Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang: Best Video Games For Movie Buffs



Plenty of video games are “cinematic”. But only a handful actually make you feel like you’re in a movie. The following games tick all the same boxes as a great blockbuster — from compelling characters and unforeseen plot twists to relentless action and heart-stopping set pieces. (Some even contain romance and nooky!) If you’ve exhausted your Netflix binge-list or just feel like something a little more interactive, these ten video games contain everything a cinephile needs.

A note on our selection criteria: We’ve tried to concentrate on games that deliver tight, “feature-length” campaigns that play like interactive movies. Games with sprawling open worlds or lots of wandering around were subsequently excluded. (Sorry, Red Dead Redemption/GTA fans!)

[Warning: Minor spoilers ahead]

Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3)

The use of multiple protagonists also results in some shock deaths that occur under your direct control. Special mention must also go to your SAS side kick Captain Price who is every bit as iconic and badass as Blain from Predator (maybe it’s the mustaches). Played entirely in the first-person, the game really feels like you’re starring in a gung-ho action movie. It also doesn’t outstay its welcome, clocking in at around five hours.

Play it if you like: Black Hawk Down, The Expendables.

Until Dawn (PlayStation 4)

In short, it’s a perfect recreation of a “so-bad-it’s-good” horror film that people used to watch on VHS taps. I particularly like how the game gradually ratchets up the tension until everyone is running for their lives. (Oh, and it stars a faithfully rendered Hayden Panettiere, who was in Scream 4.)

Play it if you like: trashy teen horror flicks.

The Last Of Us (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4)

The game is currently being turned into a movie with Game Of Thrones‘ Maisie Williams set to star. Unlike practically every other video game adaptation, this one actually has a chance of being good — the source material was pure cinema to begin with.

Play it if you like: The Road, 28 Days Later.

Second Sight (PlayStation 2, Xbox, PC, GameCube)

The game fills in the gaps in Vattic’s memory by continually cutting back to the past — another classic movie trope. Second Sight is getting a bit long in the tooth these days, but the cartoony style helps to hide its rough edges and phoned-in acting. If you like movies that feature memory loss and shady government experiments, it’s well worth a go.

Play it if you like: The Bourne Identity, Lucy.

Heavy Rain (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4)

Like Until Dawn, Heavy Rain is a good choice for cinephiles who don’t normally play video games. The player interacts with the game world via simple actions and button presses which means there are no complex controls to bog down non-gamers. If you enjoy this, we also recommend Cage’s other titles: particularly Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy.

Play it it you like: Se7en, The Cell.

Uncharted 2: Among Thieves (PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4)

The game’s most valuable asset is its chief protagonist; the globetrotting adventurer Nathan Drake. Like all of the best action heroes, Drake has an everyman quality and deadpan sense of humour that makes him instantly likable. Like The Last Of Us, the series is currently being turned into a movie with Chris Pratt in the lead role. We made that casting bit up, but he would totally make a great Nathan Drake. Make it so, Hollywood!

Play it it you like: Indiana Jones, Romancing The Stone.

L.A. Niore (PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC)

The primary strength of L.A. Noire is the way it effortlessly merges gameplay with cinema: for example, the piano music will often give a telltale tinkle when Cole is near an important piece of evidence. This lets the player know they need to take closer look, yet it also feels like a natural part of the soundtrack. Unlike most open world games, you can also opt out of driving from point A to point B on the map if you’d prefer to speed the plot along. It’s little touches like this that really make you feel like you’re inside a movie.

The game also features superb acting courtesy of Team Bondi’s MotionScan technology: real actors were filmed inside of a ring of 32 cameras which faithfully captured their facial expressions from every angle. The fact that the game used established actors also helps (fans of the TV show Mad Men will recognise several familiar faces.) If you enjoy this game, be sure to keep a lookout for its spiritual sequel; the curiously titled Whore Of The Orient.

Play it it you like: L.A. Confidential, Chinatown.

Metal Gear Solid (PlayStation, PC)

James Bond

If you prefer (mostly) cohesive storytelling and a tight, action-packed plot, stick with the original. Despite the woefully outdated graphics, it’s probably the most “movie-like” of the bunch. Okay, so the actual gameplay isn’t particularly cinematic (you spend most of it hiding in corners), but when those big action movie moments come, they are blockbuster calibre through and through.

Play it if you like: Moonraker, Evangelion.

Grim Fandango (PC)

The Maltese FalconCasablanca

The game takes place in an Aztec-influenced Land of the Dead where departed souls prepare for their final journey into the ether. Players take on the role of Manuel “Manny” Calavera, an undead travel agent who assists souls in their trip to the underworld. As the plot unfolds, Manny uncovers a conspiracy involving crooked transport officers with links to organised crime. (It’s basically On The Waterfront with calaca puppets.) As with all Schafer games, dialogue is one of Grim Fandango’s biggest strengths, along with the Pixar-levels of imagination on display. If the idea of this game intrigues you, pick up the remastered version which is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation Vita, Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS.

Play it if you like: Tim Burton movies, The Book of Life.

Mafia II (Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC)

Mafia II is the ultimate indulgence for fans of the gangster genre. All the classic hallmarks are present and accounted for: there’s the childhood friend who drags the protagonist into a life of crime, a stint in jail where alliances are made, crooked union bosses, the “first hit”, a forced betrayal of a former boss and vengeance served ice cold. The game scores extra movie points for its fantastic period soundtrack which includes many licensed hits from the era. In fact, the only misfire is the title: they clearly should have gone with “Mafia Part II” in homage to The Godfather‘s sequel. Tch, eh?

Play it if you like: Goodfellas, The Godfather.

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This story has been updated since its original publication..