Movie tie-in games

Feel free to cast your vote!

Now lets get down to the discussion about the topic:

* What's your take on movie tie-in games?
* What's the best movie tie-in game?
* What's the worst movie tie-in game?
* What's do you think is the key success to a solid movie tie-in game?
* Should a movie tie-in game have original story or relive the movie?
* Should movie tie-in games go big budget or go smaller budget (DLC/mini-games/..)?
* Last but not least; what movie tie-in game would you love to see?


Just because I ask these questions, doesn't mean you can't discuss. Feel free to add stuff or discuss somebodies' answer!
Discuss mode on!

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[*]What's your take on movie tie-in games?

I generally leave them alone...

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[*]What's the best movie tie-in game?

The only tie-in I remember playing was Aladin for the pc (2D platformer) a long long time ago.

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[*]What's the worst movie tie-in game?

I don't know this one. I've seen many which are just not good.

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[*]What's do you think is the key success to a solid movie tie-in game?

I think the idea discussed on the Skirmish is pretty much it. I would also point out to not forget about the gameplay. If the game has a faulty gameplay people just get frustrated.

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[*]Should a movie tie-in game have original story or relive the movie?

I would go with the Skirmish opinion, it should have an original story filling the movie holes.

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[*]Should movie tie-in games go big budget or go smaller budget (DLC/mini-games/..)?

To be competitive, they should approach the game as a serious and "independent" thing. Half-assed dedication, time and money just won't do.


The funny thing which is also true is that normally, game tie-in movies (the opposite brother) are also sucky.

What's your take on movie tie-in games?
Its better if they take the time on the game, and dont try to release it when the movie comes out, hence the game might be better, not rushed, less bugs etc.

What's the best movie tie-in game?
IMO The Lord of the Rings: Battle for Middle Earth (NOT CONQUEST!!!!) this was a strategy game, after the movies came out, you controlled the armies of Middle Earth, and conquer/save the world. Heroes that would get higher xp, units you could take with you, great looking overview map, and replaying the battles, though on a smaller scale then the movies.
But X-men Origins:Wolverine and the Bourne Conspiracy were also pretty good and fun.

What's the worst movie tie-in game?
I always managed to keep my fingers off, of really bad movie tie-in games lucky me XD

What's do you think is the key success to a solid movie tie-in game?
Take the time, dont aim to come out when the movie comes out, if you are later, and the movie was good, people will still remember it, or hell, put it out when the DVD comes out, gives you longer finetuning time and making the game all the better.

Should a movie tie-in game have original story or relive the movie?
this im dubious about. What if the story in the game is the same as the movie, but the game is great? then it would not matter. But you can't one on one copy the movie. Then you would have a game that takes tops two and a half hours, that wont work
You always have to expend the universe to at least give the buyer a full fledged product. So that offcourse means that there are going to be original elements in the game.

Should movie tie-in games go big budget or go smaller budget (DLC/mini-games/..)?
Well they should get big budget adressed to them if you want a full on experience.
Thats why it is better too bring a game out when the DVD comes, then you could have fine tuned the game much better and made it fit the movie. I think DLC/mini-games/download only game would only be smart if it is a couple of months prior for the release. (think off the Iron Man 2 example the 3 amigo's gave, though that game started production if im correct, when they started with thinking about Iron Man 2)

Last but not least; what movie tie-in game would you love to see?
The Good, the Bad and the F(Ugly) *Ahem* Evan, especially now Red Dead Redemption is returning the western-genre too the gaming community!

Some games that use movies as a basis, like Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay are really good, but straight cut and paste from movie to games usually suck.

I honestly think that releasing a movie based game would be better if they would coincide it with the actual DVD/Blu-Ray release of the movie. Reasons being, more time to work on the game, be it a prequel, relives the movie in a game form, or even add on to the end of the movie makes sense to me, every little bit of extra time can help out. It guages the possible success of the game given the amount of money the movie makes in theatres plus the possibility of using some of the movies profits to make the game better. Hell even bundling the game with the movie as a special edition makes sense too. Finally getting both out on the market at the same time, people only have to make 1 trip to a store instead of 2 if they really wanted a movie based game.

