Producing a video game these days is no easy feat. Gone are the days when a
developer could put up two paddles and a ball and call it a day. Whether depicting 'The Court of Owls' in "Batman" or the vastness of space in "Halo", titles these days need to deliver Hollywood levels of story, narratives and character development, jaw-dropping visuals, sounds and musical scores, as well as ensuring gameplay is interesting and mechanically sound. With all creative possibilities pushed to new heights on new
machinery, it’s no wonder video gaming is again dominating the big and small screens
of film and television:
The Last Of Us
The Last of Us is the definitive cinematic video game experience. The story of 'Joel' and 'Ellie' and their trek across a post-apocalyptic America is not the most original
premise in the world, but developer Naughty Dog’s execution of everything from visual
designs and layouts to moral complexities of what it means to survive in a world
ravaged by disaster, made this one of the hardest-hitting games of all time.
The musical score is exciting and involving, characterizations are wonderfully executed and
the narrative was one of the most profound the entertainment industry had ever
experienced from a triple-A video game. The Last of Us spawned a huge multimedia
franchise, with the HBO adaptation starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey being
labelled the ‘best video game adaptation ever’.
World Of Warcraft
Being one of the de facto faces of the gaming world for so long, it’s hard to cast your
mind back to just how big of a deal World of Warcraft was when first released in 2004. Reaching a peak player count of 12 million players by 2010, WoW
redefined online multiplayer gaming. Betting on World of Warcraft at an Esport betting site like Unikrn has become increasingly popular, and the success of the
game has spawned various multimedia spinoffs.
The game’s longevity has also been remarkable, with developer Blizzard releasing nine major
expansion packs, but it is the incredible depths of the 'Azeroth' lore that gives
each expansion their own unique cinematic feel. From 'Deathwing' to the 'Curse of the Horde', it’s this lore that has helped give WoW its incredible legacy.
.webp)
A Way Out
A Way Out was an interesting little game. Directed by Josef Fares of Two Brothers
fame, it was unique for being an entirely co-op multiplayer title. Designed for split-
screen cooperative gameplay, A Way Out follows the story of Leo and Vincent, two
men who work together to escape the prison they are being incarcerated in.
There are real shades of Prison Break across the game, but its innovative format
offered a fresh perspective on the prison escape subgenre. A Way Out sold more
than 3.5 million copies and won Best Original Action at the National Academy of
Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards in 2019.
Batman: Arkham Asylum
Developers Rocksteady Studio was a little-known British games studio when
they were entrusted with their very first Batman project by Warner Bros, a franchise
that had previously had a spectacular record in the game industry.
Until Dawn
Starring Rami Malek and Hayden Panettiere and inspired by the horror films Poltergeist and Evil Dead, Until Dawn is a 2015 interactive video game from
Supermassive Games. Known for the use of 'butterfly effect' mechanics, Until Dawn
sees players take control of eight different characters, with stories allowed to be dramatically altered, depending on choices in-game.
From the snowy mountain top setting, to the wide array of spooks and scares nestled across a playthrough, in its time, Until Dawn was one of the most chilling games ever released.
Click the images to enlarge...
