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00:00 Welcome to Mojo Plays, and today we're looking at licensed games that go beyond being adaptations
00:17 and actually tie in to their IP's canonicity.
00:26 Before we begin, we publish new content all week long, so be sure to subscribe and ring
00:30 the bell to get notified about our latest videos.
00:35 Enter the Matrix While this groundbreaking sci-fi film series
00:45 has gotten a handful of tie-in games, Enter the Matrix is the most unique when it comes
00:50 to canonicity.
00:51 The game takes place alongside the second film, 2003's The Matrix Reloaded.
00:56 It follows supportive characters from the movie, Ghost and Niobe, on their own journey
01:00 to battle the franchise's villainous machines.
01:03 It was a great deal of fun seeing what these characters were up to while Neo, Morpheus,
01:07 and Trinity were dealing with their own issues.
01:14 Not only that, but the game was written and directed by franchise creators the Wachowskis,
01:19 and even featured new live-action scenes.
01:22 So there's more of a connection than many other licensed games.
01:34 Saw the Video Game The biggest draw of the Saw franchise is
01:44 seeing if and how Jigsaw's victims can survive his twisted tests.
01:49 But this licensed title puts you in the middle of a trap-laden insane asylum, and tasks you
01:54 with making it out yourself.
01:55 Set after the events of the first film, it follows Detective David Tapp, who had been
01:59 healed from his climactic gunshot wound for further torment at the hands of Jigsaw.
02:10 Developer Zombie Studios collaborated with Saw creators Lee Wannell and James Wan.
02:15 This made the story, trap designs, and overall atmosphere incredibly authentic to the source
02:20 material.
02:21 Its mechanics and controls may not have been up to snuff, but it's still a worthy companion
02:26 piece to the franchise.
02:41 Stranglehold John Woo is a master of over-the-top action,
02:51 and 1992's Hard Boiled is one of the director's finest achievements.
02:55 But if you've never experienced its video game sequel, 2007's Stranglehold, we'd
03:08 highly recommend that you do.
03:10 It follows the film's protagonist, Inspector Tequila Yoon, as he investigates the murder
03:15 of a fellow officer.
03:16 Chow Yun-Fat reprised the lead role, and Woo helped produce it.
03:21 While most felt it was a bit too short, Woo's style is perfect for video games, and led
03:26 to some really frenetic action sequences.
03:29 Stranglehold was well-received enough to earn a sequel called Gunrunner, which was sadly
03:34 cancelled when publisher Midway filed for bankruptcy.
03:44 Blair Witch It's surprising that Blair Witch ever became
03:55 a franchise considering how simplistic the original premise was.
03:59 However, some creators have managed to bring some interesting elements to the table, including
04:05 developer Bloober Team.
04:06 The 2019 game is set two years after the original film, and follows a former policeman and his
04:12 dog after they join a search party looking for a missing child.
04:16 Naturally, and unfortunately for everyone involved, the boy went missing in the Black
04:20 Hills forest.
04:31 The game picks up the pace with creatures that hunt you from the shadows, however it
04:35 still includes a fun mystery at its heart as you piece together the forest's history.
04:46 Ghostbusters The Video Game Fans had been begging for a Ghostbusters 3
05:04 for years, and in 2009 they finally got it, just probably not in the form they were expecting.
05:10 The game puts players in the shoes of a new recruit to the team, two years after the second
05:15 movie.
05:16 It pits the Ghostbusters against Ivo Shandor, the spirit of a cult leader who worships Gozer,
05:20 the antagonist of the first film.
05:23 Not only did stars Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis co-write it, but they reprised their
05:27 roles alongside Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and several others.
05:42 It was a delight playing through a film sequel we never got.
05:45 The franchise's later movies may make the canonicity a bit unclear, but it remains a
05:50 blast to play.
06:02 The Thing
06:13 One of the best horror movies ever made got a video game sequel 20 years later.
06:18 The Thing picks up directly after the film and follows a special forces team investigating
06:23 what happened to the researchers.
06:25 As you contend with the deadly, shape-shifting alien, you'll also have to manage a team
06:29 of NPCs.
06:30 You need to keep an eye on their stress, their level of trust in you, and the possibility
06:36 of them becoming infected.
06:37 Although director John Carpenter didn't work on it, he did make a cameo appearance
06:42 as well as endorse it as a true sequel.
06:44 Sadly, this is another game whose follow-up was cancelled, this time when developer Computer
06:49 Artworks entered receivership in 2003.
07:03 Avatar Frontiers of Pandora One of the latest licensed games to tie in
07:16 with its franchise's continuity is Avatar Frontiers of Pandora.
07:20 Ubisoft and developer Massive Entertainment worked closely with creator James Cameron
07:24 to create a worthy piece of connected lore.
07:26 It's set on one of Pandora's continents not seen in the two feature films.
07:31 This way, it could stand on its own while still including elements fans had grown to
07:34 love.
07:42 Players control a Na'vi who has been held captive by human invaders for years, joining
07:47 your people and fighting back with them.
07:49 Its story takes place alongside the second movie, but we could see stronger connections
07:54 as the series progresses.
07:56 Film producer John Landau has even teased game elements showing up in future installments.
08:10 Star Wars Jedi Series What is or isn't canon to the larger Star
08:22 Wars universe has changed a lot over the years, especially with Disney in charge.
08:27 But for right now, the Jedi duology remains canonical to the film franchise and is honestly
08:32 one of the strongest additions to its lore.
08:34 The first game follows Cal Kestis, a Padawan in hiding following Order 66 as seen in Revenge
08:39 of the Sith.
08:40 It expanded on the Empire's control and included film figures like Saw Gerrera and
08:45 Darth Vader.
08:46 Gameplay, level design, and performances were all solid, leading to the 2023 sequel Jedi
08:51 Survivor.
08:52 Despite some technical issues, it was just as well-received as its predecessor, something
08:57 that's been a bit too infrequent within the franchise as of late.
09:09 Alien Isolation Isolation isn't the only game set within
09:25 the continuity of the Alien franchise.
09:27 It is, however, the best one.
09:29 Set 15 years after the first movie, it follows the daughter of series protagonist Ellen Ripley
09:35 as she searches for her missing mother.
09:37 Unknown to her until it's too late, her journey puts her into direct conflict with
09:41 a horrifying xenomorph.
09:52 The game's enemy AI has been praised by nearly everyone who has played it.
09:57 The alien feels just as deadly as it did in 1979, perhaps more considering it's consistently
10:02 hunting you throughout.
10:04 Since its release, Isolation has been praised for its focus on stealth and how it replicated
10:09 the tense atmosphere of the world that inspired it.
10:18 The Chronicles of Riddick - Escape from Butcher Bay
10:32 It isn't often a tie-in game surpasses the franchise it's tied to, but that's just
10:37 what happened with Escape from Butcher Bay.
10:39 As a prequel to Pitch Black, the first entry in the Vin Diesel-led sci-fi franchise, the
10:44 game follows Riddick attempting to escape the titular prison.
10:47 Players and critics alike praised it for a great many things upon release, including
10:51 its stealth mechanics and visuals.
10:54 Vin Diesel lent his voice to the lead role, but that's not all.
11:05 He also founded co-developer Tygon Studios and worked on the plot alongside film series
11:10 writer and director David Tui.
11:12 The result wasn't just a great licensed game, but an essential piece to the overall
11:17 story.
11:24 Know of any other licensed games that are actually canonical?
11:27 Share them with us in the comments and be sure to subscribe to Mojo Plays for more great
11:31 gaming videos.
11:37 Thanks for watching.
11:52 (upbeat music)
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