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 crowned Jules of WhatCulture.com, take a list chosen
00:13by you, yes you the person who is, just looking so goddamn 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
00:34kinda like movies.
00:36Now, obviously I've done my usual YouTube twist-a-roo on the subject, and I've come up with a good
00:41idea of video games that should have been movies, because after all, with the Sonic 2 movie that's
00:47doing the rounds at the moment, what better time is there to celebrate the beautiful marriage
00:50between video games and cinema?
00:53Oh god, they're about to intersect.
00:54James, cut away.
00:55We can't show this.
00:55Because as video game budgets balloon to almost Mr. Creosote levels in the current day
01:00and age, so 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.
01:21As I'm Jules, this is WhatCulture.com, and these are eight video games that should have
01:25been 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.
01:32I'm just saying that maybe the medium could have been different and could have been better
01:35for the game and the franchise overall.
01:37But you know what?
01:37Let's get on with this list.
01:39You know the drill by now.
01:39Say hi to me here in the live chat.
01:41And let's get on with it.
01:42Number 8, L.A. Noire.
01:44With Team Bondi sinking a sizable portion of their budget into their facial capture technology,
01:50which would allow players to see the lie, a lot was riding on L.A. Noire.
01:55A lot 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?
02:05Heeeeee.
02:06Because 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 anything
02:20truly 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.
02:31Corrupt cops, scandals, murders, and of course, betrayal, and a very depressing story.
02:36But 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.
02:45This is great.
02:46Mmm, 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.
03:05Number seven, F-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?
03:19Well, wrong, James, you idiot.
03:22I'm sick and tired of you trying to interrupt me on these things.
03:24I'm sick and tired of it.
03:25Jazz, don't even try and get involved.
03:26I'm sorry, Jazz.
03:27I apologise, James.
03:28That was a bit out of line.
03:29But yes, the point still stands that, Jules, you're an idiot.
03:32Why are you talking about this 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 the
03:46big screen.
03:47Plus, I mean, let's face it, F-Zero Climax is the weakest game in this franchise, but
03:51only because of the fact that every other entry into the franchise is an absolute banger,
03:55and plus plus because the world needs more F-Zero.
03:59So come on, give me 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
04:21on the Captain's legacy.
04:23Plus, plus, plus, tell me that I'm wrong here.
04:26If this took any notes out of the absolutely almighty masterclass film that is Redline,
04:32then you would have an animated film that would do absolute gangbusters, look utterly
04:36amazing, and feel as fast as it did on the silver screen as it does on your little handheld
04:42game device.
04:43Number 6.
04:43Afro Samurai 2 Revenge of Kuma.
04:46Ah, this game, eh?
04:48What a f***ing disaster piece.
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.
05:12And 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 horse s***.
05:23The 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
05:32master in order to take the number two headband from him in order to challenge the number one
05:37and avenge his father.
05:38This tale of revenge fits beautifully next to the wider, cyclical nature of violence that
05:43Afro finds himself in, and to have to murder his childhood friend not once but twice
05:48is 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.
06:07Number 5.
06:09Mega Man Legends
06:10Now, I won't lie to you here, the only reason that I'm really putting Mega Man Legends on
06:14this 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,
06:21HOOBOY!
06:22Unironically.
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.
06:33Now, before I bemoan that this game was a gem that was unfairly buried, there is one point
06:44of contention that many had with this title that I do have to concede didn't help in
06:49the slightest.
06:49The bloody camera controls.
06:52In a world of ropey, slippery, and clipping camera angles, Mega Man Legends sits right up
06:57there with Drake of the 99 Dragons.
06:59And 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.
07:10Now, 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.
07:27However, I'm not saying that these games here should just be turned into films and
07:31never be made into video games, because what would happen here in this alternate reality
07:35is that Mega Man Legends, the film, would go on to massive critical acclaim, and then
07:40you'd make a video game 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!
07:52Number 4.
07:53Anything by David Cage.
07:54Okay, so let's be honest here, David Cage is a man who is clearly just trapped in the
07:59wrong industry, because whatever project that he puts out always seems to come with the
08:03underlying message of, please, for the love 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, at most, in titles like Heavy Rain or Beyond Two Souls, all you really
08:18do is move a character from one space to another, and any action within is presented in QTE
08:23form. It's just a series of decisions taking you from one admittedly beautifully created
08:27set piece 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 project?
08:56People just want to see what it is, and that is a movie.
08:59Number three, Death Stranding.
09:01Okay, okay, okay, so hear me out on this one.
09:03I actually quite like what Death Stranding is and what Hideo Kojima was trying to do with
09:08this project, but I definitely think that this should be a film, because it would mean
09:14that he would have to tell a f***ing story more concisely.
09:16I mean, come on, did 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.
09:27So, 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 to tell
09:41a more focused tale.
09:42And all the pieces are there as well, a man looking to rebuild humanity, an ever-present
09:47threat of very explosive death, and giant BTs 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 10 hours.
10:01Number two, Lost Odyssey.
10:03So, after completing Lost Odyssey on the Xbox 360, I sat back and exhaled deeply before
10:08commenting, ah, 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
10:17to tell, 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 enough
10:25filler to make some Naruto arcs feel concise, Lost Odyssey dragged itself out for at least
10:3010 hours more than it should have.
10:32Now I get that JRPGs are usually a long-form storytelling format, but there were so many moments
10:37where you could just feel that all the gameplay department had to work on from the writing
10:41team was Apathetic Shrug for two hours, that was written on a post-it note.
10:45The 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.
10:53Now 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.
11:11And 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 only
11:28one word to describe this game, and that was… disappointing.
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.
11:44Which is such a shame because the lead-in marketing for this game had me falling in love with the
11:48style and eerie tones.
11:50It was like the big book of Bioshock being read to me by a cockney.
11:54Alright gouverneur, let me 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.
12:31I hope that you enjoyed that, and please let me know what you thought about it down
12:34in the comments section below, as well as your suggestions for next week's episode,
12:38as I would love to hear from you all.
12:40But if you want to chat to me in the meantime, you can go over to Twitter,
12:43type in at RetroJ, but the O is a zero, and you'll find your lovely egg daddy over here.
12:49Or you can swing by Liv and Let's Dice, there's me spelling it out again, completely wrong,
12:53where I do all of my board game content. But before I go, I just want to say one thing.
12:57I hope that you are treating yourself well, my friend, because much like the movies,
13:01Alien Ant Farm reference, you are the true star of the show here, and you deserve love,
13:07happiness, and success. This is not a tragedy, my friend. This is going to be a happy ending
13:11for everyone involved, because you are a big ledge, and you deserve all the good things in life.
13:16Don't let anything or anyone else tell you otherwise, all right? Go out there and smash
13:20your life goals today, because 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,
13:27to James Dowse for his editing work, and we'll see you soon, my friends. Peace.