With each passing year, more and more people are starting to realize that there is an abundance of exceptional stories to be plundered in the video game library. Some games have already transitioned to movies and TV shows, like the renowned fighting gameMortal Kombat, and 2023’s box office-dominatingSuper Mario Bros. Movie.
PlayStation has been looking to join the movie and TV scene, with several projects still underway. Though the video game movie curse has been alive and kicking for a while, there are certainly some less-than-impressive entries from Sony in the past, but they have also struck gold with some of their adaptations. Why not read on below and see just what games got the movie treatment, and find out just how well those adaptations panned out?
Only movies based on PlayStation exclusives will be considered; therefore, noTomb Raider,Monster Hunter, orResident Evil. While these properties are tied to the PlayStation brand, the movies came out when the franchises were all multi-platform.
Lombax On The Big Screen
Ratchet and Clankare some of the few mascots that have remained a staple for PlayStation and gamers, ever since the heroes debuted back in 2002 on PlayStation 2. Since then, the fluffy Lombax Ratchet and pint-sized hero Clank have gone on a huge array of adventures across a whole host of PlayStation consoles, cementing themselves as a great duo with a back-catalog of stellar video games.
So the leap was taken, and a retooledRatchet & Clankorigin story was brought to the big screen hoping to entice long-time fans and new audiences alike. At the same time, Insomniac Games released a reboot ofRatchet & Clankfor PlayStation 4 that followed the same story beats as the film, deliveringone of the best games of 2016in the process.
The film, however, did not match that same caliber. The film itself was beautifully animated, but it failed to capture much of what made the games so great. The inventive weaponry was sidelined in favor of standard guns, and the jokes and gags felt more tailored to kids than the all-age-encompassing comedy the games have rolled out for years. Still, the story was serviceable enough and kept the action moving, but it wasn’t much more than that.Ratchet & Clankwas by no means a disaster, but it wasn’t exactly a good time for fans or newcomers either. The galactic duo deserved a much better adaptation, and with PlayStation ramping up their movie and TV show scene, who knows what the future may bring?
2Uncharted
Standard Action Affair
PlayStation’s very ownIndiana Jonesfinally got his call-up to the big screen in 2022, played by long-time Spider-Man actor Tom Holland. The actor had previously nailed his portrayal as the young Peter Parker,capturing a lot of the mannerisms of Marvel Comics' Peter Parker, so fans of the games were both excited and skeptical to see if the well-regarded actor could live up to theiconic portrayal of Nathan Drake by veteran voice actor, Nolan North.
The final movie gave fans a good glimpse into where the series could go, bringing forward major action scenes like the cargo plane fight, whilst mashing up the stories of all four mainline titles to make its mark on theUnchartedlore. The final product didn’t quite live up to the standard the excellent series had produced on consoles, and although Tom Holland did bring the charisma of a cockyNathan Drake, the central duo felt miscast, especially with Mark Wahlberg’s take on mentor Sully.
The movie still delivered much of whatUnchartedfans had hoped for with treasure-hunting exploits, puzzles, and bombastic action sequences, but the overall story just felt generic, and the villains left a lot to be desired. It was by no means a bad time, but it wasn’t the greatnessUnchartedfans were hoping for either.
1Gran Turismo
Just Like The Simulation
Now I guess theGran Turismomovie walks an odd line as it’s not necessarily a movie adaptation of the game, but an adaptation about the British gamer turned racer Jann Mardenborough who won the 2011 GT Academy competition, taking him from sim racing inGran Turismoto being coached as a professional racer for Nissan.
The movie is actually one of the few video game adaptation successes as the final product is a very good, if run-of-the-mill sports story. Seeing a rendition of the GT Academy in action is great to see, and all the racing sequences are shot spectacularly and are exhilarating to watch. As you’d expect from a racing movie, there are alsoseveral great cars featuredthroughout. The story is good, and the racing action is even better. Though it may set the gold standard for video game adaptations,Gran Turismois still a great film in its own right and a worthwhile watch for anyone.
