Fans of Resident Evil have a love-hate relationship for the franchise's existing films. After all, its animated CGI films have done a great job expanding on the series' premise. However, its Hollywood films somehow got psychics, clones, and a whole lot of action mixed in. Thankfully, Constantin Film's reboot of the acclaimed Capcom franchise seems to dabble more into its survival horror roots.
Additionally, the new Resident Evil film's take on the Raccoon City incident will hopefully become as gruesome as the games. However, in terms of horror titles, Resident Evil isn't the only acclaimed franchise deserving a theatrical debut. Here are some more horror games that may work as feature films.
10 Silent Hill
When it comes to the horror genre, two titles almost always get in any fan's Top 10: Resident Evil and Konami's Silent Hill. Moreover, unlike the zombie-centric Resident Evil, the eerie vibe of Silent Hill's Fog World and hellish Underworld serve as some of the most unique game environments in the genre.
Interestingly, the Silent Hill series did get itself a film franchise. Unfortunately, despite the frights in the 2006 film and its 2012 sequel, the franchise didn't quite make a mark in the horror industry. Thanks to Hideo Kojima's P.T. demo for Silent Hills, fans can somehow see a Silent Hill reboot in a small-scale setting such as a house in the eponymous city. Moreover, given the ever-evolving nature of psychological studies, a Silent Hill film can explore multiple themes while retaining signature aesthetic.
9 Fatal Frame
Fans of Japanese horror love the genre for its emphasis on psychological horror, a more nuanced approach to themes, as well as the inclusion of ghosts and poltergeists. In Fatal Frame, which has similar inspirations, players take on the role of protagonists solving a supernatural phenomenon. However, they solve these incidents with the Camera Obscura a camera that can "capture" ghosts.
However, unlike the action-based nature of mainstream horror titles, Fatal Frame takes on a more narrative approach to their stories. In turn, horror fans get more immersive games that add stories behind each ghost they encounter. In turn, such a film can take a lot of elements from Japanese horror, as popularized by creators such as Junji Ito. Thankfully, this open-ended nature of the franchise's premise can make way for original stories for a Fatal Frame film.
8 Until Dawn
What better game to adapt to a horror flick than an interactive drama built like a horror film? Fans of Until Dawn appreciate the game for its presentation and gameplay. After all, Until Dawn talks of the tale of eight friends who try to outlast a masked killer in a lodge for an entire night. Unlike other survival horror titles, Until Dawn alternates between a third-person mode and a cinematic mode. Moreover, player actions throughout chapters can determine how other characters may or may not survive the night.
Interestingly, the game might work as a slasher film as it's said to be built as such. Thanks to the butterfly effect system of the game, branching player choices may almost always result in a unique playthrough. In turn, an adaptation may also explore unique presentation styles such as a "choose-your-adventure" episodic format.
7 Outlast
Horror doesn't always have to include monsters. In Outlast, players end up exploring abandoned places with a camcorder. Plot-wise, protagonists usually take the form of journalists who use their recorder as they explore an abandoned psychiatric facility (in the first game) or a village with a doomsday cult (in the second game). Gameplay-wise, players use the camcorder to see and listen from afar, or stay alert and away from threats.
In true horror film fashion, the games rely heavily on audio cues and jump scares to add to their fright factor. As a horror film, Outlast could work well with themes surrounding the exploration of abandoned buildings or even unsettling scenarios such as old experiments.
6 SOMA
Sometimes, existential dread can become fear itself. In SOMA, players take on the role of Simon Jarrett in 2104. At the time, Simon had just finished a brain scan to treat a horrific car crash in 2015 that caused severe brain damage. Unfortunately, Simon ends up in an underwater facility after a major extinction event. Unfortunately, things get worse for Simon as he notices that the machines around him not only talk but seem to have consciousness of their own.
Just like in the game, a SOMA film would heavily explore themes related to consciousness, AI, and the nature of life itself. At its core, if consciousness gets "uploaded" into a machine, would the said machine be considered alive?
5 System Shock
Players can consider System Shock as one of the most immersive sci-fi horror titles of all time. In the franchise, players take on the role of a hacker who becomes the only one capable of stopping SHODAN, a malevolent AI, from hijacking Earth's entire computer networks. Despite its futuristic premise, the game's emergent gameplay and immersive environment enabled players to feel "right at home" in the game's deadly premise.
As a survival-horror cyberpunk franchise, the game includes elements such as limited resources. Moreover, the titles take place inside outer space settings with threats such as machines, cyborgs, and mutated monsters. A System Shock film can serve as a breath of fresh air for horror fans, as not many modern horror films have a space-oriented sci-fi setting.
4 Amnesia: The Dark Descent
Fans of survival horror would fondly remember Amnesia: The Dark Descent for its special gameplay mechanics. Unlike action-oriented survival horror games, Amnesia focuses on resource management and evasion. In the context of the game, players (who play as Daniel) need to maintain their sanity while running and hiding from various creatures that lurk within it.
However, Amnesia also became notable for its story. The game, set in 1839, explores an amnesiac Daniel in a castle. His only memory lies in a note that explains he deliberately forced his amnesia. Moreover, a "Shadow" appears to be hunting him. A film set in medias res can serve as a method to use suspense to weave Daniel's story as a psychological horror experience.
3 The Evil Within
Monsters serve as one of the most popular choices for "villains" in a horror film. In terms of games, The Evil Within has some of the most unique uses of monsters, especially from a narrative perspective. In the game's story, a police detective finds himself facing nightmarish creatures after an earthquake hit Krimson City as he's investigating a mass murder. However, the game soon reveals plot elements involving psychic experiments and psychologically-induced "alternate realities."
A film on The Evil Within can fully explore these themes in a psychological-horror sci-fi film. Moreover, the game's limited cast of characters can make the title's "brain-jumping" plot points easier to understand. Essentially, the game's story becomes a demented version of Inception.
2 Left 4 Dead
A horror film doesn't have to be scary to become entertaining. In fact, fans of Left 4 Dead may love a film based on the hit franchise. Despite the lack of new releases, Left 4 Dead remains a zombie shooter staple thanks to its entertaining jabs in the zombie film industry with each in-game level organized as "zombie films."
Moreover, a Left 4 Dead film can very well capitalize on the entertainment value of zombie flicks. After all, such a film can become a meta-commentary on the genre as a whole while providing a more gory but comedic take on zombie films.
1 Dead By Daylight
Players who want to get them and their friends scared may appreciate the co-op survival horror experience offered by Dead by Daylight. After all, the multiplayer game tasks them to take on the role of survivors who try to escape the clutches of a villain, played by another player. Essentially, survivors and villains get special Perks and traits they can use to their advantage.
Thankfully, a Dead by Daylight film can explore the stories of these villains or even introduce a new one for their story. Moreover, filmmakers can enjoy making such a title more of a meta-film that explores popular horror tropes. After all, Dead by Daylight itself seems like a nod towards popular trends in modern horror.