Classic Games That Could Be Adapted Into Successful TV Series

In recent years, the game industry has produced some fantastic narrative-focused games. The positive reception of these stories has led to the adaptation of critically acclaimed video game franchises like "The Last of Us," "Fallout," and "Bioshock" by different streaming services. However, these productions might not have been greenlit if it wasn't for the success of previous adaptations such as Netflix's "Arcane" or "Castlevania," which received very positive reviews from critics and fans.

The first of these recent adaptations, "Castlevania," was based on a game released for the Nintendo Entertainment System back in 1989 — "Castlevania 3: Dracula's Curse." At that time, game developers had to deal with various technological limitations. As a result, the game has iconic imagery and music but almost no story. This provided writers with the freedom necessary to write a great plot while keeping the most memorable elements from the source material intact.

Following a similar approach could allow streaming services to successfully adapt classic titles, such as the unsettling alien labyrinths of "Metroid" or the hilariously absurd characters of "Maniac Mansion" into an engaging series. Producers could also take advantage of the atmospheric environments of the dystopian world of "Half-Life" or the epic story told in "Mafia." Here are some classic games that could be adapted into successful series.

In the early days of the NES, action games consisted of 2D avatars scrolling through levels filled with different types of enemies. However, one of the most important innovations at the time was the introduction of complex labyrinths the player had to explore to acquire more powerful equipment. "Metroid," the first game of this kind, tells the story of Samus, a skilled bounty hunter that has to infiltrate and destroy an alien base trying to weaponize a parasitic life form. The protagonist starts the story severely outnumbered, but by investigating the different chambers and collecting additional weaponry, she manages to defeat her powerful enemies and fulfill her mission.

A live-action adaptation could easily be pitched as a sort of "Die Hard" set in space. The original title has little to no story, but writers could draw inspiration from the numerous sequels that followed. That said, the "Metroid" franchise and, in particular, "Metroid: Other M," are infamous for their questionable narrative choices and performances, so it might be better if the potential showrunners take some liberties and don't follow the story too strictly. 

The original setting, in which Samus has to use both her intelligence and combat skills to overcome multiple challenges, should be enough to build an excellent sci-fi thriller around it. It also gives writers the opportunity to honor one of the first female protagonists in video game history.

A more traditional take on action games, the side-scrolling shooter "Contra" revolves around two commandos fighting an organization trying to destroy humanity. The protagonists' design was heavily inspired by contemporary action stars such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone, as they appeared in films like "Commando" and "Rambo: First Blood Part II" respectively. The pair needs to shoot their way through waves of soldiers armed with futuristic technology. However, it's eventually revealed that the organization is being controlled by creatures from another planet, which closely resemble the xenomorphs from the "Alien" franchise. The game is fast-paced, action-oriented, and unforgiving in regard to difficulty.

The objective of the game was not just to replicate the style of the classic action movies from the 1980s. Instead, the "Contra" franchise incorporates every element from these films, like armies of generic soldiers, heavy weaponry, alien monsters, and increasing numbers of enemies to ridiculous levels. As such, "Contra" might be better suited for an R-rated satirical adaptation in the same vein as "Tropic Thunder" or "The Suicide Squad" while also serving as a way to introduce new generations to the tropes of the 1980s action genre — not without a sense of irony.

"Doom" may be remembered as the game that popularized the first-person shooter genre, but it was also a wonderfully crafted action horror title. The original game puts the player in control of the last surviving member of a team of space marines exploring the Mars moon of Phobos, which is now infested with possessed soldiers and increasingly powerful demons. "Doom" was a scary game that relied on its otherworldly level, sound, and creature design to trigger a sense of dread in the player. At the same time, the exciting soundtrack — which at times sounds suspiciously similar to classic rock songs — kept the player motivated to move forward. Since its release in 1993, the series has been reimagined as both a survival horror and a straightforward action game, but a series could return the game to its atmospheric thriller roots.

The first thing writers trying to make a "Doom" series should do is forget everything they know about the terrible 2005 movie featuring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Apart from the experimental first-person perspective scene, the movie fails in almost every aspect, from the acting to the script. Perhaps the worst aspect of the entire project is that it has almost nothing to do with the game. A series that tries to adapt this material should probably take a more straightforward approach to recreate the most memorable environments and monsters from the series. If it manages to be as intriguing and scary as the original game was, the series would be a success among sci-fi horror enthusiasts, as well as fans of the original game and its more recent releases.

After the release of consoles like the Playstation and the Nintendo 64, the gaming landscape changed considerably. Video game companies began to abandon the concept of 2D titles and focused on developing games that took advantage of 3D graphics. This time of innovation saw the release of the first 3D platformers and fighting games. Interestingly enough, one of the genres that took advantage of both the capabilities and limitations of the technology was stealth games.

"Tenchu," for example, revolved around different missions in which the player had to remain hidden from enemies until they reached their target. The game told the story of Rikimaru, a ninja assassin with a strict code of honor but also outdated worldviews. While the game's story doesn't put too much focus on this last aspect, a live-action adaptation could be an excellent way to deconstruct the antihero trope. It would also allow viewers to explore the culture of feudal Japan and its mythology as the protagonist's mission evolves from assassinating corrupted politicians to slowly uncovering a nefarious plan involving demonic entities.

"Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver" tells the story of Raziel, who is betrayed and apparently killed by his king, a powerful vampire named Kain. Raziel awakes hundreds of years later, transformed into a wraith that has to consume the souls of his enemies to survive while also being able to visit both the real world and the spectral realm. Through the eyes of Raziel, the player explores a world that has seen vampires mutate into unrecognizable monsters, still in a fight for survival with humans. The gothic-fantasy world of "Soul Reaver" can be at times both fascinating and gruesome while still telling a compelling story of revenge.

An adaptation of "Soul Reaver," whether it's a live-action series or an animated production, should take advantage of the uncanniness of its world and, most importantly, the strange creatures that populate it. Whether Raziel is in the physical or the spirit world, he's constantly encountering unsettling creatures that can't be easily defeated, despite his newly acquired abilities and the powerful sword that gives the game its title. 

The eerie tale could become an amazing series in the hands of a director like Guillermo Del Toro, although showrunners like the Duffer brothers have already proven with "Stranger Things" that they can tell engaging stories set in terrifying parallel worlds.

As one of the most successful gaming franchises of all time, "Call of Duty" has changed considerably since the early 2000s. Initially, the game focused on using the first-person perspective as well as the clever use of environmental action and sound design to immerse players into the crude reality of the battlefield during World War 2. The recreation of the Battle of Stalingrad alone, for example, is a masterclass in video game storytelling and immersion, despite the considerable limitations of the era. This sequence helped make the original "Call of Duty" one of the most memorable first-person shooters ever, but the game goes beyond that and follows the Soviet, American, and British campaigns until the climactic ending of the war when the victory banner was placed in the Reichstag building in Berlin.

World War 2 dramas are often depicted in film and TV. Having said that, Hollywood has an excellent record in regards to telling stories set in this period. Movies like "Saving Private Ryan" or "Fury" and TV series like "Band of Brothers" have managed to depict the reality of war in a realistic manner while still offering an engaging story and powerful themes. 

Retelling the story of the first "Call of Duty" game and adopting its immersive cinematic style could allow audiences to experience one of the most intense TV dramas in recent years. It would also be an excellent opportunity for a reunion between Jason Statham and Giovanni Ribisi, who provided the voices for the protagonists during the development of the original game.