There’s a long history of video games based on films being notoriously bad. The official E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial game for Atari is seen at the top of many ‘Worst games of all time’ lists. It’s no surprise really considering as many movie-based games experience rushed development so they can release alongside the movie they’re promoting.
However, when a good movie game comes along, people go crazy for them! They can be hard to come by so we’ve compiled a list of some of the best games based on films that you can play on your gaming PC today!
Alien Isolation
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Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360/One, Nintendo Switch
It’s rare to find a game that captures the feeling of a film so perfectly. Not only is Alien: Isolation perfect at capturing the atmosphere of the films but many class it as one of the best horror video games of all time.
The game is set between the first two films as you take on the role of Ellen Ripley’s daughter, Amanda as you search the abandoned Sevastopol spaceship in hopes of finding out what happened to her mother. The Alien lurks in the shadows of the ship, and it is what makes the game so special. Since the game takes place from the first-person perspective, walking down a narrow hallway to see the alien creeping round the corner is a truly terrifying experience. Plus the AI of the Alien is so well done that it will hardly do the same thing twice, you may die to him and then reload your checkpoint thinking you’re safe, only to find he’s stalking you earlier than before.
Just wandering through the dark deserted halls of Sevastopol is an amazing experience thanks to the amazing lighting and environment design that builds the creeping tension of what lurks around every corner. Alien Isolation is one of the best video games based on a film and just a great game that everyone should experience.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360/One, Nintendo Switch
This game was a bit of a dream come true for many Ghostbusters fans. During the 90s and early 2000s, Dan Akroyd and Harold Ramis tried to get Ghostbusters 3 off the ground. The film got stuck in development hell so the film was never made. Then when the idea of making a video game came around, Akroyd and Ramis finally got the chance to use their ideas.
The result is a playable third Ghostbusters that features all the original cast voicing the iconic team. You play as a rookie Ghostbuster who joins the team to take on classic ghosts like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, the Librarian ghost and Slimer! The best part of the game is blasting ghosts with the proton pack and slamming them into ghost traps. There’s real tension when a ghost struggles to get free that makes it so satisfying to land them in the trap.
The game even got a remaster that makes the game more accessible on modern platforms. From the loving recreation of the Ghostbusters fire station to the opportunity to get slimed by Slimer, this is an absolute must-play for any Ghostbusters fan.
Terminator: Resistance
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox One
While a little rough around the edges, first-person shooter (FPS) Terminator: Resistance nails the atmosphere of the films. The game takes place in the apocalyptic future hinted at in the first two films where you play as a member of the resistance waging war against the robotic killing machines of Skynet.
The gameplay takes its inspiration from the Fallout series through its multiple dialogue options when talking to characters and light resource gathering and crafting to make items and weapons. At its core, it’s an FPS that has you gunning down Terminators by the dozen. It does a great job of making the Terminators intimidating in the early stages where you’ll be using stealth to get around them rather than taking them on.
The voice actor and some of the graphics can be a little below modern gaming examples but it’s made up for by creating a great atmosphere in the environments that evokes the Terminator films to a tee. The game’s rough edges could be the case of falling into the movie game trap of releasing alongside the Terminator: Dark Fate film but there’s more than enough passion poured into the game for diehard Terminator fans to fall in love with.
Star Wars Battlefront II
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
While this game had a rocky launch, it has since got back on its feet to deliver the ultimate Star Wars experience. The game is an online FPS with tons of game modes. While there’s a fun single-player campaign where you play as a member of the Empire after the end of Return of the Jedi, the real meat of the game is in its online multiplayer.
‘Capital Supremacy’ is a popular mode where two opposing teams of either the Empire or the Rebellion fight it out to control most areas on the map to become the victor. You can even be randomly selected to be a Hero or Villain so in the middle of a battle, you can become Darth Vader and start tearing apart the opposing team. There’s even a horror-inspired Ewok Hunt mode where a team of stormtroopers need to defend themselves against a team of Ewoks during a dark night in Endor.
These modes aren’t tied to ground combat either, you can jump in an X Wing or Tie Fighter and try out some aerial combat too! The game is packed with content from every live-action Star Wars film so no matter which era is your favourite, Battlefront II has got you covered.
Jurassic World Evolution
Platforms: PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
There’s no better fit for a Jurassic Park series than an amusement park simulator. It’s lucky then that Jurassic World Evolution fell into the hands of the developers over at Frontier Developments. This company has experience on park sim classics like Roller Coaster Tycoon and Zoo Tycoon.
Your park starts off pretty small to get you used to the mechanics of the game like building a good habitat for your dinosaurs and making sure your security is good enough so they don’t escape. You increase your rank in the game by completing missions and contracts that get you extra components to build the ultimate Jurassic Park. Of course, the dinosaurs will escape and part of the fun is trying to keep the situation under control when it all goes haywire.
With beautiful graphics that show off the park and dinos in stunning detail, Jurassic World Evolution can become a very chilled experience as you tend to your park. It’s great to see such a big franchise receive a game with this much depth which makes this a must-play.