Today, Hollywood studios put as much effort, if not more, into film marketing as its production. So, months before the film hits the theatres, a dedicated marketing team designs and releases posters, trailers, social media content, ad features, and more to make people as aware as possible of the impending release. Another clever tactic to reach a wider audience is collaborating with a gaming company to create a video game for the film.
1. Scarface: The World Is Yours (2006)
Certain gamers enjoy long and comprehensive storylines in games that are somehow relevant to the plot of their favorite films. For such players, Scarface: The World Is Yours (2006), the game, is the perfect choice. The game is somewhat unique as it focuses on the movie Scarface’s legacy instead of its plot. That said, the game embraces the gangster culture. Its basic structure is nearly identical to that of GTA Vice City, another cops-and-robbers game that requires players to get through multiple legal enforcement authorities. The central plot of Scarface revolves around the central character, Tony Montana (played in the film by Al Pacino), who survives and exacts revenge on those who ousted him from power. So, players must aim to pull off specific activities to re-establish Montana’s empire in Miami. Critics and audiences praised the film’s portrayal of Montana, the overall humor of the game, and its grime-ridden tenor that mirrors that of the film.
2. Alien: Isolation (2014)
On many occasions, a video game based on a movie is released several years or even decades after the film’s release. This is usually done by film studios to cash in on the enduring popularity of the film or the film franchise. Alien: Isolation is a video game based on director Ridley Scott’s science fiction horror classic Alien (1979).
This is not the first game designed on either Alien or the films that succeeded it in the franchise. That said, many previous games are widely considered to be underwhelming, either because they deviated too far from the source material or because the gameplay was not up to the high standards of Alien. So, the 2014 version focuses on the tension of Scott’s original film. The game is set about 15 years after the events of Alien. Gamers are supposed to play the iconic Alien character Ellen Ripley’s daughter—Amanda. This character is supposed to investigate her mother’s disappearance while she is relentlessly hunted down by the fearsome (and cinematically iconic) xenomorphs. Players have to use stealth and a variety of weapons to evade and resist the extra-terrestrial creatures.
Alien: Isolation was widely lauded by gamers everywhere for its immersive graphics, engrossing gameplay, art design, world-building, and the way it accurately mirrors the film Alien’s world.
3. Star Wars: Knights of The Old Republic (2003)
This 2023 game stands out as arguably the best game among several other similar versions based on George Lucas’ science fiction world of Star Wars. Developed by the software company BioWare, this game was appreciated for the staggering amount of customization and narrative-altering choices it offered them. The RPG creation of this game is still a major highlight for gamers even today.
In the game, one would play the character of a Jedi and fight against Darth Malak, an evil Sith Lord. The events of this game take place about 4,000 years prior to the birth of the Galactic Empire. The world-building and storyline here hold up gracefully even two decades after the game’s launch.
4. GoldenEye 007 (1997)
It is not surprising that the immensely popular James Bond film franchise got its own game based on the iconic central character. Players first got to play the game two years after the release of the film Golden Eye. This game finds its way on many highly preferred movie-based video game lists as it is remarkably close to its source material. This game revolves around the Bond character hunting down his adversaries and finding hidden treasures. Many games on this list take huge creative liberties and deviate quite a bit from the films or characters on which they are based. In contrast, the game’s accurate depiction of Bond as a suave and ruthless agent working for MI6 stands out.
5. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (2023)
In hindsight, there were very few ways in which a Spider-Man video game would fail to be a commercial success. Audiences have deeply loved the nerdy webslinger on the silver screen for more than two decades now. This meant that they would have lapped up the game and made it a resounding success, even if it was not objectively amazing. Fortunately, the game is incredible in more ways than one. The immersive world of Spider-Man 2 makes it highly enjoyable for players of all ages. Here, they get to control the superhero’s movements as he slings his way through New York to fight villains across the city. The high degree of control makes moving the web-slinger easy and engaging. Additionally, the open-world setting and now-standard web-swinging mechanism of this game continue to keep gamers hooked for hours.
A few other worthwhile games based on movies include The Warriors (2005), Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis (1992), and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003).