7 of the Best Video Games Based on Movies

Movies and video games are two of the biggest and most influential entertainment industries. However, those industries don’t always mix together well, with some sloppy video game film adaptations and games based on movies. For example, the crappy E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial Atari 2600 game significantly contributed to the video gaming crash of 1983. Yet, there have also been some great video games based on movies that are well worth playing today. These are some of the best Hollywood-inspired video games in history.

Alien Isolation

Alien is a classic 1979 science fiction movie, and this game is chronologically set between the first two films of its franchise, with Amanda Ripley as the protagonist. This is one of the best video games based on movies due to its effective capture of the terrifying atmosphere of the original Alien film, with its grim environment and intense sound design. Alien Isolation incorporates an immersive retro-future world set in the Sevastopol station, with a terrifying, adaptive Xenomorph hunting you. Many players rate Alien Isolation as one of the best ever survival horror games.

Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic

There have been many Star Wars games, but Knights of the Old Republic stands out as being one of the very best. Knights of the Old Republic is set thousands of years before the original movie and proves you don’t need any Skywalkers for a great Star Wars storyline. Players loved the iconic plot twists, choice-based gameplay, deep character customization, and immersive Star Wars atmosphere in this game. Although based on the Star Wars movie series, KOTOR had its own unique world-building lore for planets not restricted by the SW franchise.

Sony and Aspyr Media announced a KOTOR remake with an official reveal trailer in 2021. No such remake has yet to be released, but the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic remake is still confirmed to be in development. However, there have been significant delays for the KOTOR remake, with Saber Interactive now handling the game development.

GoldenEye 007

The GoldenEye 007 video game for the Nintendo 64 was directly based on the blockbuster Brosnan Bond movie. This was a first-person shooter game that revolutionized the FPS genre on consoles with its precision aiming, non-linear levels, and more strategic, stealth-oriented gameplay. Golden Eye 007’s single-player campaign was stellar, but its iconic four-player split-screen multiplayer almost made this game a bigger cultural phenomenon than Bond himself.

GoldenEye 007 has had a remake and a remaster. The 2023 remastered version of the game for Nintendo Switch Online has an enhanced 4K resolution and frame rates. Activision also released a GoldenEye 007 remake for the Wii with Craig replacing Brosnan, updated gameplay, and a graphical overhaul.

Spider-Man 2 (2004)

With a Metacritic score of 83, Spider-Man 2 is one of the most highly rated video games based on movies. This tie-in for the Spider-Man 2 movie faithfully recreated the feel of Parker’s world with missions that followed the film’s plot. Players loved Spider-Man 2 because of its visually stunning open world, dual protagonist choice, and compelling narrative. Its physics-based web-swinging gameplay was a genuine revelation that redefined the superhero game genre.

The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay

While the Chronicles of Riddick is a largely forgotten film, many rate its Riddick game to be a masterpiece. This game served as a somewhat superior prequel for the Chronicles of Riddick movie, which Starbreeze Studios designed to promote. Escape from Butcher Bay was one of the great video games based on movies because of how it innovatively blended the first-person shooter, stealth, and visceral melee combat genres. The minimalist HUD design was another notable innovation that enhanced the immersion in Escape from Butcher Bay. It incorporated some of the best melee combat seen in a game, immersive atmosphere and visuals, and brilliant level design.

Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader

Rogue Squadron II put players in the cockpits of X-Wings and A-Wings, to fight it out in some of the most iconic dogfights from the Star Wars movies. This game was a technical showcase for the GameCube that had groundbreaking graphics for its time, with detailed ship models and incredible lighting effects. Star Wars Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader was one of the best video games based on movies because of its intense dogfighting gameplay, cinematic atmosphere, immense scale, and diverse mission details.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle returns the world’s favorite archaeologist to his prime in a game set between the Raiders of the Lost Ark and Last Crusade movies. This game has had rave reviews (which has already generated buzz for a potential sequel from Lucasfilm Games) because of how it captures the spirit of the original Indy films with its cinematic immersion, authentic atmosphere, character model motion capture, and strong narrative. It offers a great mix of first-person combat, globe-trotting exploration, and puzzle-solving gameplay for an Indy adventure that does its film series justice.

You can sample the best of Hollywood by playing the great video games based on the movies above. Those games have earned their places in the gaming hall of fame because they do somewhat more than merely borrow their films’ spotlights. They are cinematic masterpieces in their own right that have expanded movie universes and redefined gaming genres with innovative mechanics.