Translating one form of storytelling into another from film to television to radio can be a tricky process, as the strengths of one form may conflict with the strengths of another.

Video games’ most distinct quality is interaction. Sure, a game may introduce cinematic qualities or use exemplary artistic features to enhance its presentation, but most people don’t pay hundreds of dollars to watch cut-scenes. 

When a person sits down and plays a video game, their actions and choices affect gameplay. The medium gives feedback to the one who enjoys it, while a movie is static and has only one outcome.

Thus, an issue arises when adapting video games into movies that attempt to stay true to the original storyline. If that interactivity is taken away, then all the game has to give in regards to the movie is whatever plot elements it had or ancillary features around it.

Even then, games have a greater amount of content to go through, so the pacing of events may be unrealistic when trying to fit all of it into one single movie. 

Thus, a lot is watered down in order to make the movie watchable but relatively disappointing in comparison to the source material. This can be seen with movies like “Resident Evil” that did not take advantage of the game’s already overarching plot, instead focusing on a new narrative.

Movies like “Tomb Raider” or the upcoming “Uncharted” movie are trying to fill the niche that “Indiana Jones” has left.

There’s also another style of movie that takes inspiration from video games themselves like “Pixels,” “Ready Player One” and “Free Guy.” They borrow elements from the experience of video games and try to build a movie around that by relying solely on references.

Here is where a more promising movie experience can emerge in movies like “Hardcore Henry” that bring a literal and metaphorical new perspective to the idea of adapting games into movies. 

“Hardcore Henry,” is an action movie that takes place entirely from the first-person point of view of what the titular character sees. This blends the techniques of movies into an experience unlike many and plays with both medium’s strengths.

Ultimately, whether it is the mixing of both games and movies to create a new product or a new structure being given to familiar concepts from games, there must be something that can add or change the source material.

Source: https://www.bradleyscout.com/voice/medium-confidence-adapting-video-games-into-movies/

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