Licensed video games have been a fixture of the medium since its inception, but there have been some truly bizarre adaptations released for PC, consoles, and mobile platforms, particularly the games based on Prestige TV series that fail to live up to their inspirations. Like Elevated Horror, the exact definition of what makes a Prestige TV series is a matter of debate, but there are certainly shows that have aspired to tell meaningful stories and uphold a high standard of quality. The video games based on these licenses do not always have the same standards as their source material, unfortunately.
A few fortunate Prestige TV shows have had a relatively smooth transition to the gaming medium, like Telltale’s Game of Thrones adaptation. Many well-regarded TV series deal with subject matter that might be difficult to adapt to most conventional video game formats. It seems obvious that a rushed, cash-grab product might harm a show’s good reputation, but that has not prevented some strange missteps. Prestige TV series often fueled water cooler conversations at the time of their release, but many of their game adaptations were largely forgotten, which in some cases is for the best, given their poor production values.
One of the first shows recognized as Prestige TV was HBO’s The Sopranos, a beloved series that eschewed the glamorous portrayals of the Mafia in films like The Godfather for a gritty look at New Jersey mobsters and a distinct focus on the psychology of its characters. While many still debate the exact meaning of the series’ infamously abrupt ending, or its allusions to supernatural forces at work, hardly anyone brings The Sopranos: Road to Respect into a discussion of the show. Road to Respect was a 2006 game, released only on the PlayStation 2, telling a non-canonical side story.
Where the same year’s Scarface game captured the movie’s tone, Road to Respect was largely disappointing. The game has a 42 Metacritic score, mostly attributed to its poor graphics and unpolished gameplay. Though many actors from the show provided their likenesses and voice acting for the game, Sopranos creatorDavid Chase distanced the show from the game in interviews. The story followed Tony Soprano offering Salvatore’s son a place in the Mafia and tried to emulate the style of The Sopranos TV series, with escalating conflicts and conversations with the dead, but it lacked the psychological depth of the show.
The serial killer show Dexter was adapted as Dexter: the Game. This iPhone game was ported to PC but was released as a physical disk only, so it is not currently available on platforms like Steam. Dexter’s typical episode formula does offer more suggestions of gameplay structure than many shows, and the video game attempted to follow it. The titular character stalks targets who may also be killers, gathering evidence to confirm their misdeeds, and then whisks them away to a pre-prepared kill room. Dexter: the Game loyally followed the…
2024-03-10 13:00:04
Article from screenrant.com
