8 Video Games You Didn't Realise Ripped Off Famous Movies

Taking inspiration from both the filming techniques used to capture story moments and cut-scenes as well as basing entire levels and characters on silver-screen flicks, some of the greatest video games ever made wouldn't have even happened if not for the films which inspired them.

Some games wear their influences on their sleeves more than others though, ranging from including little homages and references to taking entire concepts and ideas and using them to create their own original story.

That doesn't make them bad - hell, half the directors in Hollywood wouldn't have a career if it was a crime to liberally take from other movies (looking at you, Tarantino) - but it's worth noting just how much material these great games appropriated (re: ripped off) from their big screen heroes.

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Honourable Mention: Metal Gear Solid 2 - Austin Powers

Hideo Kojima absolutely loves movies, so it's no surprise that his Metal Gear Solid series is chock-full of references to cinema greats. Between Escape from New York and 007, the developer has looked to the very best action movies for inspiration, but there is one completely random film often cited as having a huge impact on Metal Gear Solid 2: Austin Powers.

Sure, Solid Snake himself is an international man of mystery, but how the satirical spy franchise managed to influence a game so deeply in love with its own pseudo-science and grand philosophical statements is anybody's guess. Even Kojima himself has refused to explain just how Mike Myers' sex pest actually informed his own creation.

My guess? It probably comes through in the scene where you're following around a butt-naked Raiden. Or maybe Colonel wasn't just a rogue A.I., but a fembot the whole time. Alright, scratch that last one.