Technology has evolved in such substantial ways that video games are no longer a niche interest and they’re in fact one of the most lucrative and successful forms of modern entertainment. A relationship between video games and movies is nothing new, but it’s impressive how this synergy has only become more intense. It’s common practice for video game adaptations of popular movies to get released alongside their cinematic equivalents.
However, video games can sometimes help movie franchises forward. The prospect of movie sequels can be a mixed bag, but an interesting alternative is to continue a franchise through a different medium such as video games.
10 The Goonies II Pits Mikey Against An Italian Crime Syndicate
The Goonies is an absolute classic from the 1980s that still conjures a ton of warm nostalgia for the beautiful adventure that it tells. An official sequel to The Goonies seems like a surefire hit, but it’s something that’s never been able to properly materialize. However, the movie does receive a surprising continuation in the form of a Nintendo Entertainment System title from Konami. The Goonies II puts players in control of Mikey, who must rescue the rest of his Goonies crew from an aggressive Italian crime family, the Fratellis. There’s also a mermaid that’s thrown in for good measure.
9 Scarface: The World Is Yours Once Again Pits Tony Montana Against A Violent Drug Empire
Certain movies are such cultural touchstones and successes that it’s only a matter of time that someone attempts to continue their stories, even if it doesn’t necessarily make sense. Scarface is a Brian De Palma classic that features some of Al Pacino’s best work as the hedonistic drug kingpin, Tony Montana. Scarface ends in a very definitive manner, yet the video game follow-up, Scarface: The World is Yours, saves Tony from his grim fate and gives him another chance to reclaim his empire. The Scarface sequel borrows a lot from games like Grand Theft Auto, but it’s not completely hollow.
8 Back To The Future: The Game Posits A Hypothetical Fourth Installment
Robert Zemeckis has been quite vocal over how a Back to the Future: Part IV will never happen, but for those curious about the extended adventures of Marty McFly and Doc Brown, look no further than Telltale’s Back to the Future: The Game.
The video game sequel’s story comes directly from Bob Gale, one of Back to the Future’s original architects, and tells a compelling story set during the Prohibition Era. Back to the Future: The Game is surprisingly satisfying and it doesn’t hurt that it brings back Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd to voice their iconic sci-fi characters.
7 Wanted: Weapons Of Fate Fleshes Out The Backstory Of The James McAvoy Action Film
Wanted is a comic book adaptation that stars James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie as part of a secret organization of ultra-efficient assassins. Wanted failed to take off in theaters and didn't turn into the franchise that it anticipated it would be, but it at least gets a chance to continue its narrative in Wanted: Weapons of Fate. Weapons of Fate strikes while the iron is hot, and it came out less than a year after the movie's release. Weapons of Fate focuses on the history surrounding Wesley's father, which translates to a decent enough action video game.
6 Ghostbusters: The Video Game Ties Together The Events Of The Franchise
The trajectory of the Ghostbusters film franchise is quite atypical. For years, there were unsuccessful attempts to create a third film in the series, but that didn’t stop an animated series, a female-led reboot, and more from happening. Now, Ghostbusters: Afterlife will officially continue the film series, but there was technically a Ghostbusters 3 that came out over a decade ago. Ghostbusters: The Video Game is an ambitious effort that reunites Murray, Aykroyd, Ramis, and Hudson. Ghostbusters: The Video Game takes place two years after the events of Ghostbusters 2 and it provides satisfying closure.
5 Enter The Matrix Opens Up The Digital World In Amazing Ways
Matrix 4 is on the way, but previously it was the video game, Enter the Matrix, that provided the best look at the future of this universe. The Wachowskis did substantial work to flesh out their franchise’s universe and Enter the Matrix speaks to their level of dedication.
The game allows players to control Ghost or Niobe, two supporting Matrix characters who have a lot more story to tell. Enter the Matrix is full of actual live-action footage that’s shot by the Wachowskis. The game isn’t perfect, but it works very hard to seamlessly fit into the grander Matrix mythos.
4 James Bond 007: Everything Or Nothing Gives Pierce Brosnan's Bond One Last Hurrah
GoldenEye 007 has turned James Bond into a bonafide video game hero and there is a bevy of Bond games that deliver mixed results. James Bond 007: Everything or Nothing is an extremely satisfying game that actually feels like a genuine sequel. Set after Brosnan's Die Another Day, Everything or Nothing goes for broke with its cast of Brosnan, Judi Dench, and John Cleese as their respective characters. However, it also brings in Willem Dafoe as the game's villain and Shannon Elizabeth and Heidi Klum as Bond girls. There's even a catchy intro sequence that rivals those from the movies.
3 Alien: Isolation Delivers The Satisfying Sequel That Fans Have Been Waiting For
Alien video games have been happening for decades, but Alien: Isolation isn't just the apex of these efforts, but a crowning achievement in the survival horror genre. Alien: Isolation stars Amanda Ripley, Ellen's daughter, who is determined to locate her missing mother. Alien: Isolation brilliantly captures the claustrophobic terror of the original movies, and it even throws in a lot of the original cast members to add further authenticity to the frightening video game sequel. Aliens: Colonial Marines also functions as an unofficial sequel to the movies, but Isolation is the more impressive game.
2 From Dusk Till Dawn Pits Seth Gecko Against A Prison Full Of Vampires
The bombastic B-movie tribute from Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino, From Dusk Till Dawn, has received several direct-to-video sequels and even a television series adaptation in more recent years. Rodriguez’s original movie establishes a fresh and inventive angle on vampires, but the sequels deliver diminishing returns. The PC first-person shooter centers around George Clooney's character, Seth Gecko, who winds up in prison due to his actions in the movie. Naturally, the prison is filled with vampires and Seth has to shoot his way out. The game is largely disposable, but it's still an interesting extension to the film’s universe.
1 Stranglehold Reunites John Woo And Chow-Yun Fat For A Hard Boiled Sequel
Sometimes, video game sequels to movies feel soulless, but Stranglehold is one of the purest examples of what can be done in this medium. Against all odds, legendary filmmaker John Woo reunites with Chow-Yun Fat for a sequel to their '90s action masterpiece, Hard Boiled. Stranglehold hits 15 years after Hard Boiled's release, but it's an exceptional follow-up to Woo's film. Fat's Hard Boiled character gains a daughter, and the game works hard to capture the stylized action that fills Woo's movies. It's one of the few examples here where it's surprising that it's not actually a movie.