Telltale announces: HOMELAND: THE GAME

[Matt]

You heard me right, Telltale is developing a game based on the Showtime series Homeland.


Okay, that is entirely untrue.

But I've recently been watching this show and I was wondering, how exactly can a light on action, character driven spy drama like Homeland be adapted into a video game that allows you to live all of the twist and turns and political/espionage intrigue?

Studios have tried. Alpha Protocol made some strides but it wasn't all the way there. 24: The Game was unsatisfying to all but the most hardcore of 24 fans. Rockstar's Agent seems to be dead. Yet I feel like there is a huge market for a game of this nature. Then it hit me, Telltale should make one. Maybe not based on Homeland, but instead an IP that is a proper spy game.

Rather than a stealth based game like Splinter Cell or an action heavy game like Rainbow Six, it is a dialogue heavy game like The Walking Dead which places emphasis on relationships. You gather intelligence and accumulate intelligence assets through building relationships as a CIA handler with the ultimate goal being to stop a terrorist attack. The Walking Dead did such a good job of building a bond between the player and the characters, imagine this in the context of a spy setting. You have to see through those relationships and filter out which are real, which are fake, who is playing you, who you can turn to your advantage, trusting the wrong person or following the wrong lead could have disastrous effects, etc.

I feel like this is a genre that has been unable to live up to its full potential and Telltale has really opened the door with the Walking Dead. There is a hell of an opportunity for Telltale to make a game of this nature. What are your thoughts?

 

[Soapy]

I agree. I've been wanting a really good spy game for a long time and think there's some untapped potential there.

 

[Matt]

I agree. I've been wanting a really good spy game for a long time and think there's some untapped potential there.

I feel like The Walking Dead has created an engine that really lends itself to this genre. Being a spy isn't about being James Bond or Jack Bauer. It is about building relationships with people and deciphering clues. A game like The Walking Dead, the presents you with choices that can have significant impact and consequences on the game's world and builds relationships between players and characters (only to toy with those relationships in a world where you can trust no one), would make for the ideal spy game, IMO.

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

I would really like Telltale to do a Doctor Who game.

 

[Matt]

I would really like Telltale to do a Doctor Who game.

I certainly don't oppose it and it would no doubt be better than Eternity Clock. How do you imagine it would work?

 

[Upset Spideyfan]

I personally don't have any vision for it other than wanting to see what Telltale could do with it. I'd definitely want them to incorporate the "season 1" idea they went for with Walking Dead and present it along those lines.

I could see it working either way in regards to using Matt Smith's Doctor and trying to fit it in canon or not. There are pros and cons for both. Would definitely be cool and maybe add some replay value if we could pick our companion in the first episode out of a set and go through the entire season with them.

 

[Soapy]

I feel like The Walking Dead has created an engine that really lends itself to this genre. Being a spy isn't about being James Bond or Jack Bauer. It is about building relationships with people and deciphering clues. A game like The Walking Dead, the presents you with choices that can have significant impact and consequences on the game's world and builds relationships between players and characters (only to toy with those relationships in a world where you can trust no one), would make for the ideal spy game, IMO.

I don't think I would want them to use their engine for a spy game. Eventually a spy game needs to have some action here and there, and every time The Walking Dead approaches anything resembling actual gameplay it just sucks.

My ideal spy game would be mostly conversational and exploratory in nature, with some decent stealth gameplay peppered throughout. Never an outright shooter. It would also be fully 3D with direct character control and no fixed camera angles and point and click like TellTale's stuff. I would like to see their take on the genre though.

 

[Destructus86]

sounds awsome


but I still want Space Quest

 

[Matt]

Bump, because a year and a half later and this is still an awesome idea.

 

[zenith16]

Is this for real ? Home land? hmmm interesting, Man they must have really expanded in people.

 

[Matt]

Someone didn't read the thread.

 

[zenith16]

lol I read most it of and re read it to make sure this is more of a wish I see. the year it was made I didn't notice til the second read. not sure how I missed it the year of 2012.

I'd say this is't a bad idea but if your a handler then I say some elements of x comb the enemy with in covert op part would work to a degree with telltale. other the that. ... but there's a lot to explore this with.

 

[Tron Bonne]

My first reaction upon reading the title was that Telltale must be just licensing things for the sake of doing so, because damn. But guess not. Never seen Homeland.

 

[zenith16]

I just caught up with some of it last year it's Ok but the middle of it was kinda if where the writing was involved. But there are other better spy series. Burn notice is still tops.

 

[Matt]

I personally would like Telltale to do an original IP along these lines. There is no need to license a spy series.