Spaceships, lens flares, and alien life forms are expected pieces of sci-fi thanks toStar TrekandStar Wars,but there are plenty of properties that utilize an entirely different tone, setting, story, and world-building. One such franchise initially released on the big screen in 1982 before several revisions improved it and a sequel was released in 2017. It’s loved by many, and has risen to the status of cult classic as the decades have gone by, butBlade Runnerhas only had one video game adaptation courtesy ofNightdive Studios, releasing in 1997. It’s an IP that has so much potential on the medium, and searching for a suitable developer could be easier than expected.
Tango Gameworks became known to gamers worldwide with the 2014 release ofThe Evil Within. The title felt like a spiritual successor toResident Evil 4in many ways, and did well to give fans of the property something to love after the disappointingResident Evil6. From there, a sequel followed three years later which upheld the quality of the first, and in 2022 the ZeniMax-owned company releasedGhostwire Tokyo, a game that was announced at E3 2019 by Ikumi Nakamura. Shifting gears to a more familiar entity would surely be a move welcomed by fans, though, andBlade Runnerfits the company’s style and strengths.
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The Evil Within is Characteristically Cryptic
Blade Runnerfound fame and fans by not only being a visual spectacle, but a narrative question mark. Deckard is a character whom the viewer barely knows, and not only does it benefit the film, but much of the intrigue in the story relies on the ambiguity of Deckard himself. Much like Deckard, Sebastian Castellanos is a law man in way over his head. He’s the vessel through which the audience views the horrors that occur, andTango Gameworksdoes well to develop him enough to be interesting, but doesn’t put him in the forefront of the experience.
Deckard is placed in a similar position inBlade Runner, which would make Tango Gameworks' past successes a clear sign that Ridley Scott’s pioneering film should inspire its next project. At no point inBlade Runnerdoes the protagonist have a long, elaborate speech or a break-out moment that cements him as the star of the show. It’sRutger Hauer’s seminal ‘tears in rain’death soliloquy that is the most famous scene in the film and Deckard is, like the viewers, merely a spectator.
Blade Runner Matches Tango Gameworks’ Ability to Create Tension
Blade Runneris by no means a horror franchise, but it has the means to create tension like no other. The unsettling sense of doubt from not knowing who is a replicant and who isn’t, and the rain-soaked streets of a dystopian Los Angeles add a density that makes it far from easy viewing. Tango Gameworks has yet to make a game that doesn’t lean into a more adult tone and atmosphere;Ghostwire Tokyois also cryptic and mature in tone, and its neon-infused setting bear similarities toBlade Runner.
Blade Runneris a franchise with renewed interest following the success ofBlade Runner 2049andthe announcement of a new Amazon Prime series, and there’s no denying the potential it has in the video game space. Pulling industry juggernauts like Naughty Dog or Bethesda away from their works to focus on a pre-existing franchise would be surprising, but Tango Gameworks is new enough to truly benefit from developing a game in such a beloved IP. Its previous outings have proven that it is more than up to the task, andBlade Runnerwould fit its expertise while also riding the wave of popularity it’s currently on.
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