Gaming News

6 Games That Would Make Hollywood A Fortune

Published

3 years ago

August 28, 2020

With the gaming industry raking in over $120 billion in 2019, we look at some of the hottest games that Hollywood really need to cash in on, turn into movies and make a fortune.

Gaming is a multi-billion dollar industry and, much like films, appeals to people of all age
Groups.

But Hollywood doesn’t have the best reputation when it comes to turning video games into films. Warcraft split people like Marmite: they either loved it or hated it. And don’t even get me started on Assassin’s Creed, Street Fighter or Mario…

With the standard of video games rising (technically and visually) there’s never been a better time to turn one of these stories into a blockbuster.

1. The Last Of Us

This is the first of our games that could make Hollywood a fortune. If I hear “the infected” and “post-apocalyptic” in the same sentence, you’ve already won me over. But for those who need a little more convincing, what Naughty Dog did with The Last Of Us series is simply mind-blowing.

In the first game, you play as Joel, a smuggler tasked with escorting teenage girl, Ellie, across the post-apocalyptic United States. They use arms and weapons to defend against hostile humans and cannibalistic creatures. All infected by a mutated strain of the Cordyceps fungus.

The sequel is set five years later. This time with the ability to control two characters whose lives intertwine. Ellie, who sets out for revenge after suffering a tragedy, and Abby, a soldier who becomes involved in a conflict between the militia and a cult.

Both games have been praised for their narrative, gameplay, visuals, sound design, and characterisation. As well as winning awards for ‘Game of the Year’ plus a slew of others.

The fact is though if you’ve played either of The Last Of Us games and haven’t thought “damn, this would make an insane movie”. Well, you probably need to take your head outside for a wobble.

Perfect actor to play Joel Miller: Josh Brolin

2. Red Dead Redemption 2

There isn’t a single game where I’ve been more invested in the characters than in RDR2. Is there anyone who’s played the story mode without feeling a twinge in the old tear ducts when Arthur dies? I ain’t gonna lie, I ugly-cried.

But it’s because it’s so well written and produced that scores of people felt the same. And if they could conjure up that kind of emotional attachment to characters in a video game, imagine how incredible a film would be?

Set in a fictional recreation of the American Old West in 1899. Red Dead Redemption 2 focuses on the life of Arthur Morgan and his position in the notorious Van der Linde gang. The game follows the gang’s decline as they are pursued by lawmen, fellow gangs, and Pinkerton agents. The narrative revolves around the characters of Dutch van der Linde, John Marston and Micah Bell, and Morgan.

The game features an open world in a classic setting, an unmatched soundtrack. Also, character development that’s rarely seen in video games. Although the first Red Dead was a triumph. The story in RDR2 with the gang and its colourful characters running from the law would translate far better on the big screen.

It’s rare that the cut scenes in a game capture your attention the way they do in RDR2. That in itself a good sign that this would make one hell of a Western film.

Best actor to play Arthur Morgan: Tom Hardy
Perfect actor to play Dutch Van der Linde: Daniel Day-Lewis
Actor to play John Marston: Kit Harington

3. Skyrim

Holy smokes. Now, this is one of those games that would make an awesome and ambitious film and would make Hollywood a fortune.

The visually stunning, all-encompassing open world of Skyrim is just breathtaking to explore. The setting alone would provide the framework for a fantastic film, but it’s backed by a story
that’s perhaps even better.

The game revolves around the player’s character. The Dragonborn, on their quest to defeat Alduin the World-Eater, a dragon who is prophesied to destroy the world. Throughout the game, the Dragonborn has side quests that enable them to fully discover the world and factions within it.

It’d be pretty hard to fit all that Skyrim is into one film – and there’s the small matter of deciding which (none/some/all) of the groups the protagonist would join. Becoming one of the Dark Brotherhood would make for a different film than say the Companions.

But even if it was done over the course of a trilogy, the world, characters, and dragons would all make for a truly spectacular film.

