Welcome to Tues Your Own Adventure! Join Jules and James as they take a look at video games that should have been movies! From home cinema to the silver screen. #TuesYourOwnAdventure
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00:00Hello all of you little demons, Jules here for WhatCulture.com, back again with another
00:04episode of the awesomely named and awfully hosted Choose Your Own Adventure, the weekly
00:09medieval themed format where I, the crown jewels of WhatCulture.com, take a list chosen
00:13by you.
00:14Yes, you, the person who is just looking so god damn beautiful today that I had to stop
00:18this video and mention it.
00:20Ah, you look good mate.
00:22Yes, you get to decide what list I dole out to you each and every week, and this week
00:26we have none other to thank than Easy Logic for their suggestion of video games that play
00:35kinda like movies.
00:36Now, obviously I've done my usual YouTube twisteroo on the subject, and I've come up
00:40with a good idea of video games that should have been movies, because after all, with
00:45the Sonic 2 movie that's doing the rounds at the moment, what better time is there to
00:49celebrate the beautiful marriage between video games and cinema.
00:53Oh god, they're about to intersect.
00:54James, cut away!
00:55We can't show this!
00:56As video game budgets balloon to almost Mr. Creosote levels in the current day and age,
01:00so too do their ambitions.
01:03As time has moved on, many a video game has mined deep into the realm of the cinematic
01:07in the hopes of being seen as art alongside their silver screen counterpart.
01:12But with so many video games taking a step forward towards this cinematic approach, there
01:16comes a point where you have to throw your hands up in the air and say, well why weren't
01:19you just a bloody film?
01:21So let's take a look at them as I'm Jules, this is WhatCulture.com, and these are 8 video
01:25games that should have been films.
01:26And before anyone says anything about my thoughts on these games, maybe inferring that these
01:30games are bad, I'm not saying that at all, I'm just saying that maybe the medium could
01:33have been different and could have been better for the game and the franchise overall.
01:37But you know what?
01:38Let's get on with this list, you know the drill by now, say hi to me here in the live
01:41chat and let's get on with it.
01:43Number 8.
01:44L.A. Noire
01:45With Team Bondi sinking a sizable portion of their budget into their facial capture
01:49technology which would allow players to see the lie, a lot was riding on L.A. Noire, a
01:55lot of pressure was on them to deliver the crime-capered goods.
01:58And in that one area, that one facial recognition area, they definitely succeeded.
02:03But the rest of the game?
02:07Because while looking for facial tics and sweaty brows was a novel and interesting feature,
02:12the rest of the title did feel like it was dragging a heavy load to keep pace, as the
02:16gunfights often felt clunky and the very world around you felt empty and devoid of
02:20anything truly interesting to do.
02:22This is an almighty shame, because the tale on show here really is one for the ages, and
02:27one that fits perfectly with the noir film genre.
02:30It's got everything, corrupt cops, scandals, murders, and of course, betrayal and a very
02:36depressing dour ending.
02:38But unfortunately, all of that was set to the backdrop of driving 50 miles an hour around
02:42Cardbox City.
02:43Ooh, Delali, I love this, this is great, great fun.
02:48I mean, come on guys, you actually hired actors for this game and then painstakingly digitised
02:52them, so why not use the exact same cast and shoot a big budget movie instead?
02:57And likely, you wouldn't have had a massive fallout with Rockstar and had to deal with
03:00their crunch culture.
03:01So yeah, making L.A. Noire into a film probably would have been better for everyone involved.
03:057.
03:06F-Zero Climax
03:08So I know what you're thinking to yourself by now, James, that why the hell would you
03:12choose F-Zero Climax to turn into a movie?
03:15Surely this game's story is about as deep as space cars go zoom zoom, right?
03:20Well wrong, James, you idiot!
03:22I'm sick and tired of you trying to interrupt me on these things, I'm sick and tired of
03:25it, Jazz, don't even try and get involved.
03:26I'm sorry, Jazz, I apologise, James, that was a bit out of line.
03:29But yes, the point still stands that Jules, you're an idiot, why are you talking about
03:32this game, you small-eyed toad?
03:34Well the joke is on you, my friend, because actually my eyes are normal sized, it's just
03:38that my head is absolutely massive.
03:40I mean, look at it.
03:41And secondly, because deep within this pixelated handheld game is a story worth telling on
03:46the big screen.
03:47Plus, I mean, let's face it, F-Zero Climax is the weakest game in this franchise, but
03:52only because of the fact that every other entry into the franchise is an absolute banger,
03:56and plus plus because the world needs more F-Zero.
03:59So come on, gimme this.
04:00So the story in question centres on a brand new cast of characters, one of which is Rick
04:05Wheeler, who admittedly debuted in the prior GB game, but truly takes centre stage here
04:10as he dons the mantle of the new Captain Falcon.
