Science fiction is an all-encompassing genre, from future technology to aliens, sub-genres like cyberpunk to intergalactic space travel. Many of the world’smost popular franchises, likeStar WarsandStar Trek, are rooted in science fiction. Still, there are also iconic stand-alone films that grip and wow audiences, like the seminal classic2001: A Space Odyssey.
It’s unsurprising, then, that many of these films have inspired video games. Some games are influenced by one film or a unique amalgamation of them. While they may not be direct copies of the stories in these films, they certainly use similar aesthetics, locations, and futuristic technology to fit their own narrative and characters. This blending of the two mediums is just as science fiction is intended to be used, and interconnectivity is at the heart of it.
6Blade Runner: Inspired Cyberpunk 2077
Blade Runner’sinfluence is still felt in media following its release in 1982. Adapted from Philip K. Dick’s novelDo Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?,the book andBlade Runnerare considered to be the core of the sci-fi sub-genre of cyberpunk. Described by author William Gibson as a “combination of lowlife and high tech” in his novelBurning Chrome, it was another novel of his,Neuromancer, that took these tropes and made cyberpunk what it is today.
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Blade Runner’sinfluence can be felt in all types of work, from film to television andcyberpunk sci-fi games. But players will have definitely noticed its influence inCyberpunk 2077. The futuristic world of Night City is filled with artificial intelligence and hackers, set in an artificial landscape lit up by neon and filled with people augmented with high-tech enhancements.
There are many Easter eggs paying homage toBlade RunnerinCyberpunk 2077. Players can also find a recreation of the “tears in the rain” scene on the rooftops, and the character Misty has the same aesthetic, hair, and makeup as Pris. In addition, there’s an obtainable skill in the skill tree named Bladerunner. Two other skills have icons related to the game, like an image of Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) and an origami crane.
5Logan’s Run: Inspired BioShock
Adapted from the 1967 novel by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson,Logan’s Runtakes place in a future dystopian society where humans may only live until the age of 30 to control overpopulation. When people reach this age, they undergo the rite of ‘Carrousel’ and are killed by Sandmen like Logan (Michael York).
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Logan’s Runprofoundly impacted many sci-fi fans, includingBioShockcreator Ken Levine. “It was the first dystopia story I ever saw and if you know my games, obviously it had a huge impact on me,” Levine toldGameSpot.BioShocktakes place in an underwater city called Rapture – an amalgamation of dystopian and utopian ideas witha retrofuturistic art style. So basically, there wouldn’t beBioShockwithoutLogan’s Run. As Levine says, it “inspired almost my entire career.”
4The Matrix: Inspired Fallout 4
LikeBlade Runner,The Matrixhas had an unmistakable impact on the gaming world – particularly in the cyberpunk genre.The Matrixleft a clear impact on developers and gamers, so much so thatthe firstMatrixmovie’sinfluence branched out to games that aren’t considered connected to the franchise.
Players may or may not have noticed it, butThe Matrixplays a significant role inFallout 4. While the film doesn’t have the same influence as theMad Maxuniversehad on theFalloutfranchise, gamers can undoubtedly feelThe Matrixvibes in the Memory Den. Situated in Goodneighbor, the Lone Wanderer spends a considerable amount of time here during a part ofFallout 4’sstory, using a Memory Lounger to access virtual reality to live the lives of others in a simulation of sorts. The Memory Loungers resemble the chair Morpheus sits in when Neo meets him for the first time inThe Matrix, and the idea of “plugging in” is used again here. These are similar to the Visiontrons used inFallout 3, which offer the ability to experience VR simulations.
3Star Wars: Inspired Mass Effect
TheStar Warsfranchise continues to captivate audiences with new content, stories, and characters.The world ofStar Warshas left its mark on the generations that grew up with it, resulting in the space opera inadvertently inspiring a wave ofshooter games set in spaceand other adventures. One of the most prominent game franchises to useStar Warsas an influence is undoubtedlyMass Effect.
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The firstMass Effectgame sees players take control of Commander Shepard, a human soldier tasked with defeating a machine race who plan on taking control of the galaxy. Set in space, it features a lot of exploration and battles set to a compelling, interactive story. There’s a direct connection between both franchises, as BioWare, the developer ofMass Effect, made the fan-favoriteStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, released in 2003. However, the restrictions of developing that game led BioWare to createMass Effect, as its co-founder Trent Oster toldTechRadar.
2The Fifth Element: Inspired Mile High Taxi
Two years before the release ofThe Matrix, there wasThe Fifth Element. It may not seem like it, butthe sci-fi classichad a major impact on the cyberpunk genre. Audiences can see its aesthetic influences in games likeCyberpunk 2077andCloudpunk, whichare especially prominent in both games’ cityscapes and skylines.
But one game that takes direct inspiration fromThe Fifth ElementisMile High Taxi. Described as“The Fifth ElementmeetsCrazy Taxi”, players take on the role of a taxi driver flying through a futuristic cityscape against the clock. Mixed with the arcade-style gameplay ofCrazy Taxi, Mile High Taxisees players attempt to avoid crashing into other flying cars, towering skyscrapers, and road signs as they pick up and drop passengers off like the job of Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis) inThe Fifth Element.
12001: A Space Odyssey: Inspired Control (And Much More)
Directed by Stanley Kubrick,2001: A Space Odysseyis a seminal piece of science fiction cinema.Set on a spaceshipcalled the Discovery One, it follows a group of astronauts and scientists on a journey to Jupiter to investigate a strange alien monolith. Kubrick’s creation shaped countless films that followed it, as well as TV shows and games.
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One game that is heavily inspired by the film isControl. Game director Mikael Kasurinen toldGamingBoltthat he and the team were inspired by Kubrick’s unique way of storytelling when makingControl. “He doesn’t put everything in front of you and say ‘This is exactly what’s happening.' There is a lot of room for interpretation,” he explained. “The ending was a really good take on when the human mind gets in contact with something that is beyond comprehension.”
