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WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2009
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 ANALYSIS 
1

Why Good Movies Make Bad Video Games

Parents, you certainly aren't helping

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(Newser) – Movie buffs likely don’t remember The Chronicles of Riddick, a trundling sci-fi clunker from 2004. But for gamers, the title is hallowed because of its spin-off video game—a rare success for a movie tie-in. Too often, such games are rushed to coincide with the film, resulting in crappy graphics and stringy plots, Tom Standage writes for More Intelligent Life.

Hollywood force-feeds developers, supplying them with scripts and artwork but not much room for imagination, and oblivious parents snap up the games, assuming Little Johnny’s favorite flick will translate well to the console. Not so, says Standage, who notes, “Just as films usually make bad games, games invariably make bad films. What works in one medium rarely works in the other.”

This image, released by publisher Electronic Arts, shows Harry Potter and his friends at Hogwart's school in
This image, released by publisher Electronic Arts, shows Harry Potter and his friends at Hogwart's school in "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," a new video game.   (AP Photo/Electronic Arts)
Movies rarely make for good video games.
Movies rarely make for good video games.   (AP Photo/20th Century Fox, Guy Ferrandis)
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The best games draw you in with a blend of satisfying gameplay, carefully calibrated difficulty, an attractive game world and a compelling plot. Movie tie-ins are absolved from these requirements. - Tom Standage, Intelligent Life

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1 comment
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scootersrockin
May 7, 09 9:28 AM CDT
The Bioshock movie will definately suck... And so will Halo. Reply
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