If you want a game that feels like stepping into a film or television series, start with The Last of Us Part I for a focused, emotional journey; The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series Collection for decisions that reshape relationships and scenes; Alien: Isolation for sustained, film-faithful horror; Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic for a large branching role-playing story; The Warriors for an adaptation that substantially expands its movie; and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle for a new adventure placed inside the movie timeline.
These games are not interchangeable. Some retell or extend a screen story, some create a prequel or interquel, and others use a licensed universe as a foundation for an almost entirely original plot. The guide below compares them by player agency, canon relationship, tone, gameplay and current access so you can choose the kind of interactive story you actually want.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
The Last of Us Part I – PlayStation 5 | $39.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Sony Interactive Entertainment The Last of Us Part 1 Standard PlayStation 5 | $45.06 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
The Last of Us: Part I and Part II Scripts | $31.06 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
How to choose a movie or TV-based story game
A recognizable license does not automatically make a strong narrative game. The best examples make the source material useful to the way games work: exploration lets you inhabit a setting, dialogue choices let you own a character’s decisions, and stealth, combat or puzzles turn the story’s central tension into something you perform rather than merely watch.
Narrative agency
Ask how much the game lets you determine. A linear journey can deliver precise pacing and carefully staged character arcs. A branching role-playing game can make the player feel responsible for alliances, betrayals and endings. Episodic choice games sit between those models, changing scenes and relationships while preserving a larger dramatic spine.
#1 Best Overall
- Enhanced visuals: Completely rebuilt from the ground up using Naughty Dog’s latest PS5 engine technology to improve every visual detail, The Last of Us experience has been faithfully enhanced with more realistic lighting and atmosphere, more intricate environments and creative reimaginings of familiar spaces.
- Fast loading: Initial loading times are near instant, and seamless after the first instance thanks to the PS5 console’s SSD – so you can pick up where you left off in the story and load specific encounters and chapters more quickly.
- Haptic feedback: DualSense wireless controller haptic feedback support for every weapon elevates combat encounters, and environments are brought to life through DualSense wireless controller haptic sensations of subtle falling rain, the crunch of stepping on snow and more.
- Adaptive triggers: All The Last of Us iconic weapons, including Joel’s revolver and Ellie’s bow, now deliver dynamic DualSense wireless controller trigger resistance and kickback on firing for deeper combat immersion.
- 3D Audio: Designed to make use of the PS5 console’s Tempest 3D AudioTech, Naughty Dog’s newly upgraded audio engine delivers richer soundscapes, bigger explosive moments and more visceral gameplay through compatible stereo headphones (analogue or USB) or TV speakers.
Relationship to the source
There are four useful categories:
- Direct adaptation: the game retells or closely follows a film or show.
- Prequel: events occur before the screen story and fill in an earlier period.
- Interquel: a new adventure fits between established films or seasons.
- Original universe story: the setting, rules and characters are licensed, but the plot is substantially new.
Tone and gameplay
Faithful dialogue and costumes matter, but so does mechanical tone. A horror game that lets you overpower every enemy will not create the same vulnerability as a film in which the monster controls the room. Likewise, an Indiana Jones game needs physical discovery and puzzle solving, not only gunfights, to feel like an Indiana Jones story.
