Now that Fallout has been released on Amazon Prime and has very quickly earned itself a spot on the list of all-time great video game adaptations, we’re going to break down the 10 best games that deserve TV show adaptations.
10 best video games that should receive TV show adaptations
Helldivers
With the success of Helldivers 2, I truly believe that the Helldivers universe could be a great setting for a TV show. It would also be the type of show where nobody would have to play the games first to understand what’s going on.
Imagine the Helldivers show as a dark political comedy with tons of gorey action that would still touch on some serious topics that the games highlight but don’t go into heavy detail on. I could see Amazon Prime be a perfect candidate for a Helldivers show. Would it just be Starship Troopers? Yes. Is that a bad thing? No.
Tomb Raider
While we’ve already had a bunch of Tomb Raider movies, none of them have been stellar. I think that a brand new Lara Croft narrative could shine in the setting of a TV show instead of a movie. Movies can rush the plot, while TV shows can take their time with the story and action.
It would be a nice break from the onslaught of Tomb Raider movies we’ve already witnessed, and perhaps dive deeper into Lara Croft as a character.
Metro
From Metro 2033 to Metro Exodus, there are tons of incredible games in the Metro series that could easily become a hit TV show. It’s also one of those game universes that could mold itself into a TV show format as a suspenseful action show.
Metro’s universe began as a book and has already created a plethora of video game narratives, so why not try a TV show story? The post-apocalyptic genre is huge right now, and Metro would be a perfect addition.
The Elder Scrolls
Although Todd Howard recently stated that Bethesda has no plans to bring an Elder Scrolls TV show to light, that won’t stop me from dreaming. I don’t believe it could be an adaptation of an already-realized story, it would have to be its own separate thing due to how open-ended The Elder Scrolls campaigns can be.
Seeing as we create our own protagonist we’d have to watch a whole new story and hopefully come to like these unknown characters, but the Fallout show did this incredibly well. While it seems like we won’t be getting one in the future, it would still be a cool concept.
Monster Hunter
Imagine if we got a Monster Hunter TV show with a high CGI budget, wouldn’t that be incredible? Or perhaps an animated TV show would work nicely for this Capcom title. The Monster Hunter universe could easily be used for a show and it would be exhilarating to watch the action scenes.
Since the Monster Hunter movie didn’t do well, I think it deserves a shot at being a TV series. I would prefer it to be animated, and possibly published by Netflix or Amazon Prime, but since Capcom is working on Monster Hunter Wilds currently this probably won’t happen for a while.
Red Dead Redemption
We haven’t received a decent western TV show in a long time, so I could see Red Dead Redemption as a TV series being a delight. Imagine an action-packed western cowboy adventure with some new and familiar characters.
With how popular the Red Dead Redemption IP is, I could easily see RDR as either a live-action or animated series. There’s an endless potential with that franchise and the fans would probably be eager for anything RDR related.
Baldur’s Gate
Yes, I know this will probably never happen. No, I will not give up hope. While I adored the Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves movie, I don’t think Baldur’s Gate could work as a live-action.
I could see Baldur’s Gate shine as an animated TV series but not as an adaptation of BG3. It would have to be its separate tale somehow involving the city of Baldur’s Gate but with a new group of characters. That doesn’t mean we couldn’t see glimpses of familiar Baldur’s Gate characters though.
Hades
Now, hear me out. We know how incredible the animation and art style is for the Hades game, and we also know Hades 2 is coming soon. But could you imagine Hades as an animated TV series?
I could see it working as an adaptation of the game or as its own story, but it would work best as an animation of the first game. Nevertheless, I just want to watch a whole show in this art style and universe.
Overwatch
We know how talented the animators at Blizzard are due to all the marvelous animated shorts it has released for Overwatch. So now imagine Overwatch as a TV series with that same animation style done by Blizzard themselves.
With how deep the lore is of that universe and how many characters are available to write about, an Overwatch TV show could be entertaining and exciting to watch. I’m surprised Blizzard has yet to turn any of their animated shorts into full-fledged shows.
Life is Strange
Perhaps this is a strange pick (pun intended), but the down-to-earth and touching narratives of all the Life is Strange games could easily be made into a TV series. It could work in either live-action or animation too.
I wouldn’t want it to be an adaptation of a story we’ve already witnessed. Since each Life is Strange game typically has a brand new story and set of characters, a Life is Strange TV show with a main character who has a unique power could be intriguing.
While this list of games that deserve TV show adaptations may be different from your personal list, hopefully, you agree with a few of my picks. Speaking of lists, you may also have a list in your mind of the best video game OSTs of the modern era, just like I do.
