Videogame nasties

What does the release of 'The Godfather', 'Scarface' and 'Reservoir Dogs' videogames mean for the industry?

Oct 19 2006

Over the last ten years or so, it has become commonplace for most blockbuster movies to have a videogame spin-off released to coincide with the film's opening. In the modern multi-media marketplace, these ancillary elements (videogame, soundtrack, music video crossover etc) have all become increasingly important weapons in the promotional war.

However, following in the footsteps of the hugely successful 'Grand Theft Auto' series - one of the first games to truly utilise the console format through the use of top Hollywood voice talent and non-linear gameplay - there has recently been a spate of retrospective adaptations of gangster classics such as Coppola's 'The Godfather' (for which messrs Brando, Duvall and Caan all leant their respective vocals…only Pacino balked), Tarantino's 'Reservoir Dogs' and most recently De Palma's 'Scarface'. Like the 'GTA' series, these games put you in the shoes of the criminal, and success is achieved through illegal activity: be it robbery, extortion, drug dealing, general brutality or cold-blooded murder. These games don't just allow you to act out your most violent, heinous impulses…they encourage and reward it.

Whilst it would be naïve and somewhat churlish to start making simple-minded, reactionary and hysterical suggestions that this trend of digital debauchery is irresponsible and 'damaging to society' (it is impossible to deny that these games are brilliantly conceived and they are undoubtedly enjoyable to play), it does provoke a number of disturbing questions, chiefly: where do we draw the line?

Given the current popularity of the resurgent horror genre (which, like videogames, are generally marketed towards the 17-25 year-old age demographic) are we soon to expect to see queues outside HMV as impressionable teenagers desperately try to get there hands on the brand-new 'Hostel' game for the X-Box, where kidnapping and torture is, literally, the aim of the game? 'Saw' has since spawned a franchise so surely it can't be long before we get to play as the digitally recreated Jigsaw killer…and maybe even cult-films like 'Hard Candy' could get in on the act: the final mission could be a re-enactment of the infamous castration scene.

And if the 'The Godfather' is worthy of a PS2 tie-in then what about other seventies classics like 'A Clockwork Orange' and 'Straw Dogs'? After all, if murdering people with chainsaws is acceptable in a video game, then why shouldn't gang-rape be allowed? Wait a minute…horror films…chainsaws…seventies classics…that gives me another idea…

So far, thankfully, this hasn't happened, but is it only a matter of time? The line between movies and videogames has become increasingly blurred, with many inverted game/movie adaptations coming out every year ('Doom' and 'Silent Hill' are two of the latest to hit DVD shelves). Top actors are no-longer ashamed of lending their skills to games and even Oscar-winning directors are getting in on the act: Steven Spielberg is currently collaborating with game-house Electronic Arts to create three new original franchise properties and Peter Jackson has broadened his relationship with Microsoft by creating a video-game studio. The relationship between the two formats is becoming more and more incestuous and perhaps it's time to consider the long-term consequences of our virtual bloodlust.

Still, there is a silver lining: at least they haven't made 'Revolver' into a game. Perhaps there is still some hope.

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