Best story-driven movie and TV games at a glance
| Game | Story relationship | Agency | Core gameplay | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Last of Us Part I | Direct adaptation of the game’s own acclaimed story; the game inspired the HBO series | Mostly linear | Third-person survival action, exploration and stealth | A tightly directed, character-led drama |
| The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series Collection | Original television-universe episodes | Explicit choices and consequences | Dialogue decisions, investigation and light interaction | Episodic pacing and relationship-driven drama |
| Alien: Isolation | Original story in the film universe | Linear survival scenario | Stealth, hiding, scavenging and environmental problem solving | Slow-burn, atmosphere-first horror |
| Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic | Original prequel-era story thousands of years before the films | Branching role-playing narrative | Party-based RPG combat, exploration and dialogue choices | A long Star Wars adventure with meaningful allegiance choices |
| The Warriors | Expanded adaptation of the 1979 cult film | Mostly linear campaign | Beat-’em-up combat, missions and character-focused set pieces | More backstory and street-level world building |
| Indiana Jones and the Great Circle | Interquel set between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade | Directed adventure with optional exploration | First-person exploration, puzzles, stealth and action | Players who want to inhabit an Indiana Jones-style expedition |
The Last of Us Part I: the closest match for a prestige drama
Why it leads the list: it is a carefully paced, character-first journey in which every combat encounter and quiet exploration sequence reinforces the bond between Joel and Ellie. PlayStation’s product description begins with Joel being hired to smuggle 14-year-old Ellie out of a quarantine zone, then follows their brutal trip across a ravaged civilization. The relationship, rather than a collectible hunt or a sprawling skill tree, is the story’s organizing principle.
The game was released on September 2, 2022, in its remake edition. The PS5 version includes the complete single-player campaign and the Left Behind prequel chapter; the official product page lists PS5 and PC availability and confirms a standard physical Blu-ray edition for PS5. PlayStation also says the game inspired the HBO adaptation.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →How the gameplay serves the story
Third-person movement, scarce resources and stealth make danger feel personal. You are often deciding whether to spend ammunition, risk a noisy confrontation or search a side room for supplies. Those decisions do not branch the plot, but they make the journey feel earned: Joel and Ellie survive because you manage the same pressures the characters describe.
Exploration alternates with tightly staged action and short periods of conversation. That rhythm gives the game a television-like sense of episodes without making it an episodic choice game. Accessibility options and modern controls make the remake a practical entry point for players who found older versions difficult to handle.
Choose it if
- You want one authored emotional arc rather than multiple endings.
- You prefer cinematic presentation supported by playable stealth and combat.
- You want the clearest game-to-HBO connection.
Know before starting
This is a mature, violent post-pandemic drama. Its strongest moments depend on accepting the developers’ pacing, so it is a poor fit if you want a sandbox or a story that changes dramatically from one playthrough to the next.
The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series Collection: the best choice-and-consequence TV game
This collection is built around the structure of a television season: short episodes, cliffhangers, recurring relationships and decisions that follow you into later scenes. Rotten Tomatoes lists the collection for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, released December 5, 2017. It bundles all three seasons, 400 Days and Michonne for 19 episodes in total.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →What makes its story interactive
Conversations are the main battleground. You choose what to reveal, whom to defend, when to lie and which relationship to prioritize. The game records those decisions and changes later exchanges, alliances and the way characters remember your actions. It does not turn every choice into a completely different plot, but the immediate consequences make scenes feel authored around your version of the group.
That design is closer to interactive television than to an action game. Investigation and quick-time sequences provide momentum, yet the important question is usually moral or interpersonal: who gets trust, who gets resources and what kind of leader the protagonist becomes.
Choose it if
- You want your dialogue decisions to be visible within the same episode and across seasons.
- You like ensemble casts and relationship arcs more than elaborate combat systems.
- You prefer to play in self-contained episodes rather than one uninterrupted campaign.
Collection considerations
Because this is a bundle rather than a single season, it is the most convenient way to follow the full run on the platforms listed above. Episode order matters: start with season one, then continue through the later seasons and side stories so character introductions and callbacks land properly.
Alien: Isolation: the most faithful film-style horror experience
Alien: Isolation tells an original story in the film universe. You play Ellen Ripley’s daughter, Amanda, while investigating the Sevastopol station. The Xenomorph is the central source of tension, and its presence changes how you move through nearly every room.
Recommended Free Tools
Rank #2
- Flexible design
- High-quality material
- Durable
GamesRadar lists the 2014 release on PS5, PS4, PS3, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, Switch, iOS and Android. Availability and performance can differ between those versions, so check the storefront for the platform you use.
Why the adaptation works
The game understands that the original film’s power came from uncertainty. You rarely know exactly where the creature is, whether a hiding place is safe or whether using a tool will attract attention. Instead of giving you a conventional boss-fight loop, it asks you to listen, observe motion trackers, improvise routes and stay quiet.