Perfect actor to play the Dragonborn (if male): Chris Hemsworth
Perfect actress to play the Dragonborn (if female): Daisy Ridley

4. Grand Theft Auto

Cars. Guns. Gangs. Need I say more? Take your pick over which version of the game might be best they all have potential. Personally I’d go with Vice City for the soundtrack and outfits alone, but that might be just me.

Perfect actors to play the lead (depending on the direction of the film): Michael B. Jordan,
Benicio Del Toro.

5. Uncharted

I’ve thought for a long time that the Uncharted games would make amazing films, and word on the street is that there’s one in the pipeline. (But Tom Holland playing Nathan Drake… lordy lordy. Great guy. Love him as Spiderman. But Nathan Drake? Jury’s out on that one…)

For those who don’t know, Uncharted is an action-adventure game series which follows Nathan Drake; a treasure hunter who travels across the world to uncover various historical mysteries.

There are currently four games in series, each with its own unique story, and any of these would make a really enjoyable film. Heck, why not make all four? This is Hollywood after all.

Take the locations Drake travels to. Then mix them with the hilarious relationship between him and Sully. Finally, add a dash of bum-clenching suspense, and you’ve got all the ingredients of a dangerously good movie.

Perfect actor to play Nathan Drake: Bradley Cooper

6. Metal Gear Solid

With all the source material you get from the Metal Gear series, you’ve already set yourself up for a franchise. In fact, this may make a better TV series than a film. But with the right cast and budget, you could make several films out of these games and still keep people coming back for more.

Metal Gear is a series of action-adventure stealth video games. The player often takes control of a special forces operative (usually Solid Snake or Big Boss). They’re assigned the task of finding the titular superweapon “Metal Gear”. A bipedal walking tank with the ability to launch nuclear weapons.

The series is credited for pioneering and popularizing stealth video games and “cinematic video games”. Notable traits of the series include stealth mechanics, cinematic cutscenes, intricate storylines, offbeat humour. Plus, exploration of cyberpunk, dystopian, political and philosophical themes, with references to Hollywood films to add flavour.

The franchise has also been adapted into other media, such as comics, novels, and drama CDs. Surely it’s only a matter of time before a director picks up this gem and turns it into a
cinematic gold mine.

Perfect actor to play Solid Snake: Christian Bale

Do you agree with our list of games that would make Hollywood a fortune? Which games would you like to see appear on the big screen? Leave us a comment below.

Gaming News

Animal Crossing 2.0 – Review

Published

2 years ago

December 7, 2021

Victoria Newell

On November 5th, Animal Crossing 2.0 alongside the DLC Happy Home Paradise was released. It was the last major free update to hit the latest game in the franchise and added a host of new features to the game. After almost a month of playing it, here’s our review and everything new in Animal Crossing 2.0 from Nintendo.

Background

Animal Crossing has been around for 20 years, with its first release on 14th April 2001. Since then it’s released several versions of the game for the DS, Wii, and so on.

The latest version, New Horizons, came to the Nintendo Switch at just the right time; at the very beginning of Quarantine. It was easily the most popular Nintendo game last year. But it had a fatal flaw; rather than including everything upfront, Nintendo would release periodic updates where they would add to the game. The goal was to keep the game feeling fresh, but the result was that New Horizons felt unfinished. The game was bare-bones compared to past versions of Animal Crossing and didn’t have half as much to do. With the release of the last free update, New Horizons finally feels like a complete game. So what’s new? While there were a lot of things added and small things fixed, we’re just going to focus on the major gameplay changes and additions.

Brewster

The beloved pigeon, Brewster, has been in Animal Crossing since 2005. He runs a cosy coffee shop, The Roost, usually located in the Museum. But he has been missing from New Horizons. A fan favourite, his absence has definitely been felt. Brewster is one of the most demanded additions to New Horizons. With the update, you can find him gyroid hunting on one of Kapp’n’s Islands and invite him to your island, where he will set up the Roost once more. You will also find some of your residents and NPCs there and can invite current and past Animal Crossing characters to the Roost via Amiibo card.

