The recent release ofIndiana Jones and the Great Circlehas demonstrated the close ties between the mediums of video games and cinema. Whether it is explicit movie tie-in games or film adaptations of popular gaming franchises, the two formats often take inspiration from one another.The Great Circledemonstrates a different trend, however; video games that create their own story within the pre-existing context of a film’s world. These games pay tribute to their muses, honoring the rich lore and stories crafted by their cinematic counterparts.
Instead of being a direct adaptation of anyIndiana Jonesmovie (besides the introductory tutorial),The Great Circlefeatures a unique story that is not directly taken from any of the five films.It is inspired by the narratives and atmosphere crafted by the Hollywood blockbuster franchise and has successfully created its own talewhich has received much critical and fan acclaim. This is just one example of the connection formed between video games and cinema, as several similar examples can be extracted from gaming. These titles have all garnered inspiration from films and developed their own take.
10Friday The 13th: The Game (2017)
IllFonic
Despite its delisting in 2023 and complete shutdown on June 01, 2025,Friday the 13thwas an excellent interpretation of the infamous horror franchise. It features asymmetrical gameplay akin toDead by Daylight, as one player controls the iconic Jason Voorhees hunting down several other players, who are counselors dotted around Camp Crystal trying to make their escape.The game is a love letter to theFriday the 13thfranchise, as it’s packed with Easter eggs and obscure references to the films.
However, the improvised chase experiences when playing as his victims always made for a terrifying experience.
Friday the 13thdid feature some technical difficulties due to its occasionally janky gameplay, butit combines some genuinely chilling atmosphere with campy camaraderieto successfully overcome these issues. Playing as Jason never felt too easy, as there was always the risk of being killed if the counselors worked together to achieve the game-ending conclusion. However, the improvised chase experiences when playing as his victims always made for a terrifying experience. Due to license issues, the game is unfortunately no longer playable but was excellent during its lifespan.
9Enter The Matrix (2003)
Shiny Entertainment
Released alongsideThe Matrix Reloaded, this ambitious game offers an intersecting side story to the movie.Featuring original footage directed by the Wachowskis and including motion captured stunts directly from the actors, it provides deeper insights intoThe Matrixand its elaborate mythos. Players control Niobe and Ghost, characters from the movie, and their own dedicated narrative is featured in the game.
Enter the Matrixsuffered from an arduous development period, especially with financial difficulties that resulted in uneven gameplay and rushed sections. However,the authentic and uniqueMatrixvibe was efficiently captured, with bullet time gravity-defying combat and hacking. The work with the Wachowskis ensured that it was not only a faithful companion toThe Matrix’slore, but was enjoyable due to its own merits, despite its development challenges.
8Avatar: Frontiers Of Pandora (2023)
Massive Entertainment
WhileAvatar: The Gamewas a more traditional adaptation of James Cameron’s 2009 blockbuster,Frontiers of Pandoraforms its own narrative to create a genuinely beautiful interpretation of the planet Pandora. Set years before the first movie, players control a Na’vi as they liberate the expansive open world against the human RDA who are destroying the environment. The lush wildlife and unique foliage effectively capture the alien land, andthe mission where players earn their own flying Ikran creature is a truly cinematic experienceand one of the finest moments in the game.
The major downside toFrontiers of Pandorais its heavy reliance on theFar Cryseries' gameplay, often feeling like a re-skin of those games.
However, for players unfamiliar with those Ubisoft titles,Frontiers of Pandora’s sensory experienceis an outstanding way to experience the open-world, first-person base-raiding gameplay.Its lush visuals are truly one of the finest of the modern generation too, and stunningly capture the world of Pandora, which will be enjoyable for anyAvatarfan.
7Jurassic World: Evolution 2 (2021)
Frontier Developments
Like its predecessor,Jurassic World: Evolution 2allows players to construct and manage their own dinosaur theme park.Improving on the formula from the first game, players' theme parks can feature countless dinosaurs, research them, and ensure that the guests are entertained, all while balancing the ever-present risk of chaos and disaster. It even provides some ethical dilemmas in relation to scientific discovery, which provides an extra dimension of thought-provoking gameplay.
Jurassic World: Evolution 2 Announced For 2021 By Jeff Goldblum
Jurassic World Evolution 2 was announced at Summer Game Fest Kickoff Live, revealed by none other than Jurassic Park star Jeff Goldblum.
The new Chaos Theory mode, along with general tidying up of mechanics, ensured thatJurassic World: Evolution 2improved on the previous game in the series.It tackles the relationship between science and ethics in a similar way to theJurassic ParkandJurassic Worldfilms, and provides a different approach to a movie-inspired game thanks to its management simulation gameplay. Dinosaur nerds, fans of the Spielberg movies, andZoo Tycoonplayers will all enjoyJurassic World: Evolution 2.
6Scarface: The World Is Yours (2006)
Radical Entertainment
While this game is the closest on this list to being a direct adaptation,the 19-year gap between Brian De Palma’sScarfaceand Radical Entertainment’sScarface: The World is Yourshighlights the unusual existence of the title. The game begins during the climactic shootout of the film, questioning what would happen if Al Pacino’s character Tony Montana actually survived instead. Players are presented with an open world Miami to explore, with third person gameplay and mechanics similar to theGrand Theft Autoseries.