Sevastopol’s industrial corridors, flickering interfaces and retro-futurist equipment echo the visual language of the 1979 film. Amanda is not a replacement for Ellen; her perspective lets the game explore the consequences of the original story while preserving the franchise’s themes of corporate indifference and survival under pressure.
Choose it if
- You want atmosphere and stealth rather than branching dialogue.
- You enjoy learning an enemy’s behavior and surviving through planning.
- You want a game that extends a film’s world without replaying its scenes.
Difficulty and pacing
Its tension comes from repetition with variation: you revisit spaces, but the threat and your available tools change. Higher difficulty increases the value of careful resource use. If you dislike being hunted or prefer constant action, this deliberate pace can feel punishing rather than cinematic.
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: the richest role-playing story
BioWare’s Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is set thousands of years before the films. That distance gives it room for original characters, factions and conflicts while retaining the moral vocabulary of the Star Wars universe. SpawnPoint describes a branching narrative and a major plot twist; discovering that twist is part of the experience, so avoid summaries before playing.
How it differs from a film adaptation
This is not a retelling with a familiar hero. You create or define a protagonist, recruit a party and decide how to respond to competing ideas about the Force and political power. Dialogue choices can change relationships and the direction of the campaign, while party composition and combat decisions add a second layer of authorship.
The result is closer to a long-form space-fantasy novel than to a two-hour movie tie-in. You spend time learning histories, visiting multiple locations and deciding what your character believes. The film connection is strongest in the setting, sound and ethical conflicts, not in reproducing a particular scene.
Choose it if
- You want a substantial RPG with companions and alignment-driven decisions.
- You enjoy exploring an earlier historical era of a fictional universe.
- You are willing to accept older role-playing systems in exchange for a highly regarded narrative structure.
Play without spoilers
Because the central reveal depends on what the game withholds, skip videos, reviews and character guides that identify the twist. Let the early conversations and mission outcomes establish your understanding of the galaxy.
The Warriors: an adaptation that adds a second act to the movie
Rockstar’s adaptation of the 1979 cult film keeps the gangs, nighttime New York setting and escalating run through hostile territory, then expands the material with backstory for every gang member. SpawnPoint describes a campaign of about 15 hours, compared with the film’s roughly 90-minute runtime.
What the added story contributes
The extra missions show how the Warriors formed, how individual members relate to one another and what happened before the film’s opening meeting. That structure gives supporting characters space that a feature-length movie could not provide. The campaign therefore works as both a retelling and a prequel-style expansion: familiar events remain recognizable, while new scenes explain the group’s skills and tensions.
Its street-fighting missions and direct objectives keep the pacing brisk. The game is less interested in branching morality than in momentum, group identity and the physical challenge of moving through territory controlled by rival gangs.
Rank #3
Choose it if
- You want an adaptation that adds substantial original material instead of replaying a film scene by scene.
- You enjoy close-quarters action and mission-based progression.
- You value setting and character backstory over multiple endings.
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: a film interquel you can explore
Indiana Jones and the Great Circle is set between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade. SpawnPoint highlights its first-person adventure design, puzzle emphasis and recreation of Indiana Jones’ tone. Because it occupies a gap in the film timeline, it can introduce a new mystery without contradicting the major events of either movie.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesWhy first person matters
Seeing through Indy’s eyes makes physical discovery the centerpiece. You examine clues at close range, read inscriptions, search rooms for mechanisms and decide when to use the whip, stealth or direct action. The perspective supports the fantasy of being the archaeologist rather than controlling him from a distant camera.
Puzzles and environmental observation carry as much narrative weight as combat. A locked chamber, an unusual symbol or a hidden route can reveal history and move the investigation forward. That balance is important for readers who want the feeling of an adventure serial rather than a conventional shooter wearing an Indiana Jones skin.
Choose it if
- You want a new story that fits between established films.
- You prefer exploration and puzzles to dialogue trees or party management.
