Full-motion video, orFMV, is one of the game industry’s most distinctive styles. Rather than utilizing CGI, sprites, animation, 3D models, or any other approaches for graphical or narrative purposes, FMV games use pre-recorded videos in cutscenes or as a substitute for traditional graphics.
During the late 90s, FMV games were as common as the cold. Due to FMV usually being a more affordable technique, it was popular among game designers. While the genre has mostly faded from the limelight, it’s always good to look back on the FMV games, some ancient, some more recent, that tower above the rest.
10The Bunker
The concept of nuclear war has been utilized across all kinds of entertainment. From the open-world Fallout video game series to the Godzilla films, the possible destructive horrors of the atomic bomb have been explored by a myriad of talented artists.
Developed by Splendy Games, 2016’s The Bunker is one of the most engaging video games set in a nuclear holocaust. The game puts you in the shoes of John, a man living in a nuclear fallout bunker who endeavors to recover his repressed memories.
9Erica
One of the elements most commonly associated with FMV games is the freedom of the player’s choices. RPGs and other games of that caliber can also offer immense flexibility in a player’s actions. There’s an extra sensation of realism exclusive to the FMV genre.
One of the best examples of this is Erica. Launched in 2019 by developer Flavourworks, Erica is a psychological thriller where the choices you make significantly affect the game’s narrative. Featuring shocking twists and turns, Erica is a must-play gaming experience.
8Myst
Due to their more niche design, most FMV games don’t obtain the same level of success as traditional video games. While the occasional title, like Night Trap, might become infamous for irregular reasons, most FMV games don’t break through with general audiences.
That wasn’t the case with 1993’sMyst. Designed by Robyn and Rand Miller and developed by Cyan Inc., Myst was an enormous critical and commercial success. In fact, Myst was the best-selling PC game for nearly a decade until 2002’sThe Sims.
7Contradiction: Spot The Liar!
Considering how FMV video games are very atypical, it’s sometimes challenging for developers to get the support they need. While FMV games during the 90s had the financial backing of the biggest game studios of the decade, nowadays, developers occasionally have to look for help elsewhere.
For 2015’s Contradiction: Spot the Liar!, composer Tim Follin and Baggy Cat Games got their backing through a kickstarter crowdfunding campaign. Thankfully, Contradiction is a thrilling FMV detective game featuring an outstanding performance from the late great Paul Darrow.
6The Infectious Madness Of Doctor Dekker
Along with all the discernible reasons why they are atypical of other video games, FMV titles also allow immense design creativity. While some FMV games are structured like boilerplate linear titles, others utilize their format to tell their narratives in an antithetic fashion.
If you’re looking for a uniquely told and presented FMV game, look no further than The Infectious Madness of Doctor Dekker. Developed by D’Avekki Studios, the game sees you interviewing patients for the deceased titular doctor, piecing together clues around his demise.
5428: Shibuya Scramble
It doesn’t matter what manner, make, or model of video game you’re discussing; when it comes to creativity, cleverness, and just plain idiosyncrasy, Japan’sgaming industry is king. Japan has been the birthplace of plenty of gaming oddities over the years.
Produced by Koichi Nakamura and his company Chunsoft, 428: Shibuya Scramble was initially published by Sega exclusively for the Wii in 2008, before being ported to PS3 in 2011. Utilizing scrolling text, live-action footage, and video, 428: Shibuya Scramble is unquestionably a one-of-a-kind achievement.
4Spycraft: The Great Game
Before becoming infamous for exhausting the Call of Duty brand, destroying the Guitar Hero series, and commonly imploring predatory and currish practices,Activisionwas responsible for numerous quality games. While they have since fallen far, a look into their past features many highlights.
Indisputably, one of the developer’s chief and most unexampled titles is Spycraft: The Great Game. Launched in 1996, the game centers on the CIA and SVR as they work to prevent the assassination of the president of the United States.
3Not For Broadcast
In the video game industry, ambition can be both a beauty and a beast. While there are several instances of games failing due to being overly zealous. For every disappointing dud, there are plenty of games that ooze with ambition and gumption.
2022’s Not For Broadcast has both a good mix of ambition and clever political commentary. The game putsyou in the shoes of Alex Winston, a studio director tasked with ensuring his television broadcast goes smoothly in this engrossing FMV propaganda simulator.
2Immortality
Regarding the modern FMV game, perhaps no game designer is more synonymous with the genre thanSam Barlow. Originally most well-known as the lead designer/writer for Silent Hill: Origins andSilent Hill: Shatter Memories, Barlow would go on to truly make his claim to fame in the FMV genre.
2022’s Immortality is one of Barlow’s most unique and captivating narratives. The game tasks you with solving the disappearance of fictional actress Marissa Marcel by piecing together clips from her movies, behind-the-scenes footage, and interview segments.
1Her Story
For how much 90s game studios flooded the FMV genre, very few ever managed to make much of an impact. Often cheaply produced and rushed out the door, most developers never could truly capitalize on the genre’s immense storytelling potential.
If there was any game that showed audiences and developers the promise of FMV, it’s Her Story. Directed and written by Sam Barlow and starring Viva Seifert, Her Story is an enthralling experience where you use clips to solve the case of a missing man.
