“....and the award for best video-game adaptation of a film goes to…”

Ever since Atari’s Superman hit our screens way back in 1978, the world of video games has seemingly been churning out virtual adaptations of Blockbuster hits left, right and centre. Chances are if you can think of a successful movie franchise, then it’s inspired at least 1 or 2 video games.

Whilst adaptations of big-screen hits have produced quite a few shameless cash grabs and some downright shoddy games (Atari’s craptacular 1982 adaptation of E.T. springs to mind),  they have also thrown quite a few gems our way down the years.

So, without further ado, we’re taking a look at 5 of the best video game adaptations of films to ever see the light of day.

Contents:

1. Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis
2. Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue
3. Alien: Isolation
4. The Thing
5. GoldenEye 007

Indiana Jones and the Fate of Atlantis

We kick things off this week by taking a trip back to the early 1990s to a title in which you can indulge your sense of adventure in style, Indiana Jones and The Fate of Atlantis. 

As the title suggests, the action here revolves around the race to reach the legendary sunken city of Atlantis, as Indy and his trusty psychic sidekick Sophia Hapgood are pursued by the Nazis who seek to use Atlantis’ powers for military purposes.

However, as gripping as the plot was, what made this game stand out was the fact that it featured three distinct game paths (wits, fists and team), each of which features unique cutscenes, puzzles and even locations, something which was truly revolutionary at the time. 

What’s more, it gave you even more reason to keep on coming back for more.

Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue

We shift our attention to the world of Disney now and to a late 90s platformer that went to infinity and beyond, Toy Story 2: Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue. 

The aim of the game here was simple, you control everyone’s favourite intergalactic space ranger, Buzz Lightyear, as he and his band of merry plastic men (Hamm, Rex, Slinky, and Mr. Potato Head) set out to rescue Woody, collecting Pizza Planet tokens along the way.

Ok, it might not be the most sophisticated game in the world, but few titles pull quite as hard on the nostalgia strings as this one. 

What’s more, it’s also been ported to both PS4 and PS5, so owners of current-gen consoles can also take this game for a spin if they like.

Alien: Isolation

Time for a slice of survival horror now with this week’s third title, Alien: Isolation. Whilst the Alien franchise has inspired quite a few dud games down the years, Isolation was an absolute cracker.

Featuring an original story that is heavily inspired by the first Alien film, which takes place 15 years after the events of said film, this game tasks you with controlling Amada Ripley, who’s investigating the disappearance of her mother aboard the spaceship Sevastopol. 

Once aboard this spaceship, you’ll need to summon all your powers of stealth, as you seek to fight off whatever enemies come your way and escape the spaceship, which makes for a truly terrifying, but also thoroughly compelling experience.

The Thing

Alien isn’t the only blockbuster horror film to have inspired a smash-hit of a game adaptation, as big screen classic The Thing also made the jump from film to game back in 2002.

Set as a sequel to the original film, the plot here focuses on Captain Blake, a member of a US Special Forces team sent to the Antarctic outpost featured in the film, only to find himself embroiled in a fight for survival with a shape-shifting alien.

What’s more, how much the NPCs trust the player also varies, depending on how clear they are that you’re not The Thing, which adds an air of complexity to proceedings and also perfectly recreates the pervasive atmosphere of paranoia from the original film.

As if that’s not enough, the director of said film, John Carpenter also approved of the game and even made a cameo appearance.

GoldenEye 007

We round things off this week by taking a look at arguably the most legendary game to be based on a film of all time, GoldenEye 007. 

Although expectations among critics were low among critics during this game’s development, GoldenEye proved to be a huge commercial success, selling over 8 million copies. 

What’s more, although it was initially conceived of as a side-scrolling platformer, it also proved to be very influential on the development of FPS games. Taking inspiration from earlier shooters, such as Doom and Virtua Cop, GoldenEye moved the game on by adding stealth elements, atmospheric single-player missions and, of course, one of the most engaging 4-player multiplayer modes ever.

With all of the above in mind, it’s no surprise that this title has long been the stuff of gaming legend!