04:13This moment could provide the entire drive of the movie, seeing Rick grow up watching
04:17the original Captain as a kid, mastering racing himself, and then finally continuing on the
04:22Captain's legacy.
04:23Plus plus plus, tell me that I'm wrong here, if this took any notes out of the absolutely
04:29almighty masterclass film that is Redline, then you would have an animated film that
04:34would do absolute gangbusters, look utterly amazing, and feel as fast as it did on the
04:39silver screen as it does on your little handheld game device.
04:436.
04:44Afro Samurai 2 Revenge of Kuma
04:46Ah, this game, eh?
04:48What a f***ing disasterpiece.
04:50So for those of you not in the know, and quite possibly for those now looking for a copy
04:54of this game, seeing as the IP that it's based on is quite literally the coolest thing
04:58going, Afro Samurai 2 Revenge of Kuma was a title so unanimously hated by critics and
05:03fans that the devs out and out apologised for its existence before then deleting digital
05:08copies of it from every single storefront possible.
05:11Yes, it was that bad, and yes, I have played it.
05:14However, what truly sucked about the entire experience was that there was actually a brilliant
05:19story here, yet was just one so covered in total and utter horses***.
05:24The narrative picks up after the first season, with Kuma seeking revenge against Afro.
05:29His hatred for the titular character stems from the fact that Afro killed the Pair's
05:33master in order to take the number 2 headband from him in order to challenge the number
05:371 and avenge his father.
05:39This tale of revenge fits beautifully next to the wider, cyclical nature of violence
05:43that Afro finds himself in, and to have to murder his childhood friend not once, but
05:47twice is one that would make for a tragic and emotional tale in equal measure.
05:52As a film sitting alongside the other animated media in the franchise, it would have allowed
05:56fans another opportunity to delve into the cyber-Wild West style of this IP.
06:01Instead we just got a lukewarm dollop of nothingness slammed on a plate that tasted like what could
06:06have been.
06:07Ah.
06:085.
06:09Mega Man Legends
06:10Now, I won't lie to you here, the only reason that I'm really putting Mega Man Legends
06:14on this list is because of the fact that I want more people to know that Mega Man Legends
06:18exists because it is a game that makes me say, hoo boy, unironically.
06:23It was a real break from the Mega Man formula, came with a beautiful new coat of paint and
06:27tried to push forward in new and innovative ways.
06:31So of course, it died a commercial death.
06:34Oh, the two-thumbs seal of approval is back, yay, off, off.
06:38Only this is on a bad thing.
06:39Wait, get down.
06:40Now, before I bemoan that this game was a gem that was unfairly buried, there is one
06:44point of contention that many had with this title that I do have to concede didn't help
06:48in the slightest.
06:49The bloody camera controls.
06:52In a world of ropey, slippery and clipping camera angles, Mega Man Legends sits right
06:57up there with Drake of the 99 Dragons.
07:00And I did not need to think about Drake and the 99 Dragons.
07:03And for many, this was the sledgehammer that broke the camel's back, meaning that they
07:06never truly got to immerse themselves into this charming world.
07:09Now, as a film, this would obviously remedy this key issue while also allowing us more
07:14time to get to know the wonderful cast of villains in the form of the Bond family and
07:18allow for kid-friendly action to play out on the big screen, which you just know that
07:22fans would eat up.
07:23And here's the big twist of this list, the evil finger temple of doom as it were.
07:28I'm not saying that these games here should just be turned into films and then never be
07:31made into video games, because what would happen here in this alternate reality is that
07:36Mega Man Legends the film would go on to massive critical acclaim and then you'd make a video
07:41game about it and people would be ready for the dynamic switching gameplay.
07:45And thus it would sell gangbusters.
07:47That's right, Jules, I've saved the industry once more.
07:49Huzzah!
07:50And now I fly away.
07:51Whee!
07:524.
07:53Anything by David Cage
07:55Okay, so let's be honest here.
07:56David Cage is a man who is clearly just trapped in the wrong industry, because whatever project
08:01that he puts out always seems to come with the underlying message of please, for the
08:04love of God, let me make a film.
08:07I say this because all of his projects possess a cinematic focus which often comes at the
08:11detriment of any actual gameplay.
08:13I mean, think about it.
08:14At most, in titles like Heavy Rain or Beyond Two Souls, all you really do is move a character
08:19from one space to another, and any action within is presented in QTE form.
08:23It's just a series of decisions taking you from one admittedly beautifully created set
08:28piece to another, and when the term plays like a movie is often thrown about with these
08:32projects, that is a clear sign that maybe somebody should just give him an actual camera
08:36and crew to work with.
08:37Now, this isn't to slight the games in question, but you have to admit that the air quotes
08:41gameplay of these titles is so minimal and sometimes feels so tacked on that it can sometimes
08:46take away from the stories being told, especially when they're used to pad out the runtime.
