What do video games and cinema have in common? A lot. While it's true that there are many movie-based games, most made hastily to coincide with releases, the results are often poor. Below, we take a look at the best games with a cinematic spirit
Over the years, the relationship between movies and video games has become increasingly close. While during the last century interactive entertainment was seen as a lesser art, today nobody would hesitate to put it on the same level as film or television, not only in terms of storytelling but also production values. Consequently, many Hollywood actors and actresses have decided to venture into the world of games, lending their bodies and voices to some of the most important development studios in the world. Several of the most popular artists made the leap from the big screen to our consoles. For example, one of the most resonant cases was that of Beyond: Two Souls, a title starring Ellen Page and Willem Dafoe.
In the game, Page plays a girl connected to an entity with telekinetic powers, and Dafoe is the scientist who studies this phenomenon and tries to help the young woman. The adventure was created by Quantic Dream, the studio of David Cage, a developer known for his work on Fahrenheit (2005) and Heavy Rain (2010), who is already working on Detroit: Become Human, a new project for PlayStation 4. Beyond: Two Souls was released in 2013 for PlayStation 3 and, for a few months now, you can enjoy its remastered edition for Sony's latest console. Beyond the artists who brought it to life, the game bases its gameplay on decision-making, offering alternative endings depending on the paths you choose to take. Beyond: Two Souls is an interactive drama that has nothing to envy from Hollywood productions.
There's no doubt that Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes and The Phantom Pain make up one of the most important works of the current generation; the adventures with which Hideo Kojima said goodbye to his most beloved saga. One of the great attractions is undoubtedly the presence of Kiefer Sutherland as Big Boss, lending his face and voice to a character historically played by veteran actor David Hayter. Sutherland's inclusion wasn't well received by all fans of the game, but thanks to his talent and versatility he manages to make us believe the role was made exclusively for him.
Another actor who was part of the virtual world was Kevin Spacey, who played Jonathan Irons in Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare. The two-time Oscar winner shines with his portrayal of this villain and manages to elevate the already classic approach to war films in Activision's saga to a new level. Call of Duty has always invited us to be part of the most spectacular and frantic military conflicts, and Spacey's presence adds even more realism to the story of this adventure.
Leaving war behind and entering the comic book universe, Mark Hamill himself played the Joker in the games of the Batman Arkham saga and also in DC Universe Online. His work in several animated series and movies of the Caped Crusader earned him unanimous recognition from fans, and he managed to prove he can be much more than Luke Skywalker.
Indeed, George Lucas himself was involved for a long time in game development through the legendary LucasArts, the company responsible for some of the best graphic adventures of all time and, of course, dozens of titles inspired by the Star Wars universe.
Another renowned director who recently ventured into video games was Spike Lee, who brought to life the story of the MyCareer mode in NBA 2K16. The result, however, was received with controversy by fans of the franchise, having supporters and detractors in equal parts.
Legendary musician Gustavo Santaolalla composed the soundtrack for The Last of Us, earning worldwide recognition from the industry. Music is a fundamental element in Naughty Dog's title, and Santaolalla managed to capture the spirit of the game and convey all the desolation of this post-apocalyptic world to our consoles.
Have you ever imagined playing a game that mixes the mechanics of Telltale Games' interactive adventures with the slasher horror movies of the '80s? Until Dawn is a PlayStation 4 exclusive that lets you control the fates of several characters trapped in a cabin far from civilization. And if cinema has taught us anything, it's that in situations like this, the protagonists are usually not alone. Once in the cabin, supernatural events begin to occur, and your mission is to make the right decisions to ensure the group's survival. The hook of Until Dawn is that it's made to be played more than once because it's impossible to see everything in a single run.
Anything you do has consequences in the future, which in some way allows you to live your own story according to the branches your choices take. Obviously the game has multiple endings, and characters will live or die depending on what you do. The line between cinema and video games is increasingly blurred, and while playing Until Dawn you'll often think you're watching a movie. The audiovisual section is incredible, and the acting is up to par with what we can expect from the slasher genre that was so popular a few years ago. And the best part is that you can enjoy it over and over until you manage to get all the characters to survive this terrifying experience.
One of the classic PlayStation sagas is back, accompanied by a movie. It's Ratchet & Clank, a franchise that dates back to the golden era of PlayStation 2, when these charming characters from Insomniac Games surprised the world with their wonderful mix of action, platforms, and humor. After shining on all of Sony's subsequent systems and also on PSP and PlayStation Vita, the company released the reboot of the original title for PlayStation 4 a few months ago, fully exploiting the capabilities of the new generation and introducing this duo to a new audience.
All the elements that made the saga famous are present once again, but enhanced on a much larger scale. As always, the arsenal is wide and varied, and this time the Pixelizer stands out, a weapon that turns your enemies into 8-bit pixels. This reboot of the franchise recovers all the good things from previous games and, as if that weren't enough, it arrived accompanied by an animated film. Unfortunately, the latter's result didn't live up to expectations, being battered by most critics. Anyway, you can always return to your PlayStation 4 to enjoy one of the best third-person shooters available on the console.
In 2011, Deus Ex: Human Revolution arrived, a prequel to the original game released at the start of the previous decade. The title was one of the best of that year, mixing like no other mechanics of action, stealth, and RPG, becoming an instant classic. This year, Deus Ex: Mankind Divided arrived on Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Linux, an adventure that puts you back in the shoes of Adam Jensen, who has all sorts of cybernetic upgrades that will help you on the mission, which takes you through several cities while facing a terrorist group in the context of a segregated world where normal humans coexist with those with mechanical implants. In Mankind Divided you have full freedom to complete main and side missions, always being able to choose between using force or evading danger unseen. This possibility gives the title a very high replayability, being almost two games in one. If you like Blade Runner, Terminator, eXistenZ, and The Matrix, you'll surely enjoy Mankind Divided, a game that resembles all those movies and is great.
Now, if you want to play a game full of action, humor, a little romance, intrigue, a twist, among many other things, yours is Uncharted 4: A Thief's End. Since its origins, at the beginning of the previous console generation, the Uncharted series proved to be an ideal alternative for those seeking action, exploration, and a story full of adventure. The protagonist, Nathan Drake, is a fearless bounty hunter (something like a modern version of Indiana Jones). And alongside him, Sony system users were able to enjoy three essential titles and even a respectable portable inclusion. However, none of the previous games in the saga prepared us for what Naughty Dog had in store for PlayStation 4. A Thief's End is the conclusion of Drake's story, a game that not only offers an ending worthy of one of the most charismatic characters of all time but also squeezes the console's technical possibilities like no other title.
Its plot takes place four years after what we saw in Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception; a retired Nathan was enjoying life with Elena, his partner, until the sudden appearance of his brother Sam, who had been presumed dead. From there, the Drakes will find themselves involved in a story of conspiracies, hidden treasures, and, of course, dangers of all kinds in an adventure that takes you from the United States to Madagascar, passing through Italy, Panama, and the United Kingdom. Uncharted 4 has everything to keep you on the edge of your seat throughout its campaign. In addition, once you finish the main story, you can have fun with its complete multiplayer mode that offers several different modes, which usually receive new content periodically and for free. Uncharted 4: A Thief's End seems more like a movie than a game, being the title that best combines these two artistic experiences, mixing the excitement of action cinema with the infinite interactive possibilities of a video game. And for you, what is your favorite movie-like game? Or which movie would you like to have a game? Tell us here in the comments.
