1) The Last Of Us (2013)
Inspired by: 28 Days Later, The Road, The Day Of The Triffids
To say that The Last Of Us was solely influenced by film would do the game a disservice, as its fungi-based pandemic was also clearly inspired by a very real-life disease known as cordyceps (look it up, it’s super creepy). Nevertheless, it’s fair to say that a number of important movies helped shape its narrative-focused survival horror opus in a multitude of ways.
Cormac McCarthy’s post-apocalyptic novel and film adaptation The Road helped to infuse Naughty Dog’s masterpiece with its bleak, heart-rending tone, while Danny Boyle’s infection flick 28 Days Later and Steve Sekely’s 1962 cinematic interpretation of John Wyndham’s plants-on-the-rampage sci-fi horror novel helped gift the game with a gritty and realistic threat that is surprisingly believable.
Ultimately, there’s just so much to love about Naughty Dog’s cinematic masterpiece. From its nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat gameplay, where you’re forced to carefully approach each horrific combat encounter with your mind as well as your brawn, akin to a blood-splattered Rubik’s cube. To its beautiful yet bone-crushingly bleak narrative that gives way to some truly disturbing and harrowing reflections on the darkness of the human condition.
However, most of all, it’s the game’s phenomenal storytelling, realistic characters, along with their complex relationships that really sweeten the icing on this post-apocalyptic confection. The Last Of Us is an essential for fans of both fantastic cinema and fantastic video games. And it’s one of the finest gaming experiences crafted yet.