Netflix churns out hit serieslike some kind of creative waterfall. It is that ocean of fantastic content that it provides that ensures video game developers aren’t far behind when looking to source new material.Netflixalready hasBlackMirror:Bandersnatch, as well asMinecraft:StoryMode, but there’s still plenty of room for the streaming platform to expand its gaming portfolio.
Related:The 75 Best Netflix Shows And Original Series To Watch Right Now
The same goes for video game developers, who essentially have an entire nexus of popular shows at their disposal, ready to transform into compelling interactive counterparts. But which of the many titles under Netflix’s belt have garnered enough of a following to constitute a video game adaptation?
Squid Game
SquidGamewas hands down one of the mostpopularNetflix shows of 2021, overtaking the likes ofYou,SexEducation, and evenTigerKing2,thanks to its outstanding cast and captivating storyline. Due to its global popularity, as well as being a variation on childhood games, that a future video game adaptation wouldn’t be that much of a stretch.
Casting an eye on povery-stricken citizens of the South Korean city of Daejeon,SquidGamecapitalizes on the unfortunate folks and their desperation by assembling 456 players to take part in a series of games. However, with a staggering amount of money on the line, every slip-up in theSquid Gamecan lead to morbid consequences. The question is: how far will they go to win it all?
Alice In Borderland
After the global success ofSquidGame, the whole world flocked to its Japanese counterpart,AliceinBorderland, under the impression that it would flow from the same vein. The series was, in fact, able to capture a similar vibe, with a few sci-fi elements to bolster its plotline and sever its connection with the Korean phenomenon.
Related:The 33 Best Comedies On Netflix Right Now
AliceinBorderlandset its focus on a close-knit collective with a hunger for the sanctity of life. However, after being hurled into a dystopian version of Tokyo where its citizens are replaced with players and its districts are swapped out for stadiums, the trio is suddenly forced to unravel the mystery of the games while fighting to keep their heads above water.
The Portuguese Netflix Original3%amassed quite the reputation back in 2016, with critics citing the show for its innovative plotline and artistic approach to the post-apocalyptic setting. From that, the series spanned another three seasons, and eventually became a renowned staple in the thriller genre. Now, well, we’re clinging on for a well-deserved video game adaptation, of course.
3%follows a nation thrown into turmoil, with 97% of the population living in a dystopian world with limited resources to aid their struggle, and the remaining 3% living lavishly in a place called the “Offshore.” However, in order to reach it and beat the staggering odds, twenty-year-olds are invited to take part in “The Process,” a series of tests that only 20 of 600 can advance from. Should anyone fail, then before long they’re tallied as just another unfortunate statistic. No pressure!
Peaky Blinders
Gamers have been asking about an open-worldPeakyBlindersgame for years now, only with very little to show for it other than thePeakyBlinders:Mastermindchapter that rolled out in late 2020. Being a puzzle game with very little connection to Tommy Shelby’s (CillianMurphy) story, it almost felt incomplete, and an unnecessary filler game to help bridge the gaps between seasons.
Related:15 Underrated Crime Shows Streaming On Netflix Right Now
PeakyBlindersfollows the Shelby brothers and their hunger for the criminal underworld in the back alleys of Birmingham. From common crooks to scheming masterminds, the story weaves through their every battle for power over the black market and the British monopoly. With the law and the countries most feared rival gangs on their tail, they’re soon left to either cover their tracks or full-on bite the bullet and go to war with the world.
The Haunting Of Hill House
TheHauntingofHillHousewas arguably one of the best Netflix Originals to launch back in 2018, with many critics praising the series for its twisted story arcs and innovative creature designs. And let’s face it, something that crammed in multiple nightmares into one show is almost destined to become a video game at some point.
This series follows the story of five siblings, each of whom is haunted by a questionable childhood that hangs over them through to their adult years. With each of their nightmares stalking their daily lives, they’re forced to reunite the family and confront their deepest fears in the place it all began. Known famously as Hill House, this is an omnibus place that few would dare to enter.
Being a UK series with a cult-like following, it’s only natural for the drama-heavyMisfitsto finally make its way over to the gaming platform. Despite being nearly eight years old, its sudden Netlfix resurrection has successfully managed to reignite the hype that once engulfed the E4 network.
Misfitsdraws its eye over six unlikely youths, all of whom are thrown into a supernatural storm that lumbers them with otherworldly superpowers. The only problem is, they’re not the only ones with powers walking about, and the estate they call home isn’t exactly known for hosting goodwill gestures, either.
The Umbrella Academy
We’re not sayingRobert Sheehanis great or anything, but with his performances in bothMisfitsas Nathan, as well as his iconic role as Klaus inThe Umbrella Academy, we’d be lying to ourselves if we said we weren’t impressed. Of course, that doesn’t just go for Sheehan, but the whole ofThe Umbrella Academycast.As for that plotline, well, that’s video game material right there.
After numerous pregnancies are spontaneously triggered all over the globe, a multi-millionaire adopts several of the resulting children, ultimately forming The Umbrella Academy. This is a place where orphans are exploited for their questionable pasts and, eventually, their blossoming powers. However, with one orphan predicting the end of the world, the forged academy is assembled to stop the impending doom that looms on the nearest horizon.
Anyone who’s ever slugged through a Telltale game will know exactly what to expect when booting up one of their other journeys. Choices, quick-time events, branching story arcs, you name it. Telltale are masters when it comes to story-driven video games, andLevel16would be a perfect world for the team to explore.
Related:27 Best Period Dramas and Historical Shows on Netflix
Set in an underground facility during an unknown decade, a group of girls set out to uncover the truth behind their captivity. The one thing they do know, however, is that the boarding school they’re supposedly entwined with is nothing more than a cloak for a much, much darker secret.
Black Mirror
The anthology of sci-fi flicks that isBlackMirrorhas been churning out some of the most thought-provoking horror stories that the world has ever seen, with every script and passage dedicated to an entirely new concept. Video game developers would have an absolute field day on their creative portfolio.
BlackMirrorsets the stage in a dystopian future, telling original tales of everyday citizens that are thrown into a rabbit hole where the darkest innovations jolt to life, leaving you, the perplexed viewer, to scratch your head and fear for what lurks behind tomorrow.
Sense8brings some of the most renowned filmmakers together for an all-out alliance, using both industry knowledge and creative differences to assemble one of the most diverse and compelling Netflix Originals to date.
Eight strangers around the globe find themselves spiritually connected through violent visions and unexplainable thoughts. After making the call to knuckle down and uncover their shared link, an unknown organization comes into play, working to hunt every one of them without apparent reason. The common goal? Beat the clock, uncover the truth, and avoid the cull.
