No matter how much the gaming industry changes, horror games will always remain constant. Thanks to the success of 2023’s Five Nights at Freddy’s, many popular video game franchises are in talks to be adapted into a movie or a TV show.
While some video games would certainly be entertaining to watch as a movie/TV show, some fan-favorite games just can’t be adapted. Playing the game and watching an adaptation are two completely different experiences and some of these games would not be as exciting as they are if adapted into a movie/TV show.
Here is a list of 3 horror games that should be/ should not be adapted into a movie/TV show – ranked:
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1) Should be adapted: Outlast
Outlast is a classic horror video game that has dominated the industry for roughly 10 years now. The game focuses on a freelance investigative journalist, Miles Upshur, who decides to investigate a remote psychiatric hospital named Mount Massive Asylum, located deep in the mountains of Lake County, Colorado. A live-action adaptation of the game would certainly be a massive hit if executed properly.
2) Should not be adapted: SCP: Containment Breach
SCP: Containment Breach is certainly a spine-chilling video game but a live-action adaptation would most probably butcher the video game. In the game, the player is imprisoned in an underground testing facility devoted to containing and studying anomalous entities and artifacts known as SCPs. Without a proper dedicated director, extensive CGI use would ruin the project.
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3) Should be adapted: Alan Wake
2010’s Alan Wake will always stand as one of the most intriguing horror games of all time. One of the main reasons behind its success is its story, which focuses on crime thriller novelist Alan Wake as he tries to uncover the mystery behind his wife’s disappearance during a vacation in the small fictional town of Bright Falls, Washington, all while experiencing events from the plot in his latest novel, which he does not remember writing. A live-action adaptation of this story would certainly be exciting to watch for fans of the horror genre.
4) Should not be adapted: Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Amnesia: The Dark Descent is widely praised for being one of the best horror video games of all time. The game narrates the story of Daniel who is exploring a dark and foreboding castle called Brennenburg while trying to maintain his sanity by avoiding monsters and unsettling events. The game is exciting to play, but it is hard to say if a live-action adaptation would work. With a creepy horror atmosphere, the experience of the game makes it much more exciting, but there is no guarantee that a movie/TV show would give the same experience.
5) Should be adapted: Until Dawn
Until Dawn was praised for its butterfly effect system in which players must make choices that may change the story. Now, if this show gets a live-action adaptation, the creators must pick up the most thrilling storyline to make sure it performs well.
As a gamer, one must control eight young adults who have to survive on Blackwood Mountain when their lives are threatened. With proper casting and well-execution, a live-action adaptation of Until Dawn could be successful.
6) Should not be adapted: Resident Evil 4
The original Resident Evil 4 from 2005 is such an iconic video game that a remake was released in 2023. Although the story of the game has a lot of potential, it is risky. For many gamers, this game has remained the best survival horror game for many years but will it provide the same thrill when it gets a live-action adaptation? It’s always better to not touch something that is already perfect.
