Where Cinema Has Had A Heavy Influence On Gaming’s Visual Design

Two Mediums Closely Linked

Cinema and gaming have always inspired each other, with movies shaping how games look and feel. Visual storytelling techniques from film, such as dramatic camera angles, lighting and colour choices, are now common in games, helping create intense and memorable atmospheres.

As game technology improves, more games are adding these cinematic elements, allowing for high-quality graphics and lifelike character movements. This means games can now tell deeper, more emotional stories, drawing players in like never before. Today, the influence of movies on games has helped turn gaming into a unique, interactive art form where visuals and storytelling truly come together…

Filming techniques

To fully immerse players, games have started using cinematic techniques similar to those found in high-production movies. Panning, tracking and shifting perspectives are just a few of the tools used to draw players deeper into the game world.

One of the greatest examples of adapting visual and camera work from the big screen is Ghost of Tsushima. This game is inspired by classic samurai films like Seven Samurai and The Hidden Fortress. The game utilises wide shots of landscapes and dynamic camera movements during combat, reflecting the raw passion of these movies. Players feel as though they are part of a living, breathing samurai epic.

Another cult favourite, Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption 2, draws inspiration from iconic westerns such as The Good, The Bad and The Ugly, and Unforgiven. Cinematic cutscenes of rugged cowboy-ruled lands evoke the feeling of the type of classic western movie we all remember seeing in our childhoods. Many games use cinematic techniques to make players feel fully immersed, similar to how different casino games use visual effects to create an engaging atmosphere for players.

Use of lightning and colour

Games are adopting far more than just angles and camera movements from the world of cinematography. Lighting and colour choices also have a major impact on the game atmosphere. In Cyberpunk 2077, the use of neon lighting, dark shadows and high-tech surroundings is heavily inspired by iconic sci-fi films like Blade Runner 2049 and the Netflix show Altered Carbon.

In the world of Altered Carbon, societal norms are increasingly loose and eroding, as are the boundaries between life and death. This form of cyberpunk-style sci-fi movie translates well into the game. The game feels not only visually engaging but emotionally gripping, making you experience everything that the main character, Johnny, feels and goes through.

Many games, including different casino games, use visual effects to create an engaging atmosphere for players. From the world of horror games, Silent Hill, uses fog and murky lightning to create a sense of fear and mystery. You can never know when the next jump scare is going to appear.

In-game character design

On the note of horror games, the Resident Evil franchise has taken inspiration for in-game zombie NPCs from classic horror flicks like Dawn of the Dead and Day of the Dead. Slow and shallow movement combined with the decaying features of the zombies in Resident Evil mirror the terrifying undead from George Romero’s films. The sense of dread and hopelessness is captured perfectly, making these movies great inspiration for all future zombie games.

The Last of Us takes inspiration from end of the world movies, with its infected creatures resembling a mix of 28 Days Later and I am Legend, using mutations and grotesque designs to evoke fear in the viewer. Circling back to Silent Hill, its in-game twisted monsters could be inspired by psychological horror films like Jacob’s Ladder to reflect the main character’s deepest fears.

Gaming classics such as Dead Space should not be forgotten either. The mutated personnel of the space station are the stuff of nightmares inspired by films like Alien and Event Horizon, both of which blend sci-fi with disturbing body horror.

Music to our ears

What makes any gaming or viewing experience complete is the use of sounds and music. Sound design has increasingly drawn inspiration from movies to deepen the emotional response of players. The DOOM games, for instance, have made soundtracks a key part of its identity. They went a step further and hired a choir and recorded them chanting unsettling, demonic vocals that add an eerie atmosphere to the gameplay.

The game’s main soundtrack, composed by Mick Gordon, features heavy metal and industrial elements, creating a headbanging, adrenaline-fueled auditory experience. Some of these tracks have millions of views on YouTube, proving that a soundtrack can either make or break a game.

We all know and love Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lord of the Rings for their use of majestic orchestral soundtracks. Similarly, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt uses orchestral music to evoke grand, cinematic moments, much like a movie would. The music of World of Warcraft, composed by Jason Hayes, has become iconic and recognisable all over the world. In the opinion of many gamers, music is what makes the game as good as it is.

Cinema’s effect on game design, from visuals to music, has transformed the gaming experience into an immersive, cinematic trip, establishing video games as a strong storytelling medium.