greek lore, this is a franchise that screams big screen treatment in what would hopefully be a visceral and enthralling event.

The dream actor – Dwayne Johnson; Hercules reincarnated as a vengeful warrior.

The dream director – Zac Synder; 300 on crack.

3. Bioshock (2007)

The underwater utopia of Rapture was a wondrously beautiful place that masked a ravenous evil

 In 1960, a lone survivor of a plane crash named Jack discovers an abandoned underwater utopia, only to find out that the mystery behind its creation is much more sinister than he first believed.

Once propositioned as a $100 million dollar movie that would’ve seen Robert Zemeckis director Prison Break star Wentworth Miller in the lead role, every aspect of the immensely involving and often spectacularly designed Bioshock would make an off the charts movie experience. From its nourish designs, it’s wonderful portrayal of the underwater city Rapture through to its gruesomely freighting Big Daddy’s, Bioshock was a game of pure quality with a story that remains one of the most deep and shocking in recent video game history.

The dream actor – Miles Teller; the drummer becomes an underwater explorer.

The dream director – Martin Scorsese; bringing the visuals of Hugo to a much darker place.

2. The Evil Within (2014)

There are mind games aplenty in the fiercely creepy Evil Within

 While investigating the scene of a gruesome mass murder, Detective Sebastian Castellanos encounters a mysterious and powerful force and is knocked unconscious. When he awakens, he finds himself in a deranged world where hideous creatures wander among the dead and he must embark on a frightening journey to unravel what’s behind this evil force.

A game fresh in my memory and a game that absolutely deserves more attention, Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami’s heart pounding survival horror is a game that in many ways acted as an unmissable narrative as we slowly discover what lays at the true heart of this frighteningly dead filled world. Evil Within could without question be one of the most unique and narratively deep horrors in years if done right. I would love to see the games spine tingling Keepers come to life on the big screen.

The dream actor – Joseph Gordon Levitt; baby faced star dispatching all many of nasties.

The dream director – Alfonso Cuaron; the visionary tackling horror in a whole new way.

1. Red Dead Redemption (2010)

RDR presented gamers with a truly stunning open world set in the wilds of the West

 John Marston, former outlaw, is forced by the federal government to hunt down the members of his old gang, the men he used to call friends, in order to reclaim his home and family.

In some ways already made into a feature, albeit a short film by Australian filmmaker John Hillcoat for a BBC channel, Rockstar’s grand and genre defining Western set open world game was the perfect moulding of story, characters and vast open plains. Numerous times during my play through of this classic, I found myself pondering just what could be done with this readymade narrative if it found its way into the right creative hands. A movie classic just waiting to happen, here’s hoping the big screen Western gets the revival that is so long overdue by this unforgettable tale, harrowing ending intact.

The dream actor – Josh Brolin; time to make up for Jonah Hex.

The dream director – Andrew Dominik; Jesse James on a whole different level.

Ok gamers what games would you love to see make it to the big screen? Still waiting on that big screen Halo? Or are games merely for children? Let us know in the comments below!