A film adaptation is something that people who have awe and respect for literature so often expect. In the old days, fans expected to see big-screen adaptations of their favorite books. Well, times are changing, just like the preferences of different generations. Today, entertainment is becoming a very important part of society, therefore, its boundaries are constantly expanding. That humanity does not use to satisfy the thirst for an outstanding holiday. It is worth saying that video games have occupied their niche and will remain an element of leisure for many people for a long time to come. At the same time, cinema continues to gain momentum in popularity. Often, instead of book art, he interprets video games. But what if video game developers start building their products based on their vision of legendary films? Let’s take a look at some of the Oscar-winning motion pictures that have become the muse for creating games.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
This computer role-playing game can hardly be called a complete adaptation of the well-known space saga. Its plot has little to do with the film series. However, it still takes its origins from the Star Wars media franchise, satisfying its fans with elements taken from all the films. The video game describes the events that took place as much as 4000 years before the era of the actions described in the original series. That is why Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic has become a kind of sequel that the insatiable fans of the saga could be content with. The game was expected to be a success, at least thanks to the popularity of the films. However, the secret of public recognition was hidden in the gameplay, which allows users to do whatever their heart desires.
Alien: Isolation
Check out yet another Survival Horror game that fans of the space and Alien franchise will certainly be interested in. The developers took inspiration from a series of films about the ideal space parasite, which was created by Ridley Scott. In 1980, the motion picture won an Oscar for Best Visual Effects. Did the creators of the game manage to repeat the success of the Alien and achieve recognition, but among gamers this time? Unlikely. Yes, all the principles of the game repeat the film, but horror is still far from it. The main focus was more on recreating the appearance of the universe than on the elements of horror. The Xenomorph in Alien: Isolation is more of a run-of-the-mill bogeyman with menacing claws than a monster that makes you leave the lights on when going to sleep afterward. However, you should not underestimate its gameplay: a well-animated game is still worth a drop of attention of any user interested in it.
The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth
Peter Jackson gave the world the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which still captivates its fans with its mesmerizing graphics and storyline. It’s no wonder that game designers drew attention to this particular piece of art and decided to recreate the atmosphere that has won millions of hearts. Needless to say, The Lord of the Rings: The Battle for Middle-earth was not the only attempt at a game adaptation of the film, but it stood out among the failed or mediocre action games based on the Lord of the Rings. The success of “Battle for Middle Earth” comes from the fact that the developers not only relied on the popularity of the trilogy but also put a lot of effort into creating high-quality graphics and special effects. Nevertheless, despite the efforts of the designers, critics did not appreciate it at its true worth, even though Peter Jackson himself positively singled out this very adaptation among all the others.
Peter Jacksonʼs King Kong
And again, we will talk about the film directed by Peter Jackson, who, after the phenomenal success of The Lord of the Rings, began a new job. In 2005, the famous director filmed a version of King Kong in his own way. Another Oscar for the picture only strengthened Jackson’s authority. This time, the game developers did not wait long – they began work on the game of the same name almost simultaneously with the filming of the movie. It received recognition from both critics and gamers. The developers themselves, respectively, were no less satisfied with it. It is not strange, because the quality of the game was taken care of by the director himself, who did not want it to be inferior to his picture in any way. At the time, this was a rather strange attitude towards a video game on a film license, but it did play a role. The game had the same impact as the film itself and was even named the best action game of the year. Well, if you wanted to plunge into forgotten masterpieces, then this is where you can start.
Back to the Future: The Game
Whatever the opinion of the films “Back to the Future” you may have, they remain a franchise that everyone has only fond memories of. And even in our time, if suddenly, during the monotonous switching of channels in search of something interesting, you accidentally stumble upon this film, then you will hardly continue to press the button on the remote control. It seems like the designers of the game of the same name also decided to play on this. The game was released in 2010, 20 years after the third film. The events in the game take place after 1990 – that is why it became a continuation of everyone’s favorite childhood film. However, did it live up to expectations? It is unlikely that fans were expecting to see cartoon characters who now and then get stuck in episodic quests. It looks more like a 2010 video game than a regular children’s adventure game. Nevertheless, the director of the legendary saga himself, Robert Zemeckis approved the idea of the game, and Dr. Emmett was voiced by the actor who played him. Maybe, after all, there is something to see in the game?
It is difficult to judge what exactly are the game adaptation of films – an easy way of earning money or a work of art. However, it is already clear that there is great potential in the symbiosis of directors and game developers. But whether it will be able to open up to the fullest – only time will tell.
