Highlights
- Public domain characters like Peter Pan and Little Red Riding Hood have great potential for video game adaptations with their adventurous and dark themes.
- Moby Dick is an iconic story that has yet to receive a major AAA video game adaptation but would be perfect for a seafaring game.
- The Invisible Man, The Little Mermaid, Frankenstein’s Monster, Quasimodo, Dorothy Gale, and The Phantom of the Opera all have unique qualities that make them deserving of their own video game adventures.
Characters who have entered the public domain are free for anyone to use. That means that anyone can create any kind of creative work using these characters, provided they don’t too closely resemble more recent adaptations. These creative works can also include video games.
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There have been many beloved video games based on public domain characters, such as Sherlock Holmes: Chapter 1 and Lies Of P. However, many public domain characters either never got a video game adaptation, or their games were poorly received. With public domain characters having proven success in video games, these iconic characters deserve their chance.
1 Peter Pan
The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up Is Perfect For Video Game Adventures
Peter Pan has captured the imagination of children and adults for over a hundred years. This eternally youthful character lives in a fantasy world called Neverland. There he can fly, fight devious pirates, and most importantly, never grow up.
With so many adventures, fantasy elements, and potential for high-flying action sequences, Peter Pan would make a perfect video game hero. A game could either be a straightforward fantasy adventure, or take a deeper look at the temptation to choose fantasy over reality. Either interpretation is sure to do well in the right hands.
2 Little Red Riding Hood
This Classic Tale Is Perfect For A Dark Reimagining
Like many classic fairy tales, Little Red Riding Hood looks sweet on the surface but can be terrifying on closer examination. Especially the wolf who stalks the titular heroine and disguises himself as her loved one. As Lies Of P has proven, classic tales like this are open for excellent dark reinterpretations.
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There are many ways to make an excellent Little Red Riding Hood game, such as a survival horror where Red must flee the wolf. Or perhaps a dark action game where Red fights back against the dangers of the forest. The story offers too many great ideas to ignore.
3 Tarzan
A Property Begging For Open-World Traversal
As Edgar Rice Burroughs’ arguably most iconic character, Tarzan has received multiple adaptations over the years. However, he’s yet to make a huge splash in video games. But with open-world games involving swinging being increasingly popular, this should change.
Tarzan has had many adventures in the novels that would be perfect for a video game to fully explore. His jungle setting would be great for an open-world game with unique traversal mechanics. Alternatively, a survival game would also do well in Tarzan’s world.
4 Moby Dick
The Posterchild Of Nautical Gothic Is Perfect For Today’s Gaming Audience
Modern-day gamers have proven they have a voracious appetite for seafaring games like Assassin’s Creed 4: Black Flag, Subnautica, and Dredge. The ocean is full of wonder and terror in equal parts, making it a perfect gaming setting. With that in mind, it’s a little surprising that there hasn’t been a major AAA game based on Moby Dick.
With its dark themes, gripping character drama, and high seas adventure, MobyDick would make an excellent video game. Fans are sure to thrill over exploring the ocean before a climactic showdown with one of the most notorious sea monsters in all of fiction.
5 The Invisible Man
This Classic Character Could Become Gaming’s Most Terrifying Villain
Some of the most beloved horror games of recent times have players running from invincible monsters like Mr. X, Lady Dimetrescu, or Huggy Wuggy. But what if players couldn’t even see the monster pursuing them? That’s the terrifying question a game based on The Invisible Man could answer.
With nothing but audio cues to alert the player, a chase could become that much scarier. The Invisible Man could also work as an asymmetrical multiplayer game. Even a game that casts players as the titular Invisible Man can demonstrate what an underrated power invisibility is.
6 The Little Mermaid
This Underwater Fantasy Would Make A Great Setting For A Game
While the Disney movie of the same name is the most well-known, The Little Mermaid was originally a much darker and bittersweet fairy tale. Just like Lies of P before it, The Little Mermaid could be reinterpreted and expanded into a darker, more fantastical tale full of action and adventure.
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Most open-world games allow players to explore across a wide variety of lands, but few try to expand upon the oceans and let players explore there.
With underwater games being all the rage, The Little Mermaid provides an excellent blank canvas for developers to craft an epic fantasy. This tale of underwater societies, sea witches, and desire is ripe for expansion. An epic adventure with fights against terrifying sea creatures is sure to ensnare fans.
7 Frankenstein’s Monster
One Of Literature’s Greatest Monsters Deserves A Video Game
When it comes to classic monsters in video games, the infamous vampire Dracula is probably the most well-known thanks to games like Castlevania. As arguably the second most famous monster in literature, Frankenstein’s Monster deserves just as much attention. While he has appeared in several games, none of them have been huge hits.
With the character appearing in several movies, shows, and comics, there’s no reason there can’t be a hit game about Frankenstein’s monster. The gothic tale is perfect for a narrative-driven adventure starring either the monster or his creator. Frankenstein’s monster is so iconic that a game about him is sure to draw attention.
8 Quasimodo
The Classic Hunchback Story Deserves A Modern Retelling
When most people think of Quasimodo, they imagine Disney’s classic Hunchback of Notre Dame animated musical. Few remember that the character appeared in a gothic novel by Victor Hugo, and was one of Universal’s first classic “monsters.” Just like with Lies of P, The Hunchback of Notre Dame could benefit from a post-apocalyptic expansion worthy of a video game.
A gothic Paris would be an excellent setting for a game, especially with the rooftop jumping and shadow skulking Quasimodo is known for. Players naturally gravitate towards heroes rejected by society, so Quasi would surely be a popular protagonist. With an expanded plot featuring monsters that still adhere to the original novel, a Quasimodo game could be the next smash hit.
9 Dorothy Gale
A Dark Adventure Could Be Truer To The Text
Those who have only seen the original Wizard of Oz movie might balk at the idea of a game starring Dorothy Gale. However, those who have read the original novels know that the land of Oz is perfectly suited to a video game. The classic stories are full of thrilling adventures and menacing monsters just begging to be reproduced by a game.
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Dorothy is a worthy protagonist, bravely adventuring through a strange land on a quest to return home. The eccentric companions she gathers on her journey would make for a perfect RPG. Though Dorothy and her friends have appeared in several games, none of them have received the acclaim these beloved characters deserve.
10 The Phantom Of The Opera
This Classic Novel’s Pageantry Is Perfect For Gaming
While some might dismiss The Phantom of the Opera as a musical, many forget that it was originally a novel that was first adapted as a silent film. And even if a game adaptation is a musical, musical games are very popular nowadays. But even ignoring the musical opportunities, the Phantom’s world is an excellent setting for a game.
The sets and stage of the gothic opera house would provide excellent set pieces, not least of all the gloomy catacombs in which the Phantom dwells. While the story might need a more fantastical expansion to be game-worthy, the obsessive and menacing figure of the Phantom is sure to make an unforgettable gaming antagonist.
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