John Wickhas consistently surprised moviegoers with every new release, as each film manages to feel fresh and exciting as opposed to repetitive and boring. This is no easy feat for a series of action movies, as fans of the genre will often feel like they have seen all there is to see. However, everyJohn Wickfilm manages to raise the bar, with thetop-down fight scene fromJohn Wick 4being a perfect reminder of how inventive the franchise can be - and how much it deserves a video game in the same vein asSifu.
ThoughJohn Wickhas had a few small-scale video games, none have truly captured the feel of the series. Doing so is no easy task, as the gun-fu featured in the movies will be hard to make satisfying and challenging. However, there is one developer who is up to the task: Sloclap. If it were interested, the studio could use everything it learned fromSifuto deliver a similar style of game that is just as exhilarating as the movies it is based on.
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A John Wick Game is Right Up Sloclap’s Alley
In itsprevious titleAbsolverand especiallySifu, Sloclap’s melee combat felt incredible, with the developer showing its expertise in skill-dependent close quarters combat. While it takes a bit to master kung-fu and all the various combos, parries, and environmental interactions required to perfectly clear stages, connecting with the combat results in a fighting game experience like no other. Because of this,Sifuis able to deliver some sequences very reminiscent of action movies likeOld Boy.
Considering how it has embraced these comparisons with the newSifuArenas mode, as players can take part in sequences based fully onThe MatrixandKill Bill, Sloclap has clearly looked toward films for some inspiration. Perhaps it could do the same withJohn Wick, introducing guns into the mix for some gun-fu gameplay in aSifuspiritual successor. However, it could also go for a full-onJohn Wickgame instead, partnering with Lionsgate for a faithful adaptation.
Players could truly feel like they have becomeJohn Wickif the game has someSifu-like combat, as much of the 2022 release already delivers on the feel of aJohn Wickfilm. Sloclap would simply need to shift its focus from Japan to the world of assassination and incorporate handguns, shotguns, and random items like pencils into the mix for some unique kills. Nearly everything else about theJohn Wickgamecould remain the same, including its level structure.
InSifu, players need to clear out waves of enemies as they progress through a stage, with hard encounters spread across the level. After players clear all the enemies, they will be faced with a boss fight, forced to restart if they get too old to keep fighting. WhileSifu’s age mechanicwould not work in a John Wick-led game, the level structure certainly would, as players could face an expert assassin at the end of each stage that is out to kill Wick. Experienced assassins could even ambush Wick out of nowhere, adding in a surprise boss fight here and there. Perhaps FromSoftware’s invasion mechanic could even make an appearance.
Considering that Keanu Reeves is open to video game roles, as shown by his portrayal ofJohnny Silverhand inCyberpunk 2077, perhaps he would be open to reprising the role of John Wick in this hypothetical Sloclap game. Regardless, Sloclap’s expertise with kung-fu gameplay would translate perfectly to a project focusing on the visually pleasing gun-fu of the “baba yaga.” Though there is nothing indicating that it will actually happen, Sloclap andJohn Wickfeels like a match made in heaven.
Sifuis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
