Thursday, February 4, 2010

Shakespeare at Large

CAN MACBETH BE TURNED INTO A GOOD VIDEO GAME?


Dagger Hero? Grand Theft Scotto?

Yesterday Eurogamer reported that high-power studio Visceral Games ("Dante's Inferno") might give Macbeth a whirl.

It was only two months ago that Eurogamer told us about clothing designer Marc Ecko's failed attempt to turn that "Boring Old Scottish Play" (???!!!!!) into video gold. Even though Ecko reinvisioned Macbeth as primarily about "cutting people's heads off," it still wasn't a go.

The Gamers Weigh In.

Much insight and wisdom about the Macbeth project can be gleaned from comments posted by Eurogamer's readers:

Tomo: I would *love* to see a game of something like Macbeth done well, but it's inevitably going to be about chopping things up, like this dude is talking about. Why not just try making something closer to the source material, that doesn't necessarily involve mashing buttons - something more thoughtful?!

Plugmonkey: Thoughtful doesn't sell! People want killing! And death! And murder! And mayhem! And classical literary characters with 10 foot long scythes! And more killing! And boobies! Especially boobies!

Knocker: An accurate version of Titus Andronicus would be fun. Rapes, murder, dismemberment .... you can stay close to the source material and cause confusion among the censorship posse.

Shinetop: I look forward to the level where MacBeth goes "Is this a dagger I see before me" and proceeds to shoot flaming daggers from his handheld dagger cannon.

Teafiend:
I am holding out for Twelfth Night: The Game.

2 comments:

  1. I always knew "boobies" were a blast, but thank goodness folks like "Knocker" exist to remind us that rape can be "fun," too. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

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  2. I recently had a dream that The Faerie Queene had been made into a video game - there was even a level where you had to fight monkeys (apparently this portion of the tex has been lost)! Coincidence? Or something more...?

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