Games based on movies are rarely popular, and in recent years, there haven’t really been many attempts made at any. But on the horizon are two new games based on movie characters, and based on these developer’s pedigree, it seems like these games might actually buck the trend.
From IO Interactive is coming a James Bond game, currently under the working title “Project 007.” IO Interactive is most known for its work on the Hitman series, which has in recent years released two very well-received chapters, and from MachineGames is coming an Indiana Jones game. MachineGames is the developer of the most recent Wolfenstein games, every title from Wolfenstein: The New Order and on.
IO Interactive’s ‘Project 007’
IO’s Hitman games have been a bright spot for ingenuity and sandbox gameplay. The last two Hitman games especially have had a quite-frankly-ludicrous amount of possibilities when it comes to snuffing Agent 47’s target. IO has a way of building levels that, while they might not be these huge open-worlds, are chock-full of life and personality, as impressive in their own way as the worlds that Arkane builds, only different. Taking those talents towards building a world for the ultimate agent, 007, is a truly perfect pairing.
One thing to note about IO’s most recent Hitman games is that the story hasn’t played a huge role. It’s there, but that’s not arguably what many want when playing Agent 47. For IO’s James Bond game, the story will likely need to be a little more important. Context for Bond’s actions has always been important; telling a story is the purpose of making a movie after all, without mentioning the fact that 007 started as a series of books. In order to make a satisfying Bond video game, IO is going to have to marry its skills in making interesting and replayable gameplay to a well-told story, and it’s easy to trust the studio to do such.
MachineGames’ Indiana Jones
MachineGames has made some very well-received Wolfenstein games, and some that weren’t quite as well received. Regardless, it has proven its mettle in creating action-adventure games that have some seriously satisfying and innovative first-person shooter combat. There is a particular kind of crunch when it comes to killing Nazis in its games that, truth be told, cannot be found anywhere else. There is always a good mix of combat mechanics and weapons available, ensuring that it’s almost always possible to switch up the way to play in order to keep things fresh. MachineGames’ Wolfenstein games are always full of levels that are interesting to explore, and that look impressive.
MachineGames is also well-versed in creating a story that pulls players along, creating awesome set-pieces and developing characters that grow to mean a lot to players. There are characters in its Wolfenstein games that are unforgettable, from villains like Frau Engel and Strasse, to heroes like B.J. Blazkowicz, and everything in-between.
Combining all of these elements could create a truly awesome Indiana Jones game. It would give the player plenty of options when it comes to how they want to play as the titular character, from brawling it out with Nazis to deciding a duel is too much work and simply shooting them instead. An interesting note here is that MachineGames generally develops gameplay from a first-person perspective, while games based on big movie characters typically like to stick in third-person as much as possible, presumably to remind players that they are, in fact, playing as that character. Should MachineGames stick to its usual first-person perspective, it would be a departure from the usual kind of movie-game. However, that might be for the best.
Project 007 is currently in development.