08:50I mean, is there any wonder that the terms full movie are amongst the highest searched
08:55things when it comes to his projects?
08:56People just want to see what it is, and that is a movie.
08:593.
09:00Death Stranding
09:01Okay, okay, okay.
09:02So hear me out on this one.
09:03I actually quite like what Death Stranding is and what Hideo Kojima was trying to do
09:08with this project, but I definitely think that this should be a film, because it would
09:13mean that he would have to tell a f***ing story more concisely.
09:16I mean, come on.
09:17Did we really need a two-hour cutscene at the end of the game?
09:21That is a literal movie in itself, and the repetitive missions in the third act really
09:25did feel like things were being phoned in somewhat.
09:28So what about we take this massive whale, cut out all the blubber and fashion a two,
09:33maybe three-hour movie, but that's it Hideo, you go on any longer and we're coming after
09:36you, and use all of the wonderful characters and the rich world that's being created
09:40to tell a more focused tale.
09:42And all the pieces are there as well.
09:44A man looking to rebuild humanity, an ever-present threat of very explosive death, and giant
09:49BTs that could make for entrancing set pieces.
09:52Chuck in your baby buddy cop pal and you've got a movie with heart, danger, and also wouldn't
09:58overstay its welcome by about ten hours.
10:012.
10:02Lost Odyssey
10:03So, after completing Lost Odyssey on the Xbox 360, I sat back and exhaled deeply before
10:08commenting, well that was the most fun I've ever had with such a boring game.
10:13And you know what, that is true, because at its core Lost Odyssey has a great story to
10:17tell, but does so in the most padded and bland way possible.
10:20With endless reams of dialogue repeating the same story points over and over, plus
10:25enough filler to make some Naruto arcs feel concise, Lost Odyssey dragged itself out for
10:29at least ten hours more than it should have.
10:32Now I get that JRPGs are usually a long-form storytelling format, but there were so many
10:36moments where you could just feel that all the gameplay department had to work on from
10:40the writing team was apathetic shrug for two hours that was written on a post-it note.
10:46The combat system might have been nicely conceived, but it was relied upon too much to the point
10:50where battling felt like a chore come the end of the game.
10:54Now on the big screen, this tale of amnesiac, immortal heroes of corrupted civilisations
10:59and of course mighty monsters probably would have done pretty well, but on the 360 all
11:04it really felt like was, we've got Final Fantasy at home.
11:08Big bang of energy like that.
11:10Nobody wants that.
11:11At number one, We Happy Few
11:13Now before I tear this game apart, I do have to concede the fact that a lot of tweaks and
11:18patches and the expansive DLC that was added to this game post-launch have made We Happy
11:23Few into a very enjoyable world to explore, but when it came to its launch, there was
11:27only one word to describe this game, and that was...
11:31Disappointing.
11:33The disconnect between the outstanding setting of a pilled-up, swinging 60s Britain clashed
11:38incredibly hard with the tried, tested and let's face it, boring survival and stealth
11:43driving mechanics, which is such a shame because the lead-in marketing for this game had me
11:47falling in love with the style and eerie tones.
11:50It was like the big book of Bioshock being read to me by a cockney, alright guvna, let
11:55me tell you about Rapture.
11:57There's also a great story at play here too, with our hero Arthur trying to find out
12:01what happened to his brother and indeed the world around him, and the flashes between
12:05what those see on the drug Joy versus their reality could have been used to great effect
12:09in a film as it was one of the few factors that really worked in the game.
12:13It's just a shame then that the actual gameplay of We Happy Few just sapped the very Joy out
12:18of the experience, and it was so janky in places that many didn't even finish it.
12:23So yeah, this definitely should be a film, because there is a great story to tell here.
12:27And there we go my friends, those were 8 video games that should have been movies, I hope
12:32that you enjoyed that, and please let me know what you thought about it down in the comments
12:35section below, as well as your suggestions for next week's episode as I would love to
12:39hear from you all.
12:40If you want to chat to me in the meantime, you can go over to Twitter and type in at
12:43RetroJ but the O is a zero, and you'll find your lovely Egg Daddy over here, or you can
12:50swing by Liv and Let's Dice, that's me spelling it out again, completely wrong, where I do
12:54all of my board game content.
12:56But before I go, I just want to say one thing, I hope that you are treating yourself well
12:59my friend, because much like the movies, Alien Ant Farm reference, you are the true star of
13:04the show here and you deserve love, happiness and success.
13:08This is not a tragedy my friend, this is going to be a happy ending for everyone involved
13:13because you are a big ledge and you deserve all the good things in life, don't let anything
13:17or anyone else tell you otherwise alright, go out there and smash your life goals today
13:21because I believe in you and you need to believe in yourself as well.
13:24As always I've been Jules, you have been awesome, massive love as always to James Dowse for
13:28his editing work, and we'll see you soon my friends, peace.