Netflix is looking to be the future for television and video game adaptations.
It’s widely regarded that movie adaptations of video games generally suck. That’s not to say that there isn’t some fun out there – especially the 90’s renaissance of ‘so bad they’re good’ movies, which embraced the likes of Mortal Kombat and Super Mario Bros.
It’s hard to pack a dense narrative into a two hour motion picture, and the majority seem to stick to that rule.
With television streaming becoming increasingly popular every year, the walls between video games and other forms of media are breaking. Netflix has introduced us to immensely well-crafted shows, such as the adaptation of Castlevania, and our hearts will always have a fond space for Saturday morning serials such as Sonic the Hedgehog.
Although it’s not directly based on the games, The Witcher is a new direction for blending forms of media. It may be inspired by the books, but there’s no doubt that it’s gaming popularity has been a catalyst that’s ignited the fire.
It also got me thinking, what other games would benefit from the Netflix treatment, gathering the respect and time they deserve?
Mass Effect
With big-budget space operas such as Star Trek: Discovery and Lost In Space dominating the market, it only seems fair that one of the widely regarded greatest science-fiction games, Mass Effect, should be adapted. More specifically, the story of Mass Effect 2, which is a planet hopping adventure built upon friendships, adventure and loss.
In a post-Firefly world, it seems only necessary that an adaptation of the Mass Effect universe should be in the works. From the tightly crafted lore the games have introduced us to, there’s plenty to create an ongoing serial adventure, with an underlying narrative arch that builds to a conclusion.
Mass Effect is known for the connections you build among your crew, by engaging in conversations and completing loyalty missions.
A film could never pack all that attention into a constrained narrative, whereas a Netflix series could provide the franchise the space to breathe and give fans a true in-depth look at the world of Mass Effect. Oh, and it would be super pretty to look at.