Summary
The 90s saw the multimedia boom, and the ability to have full-motion video on a computer opened up so many possibilities that the video game market was flooded with games that used this technology. With the rise of good 3D graphics, the art of FMV nearly died, but today you can enjoy both the classics and modern takes on the idea.
What’s an FMV Game?
The letters are easy enough to explain. FMV is short for “Full Motion Video.” In other words, it’s digital video in a game, usually featuring live action characters. That might not sound like a big deal, because today we take the ability to play videos on a computer for granted. For me, it was a huge thing. Our first computer capable of playing video was a Pentium 166MMX with 16MB of RAM and a no-name Sound Blaster clone. We didn’t have the internet, but I remember playing some movie trailers (particularly theGoldeneyemovie) over and over again.
FMV games were present in the arcades long before home computers. Although animated, 1983’sDragon’s Lairstill used full motion video, as did a few other titles. However, these games usedLaserDisc, which is an analog video format, while home FMV games used (often poorly) digitally-compressed video.
It’s not really accurate to think of FMV games as a genre, since the range of games that used FMV was enormous. Some were just traditional games that had FMV cutscenes, such asDune 2000. Others were barely games at all, but a linear interactive story. Basically the originalwalking simulators.
When people talk FMV games, they’re most likely thinking of the notorious games likeSewer Shark, but at the other end of the spectrum, you have games likeWing Commander 3: Heart of the Tigerwhich is a full-on space combat simulator with an FMV story featuring talents like Malcolm McDowell and Mark Hamill.
So, “FMV game” is a pretty broad term, but it’s one of those things where, if you see it, you’ll know it. There’s something about the approach and production values that set these games apart. Maybe it’s nostalgia, but FMV games will always hold a special place for me, since I lived through the ups and downs. I was just as ready as everyone to leave FMV behind when I slotted my first 3D accelerator card into my PC almost 25 years ago, but thankfully, the “best” of FMV gaming has been preserved, and certain developers are still keeping the dream alive.
Rediscover the FMV Magic With These Classic FMV Games
One of the best things about looking back on the FMV era in hindsight, is that the notable games are the ones that have been preserved and have bubbled to the top. There were a LOT of FMV games, and it can be daunting to pick somewhere to begin, but I’ve put together a few examples of my personal favorites that I think are worth everyone’s time.
The Journeyman Project 1: Pegasus Prime
The Journeyman Project 1: Pegasus Primeis an absolute classic example of both FMV games and the puzzle game genre, which has also danced with death a few times over the years. This sci-fi time-travel yarn has been updated for modern systems and received a visual overhaul, but this modern version still retains the spirit of that original game I played all those years ago. I can also confirm that it runs perfectly on myM1 MacBook Air, which makes it the perfect little game to snuggle up to in bed or on the couch! Also, if you enjoy the game, it’s only the first of a trilogy.
Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of Flesh
Most people probably remember the firstPhantasmagoriathanks to the splash this adults-only adventure game made, but for my money,Phantasmagoria 2: A Puzzle of Fleshis the one to play. I can’t overemphasize that this is not a game for sensitive audiences, but if you enjoy watching TV shows likeHannibalor enjoy psychological horror stories in general, this will be right up your alley. You play a man one year out of a mental hospital, looking to live a normal life, but so haunted by strange visions and events, you’ll doubt your own sanity. I have a big nostalgic soft-spot for this game, and the gritty low-quality of the video actually plays to its benefit, creating a unique atmosphere.
Night Trap
This is quite possibly the most infamous FMV game of all time, and along with titles likeMortal Kombat, isone of the main reasons we have the ESRBtoday, with games rated according to their content.
Infamy and historical interest aside,Night Trapactually works smartly with the idea of FMV, integrating it into the game’s story and gameplay. According to the 25th Anniversary Edition description on Steam:
Night Trap tells the story of five teenage girls spending the weekend at the Martin home. As a member of the Special Control Attack Team, your job is to monitor the home and protect the girls using an intricate system of cameras and traps as it is being invaded by vampires.
This was basicallyUntil Dawnlong before the real-time 3D technology existed to make it happen. Best of all, the game is actually fun, the acting hilariously campy, and even losing treats you to gloriously cheesy clips. It seems almost silly that the rather lukewarm content of this game riled up 90s censors so much, but it’s definitely worth playing today on its own merit. I actually own this game for Nintendo Switch, which isincredibly ironicif you know what went down between Nintendo and SEGA in the courtrooms, back in the day.
Corpse Killer
ThinkHouse of the Dead,but all the zombies are FMV video cutouts instead of polygons.Corpse Killerwas originally a 3DO title, which was a console built on FMV technology, being basically a glorified video player with minimal graphics capabilities. That said, this is another genuinely good example of FMV games. LikeMad Dog McCree(another LaserDisc title), it takes the basic idea of alight gun gameand used FMV to bring it to life at a time when real-tme 3D graphics just weren’t very nice to look at.
Sherlock Holmes Consulting Detective
I spent a lot of time playingSherlock Holmes Consulting Detectiveon our first CD-ROM drive, and I think the FMV sequences still hold up. This is based on the board game series of the same name, and the different titles in the franchise all represent different cases. You need to help Holmes and Watson solve the various cases in typical puzzle game style, and honestly, the gameplay itself is ho-hum, but I still think the FMV is delightful and a really great example of the look and feel of these games in the 90s. There was an iPad version, but sadly it no longer works on modern iPadOS versions. I bought these games on Steam, and under Windows they still work just fine. Sadly, there’s no working Mac version unless you’re running something older than macOS Catalina.
Modern FMV Games are Still Being Made
What was old is new again, and thanks to modern technology and a nice budget niche for indie developers, there are numerous modern FMV games that are definitely worth checking out.
Possibly the best example is Sam Barlow’sImmortality, which is a polished version of the concept Barlow explored withHer Story, andTelling Lies. These are all based on the premise of reviewing video footage to uncover the truth of some sort of event or series of events. Immortality is notable to me because it manages to really capture a certain era of Hollywood horror cinema, and has some properly dark and hidden secrets under all the glitz and glam stuff.
Not For Broadcastis mechanically similar to Night Trap, but with a totally different premise. Here you essentially play the role of a TV censor, and have to bleep out, cut, or otherwise obscure things your audience might find objectionable, or the Powers That Be would prefer to remain unseen.
Despite being such a niche flavor of game, I think the future of FMV games looks brighter than anyone would’ve thought at the end of their golden age in the 90s. Today, with not much money required, this style of game can serve as a creative outlet for many kinds of stories or game design, and offer campy cheese to serious, high-production cinematography. FMV might not have been the future of video games, but it will forever be some small part of the story.
