Playtime Is Over: Six Horror Video Games that Need a Film Adaptation Already
Audiences will finally be able to step into the nerve-shredding world of The Mortuary Assistant when it lands in theaters this Friday the 13th from Epic Pictures and Dread. A big-screen adaptation of the popular DreadXP title, it got me thinking…what other horror video games are in desperate need of the theatrical treatment?
Feature adaptations of games used to be a lot more sparse, but recent years have seen an explosion of such titles. This year alone will or has already seen the release ofThe Mortuary Assistant, Iron Lung (read my review), Exit 8, Mortal Kombat II, a new Resident Evil, and Return to Silent Hill. Considering the surprising success of Iron Lung, studios may want to consider turning their attention to what the space has to offer.
Below, you’ll find six horror video games with the potential to make a scream at the box office. Playtime is over. These need to happen already.
Bioshock
I’m beating a long-dead horse with this one. But considering audiences have been clamoring for an adaptation since the release of Bioshock in 2007 by 2K, it’s on this list until it happens. The legendary first-person shooter follows Jack, a man who stumbles on an underwater city dubbed Rapture. Created to be a utopia, the discovery of ADAM, a genetic material that grants superhuman powers, has led to the city’s downfall. Left behind are mutated citizens and mechanical monsters that Jack must fight through to escape.
The story delivers an aquatic horror nightmare, packed with stunning imagery and fearsome foes, including the Big Daddies, armed with drills for hands. Gore Verbinski (The Ring) was in talks to adapt back in 2008, but Universal wasn’t interested in meeting the required budget for an R-rated film. Francis Lawrence (Constantine) came on board to direct a take with a smaller scope for Netflix. As far as I know, that project is still happening. But I’m not holding my breath.
Clock Tower
The forefather of survival horror games, Human Entertainment’s Clock Tower arrived in 1995. It revolves around an orphan named Jennifer Simpson who is adopted by the Barrows family. Once she arrives at the Barrows manor, she discovers a hideous killer dubbed The Scissorman (on account of the fact that he carries around an enormous pair of scissors). Jennifer must escape the manor, all while avoiding the blades of the sinister madman.
The game features heavy influence from the works of Dario Argento, in particular, Phenomena. Director Hifumi Kono sought to pay homage to the Italian master of horror through the use of color and overall old-school vibe. If you were to put the Scissorman on the big screen, chasing victims with his absurdly oversized (and terrifying) scissors, I have no doubt he’d become an instant icon. A Clock Tower adaptation has been rumored for decades, but nothing has been cut from the cloth of those rumors just yet.
Dead Space
The other horse corpse on this list that gamers can’t stop beating (myself included). Published by EA in 2008, Dead Space follows engineer Isaac Clarke. He travels to the ship Ishimura to discover what has happened to his girlfriend, Nicole. After crash-landing, Isaac learns that the crew has been transformed into nasty creatures dubbed Necromorphs after discovering an alien object referred to as the Red Marker. Armed with his maintenance knowledge and trusty plasma-cutter, Isaac must make his way through the ship to find out what happened to his love.
An industrialized setting. Dark hallways. Alien creatures. Dead Space has often been described as a blend of Alien and John Carpenter’s The Thing. Speaking of, Carpenter has alluded to an interest in adapting Dead Space. At this time, nothing has been confirmed. But if there’s any project I’d love to see pull the master of horror back into the directing chair, it’s this one.
Outlast
Outlast was the first horror game that made me feel like my heart was going to burst from my chest and run away screaming. The 2013 Red Barrels title centers on freelance investigative journalist Miles Upshur. He decides to investigate Mount Massive Asylum after an anonymous tip regarding inhuman experiments. Once there, he discovers the mutilated bodies of the staff and learns that mutated inmates dubbed “variants” roam the halls. Equipped with nothing but a camcorder, Miles must find a way out before he meets the same end.
The nerve-shredding terror of Outlast comes from the fact that players do not have a weapon to fight back. Instead, you must make your way through dark halls with nothing but the night-vision setting on your camcorder to guide you. That means a whole lot of running and hiding from villains hellbent on tearing you apart. As of 2024, an adaptation was announced by Lionsgate with J.T. Petty (The Burrowers) attached to write. But, like anything else on this list, it isn’t real until it’s up there on the big screen scaring the shit out of me.
Soma
Aquatic horror terrifies me. And if you’re the same, know that Soma intends on drowning you in that fear. Released in 2015 by Frictional Games, the story finds Simon Jarrett in an underwater remote research facility. There under mysterious circumstances, he discovers machinery exhibiting human characteristics and personality. Simon sets out to uncover the secrets of the facility, hunted by the strange robots.
Soma forces players into the abyss with a sense that they are always being watched. It’s an indie horror masterpiece ripe for adaptation. After all, artificial intelligence has since become a hot topic in the genre…a subject that Soma nails the terror of. As far as I’m aware, an adaptation isn’t currently in the works. But, considering both the popularity and timeliness of the game, it should (hopefully) be only a matter of time.
Zombies Ate My Neighbors
The title of this one alone would sell tickets. And it’s exactly as fun as it sounds. Published in 1993 by Konami, the run-and-gun classic follows a pair of kids who rescue their neighborhood from hordes of monsters after mad scientist Dr. Tongue unleashes them on unsuspecting citizens. Said horde features everything from zombies to chainsaw-wielding psychos and giant babies. Yes, giant babies.
Considering the lack of story, various monsters, and overall silliness, Zombies Ate My Neighbors is one of those that could either be amazing or a complete disaster. But the potential payoff for a retro creature feature with a Return of the Living Dead meets Monster Squad attitude is too exciting to ignore. A live-action film adaptation was reported to be in development back in 2011, with John Darko handling writing duties. Fifteen years later, I think we can assume that the project is dead. Hopefully, it’ll rise up out of the grave to wreak havoc like the title creatures someday.
What horror video games do you want to see adapted into a feature film? Let us know in the comments below!
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