- You want the license expressed through places, artifacts and physical problem solving.
Which game should you play after watching The Last of Us?
Choose The Last of Us Part I if you have not played the game and want to experience the source story interactively. Its structure, characters and world are the closest match to the HBO drama, while the playable sections let you feel the cost of travel and survival rather than only observe it.
If you have already completed Part I and want a different kind of television-style drama, choose The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series Collection. It trades The Last of Us’ controlled pacing and stealth for dialogue choices, episode endings and visible relationship consequences.
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallCrashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteFor a tonal shift, Alien: Isolation delivers the same emphasis on vulnerable characters and hostile environments, but turns the focus toward stealth horror. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic is the better follow-up when what you want is a much larger role-playing campaign with competing philosophies and decisions.
Direct adaptations, prequels and interquels: what to expect
| Story model | What you gain | What may be limited | Best match from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct or closely related adaptation | Immediate recognition and a tightly controlled emotional arc | Less freedom to change major events | The Last of Us Part I |
| Original television-universe episodes | Player-specific relationships and episode-to-episode consequences | Choices usually alter scenes and relationships more than the entire premise | The Walking Dead Collection |
| Original story in a film universe | New protagonists and situations without retelling the movie | Familiar characters may be absent or secondary | Alien: Isolation |
| Prequel-era RPG | Room for factions, companions and a large branching plot | Older systems and a longer commitment | Knights of the Old Republic |
| Expanded film adaptation | More context for supporting characters and the setting | Campaign remains tied to the source’s central conflict | The Warriors |
| Interquel adventure | A new episode that fits between known films | Major continuity boundaries still apply | Indiana Jones and the Great Circle |
Future licensed games to watch, not current recommendations
Lucasfilm’s current catalog highlights several narrative projects, including Star Wars Zero Company, Star Wars Eclipse and Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic. Lucasfilm describes Star Wars Eclipse as an intricately branching action-adventure in which players control the destinies of multiple playable characters. Those projects are useful context for where licensed storytelling is heading, but the catalog information does not establish release dates or make them available substitutes for the released games above.
PlayStation Blog has also announced an untitled John Wick AAA game for PS5. Game Director Jesus Iglesias said the story is being created with Chad Stahelski and Lionsgate, alongside Keanu Reeves. The announcement did not provide a final title or release date, so treat it as a future-watch item rather than a game you can buy today.
Buying and platform checks before you start
Storefront availability can vary by country, edition and backward-compatibility policy. The documented platform information is summarized below; it is not a live price or inventory report.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
| Game | Documented availability or edition detail | Date or scope noted by the source |
|---|---|---|
| The Last of Us Part I | PS5 and PC; PS5 standard edition also has a physical Blu-ray release; includes the complete single-player story and Left Behind | Remake released September 2, 2022 |
| The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series Collection | PlayStation 4 and Xbox One; includes all three seasons, 400 Days and Michonne | Collection released December 5, 2017; 19 episodes total |
| Alien: Isolation | PS5, PS4, PS3, Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PC, Switch, iOS and Android | 2014 release; edition features can differ |
| Knights of the Old Republic | Platform availability not stated in the cited material | Pre-film-era setting thousands of years before the movies |
| The Warriors | Platform availability not stated in the cited material | Campaign described as about 15 hours |
| Indiana Jones and the Great Circle | Platform availability not stated in the cited material | Interquel between Raiders of the Lost Ark and The Last Crusade |
For any purchase, confirm the exact edition, language support, downloadable-content inclusion and regional storefront listing at the time you buy. A collection label does not always mean the same content is included on every platform.
Quick Recap
Final recommendations by reader type
- Want the most emotionally controlled single-player journey: The Last of Us Part I.
- Want decisions that affect relationships and later scenes: The Walking Dead: The Telltale Series Collection.
- Want to feel hunted by a movie monster: Alien: Isolation.
- Want the broadest role-playing story and a major reveal: Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
- Want a film adaptation with substantial new backstory: The Warriors.
- Want to investigate an unseen Indiana Jones adventure between films: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