The over-the-top action and spirit of early 80s Miami is captured successfully, withScarface: The World is Yoursacting as an excellent what-if sequel to the narrative ofScarface. Its heavy inspiration fromGTAis apparent, but Tony Montana’s charisma drives home that players are experiencing aScarfacegame, not aGTAclone.
5Indiana Jones & The Great Circle (2024)
MachineGames
The most recent movie-inspired video game is also one of the greatest.Indiana Jones and the Great Circleefficiently captures the charm of the swashbuckling architect’s adventures, with faith but not by egregious imitation. A truly originalIndiana Jonestale sees the titular character traveling the globe to investigate a secret society. It is graphically incredible, with beautifully crafted real world locations, and features an excellent performance from Troy Baker as Indy.
Indiana Jones And The Great Circle Review: Already A Priceless Artifact
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle valiantly attempts to recapture what makes the movies special, and like Indy himself, it usually lands on its feet.
The gameplay is a combination of stealth and action, with puzzles and climbing sections interspersed throughout the narrative. Not only doesThe Great Circle’s narrative stay true to Indiana Jones’s spirit, butits gameplay mechanics are expertly crafted to put you in the shoes (and leather duster) of a real globetrotting adventurer, complete with anincredibleIndiana Jonesscore. As this is a modern movie-inspired game, players can potentially expect an influx of other similar gaming titles for classic Hollywood franchises.
4Ghostbusters: The Video Game (2009)
Terminal Reality/Red Fly Studios
Sometimes hailed as the realGhostbusters 3by fans, and even Dan Aykroyd, this game reunites much of the original cast. Partly written by Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, it captures the tone, humor, and charm of the films while maintaining some engaging third-person shooter gameplay. As a rookie Ghostbuster, the player joins the original squad to battle ghouls and ghosts across New York. While it can be classified as a third-person shooter, the Proton Pack replaces firearms as the way of defeating the spectral entities, which is faithful to theGhostbustersmovies.
As the storyline ties directly into the movies,Ghostbusters: The Video Gameis a must-play for fans of the films. It is available on many modern consoles too, as a remaster was released in 2019 whichreceived some mixed reviewsdue to a poor port. The only downside to the game is its obsessive faithfulness.For those who haven’t seen the first twoGhostbustersmovies, it may prove to be overwhelmingas the video game adaptation is designed as a continuation to these films. Therefore,Ghostbusters: The Video Gameis designed for the ultimate fan, and achieves that goal well.
3Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014)
Monolith Productions
While there have been many direct video game adaptations ofTheLord of the Ringsfranchise,Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordorstands out due to its compelling gameplay and groundbreaking Nemesis System. This system allows the AI Uruk enemies to remember certain aspects of the player’s previous encounter with them, such as the moves used against them, or whether the Uruk defeated the player. It provides a complex notoriety system, where Uruks are constantly battling one another and the playable Talion character to become Captains.The Nemesis System is unmatched for AI intelligence, besides another game on this list.
Shadow of Mordoris an excellent exploration of Sauron’s realm, and will be enjoyable for bothLOTRfans and newcomers to the fantasy world.
In addition toShadow of Mordor’s complex AI,it features some excellent stealth-action gameplay, not unlikeAssassin’s Creed. Players can choose whether to use stealth to approach enemies or missions, in combination with the parkour system, or take on countless enemies in melee action.Shadow of Mordoris an excellent exploration of Sauron’s realm, and will be enjoyable for bothLOTRfans and newcomers to the fantasy world.
2Alien: Isolation (2014)
Creative Assembly
The only other game to matchShadow of Mordor’s groundbreaking AI isAlien: Isolation.The Xenomorph enemy stalks the player throughout the game, and adapts quickly to player actions. Not only does this make each encounter heart-pounding, but the inability to kill the Xenomorph ensures that the player is always the prey inAlien: Isolation. In addition, the site of the Sevastopol ship is a perfect recreation of the retro-futuristic aesthetic which populated science fiction in the 70s and 80s.
The plot ofAlien: Isolationis set 15 years after the original 1979 movie, as the player controls Amanda Ripley, the daughter ofAlien’s protagonist. Expanding on the lore of the series,Alien: Isolationwas extremely well received by fans of horror games and movies, won many year-end awards, and has recently had along-awaited sequel confirmed as in development. Any enthusiast ofAlienshould experience this game, as it is a faithful interpretation of the iconic horror series.
1Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003)
BioWare
Star Warshas benefited from a long and iconic partnership with the video game medium, with more than 100Star Warsvideo games being released across the last 40 years. While there are many iconic games to choose from, like theBattlefrontandJedi Knightsubseries,Knights of the Old Republicwas groundbreaking forStar Warslore, but also for gaming. Set thousands of years beforeA New Hope,KOTORwas an original tale with revolutionary moral choice storytelling, which has now been imitated countless times.
Along with an innovative narrative, engaging combat, and traditional RPG customization,Knights of the Old Republicbenefits from itsStar Warsassociation.It delves into the lore of the films to craft its own unique identity, and BioWare’s excellent approach to RPG’s led to several awardsand remains thebestStar Warsvideo gameever made.Knights of the Old Republicis not only the pinnacle of movie-inspired games – alongside the likes ofIndiana Jones and the Great Circle– it’s one of the finest gaming experiences.
