Are video games becoming more like films?

Are Videogames becoming more like films?
Posted by Ian fay.

Ian explains that with technology constantly improving and the lengths of these games getting generally shorter, are videogames becoming more like movies? There was a time when the two were entirely separate entities, offering unique, often complimentary experiences similar to reading a book and watching a movie on the same topic. I feel with the graphical enhancements of recent years, the gap is closing between the two.

Ian goes on to explain on examples of video game adaptations that were nothing like the real movie. His first example is Terminator 2 : Judgement day in which he said "It barely even resembled the movie, and relied on short sentences to move the story along. This was hardly an experience equal to watching a blockbuster.

 


He then explains that as time went on the graphics slowly improved with games like StarFox on the super Nintendo showing the revolutionary (at the time) 3D graphics. The biggest push toward cinematic gaming, however came with the next generation consoles (Nintendo 64 and PC's). Suddenly games were capable of 3D worlds, enhanced audio and even voice overs. Suddenly we had movie tie ins which were far closer to the movie than we had ever seen before, like Goldeneye N64.

 


As much of a classic Goldeneye was, i'm sure none of us were under the illusion this was an experience comparable to watching the film. This generation however did produce a lot of videogames clearly inspired by Hollywood, like Metal Gear Solid (Solid Snake was based on Plissken from Escape From New York).
The PS2, Gamecube, Xbox and next generation PC's took another giant step towards cinematic experiences. This was a generation of near endless movie tie ins (there was even an Astro Boy tie in released  in 2010 on PS2 10 years after the consoles release). This was the generation where it was a viable option to make a movie tie in that wasn't based on a movies plot and still make a healthy addition to the franchise and cannon, for instance Chronicles of Riddick on Xbox.




QTE (Quick time events) allows for high quality animated scenes with scripted events to be part of the regular gameplay experience, the videogame equivalent to a huge action sequence. Add to this the ever improving graphics, audio and gamplay techniques (Motion controls for example), and videogames are getting freakishly closer to the movies.






Games like Mass Effect allow the gamer almost complete control over their experience and their narrative. You choose your dialogue and decide your course of action which later affects the story and ending. I feel it has unique, immerse world similar to how Star Wars must of felt back in the 70's. Here is a video of LA Noire which shows that even the subtleties of acting aren't far from gamings grasp.





The current generation of consoles is on its last legs, having been out for 5 years and counting. It wont be long before we get another set of technological powerhouses capable of creating the same blockbusters we expect from a trip to the cinema.



A more up to date game example is 'Avatar the videogame' Which is obviously a videogame tie in with the massively popular blockbuster movie 'Avatar'. This videogame showcases the ability that current generation consoles have as it is able to recreate the beautiful world of Pandora just as we world see it in the film. This following trailer is all In-game footage.