A Game that is also a Musical. Possible?

[Vern5]

I was sitting here, watching the odd number of Elder Scrolls threads unfold when I randomly started humming the song "Maria" from West Side Story. Then a really stupid idea occurred to me: Would it be possible to make a game that is also a musical?

At first I considered "Why not just turn a currently existing musical into a game?" but that idea sort of died on the vine. There aren't many musicals I can think of that would translate well into a narrative with gameplay.

Then I considered another approach like "Turn an existing game into a musical while still keeping it a game". I think the best example of this approach would be an Assassin's Creed game where everyone sings in cutscene and grand orchestral pieces mark specific plot points. Sure, any attempt to keep the game serious would probably die in the face of sheer wackiness but, if the idea was handled well, I can't imagine the end product being unenjoyable.

So, Escapists, what is your take on this idea? Is it possible? Would it sell? Are there any games that could function or perhaps do better if their scripts were re imagined in song?

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

Well Kingdom Hearts 2 tried this in Atlantica... kind of...

 

[keniakittykat]

Repo: the genetic operatic video game... Now THERE'S a badass idea!

But I think it's possible. It's a challenge, sure, but I can see a concept like that catch on. Though it would be very hard to make it work without it getting grating after a while. Like that atlantica level from kingdom hearts 2...

 

[Megawat22]

I imagine it'd have to be pretty on rails to work but it's an interesting idea.
A rhythm game would work best as you could sync up actions to the music at will or an on rails shooter of sorts otherwise the song could be singing of the Knight valiantly stabbing the dragon through the heart while Joe schlub is busy walking into a wall, getting his butt handed to him or off looking for loot.
Actually I kinda like the idea of a classic fantasy rhythm game with a simplistic story being used for a musical. Jaunty tunes for travelling the road and slaying bandits, some epic for the final battle (with a dragon of course), the love song when the knight wins his fair maiden. Just something nice, simple and a bit cheesy.
Maybe make the knight hammy as all heck for a bit of comedic relief.

 

[RaikuFA]

Rhythm Thief is basically this. The action sequences are done as if they were a rhythm game. It's very fun.

 

[xaszatm]

Yeah it is possible, it already exists. It's called Space Channel 5 and it has existed for years.
So yeah, it's been done already

 

[SD-Fiend]

Yes it does in fact exist:

 

[Evil Smurf]

Repo: the genetic operatic video game... Now THERE'S a badass idea!

But I think it's possible. It's a challenge, sure, but I can see a concept like that catch on. Though it would be very hard to make it work without it getting grating after a while. Like that atlantica level from kingdom hearts 2...

I think this was attempted in Brutal Legend.

 

[Misterian]

Yes it does in fact exist:

Yeah, those were good times....

though now that I think about it, if someone tried to make a movie based on this game, I bet Disney could do a perfect job in making it a hit, 'cause if you think about it it already has many of the same elements common in a Disney movie.

 

[Dalisclock]

I can only think of two examples.

1. The pirate song from "Curse of Monkey Island", where for a few minutes, your pirate crew starts singing and all of your dialogue options trying to get them to stop just provoke another rhyming response. It doesn't end until you find the one option that they can't Rhyme with(though eventually you'll go through them all and that will be the only one left). It's also quite amusing.

2. Superbrothers: Sword and Sorcery kinda/sorta feels like this, except a lot of the game involving puzzles that are also musical in nature(particularly the boss battles). It doesn't hurt that the game is very retro and somehow it feels like a fantasy game mixed with a prog-rock album from the 1970's, even to the point of having an old style vinyl record as part of the game world and the interface and the title calls the game an EP.

Oh, and as a reward for finding all of the power objects you need to defeat the evil creature, you are treated to a rock concert....that just kind of appears out of nowhere. Yeah, it's a wierd-ass game. It's also awesome and WHY AREN'T YOU DOWNLOADING IT RIGHT NOW?

 

[Gunner 51]

Here's an old one for you.
The Blues Brothers, imagine the fun and japes you can have evading coppers, neo nazis. It could totally work not just as a stealth game, but maybe as a driving one, too.

I can remember one game of it for the Amstrad CPC back in the day - and the music on it was phenominal. Even if the gameplay didn't really have much to do with the film.

 

[Meatrod05]

I think the idea of a musical style game is an inherently flawed concept. The way I see it there are really only two options:

1) A regular game with songs in cutscenes (Like the KH 2 example): This is an entirely feasible idea, but when it comes down to it, how is this any different from a game without the songs? In the end, you end up with something that is half-game and half-musical.

2) A game that uses songs in he gameplay (Like the Rayman example): The problem with this is that the idea of a musical is entirely based on rhythm and the synchronization of what is happening onscreen and what is being sung. This won't work in a regular game because a player cannot be forced to have this rhythm sync-up unless they are somehow on rails and being direct to do certain things at certain times to make music. And in that case, the final product turns out to be a rhythm game.

What I'm trying to say is that I think rhythm games are the video game version of musicals. The only example that I can think of that is outside this idea is the Monkey Island pirate song, but even then, its not exactly something you could build an entire game around.

 

[Yopaz]

I'll just throw in this one.

OT: I don't think a musical game would work, but then again I am not very found of musicals in general.

 

[GonzoGamer]

Here's an old one for you.
The Blues Brothers, imagine the fun and japes you can have evading coppers, neo nazis. It could totally work not just as a stealth game, but maybe as a driving one, too.

I can remember one game of it for the Amstrad CPC back in the day - and the music on it was phenominal. Even if the gameplay didn't really have much to do with the film.

If they make a Blues Bros game, it should be based on Burnout Revenge. Blues Bros crash junctions with Rubber Biscuit playing would be mindblowing.
I like the OPs idea and I hope we do see something like that. A lot of people have a mic controller. I wouldn't want "musical" music but other types of music. Gamer music would be cool like Miracle of Sound and Dan Bull but I like to game to weird crazy shit like The Go Team.

 

[Elementary - Dear Watson]

Yeah it is possible, it already exists. It's called Space Channel 5 and it has existed for years.
So yeah, it's been done already

Also Parappa the Rapper was a game that followed a story using only music!

 

[MindFragged]

I'm thinking... a bemani/karaoke game where you rise through the ranks of the jets in west side story with beat-perfect dance moves and pitch-perfect chorus vocals! Become the troupe leader, feared by all!

Anyone?

 

[Gunner 51]

Here's an old one for you.
The Blues Brothers, imagine the fun and japes you can have evading coppers, neo nazis. It could totally work not just as a stealth game, but maybe as a driving one, too.

I can remember one game of it for the Amstrad CPC back in the day - and the music on it was phenominal. Even if the gameplay didn't really have much to do with the film.

If they make a Blues Bros game, it should be based on Burnout Revenge. Blues Bros crash junctions with Rubber Biscuit playing would be mindblowing.
I like the OPs idea and I hope we do see something like that. A lot of people have a mic controller. I wouldn't want "musical" music but other types of music. Gamer music would be cool like Miracle of Sound and Dan Bull but I like to game to weird crazy shit like The Go Team.

Oh wow, I can imagine that.
The music would be just so fitting for a big pile-up.