With video games becoming more mainstream than ever, the quality of video game adaptations has also improved. Recently, audiences have enjoyed films such as Uncharted and Sonic the Hedgehog which were blockbuster hits. In the realm of television, The Last of Us has been making waves for being a quality adaptation of the video game series. This puts additional pressure on many upcoming video game adaptations, including A Plague Tale, which is often compared to The Last of Us.
The raised expectations created by The Last of Us aren't bad, especially if it results in more stunning adaptations. However, A Plague Tale has often found itself in The Last of Us' shadow, as they both utilize the duo formula. If it wants to avoid the same happening with the television series, the adaptation will have to be a stellar one.
The Last of Us HBO Series Achieves Near Universal Acclaim
Adaptations of video games have a bad reputation, and it is not entirely unearned. Many gaming studios have attempted to increase the popularity of their IPs by attaching movies, cartoons, and television series to them, though they seldom find success or critical praise. Part of the problem is that video games are such a unique medium thanks to their interactivity, and this makes it hard to translate gaming stories to a different medium. This issue is compounded by the fact that the creators of the adaptations often aren't familiar enough with the source material to please core fans.
The Last of Us appears to have overcome many of the hurdles that leave other adaptations lying in the dust. There are minor changes between the series and the video game, but that is unavoidable when doing an adaptation. Nevertheless, the HBO series remains faithful to the video game series by keeping the same gritty tone and managing to capture the magic relationship that Joel and Ellie share. This has been achieved in part thanks to the involvement of Naughty Dog's Neil Druckmann, which ensures that the adaptation is accurate. Furthermore, the series is very cognizant of the fact that the story has jumped mediums. Hence, while constant encounters with the Infected are suitable for video games, they are toned down in the series.
The Last of Us HBO series raises the bar, and it has dispelled the belief that all video game adaptations are bad. While this is something that should be celebrated by the gaming industry, it also puts a lot of pressure on upcoming adaptations. A few IPs will be getting their own series, and this includes God of War and Guerrilla Games' Horizon franchise. Asobo Studio's A Plague Tale will also be getting an adaptation, and it will probably face the most pressure, as it is already constantly compared to The Last of Us.
A Plague Tale’s Adaptation Will Have to Knock It Out of the Park
A Plague Tale features Amicia de Rune who finds herself forced to take care of her younger brother Hugo after her village is hit by a terrible plague. The situation is made worse by the fact that the Inquisition seeks Hugo because of the powers his blood holds. Although it manages to carve out a personality of its own, A Plague Tale has often been compared to The Last of Us, as both franchises feature a duo consisting of an older protector and a younger character. Both games have dystopian settings and require players to make use of stealth. Most important, both games are very narrative-focused, with the emotional force of the story being driven by the two protagonists.
It has been announced that A Plague Tale will be receiving a television adaptation. It will be produced by Mediawan, which is a French media conglomerate. As one would expect, filming will take place in France, which is where A Plague Tale: Innocence is set. There is not much known about the adaptation yet, including the cast and when fans can expect to see the final product. Nevertheless, The Last of Us has certainly raised expectations for what fans expect from a video game adaptation, and the series will have to deal with those expectations. Perhaps more than any of the other upcoming adaptations, A Plague Tale is likely to find itself compared to The Last of Us due to the superficial similarities between the two. The adaptation has a huge task ahead of it if it wishes to avoid unfavorable comparisons.
Fortunately, A Plague Tale's source material is rich with emotional highs and dramatic lows. Furthermore, there are enough mysteries for a series to further uncover for fans who are already familiar with the tale. Hugo and Amicia's story has the potential to be another television if it is handled with the same care that The Last of Us' adaptation has been.
The Last of Us Part 1 is available on PS5, with a PC version coming March 3, 2023.
