By: D.C. Cutler, U.S.A.
When I hear someone suggest that there should be a Purge video game, I think, Why, we already have the Grand Theft Auto series.
The Purge franchise is made up of films and a television series, which were created by James DeMonaco. They take place in a near-future dystopian America where there is an annual national holiday known as the Purge, in which all crimes, including murder, are legal for a 12-hour period.
The Purge films are well made horror films; The Purge: Election Year is the best in my opinion. I’ve only watched one episode of The Purge television series and I found it a bit tedious. A movie is usually two hours, but to invest in a series is a big ask with a series that doesn’t drift far from the film’s concept.
If a company produced a Purge video game, the gameplay wouldn’t be that much different than a Grand Theft Auto game. Other than having a different kind of mission, both games would be the same in the amount of mayhem and carnage you could cause in a city.
image source: The Purge – Election Year via Vox
Don’t get me wrong, The Purge name would draw in fans of the films. Your franchise doesn’t make $446 million worldwide at the box office if you don’t have a loyal fanbase.
The fifth Purge film, which will be released in 2020, is supposed to be the last in the franchise. The film will possibly centre around a heist that takes place on the night of the Purge. After the final film, the franchise will have to stay pertinent somehow. The television series will continue, but a video game could also be how Purge fans are content.
The game could be interesting if you’re a player who is protecting a family or a single person. The best characters in the films are usually the ones who are the hunted. Maybe you could choose what city in America the game takes place in?
The source material is ripe with a universe that could support an exceptional video game. But could too much of a good thing dilute the Purge brand?