The lines between video games, TV, and film have blurred in recent years, with each influencing the others in profound ways. The advent of streaming services has made it easier for game creators to explore new formats, leading to the development of immersive cinematic experiences that blur the boundaries between interactive and non-interactive entertainment.
One notable example is the Fallout TV show, which has been praised for its faithful adaptation of the video game's dark and gritty tone. Similarly, Marvel movies now often feel like video games in terms of their pacing and mood. However, not all adaptations are successful. The final season of Stranger Things was criticized for its convoluted plot, numerous characters, and meandering pace, which felt more akin to an open-world game than a traditional TV series.
The problem with many modern TV shows and films is that they can feel like loading up an open-world game that you haven't played in months. With too many new locations to explore, characters to keep track of, and plot twists to absorb, the experience becomes overwhelming and tedious. The painfully long epilogue of Stranger Things' final season was particularly egregious, rivaling the interminable post-game hours of Red Dead Redemption 2.
In contrast, some games are embracing the absurdity and meta-humor of modern gaming culture. Indika, a surreal game about a young nun questioning her faith, features conversations with the devil that feel like they could be straight from a video game. The game's existence is often described as "pointless" and "useless," but it's precisely this kind of self-aware, anti-gamer sentiment that can be refreshing in an industry that often takes itself too seriously.
Ultimately, the key to creating engaging TV shows and films that feel like video games lies in finding a balance between spectacle, pace, and narrative coherence. While some may argue that games are the lower form of entertainment, embracing the excitement, dynamism, and interactivity of gaming can elevate the medium as a whole.
One notable example is the Fallout TV show, which has been praised for its faithful adaptation of the video game's dark and gritty tone. Similarly, Marvel movies now often feel like video games in terms of their pacing and mood. However, not all adaptations are successful. The final season of Stranger Things was criticized for its convoluted plot, numerous characters, and meandering pace, which felt more akin to an open-world game than a traditional TV series.
The problem with many modern TV shows and films is that they can feel like loading up an open-world game that you haven't played in months. With too many new locations to explore, characters to keep track of, and plot twists to absorb, the experience becomes overwhelming and tedious. The painfully long epilogue of Stranger Things' final season was particularly egregious, rivaling the interminable post-game hours of Red Dead Redemption 2.
In contrast, some games are embracing the absurdity and meta-humor of modern gaming culture. Indika, a surreal game about a young nun questioning her faith, features conversations with the devil that feel like they could be straight from a video game. The game's existence is often described as "pointless" and "useless," but it's precisely this kind of self-aware, anti-gamer sentiment that can be refreshing in an industry that often takes itself too seriously.
Ultimately, the key to creating engaging TV shows and films that feel like video games lies in finding a balance between spectacle, pace, and narrative coherence. While some may argue that games are the lower form of entertainment, embracing the excitement, dynamism, and interactivity of gaming can elevate the medium as a whole.
I mean, I get it, we want to see more characters and plot twists, but come on! It's like they're trying to cram too much into 8 or 9 episodes. And don't even get me started on the epilogue... ugh, my brain was going to die from all those hours of info dump 
I'd rather play a game with a bunch of random quests and side missions than watch an entire season just to find out what happened to some character that's been introduced in the 5th episode 
But seriously, if devs can make it work like Indika does (i.e. making fun of itself), maybe we should try to do the same with TV shows? Less serious all the time and more meta humor, that's my two cents 
. But seriously, Indika is kinda genius? Like, who else makes a game that's so self-aware it's almost cringeworthy, and somehow that works 
. I think the key takeaway here is that games are teaching TV shows and movies how to have fun again... not that I need more games in my life or anything 
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. A good video game knows how to build tension and release it slowly, but TV shows and movies just seem to rush through everything like they're trying to beat a difficult level. 
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they literally feel like post-game credits in a game you spent 50 hours playing 
but at the same time, i love how some games are embracing the meta-humor and absurdity of gaming culture 
I mean, who needs that many characters and plot twists? It's like they're trying to recreate the entire world of Skyrim in one episode 
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. I mean, don't get me wrong, it's cool that creators are experimenting with new formats and stuff, but sometimes it feels like they're just copying gameplay mechanics instead of telling a good story 
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. Not that I'm saying games can't do this too, but sometimes it feels like the TV and movie industry is just trying to keep up with gaming culture rather than forging its own path 
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. I think what's really missing is that personal touch, you know? It feels like we're losing sight of making stories that are just good enough, not trying to cram in every last Easter egg or obscure reference 
. Meanwhile, games like Indika are all about embracing the weirdness and just having fun with it - it's like they're saying "screw it, we don't have to be serious all the time"