Though video game movie adaptations are nothing new, few studios have successfully managed to develop worthwhile titles based on popular horror films. Blair Witch may finally be getting a game of its own on August 30, but a lot of other properties are overdue for the treatment. The following are some horror movie games we want to see that should, ironically, see the light of day.
Horror Movie Games We Want | 30 Days of Night
For some reason, vampires aren’t featured a lot in modern video games. An adaptation of 30 Days of Night could help fill the void, tasking players to survive in the remote town of Barrow, Alaska as dozens of blood-suckers look for prey. The title could countdown to the very last day, assigning fans objectives as the month-long polar night continues. A developer experienced with programming advanced enemy AI should take on the project, as the property’s vampires are known for their animal behaviors. This could have a direct effect on gameplay, as players must avoid leaving footprints in the snow or triggering loud noises. Suffice it to say, a 30 Days of Night video game can push the survival horror genre forward thanks to its unique setting and creatures.
ALSO: Blair Witch gameplay trailer revives the horror of found footage
Horror Movie Games We Want | Train to Busan
As its name suggests, Train to Busan sees a group of passengers try to survive aboard a moving train as a zombie outbreak begins across South Korea. While there are plenty of zombie games out there, an adaptation of this film could set itself apart by forcing players to deal with the living dead up close. They must find ways to move forward inside and outside the vehicle and must do so within a set amount of time before the ravenous mass of corpses breaks through the train car barriers. Though traditional horde sections could appear when the party arrives at stations, the game should mostly challenge fans with its tight corridors and unrelenting foes. Seeing as how a sequel to the film is currently in the works, a video game tie-in makes sense within the next couple of years.
Horror Movie Games We Want | Tremors
Classic comedy-horror film Tremors takes place in an isolated mining facility in the middle of Nevada. As the settlement’s inhabitants are eaten one-by-one by gigantic worms that reside deep below the Earth’s surface, they try to figure out ways to avoid walking on solid ground. A video game adaptation could borrow from both the puzzle and first-person shooter genres. As players reach new areas, they have to craft platforms to walk across or poles to vault long distances. If sprinting is one’s only option, they should have a seismograph, shotgun, and plenty of bullets in their arsenal. A Tremors title has potential to be both intelligent and action-packed should the developer behind it find the right balance.
Horror Movie Games We Want| The Babadook
The Babadook is excellently suited for a P.T.-style video game adaptation at some point. The film sees a mother and her son deal with a series of strange events after reading a pop-up storybook called Mister Babadook. Seeing as how the movie mostly revolves around the child’s hysteria, the game could be told from his point of view. Images of the titular monster could manifest on television screens. Doors could open and close for no reason. Turning around too fast could trigger a seizure, as the top hat-wearing creature could be looming above. A Babadook video game doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel. It just needs to recapture the same magic that made the movie a modern day horror classic.
Horror Movie Games We Want| Killer Klowns from Outer Space
Killer Klowns from Outer Space is silly, weird, and legitimately horrifying, which is why it needs to be adapted into a video game. The title could be a multiplayer-only title that tasks fans with harvesting as many human beings as possible within a set amount of time. Weapons could include the popcorn gun, cotton candy ray guns, and balloon animals. Rivals could sabotage each other by snacking on their human candy stashes when they’re not looking, and circus tents and ice cream trucks could serve as base areas where players could upgrade their fun gear. With Syfy making a sequel soon, a Killer Klowns from Outer Space game seems obvious.
Horror Movie Games We Want | The Purge
It’s strange that a game based off The Purge hasn’t been made yet, as the film franchise’s premise would translate well. Players could be given a vast sandbox to run amok in. They’ll start off with nothing, but will gradually choose whether they’d like to wreak havoc or uphold justice as they witness more atrocities and gain more experience. They could steal, maim, and murder whomever they want within a 12-hour period or try to save as many people as they can before the sun comes up the following day. Of course, fans should be able to don customizable masks if they choose to give in to the chaos. If it sounds like it could be a battle royale, it’s because it easily could.
Now that gaming has become one of the most popular forms of entertainment globally, it makes sense for filmmakers to work in tandem with developers to deliver experiences that are similar to what audiences witness in theaters. Surviving the annual Purge with nothing but a baseball bat or figuring out how to defeat a zombie horde in the middle of winter could prove to be just as frightening in the digital world as it is on the big screen. Blair Witch may be the first of many horror movie adaptations to come. Let’s hope that they’re all scary in a good way.
