We've got movie adaptations and spin-off TV shows coming at us constantly, but the more cultured among us want to know where are the big Broadway musicals? Where are the Destiny chorus lines? The Halo showstoppers? The Animal Crossing razzle dazzles? We got our team of gaming experts to come up with some ideas, and when the theaters can open again, we'll be happy to hear funding options from wannabe producers.
This is the latest in a series of big questions we'll be interrogating our writers with, so share your answers and suggestions for topics with us on Twitter.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps because it has the best music
I've long thought that if you took all the story moments from Ori and the Will of the Wisps and cut them together, you'd have one of the best animated shorts of all time. We'd have to fill in some blanks by borrowing from gameplay segments, but it would be a condensed little epic, energizing yet bittersweet. And I reckon that those qualities, coupled with the series' ever-stellar music, would make for a good musical. We've got strong character designs, an incredible collection of songs to draw from, and a gorgeous world that's crying out for stagecraft. Have you seen the layers in those environments? Somebody put those on Broadway. We wouldn't have much dialogue to work with, but as both Ori games have demonstrated, that's nothing that body language, atmosphere, and adorable cooing can't solve. We are going to have to get creative with wires to make Ku work, though. Austin Wood
Gris because it's already basically a ballet
Less of a musical and more of an interactive sound experience, Gris lends itself to an immersive stage extravaganza. The synesthesia that happens with the merging of light and sound would have even more of an impact in real life than it still manages to do in-game. I'm still thinking no dialogue, interpretative dance and the kind of RGB light show that would make a PC gaming fanatic cry. It's basically the Lion King stage show, but without all the cutesy wildlife. Just the dramatic tale of a young woman restoring color to the world, and making it matter. Somehow feels more poignant now than ever. Sam Loveridge
Kingdom Hearts because it’s the closest thing we’ll get to Disney karaoke
Sure, the music-based Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory is on its way. But that’s a rhythm game tap-tap-tapping its way into an eclectic series that’s already seen Pokemon-style collect-a-thons, plot-heavy card spin-offs, and cooking minigames. Those are mere half-steps. We need to go further.
You’ve already got a built-in library of instantly-hummable Disney songs to use as a foundation, plus the ongoing light-vs-dark battle for each other’s hearts is fertile ground for a few crooning ballads and show-stopping songs. Riku can have "The Darkness Inside of Me" while Kairi’s "Third Wheel" is sure to be a big hit.
Even better: you just know series director Tetsuya Nomura would use a musical as an opportunity to squeeze in some seriously important Kingdom Hearts lore that would shape the entire series for years to come – only if you go and watch the stage show. Because that’s just how Kingdom Hearts rolls, baby. Bradley Russell
Yakuza 0 because of Heartbreak Mermaid
Kazuma Kiryu has very nearly done it all. Starred in the greatest free-roaming videogame series this side of GTA. Covered his body in meaningful, beautiful ink. Fended off Japan’s deadliest scoundrels with his bare hands – alright, and a selection of mildly more gruesome weapons. Yet the long-time Yakuza frontman never spawned his own musical, and that is an oversight which must be rectified at once. Sega’s series succeeded in part because of the fictional karaoke hits you could belt out in between killings, and they’d make for the perfect soundtrack to a sonic retelling of Kiryu’s life story. ‘Judgement – Shinpan’ as he decides at the last minute not to kill Keiji Shibusawa. ‘Because I Have You’ as he reunites with Haruka Sawamura in Tokyo snow. ‘Heartbreak Mermaid’ every single time he gets drunk. Which is often. Yes, Yakuza 0 features a song called ‘Heartbreak Mermaid’. How could anyone not want to hear that on a West End Stage? Ben Wilson
Dark Souls because singing is the best way to lore dump
The Dark Souls series is filled with moments of great emotion, but you can only fully appreciate them if you understand the context around them. Sure, you could carefully read all the descriptions for every item in the game and trawl fan wikis to make sure you grasp the finer points of the historical fall of Lordran. Or you could let Solaire of Astora get up there and belt out three verses of "If Only I Could Be (So Grossly Incandescent)" in a beautiful baritone as he's lifted into the air on a wire harness, staying stick-straight in the proper Praise The Sun pose the entire time. Sure, most of the lyrics would be muffled because so many of the actors would need to wear full-face helmets. But the difficulty in trying to understand what everybody's singing would only make it all the more clear that Dark Souls: The Musical is truly the Dark Souls of musicals. Connor Sheridan
The Witcher 3 because Dandelion
I say take the musical and throw it in the game directly. Let's pinch the idea from The Witcher Netflix series and just have Dandelion following Geralt around the entire game and making up songs about what he's doing. "He's Geralt of Rivia/He's riding his hooooorse" or "Geralt and Yen/Together once again/But then there's this ginger lass/Who wants a piece of Geralt's ass." Maybe CDPR could write in some songs for when you mess up, and give you the option to interact with Dandelion in various ways: grab him by the scruff and tell him to shut the f*ck up, or chuckle reluctantly at a particularly naughty ditty. Sure, it might ruin the more serious moments, but it would certainly add an extra layer of humor to an already funny game. If that won't work, then just make it a full fat musical that begins with Geralt getting bumped on the head by a striga and becomes stricken with Dandelion's voice ringing in his ears all day. Alyssa Mercante
Dragon Age: Inquisition because I want to see Corypheus dance
The first game that popped into my head was one of my favorite RPGs of all time, Dragon Age: Inquisition. I can easily imagine so many great little music numbers from the various supporting characters. Dorian Pavus, for example, would bring so much magic to a dance routine, with all the showy flare and sparkles that would make him shine on stage. Cassandra would reluctantly sing about her yearning for romance and secretly love every minute of it. Sera would be the mischievous character who adds a lot of comic relief by egging on the audience to heckle everyone. I could go on and on. Plus, there's even a point early on the game where everyone breaks into song. Okay, sure, it's quite somber, but the song The Dawn Will Come proves that many of the characters have great singing voices that would lend themselves perfectly to catchy musical songs. All you need to top it off is to get the big bad guy Corpyheus in on the singing and dancing - jazz hands and all. Heather Wald
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