In recent years, the number of really good licensed games has significantly increased. Sometimes they are based on movies or series, sometimes on books and comics. Below, we present five recommendations for PC (Steam) and current consoles that perfectly capture the essence of their source material.
The games on this list are particularly good in one respect: They succeed in transferring what makes their source material special into the medium of gaming. This is not a ranking, so the order is purely random.
1. The Witcher 3
Developer: CD Projekt RED | Release: 05/19/2015 | Platforms: PC (Steam), Xbox One/SeriesX, PS4/5, Switch
Yes, The Witcher is truly not a hidden gem. However, that is not the point here. The video game series is based on the novels and short stories by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski.
And Polish is the keyword: The Witcher 3 is heavily inspired by the myths and legends of the country, as well as European folklore. Uninspired clichés are the exception here. The game is not influenced by the fantasy mainstream but follows the path of the books. It tells an adult story in a dark universe full of violence, racism, and poverty.
Moreover, many of the numerous side quests in terms of narrative structure resemble the short stories written by Sapkowski. In the spirit of the motto: Short, creative stories that stick in your memory and provide a narrative basis for the universe and its characters. Furthermore, these characters are vividly written and the dialogues feel authentic. The fact that one willingly sinks hundreds of hours into the game proves that the world from the books fascinates and keeps players engaged.
2. Alien Isolation
Developer: Creative Assembly | Release: 10/07/2014 | Platforms: PC (Steam), Xbox 360/One/SeriesX, PS3/4/5, Switch, iOS, Android
The author of these lines is a real scaredy-cat. While I love horror movies, I always think twice before exposing myself to the experience in games. However, in the case of Alien Isolation, I dared to pick up the controller. I still felt fear in many places, especially since the game wonderfully manages to capture the atmosphere of Ridley Scott’s first Alien film.
This means: Constant fear of encountering the alien. Whenever you hear its approaching footsteps, your heart rate rises. The beeping sound of the motion tracker drives you even crazier.
You can only save at predefined points in the level, and you will often die. This increases the fear of being caught by the alien. If that happens, death is almost inevitable. The game creates a serious threat that is on par with the alien from the movie.
That the game is oriented towards the first part of the film series and not the much more action-oriented second part is a great strength. If you were to fight the alien armed with a Gatling gun, the appeal of the horror-focused game would be lost.
3. Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order
Developer: Respawn Entertainment | Release: 11/15/2019 | Platforms: PC (Steam), Xbox One/SeriesX/S, PS4/5, Stadia
Star Wars has produced quite a few good games over the years. Just think of the role-playing games by Bioware or the Battlefront series. One of the newer games is Jedi Fallen Order.
It tells the story of the young Padawan Cal Kestis and is set after the end of Episode 3 of the film series. This in itself isn’t really revolutionary, but the game succeeds in telling the story of its protagonist with great staging and a lot of emotion. Fallen Order is both tragic and dramatic, with heartwarming aspects like our little companion BD-1 not being overlooked. The perfect encapsulation of Star Wars.
The game world, which is quite linear in structure, heavily utilizes environmental storytelling and is reminiscent of classic Metroidvania in the best sense. One of the highlights are certainly the battles and their gameplay. Armed with a lightsaber, protagonist Cal Kestis faces numerous enemies. The combat is reminiscent of the Souls games and is similarly challenging. Slashing through hordes of enemies is incredibly fun and makes us feel like a true Jedi. Exactly what one expects from a game with “Jedi” in the title.
You’ll find more good licensed games on the next page.
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