Soo many games, so little time.
After the successes of the Last of Us, Halo, and Mortal Kombat, We look at 3 classic video game titles from a few console platforms which we think would be perfect for an HBO Max TV show makeover.
1. The Legend of Zelda (1986)
It’s hard to believe that this has not happened yet, after having an animated show in the 90s and flirting with Netflix a few years ago, surprisingly this has not come to fruition. What’s it all about? Well, our main character Link must rescue princess Zelda who has been kidnapped by the menacing villain Ganon.
The show could deal with the back story of Ganon, how he came to be villainous, how the kingdom of Hyrule came to be, and maybe even Link & Zelda’s relationship which may not as be cut and dry as we all think it is.
The show could work in an eight-episode format, with an hour for each episode to give the show time to breathe and to fully open up the world of Hyrule.
2. Metal Gear Solid (1998)
A film was announced a few years ago starring Oscar Isaac which sounded kind of interesting but nothing unfortunately has come out since then. This game follows a spy named Solid Snake who is on a mission to stop a group of terrorists from doing terrorist things with a nuclear bomb before it’s too late.
At this point, the franchise is probably more famous for the memes and gifs as a new game hasn’t been released for a few years and the creator Konami hasn’t shown any signs of dropping anything anytime soon.
A TV show could focus on Snake’s very rich back story, with a 24 or homeland spin to it. The game also has a host of unique characters and an immersive political backdrop which is crying to be translated onto a bigger screen. 6 Episodes at 45 mins would work nicely.
3. Mass Effect (2007)
Another beloved game title that again has been linked with potential films and TV shows on various cable & streaming channels, however, nothing came of it sadly. Like Metal Gear all the groundwork has already been set up so little would need to be done to make this breath in the TV world.
The game follows Shepard, Commander Shepard, and his team who is on a mission to save the Galaxy from a threat from the disturbing force from yesteryear. Now that is just touching the surface of all the complex characters, storylines, and factions to explore further.
I think following the Star Trek mold fits this show largely as it is clearly inspired by the show and many other space soap opera style shows, 45 mins at 8 or more episodes focusing on the alien races, the universe, and each of the characters in Shepard’s group.
Honorable Mentions
Devil May Cry, Shadow of Mordor, and Half-Life could all be brilliant shows if given the HBO makeover and given the same respect that the game designers put in to make these perfect games.