Kapp’n

Speaking of Kapp’n, the turtle is back. In past versions of the game, Kapp’n is usually the one taking you to your new village at the start of every game. Whether it be by taxi, bus, or train, Animal Crossing typically kicks off with the retired seafarer. But New Horizons didn’t feature Kapp’n at all; until now. Now you can have him take you on island tours via his little boat off your dock. Some of these islands are extremely rare and feature exclusive items. He also sings you a little song while you make the journey..

Gyroids

Gyroids have, once again, been a part of every Animal Crossing game until New Horizons. They are little singing things that can be placed like furniture. In New Horizons, you can find a fragment on Kapp’n’s islands, bury it, water it, and a gyroid will grow the next day. Or some may be buried on your island after a rainy day. While past versions of gyroids have been annoying, the New Horizon’s gyroids are adorable and delightful. In New Horizons, Brewster is an avid collector. You’ll even get a Brewster gyroid after drinking enough coffee.

Cooking / Farming

Cooking has also been added to the game, something entirely unique to New Horizons. You can purchase crop starts from Leif, start a farm, and then cook the produce you grow. This opens up a whole host of fun recipes, and you can gift your creations to your residents. Eating a meal will make your villager stronger for longer, the same effect eating fruit previously had.

Group Stretching

You can also host a group stretching event in the plaza. Random villagers and NPCs will join you. You can use your controllers to actually stretch with them, or use the joysticks if you’re stuck with a Lite or don’t feel like standing up.

Harv’s Island

Harv’s Island was previously… pretty useless. There was really nothing to do there aside from taking pictures, which is fun once. Now you can help him build an open-air Farmers Market/Commune. For 100,000 bells each, you can invite NPCs to set up a permanent shop. Among these are Leif, Redd, Kicks, Saharah, Reese, and Cyrus, who have all been seen in New Horizons. But it also introduces the return of Tortimer, the mayor from past games. (Who some fans theorized was dead until now). Harriet, a hairdresser who introduces a ton of new hairstyles to the game. And the fortune-teller Katrina. This expansion to Harv’s island is a huge resource.

You no longer have to wait for these NPCs to come to your island to purchase goods from them. It also opens up more customization for previously uncustomisable items. And it’s another goal to work towards after you pay off your home loans.

Ordinances

You can now issue Ordinances through Isabelle in the town hall. These include things like adding a Bell Boom so that you find more bells and goods are worth more, but things also cost more. Or the Beautiful Island ordinance, which will have your villagers pick up weeds and trash and will cause your flowers to grow faster. You can also issue that your villagers wake up earlier or go to bed later.

Happy Home Paradise

In addition to 2.0, a DLC was added to the Nintendo Store. Happy Home Paradise allows you to “get a job” building vacation homes. You report to your boss Lottie for work, alongside your coworkers Niko and Wardell. From there, you choose a character and build a home for them. They will give you a theme and some items they want to see in their home. You can also design facilities, like a cafe or school and assign characters to work in them. Using an amiibo card, you can also design homes for NPCs like Isabelle or Tom Nook, where you will have free reign over the design.

Happy Home Paradise also introduces partition walls which allow for more design options in your house. It also includes a lot of new furniture. When you’ve designed enough vacation homes, you are able to then redesign the houses on your island.

HHP adds a lot to the game. Animal Crossing’s flaw has always been that it gets too repetitive. HHP adds some flavour and a lot more to do. So even long after you’ve paid off your home loan and made your island pretty, you can still really engage with the game. It adds to and boosts life on the island, but also extends the world a bit. You can interact with more characters beyond just your residents and have more interaction with NPCs beyond purchasing goods from them.

Overall

All in all, the 2.0 update and Happy Home Paradise have elevated New Horizons. It makes the game feel new and adds what many fans have been asking for. While they are both great, it’s hard to shake the feeling that this all should have been included from the get-go like past versions of the game. After playing a skeleton of a game for a year, we now truly have a new Animal Crossing game.

Do you like Animal Crossing 2.0? Do you agree with our Animal Crossing review? Let us know in the comments below.

We compare Animal Crossing with Stardew Valley HERE.