There have been a lot of movie to video game adaptations over the years, with many focusing on either superhero, science fiction, or action films. However, horror has always been the odd one out, with many of their adaptations either being completely unnoticed (Ju-On: The Grudge Video Game) or so old that they haven’t seen the light of day in years. This is a shame because there are a lot of horror films that deserve to have their own video game and whose stories could be told in interesting and unique ways.
When deciding what scary movies should have their own interactive experience we tried to focus on several different genres of horror video games. Many movies could simply get relegated to survival horror, so we are going to look at other genres that mesh well with both the film’s concepts and gameplay. Now it’s important to note that horror is incredibly subjective, but we are not going to dismiss choices even if we didn’t find them personally scary. If we could turn our favorite horror movies into video games, here would be our picks.
Don’t Breath (VR)
The most recent movie on our list, 2016’s Don’t Breath follows a young trio of thieves who attempt to break into a blind veteran’s home for one big score. This veteran is of course both physically imposing and mentally unstable so it’s easy to see how the thieves’ luck turns. Adding the concept of a lone blind stalker while trapped in a tiny house seems almost perfect for VR.
Since sound plays such a crucial key concept for the movie, forcing players to slowly open doors, pick up items, and sneak by would add an unbelievable amount of tension. It would be a fantastic fit for motion controls and the intimate nature of the story would work well with VR’s immersion.
Train to Busan (Action/Horror)
This South Korean zombie flick follows a group of people fighting to survive against a horde of fast, blind, and aggressive zombies. The catch is that almost the entire movie takes place on a bullet train or the various stops it makes along the way. This setting alone would allow for the stale zombie genre to feel new and different since the setting itself would be far more confined. Given a lot of modern zombie games like Dead Island, Dead Rising, and Dying Light have opted for bigger and more spacious environments, moving our main setting to a train would allow for more tension. Plus, it solves the issue of players just running by the zombies and not finding them threatening in any manner.
Having to fight your way through the various stations and cars of the bullet train would certainly feel different than say a Resident Evil or Dead Rising game. Given the movie had a heavy emphasis on melee combat, this could be easily carried over to the game itself. Plus, the concept of zombies being blind and hunting by noise and scent alone would make for an interesting twist to the undead formula.
The Devil’s Rejects (Open World)
Switching things up, Rob Zombie’s The Devil’s Rejects is a horror movie that follows the exploits of the Firefly family after they’ve been forced out of their home. Taking control of one of the three members of the family would be an interesting twist on the horror formula, as it allows users to become the monsters. It’d also be a better excuse for all the mass violence and mayhem that open world games like GTA V allow.
Not to mention it’d be a new way to challenge the morals of players and make them face the pure carnage that they cause. Plus, the world of The Devil’s Rejects is an interesting one, only enhanced by the colorful cast of characters within it.
Scream (Telltale)
We’re going to be completely honest here, we are amazed that this isn’t already a thing. Scream and Telltale seem like a match made in heaven (or hell?) as the “who done it?” story aspect could make for some truly fun playthroughs. Since Scream is all about addressing and then throwing out typical horror conventions it offers storytelling-based gameplay some room to have fun with the plot.
Plus, Scream itself has a fun cast of characters and ideas that could offer something different to players. Also, trying to figure out who the killer really is makes for a compelling narrative to drive the game forward.
30 Days of Night (Survival Horror)
Vampires haven’t really been utilized a lot lately in horror games and that’s a shame given how utterly terrifying they can be. 30 Days of Night’s Alaskan setting would not only give players a new area they haven’t explored but give a plausible reason why you can’t just run off into the woods. This snowy setting would act as a nice shift form the barren cities and haunted manors we are used too, while serving as a great backdrop for why no one can come and save these people. Not to mention the vampires in this movie are more animalistic than human, which can easily make for interesting combatants.
Acting as more of traditional survival horror, players would be tasked with trying to survive the entire month of perpetual nighttime as the vampires hunt for them. This alone makes for compelling and scary gameplay that can be punctuated by either a permadeath system or some sort of punishment for becoming food for the vampires.
The Babadook (First-person Horror)
Considered one of the best horror movies of all time, The Babadook follows the story of a family who are hunted by a mysterious creature that only appears after reading his children’s book. Since he hunts children, The Babadook video game could take the perspective of a child and follow the footsteps of games like Outlast and Layers of Fear.
This is a psychological horror that would constantly twist and distort the world around you. The goal is simple, to just survive and find a way to get rid of The Babadook. Now this is not a new concept, but the monster itself is unique enough to really add some flavor and ideas we haven’t seen yet. Since he utilizes other mediums like television, it could help craft some interesting scary moments.
The Purge (Action/Survival Horror/Multiplayer)
The Purge is about one day of the year where all crime, including murder, is legal in the United States. It literally is the best excuse for all of the mayhem and craziness that we expect in video games. Given these movies have crafted some interesting scenarios, the set pieces that a Purge game could afford are numerous.
Just having to survive the night would be intense enough, and if you make it a multiplayer game like Day Z then it would only be even more entertaining. Think of The Divisions’ Dark Zone, only it’s turned up to 11 and everyone is dressed in terrifying outfits.
The Birds (FPS)
It’s a video game where you need to survive an onslaught of evil birds by shooting them out of the air – do we really need to explain why this is awesome? Okay, maybe making a video game about Alfred Hitchcock’s classic movie isn’t the most conventional of ideas. However, the tongue and cheek idea of The Birds could make for some fun and entertaining moments. It could even follow the footsteps of Left 4 Dead and substitute the zombie horde for a flock of demonic ravens.
With dozens of horror movies released each year, these are just a few that would work perfectly in the video game format. Hopefully, developers start tapping into the rich worlds that film has created and help expand upon them in new and interesting ways. Seriously, though, we’d really love a Scream Telltale game.
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