Over the years the film industry has endured a rather shaky relationship with the world of gaming. Consider the likes of TOMB RAIDER, STREET FIGHTER, HITMAN, SUPER MARIO BROS (to name but a few) and it becomes pretty clear that successful transitions from pixel to celluloid are few and far between. But is there more to this relationship than failed adaptations? With these two mediums sharing many significant similarities, it seems almost inevitable that influences would eventually cross the divide and you only need look at titles like ‘L.A. Noire’ to see the radical impact cinema has had on the design and execution of the gaming experience. But this mimicry works both ways. Though it may not be immediately obvious, there are a growing number of films drawing inspiration from their bit-based cousins, demonstrating that ‘ones and zeroes’ are starting to influence not just content, but concept. And, perhaps because they’re not constrained by the limitations imposed by adapting existing source material, this more subtle melding of like minds has actually resulted in some real cinematic gems.
