Breaking Bad: The Video Game

I’m a huge fan of the AMC hit series Breaking Bad.  It’s filmed in my hometown (Albuquerque) and  I’ve even been on it as an extra a few times (and even my wife’s car has been in the background of several shots).  It’s a great show, especially with so many crappy TV shows out there.  So, here’s my question: why isn’t there a Breaking Bad video game?

[Note: There are spoilers - if you haven't seen the show, but may want to, stop reading! This includes you SteveJ - watch it first.]

The elements for a great game are all there.  From ethically and morally flexible protagonists, resource management built into production, and an aggressive and psychotic boss.  It’s got so many great elements, it could be successful as any gaming genre: action, RPG, FPS – you name it, it could do it.  I suppose you could even do a MMO game with cancerous meth cooks in various cities and territories – like Mafia Wars or the old-school Drug Wars.

Since I don’t have the time, the skill, or the licensed rights to make such a glorious game, I’ll put my best thoughts here, in the hope that somebody, somewhere will make Breaking Bad: The Game.

First, I think it would make a great multi-genre game, with each level or chapter containing multiple types of games. For example, in “Part 1″ you could have an action game where you try to get an RV, set up a cook, kill some drug dealers, and sell the meth, all while keeping your family in the dark about what you’re doing and going to chemotherapy. You can get an extra life by claiming you had temporary cognitive disassociation.  You make it through Part 1 if you don’t get caught and don’t get killed by the local small time dealers.

Part 2 would be a resource management style game.  Trying to get enough illicit ingredients to cook, while still avoiding capture or being killed.  You also have to find legal representation, manage the “on-the-street” guys, defend your territory, and finally find a buyer for all the meth you’ve made.  Maybe you could include an exploding Tortoise with a Head On It ™ that chases you and Hank around if you’re not moving fast enough.

Part 3 would be working in a dedicated lab, much like a Chinese Spinning Plates game – or maybe even like the classic action game Tapper.  You’ve got to produce enough to make the Big Boss Gus Fring keep off your back, while making sure that Gale doesn’t help you too much. If he helps you too much, Gus will come down to the factory and have Mike shoot you.  It’s all about timing and balance. And, if your wife takes away all your money, you start the next part desperate to find money.

Part 4 is the first Boss Level.  You have to try to kill the El Pollo Hermanos Head Honcho. That’s all there is too it – except he’s super smart, hard to get to, calculating, and very guarded.  So, you have to try to convince others to defeat him for you.  This would be the RPG section of the, where you’d have to work with and against your partners and enemies to finally defeat Gustavo. You’ll also have to poison a kid. (Yeah, talk about ethically misguided…)

And the last part – well I don’t know yet. I’m guessing you’ll have to kill everybody you love, or else do things that will cause them to get killed.  You’ll also have to betray all your friends in pursuit of an empire.  I can’t wait to find out…

Anyway, that’s what I was thinking would make a great game.  Anybody else got any thoughts on what would make a great Breaking Bad game?