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Discuss.
It seems that most movie's made into games are really terrible. Well, especially on consoles. But, it seems overall that most games made from movies are rushed to be released along side the movie. This brings games that are really buggy.
One example would be the Matrix game that came out for all three major consoles. This game got bad reviews and was loaded with all kinds of bugs, and sometimes the game would even crash.
I don't think i can recall one movie to game, that was rated really high.
btw, in Electronic Gaming Monthly, the new Terminator: Rise of the machines got some really pathetic scores. So maybe game developers should stick with original ideas.
I could go on, but i'm starting to get tired.
edit: there are a few good ones out there.
BG
Goldeneye is a great example of a good movie turned into a videogame, and in my opinion one of the best FPS of the last few years to come out on either console or PC.
WW2 had crappy special effects to begin with, and it's no wonder that it produced crap games when it was a cynical commercial ploy to cash in on the success of the first one. That whole "take-over the world" plot was so lame as well. Makes you glad they never got the funding to complete the trilogy.
The whole thing was rather anticlimactic as well. Hitler didn't become a genetically-manipulated super-being and we didn't have a hero wipe out Japan, they just threw a couple bombs at it to wrap things up quickly since people were becoming bored with the whole production. Tedium indeed.
In my experience I dislike games made from movies because they are usually 'money-makers'. All those cheezy Star Wars games are just taxes on the fans.
Some games based loosely off of movies can be pretty good, though. Consider the Indiana Jones adventure games. It really just depends.
There's plenty of good ones based off movies, but they're often overlooked. For example, Goldeneye, The Thing, Spiderman (the one based off the movie), The Hulk, Enter The Matrix (although this is debatable), Minority Report (also debatable), Aliens VS Predator, the recent Lord Of The Rings games, and so forth. There's also some games that seem to be inspiried by movies, like Medal Of Honor Allied Assault (inspired by Saving Private Ryan) and Need For Speed Underground (inspired by Fast and the Furious).
I always get my inspiration to making games from movies. I often make games of movies. I never just make a game. I usually watch TV late at night and when there is something funny I get inspiration and don't sleep all night. Because I can't stop thinking of the game. How funny it will be, how good it will be etc.
But finally´when I start makign it won't come out so good as I expect. But oh well...thing are that way that the idea is better than the game itself. Atleast for me ;)
Making movies based on games turns out worse. Super Mario Brothers, Mortal Kombat and Street fighter anyone!?!?
What about movies based on people playing games? (e.g. The Wizard)
The problem is, with the exception of adventure games, the two mediums are completely incompatible. Books, movies and adventure games are driven by story. Most other forms of video games are based on reflex skills. They come from two completely different areas of entertainment. You just can't retell a story properly in an action game, by it's nature the story will never be the main focus.
BLADE RUNNER was a brilliant game, but because it told a different story to the movie. They took the film's locations and styles and put together a story which was mostly original (though they cleverly adapted some scenes from the book Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep that hadn't been in the film). They also made best use of the possibilities of gaming by making multiple endings that genuinely worked with the story (not like Ripper).
Quote from: YakSpit on Sat 17/01/2004 12:36:22
What about movies based on people playing games? (e.g. The Wizard)
Yeah, that one sucked... what was it with the kid? Wasn't he retarded, but was good at games or something.
Bloody Fred Savage... :P
I think it's perfectly possible for somthing to go from one medium to another.
The trouble is, some people just arn't willing to make the sacrifices nessercery to do so...other people do it too readily.
Okay, let's say I was making a movie about Monkey Island.
I can't bloody well have two people with swords speaking to each other and then a brief bit of swordsplay. It might be a bit comical for a few seconds but would make the audience feel pretty awkward after a while.
Also, you couldn't have mad-cap, swahbuckling, Johnny Depp, blockbuster, kung-fu, slow motion sword battles either.
You'd need to find a compromise, somthing that stays faithful to the original game but also works as a film. Or visa versa.
It's probably quite a tricky skill, so it's small wonder that not many people have managed to pull it off. But it is possible.
Like Ali said, Blade Runner worked out quite well. The problem with most movies-to-games projects is that the games have to hit the shops the moment the movie reaches the theater.
Quote from: Pirate Jack on Sat 17/01/2004 11:19:37
Making movies based on games turns out worse. Super Mario Brothers, Mortal Kombat and Street fighter anyone!?!?
dont forget tomb raider and resident evil. those sucked too
Quote from: panda isnt a ninja on Sat 17/01/2004 23:44:03
dont forget tomb raider and resident evil. those sucked too
I liked both of those. I only played and finished the first Tomb Raider game though, so maybe I wasn't overly obsessed with the storylines.
