Video game adaptations, whether it be to movies or TV shows, does not hold the highest reputation. However, HBO's The Last of Us set a new standard to the concept of adapting video games to cinema. And based on the structure of the critically acclaimed game, it's about time that it was made into a series.
Even though The Last of Us is one of the more popular story-driven games, it's not the only one out there capable of being recreated for viewing pleasures. In fact, there are so many games that, if done right, can make for an amazing show of film. One that should be heavily considered is the Red Dead Redemption franchise.
Red Dead Redemption shares a lot of similarities to The Last of Us as far as the gameplay experience. The entire franchise has an awesome and cohesive storyline that comes to life so easily. So, maybe after seeing The Last of Us's success, it could pave the way for more video game adaptations to be made.
The Last of Us is a Near-Perfect Adaptation
If there's any video game that has the greatest potential to being adapted into a series, it is for sure The Last of Us. Despite having all the potential, though, it could have very easily gone horribly wrong. Thankfully, the writers of the HBO series had enough knowledge of the game, a great understanding of the story and the characters, and were willing to experiment and take risks with their adaptation, managing to honor the game while also giving the series its own, separate identity.
Between the accurate depictions of the various settings of the game, and the insightful portrayal of the characters and the storyline, The Last of Us series captured audiences of both players and non-players of the game. A major way they achieved this was by keeping the best parts of the game's story while also adding new aspects that fit perfectly within the pre-existing plot. This way, they appealed to the nostalgia of people who've played and loved the game, but still managed to keep them guessing and on the edge of their seat.
Another crucial aspect to adapting such a popular game is the casting. In any form of filming media, the acting plays a big role is making sure the writing is properly delivered. Joel and Ellie's chemistry in the game is such a huge part in what made the story so good, and Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey were exceptional in transferring that chemistry to the small screen.
Red Dead Redemption is Another Story-Driven, Thematic Game
A major similarity shared between Red Dead Redemption and The Last of Us is their equal focus on the gameplay and storyline. So much of both the games is made up of cutscenes, and even a lot of the gameplay involves conversations that help drive the story forward and explore the relationships and traits of each of the respective games' characters. Red Dead 2 especially achieves the best of both worlds, where a player can interact during certain cutscenes.
The Red Dead Redemption franchise as a whole focuses so strongly on the story that players might even sometimes want to rush through some of the gameplay just to get to the next cutscene and see what turn the story decides to take. It does such a great job at building a world the player is encouraged to explore that involves meeting new people, partaking in various side missions, and simply enjoying the beautiful scenery of the old wild west.
Thanks to the depth of the characters being explored during conversations and cutscenes, the action sequences in the gameplay carry so much more meaning, where the consequences are that much more detrimental and the stakes are that much higher. Having to kill an old friend or former colleague in a video game can be impactful, but if the player better understands the two characters' relationship and their history and how it led them to the circumstance they find themselves in, it evokes so much more emotion and allows for the plot points to feel more earned.
Red Dead Redemption Could Copy The Last of Us's Blueprint
In recent years, diehard fans of the Red Dead franchise may have been skeptical towards a series adaptation, and with good reason. But seeing as though the writers, producers, and actors nailed The Last of Us series perfectly, fans may be more open to wanting a Red Dead adaptation.
One thing that made The Last of Us series so special was it's risk-taking and exploration of side characters and storylines. A prominent example was their utilization and rethinking of Bill and Frank's story. They could have just gone to the depths the game did and dedicate a short time in explaining who Bill and Frank were and why Joel knew where to find supplies and a truck. But they decided to dedicate an entire episode to their story, while making it their own, which not only gives the series its uniqueness, but builds on the theme of the story in that it's not only about Joel and Ellie, it's about the last of the survivors in this post-apocalyptic world.
The Red Dead franchise has so much freedom in doing something similar in a possible series, having already established an array of characters with rich and descriptive histories. A simple story told within a conversation between Dutch and Arthur, for example, can be an opportunity for the writers to dive into an aspect that builds on the plot and gives viewers a better understanding of whom the characters are.
What's important, though, is that a Red Dead Redemption series must honor the game and keep what worked so well for the game's story in the series. But again, taking those risks that make the show unique from the game is what can make it truly special.