* What's your take on movie tie-in games?

Rarely any gems among them. Some are decent and playable, the rest are a waste of good DVD/Blue-Ray Discs.

* What's the best movie tie-in game?

Easily Spider-Man 2 and X-Men Origins: Wolverine. I think Chronicles of Riddick and Ghostbusters deserve a special mention. They weren't based on an existing Movie storyline, but instead they took the Movie characters and crafted a unique experience around them. Something they only managed because they had passion for the project and most importantly, they had time.

* What's the worst movie tie-in game?

From all the games I played, I'd probably say the recently released Iron Man 2.

- Flight controls were a mess
- The targeting system is all over the place
- Textures need several seconds to fully load when a cutscene starts and even fully loaded look bland, with poor details and low textures
- The game freezes for seconds when loading a new sequence
- It was a 4 hour game. Subtracting the times I died, this would probably be a 3 hour game
- 2 Villains, Crimson Dynamo and Ultimo. That's it.
- Menu setup that barely tells you anything and you have to figure it out yourself
- Armor upgrades barely or not required at all

* What's do you think is the key success to a solid movie tie-in game?

Definitely time. Some passion also wouldn't hurt. Studios need to work on the game as soon as Movie production starts or even earlier. I just got my hopes crushed today, as I read that Sega also got the rights to the Avengers Movie game. The movie is like what, 2-3 years away? Have them start on production now. Tell them "Ok, we want to have Hulk, Captain America, Thor and Iron Man playable, start working on a good engine and gameplay mechanics, we'll drop you the art design and the script details later."

The core gameplay needs to be solid. I could've forgiven Iron Man 2's ugly graphics, weak story and probably lack of villains, if at least the gameplay would've been fun. But it wasn't. In fact, it was a chore to play. Good thing I only rented it.

* Should a movie tie-in game have original story or relive the movie?

I'd say both. Let's take the Avengers again for example. The game would follow the Movie's plot of assembling the Avengers and taking on the big bad, but I would tell the story how it was in the comics, or at least closer to it. Try to mesh and blend the Movie with the comic storyline, instead of stricly following the Movie, with barely any wiggle room to branch off from the main plot.

I would also take the Movie designs, but go with a comic art direction for the whole game.

* Should movie tie-in games go big budget or go smaller budget (DLC/mini-games/..)?

They can definitely be big budget. You've got tons of comic fans that are dying to buy an Avengers game and you've got the general joe, that will show interest once he's seen the Movie. The Movies are generating millions of new fans, don't scare them off with a rushed Movie Tie-in game.

* Last but not least; what movie tie-in game would you love to see?

I'm honestly drawing a blank right now and can't answer that question.

Like everyone says if the developers take the time to make the game it could be halfway decent game or even an awesome one.

For best movie tie in I would say Riddick but it really doesnt count cause its not really like the movie thats probally why its awesome so i will say Spider Man 2.

I have always found that Movies and Video games have two different audiences. You can't compare a movie to a video game because Movies you watch and you blame ONE Director and ONE Writer if it fails. A video game is directed by the players and Written by A Team of game developers.

The fact is when you have a gamer who watches and ENJOYS a movie. Video games can be the next place to go for more CONTENT. Wolverine, Ghostbusters "technically a sequel to the movies", Resident Evil Degeneration. Are perfect examples of Movies/Video Games that have done it right. You don't need to play or watch those games to understand them but you can to get that extra something that the entertainment GIVES to the PEOPLE.

If your a big fan of the series you will play the games and watch the movies. You will get the content you want "sometimes DON'T want" and be happy with both.

Spiderman 2 = win