The Resident Evil movie was to me inarguably good because it had an awesome atmosphere. Marylin Manson did the tracking for it and to me it was really full of suspense. On top of that the effects were really good.
I think the problem with "movies to games" thing is, that it's usually more "commercial" for movie than a proper game (with a few bright exceptions).
Think about it: not only are developers limited with story, target audience (who are not always regular gamers) and studio's wishes... there's also a very strict dead-line. The game can't come out 1 year after film, or there isn't any effect. Knowing how dead-lines usualy work, or better- don't work, in game industry (months or even years late), it's no surprise developers don't want to take a risk or be inovative...
Games to movies are different animal though. Don't have any idea why they stink... probably because they choose wrong games (Tomb Rider? Street Fighter?? Mortal Kombat???)
Would love to see movie version of Monkey Island with Johnny Depp though :)
Quote from: YakSpit on Sat 17/01/2004 12:36:22
What about movies based on people playing games? (e.g. The Wizard)
One of my favourite movies when I was a kid was "Cloak & Dagger" I have never played the game, but I would have watched the movie at least 20 times. It had that kid from ET in it (Henry Thomas).
But as for the topic in general as people have said, they usually suck cause they have to be rushed out. But I have rarely played any of them.
It can work, it just rarely does. It's up to the developer to make it work.
Some of the Star Wars games are very good (And this from somebody who despises the movies) and also don't forget Indiana Jones and Goldeneye.
Every single game ever released alongside a disney movie needs to be abolished.
So I would say it the quality of a game based off a movie is really up to the developer.
Quote from: panda isnt a ninja on Sat 17/01/2004 23:44:03
Quote from: Pirate Jack on Sat 17/01/2004 11:19:37
Making movies based on games turns out worse. Super Mario Brothers, Mortal Kombat and Street fighter anyone!?!?
dont forget tomb raider and resident evil. those sucked too
Ah, but what about Voltage Fighter Gowcaizer? That little gem of an OAV was actually BETTER than the game it was based on! So much better, in fact, that the OAV is considered a classic by many long-time anime fans, but few of them are even aware it was based on a game.
Actually, the Super Marios Bros. and Street Fighter movies aren't all that bad, you just think they are because you go in expecting them to bear some kind of resemblance games they share a title with, and then find out that they don't. People who went to see those (and Wing Commander as well) with no preconceived notions (from playing the games) of what they should be like typically found them rather enjoyable, excepting of course people who just plain don't like pulp superhero movies (like 99% of all movie critics).
Whichever way you go, I think the main problem is the franchise mentality: the producer of the adaptation thinks they can sell the product based on name alone, and just doesn't bother to put any real effort into it. How many games-based-on-movies are just cookie-cutter platformers with different graphics pasted in? This is probably why Gowcaizer breaks the mold: the game sucked, so they figured the OAV damn well better be good to make up for it.
Quote from: Timosity on Sun 18/01/2004 04:01:41
Quote from: YakSpit on Sat 17/01/2004 12:36:22
What about movies based on people playing games? (e.g. The Wizard)
One of my favourite movies when I was a kid was "Cloak & Dagger" I have never played the game, but I would have watched the movie at least 20 times. It had that kid from ET in it (Henry Thomas).
That was a really neat movie. But is it actually based on a real game? I thought it was just a fake game, like the one he plays in Big (you know, "melt ice wizard with thermonuclear wand" and all that). In fact, I really like movies about people who play games, which then become real - that's sort-of what happens in Shadowplay as well, but with movies instead of games. Wargames absolutely rocks, The Last Starfighter is cool, and Gotcha! (although not about computer games) is still among my favorite 80s movies.
Quote from: GarageGothic on Wed 21/01/2004 11:34:14
That was a really neat movie. But is it actually based on a real game? I thought it was just a fake game
you could well be right, I've never seen the game, but it could be an old atari game or based on a similar one.
It's funny cause I remember there were also action figures (or toy soldier type) in the movie [there may have even been a D&D like game in there], and the movie was also a live version of the game in a kids fantasy sort of way, so it would have been a good opportunity to pimp a game and action figures along with the movie.
I don't know, I think an American that lived in that era might have a better idea.
I hear Tron has made for a good game, and the film was poo! Maybe there's a formula!