Johnny Mnemonic (video game)
An FMV adventure based on William Gibson's cyberpunk story.
Sony Imagesoft brought out Johnny Mnemonic: The Interactive Action Movie in 1995 for Macintosh and Windows. This point-and-click adventure, a tie-in to the film, was created by Propaganda Code, the game arm of Propaganda Films. It earned a mixed critical reception.
Quick Facts
- Developer
- Propaganda Code
- Publisher
- Sony Imagesoft
- Director
- Douglas Gayeton
- Producer
- Mary Ann Norris, Connie Booth
- Writer
- Douglas Gayeton, John Platten
- Composer
- Josh Mancell
- Engine
- Cineactive
- Platforms
- Macintosh, Windows
Facts from the source article.
Development
The interactive movie Johnny Mnemonic was built by Sony Imagesoft, with its live-action footage captured by Propaganda Films. That production company, known for AT&T and Coca-Cola commercials as well as the film Wild at Heart, also handled game development through its unit Propaganda Code. The story came from a 1981 short story by William Gibson, the writer who coined "cyberspace" and worked on the film script. Sony Pictures was simultaneously producing a movie adaptation starring Keanu Reeves. Total costs for filming and technology development hit $3 million. Douglas Gayeton and John Platten wrote the script, which ran about 145 pages. It took four weeks to complete, and Gayeton knew he could not request extra money for reshoots. The initial plan to use the movie's sets fell through due to contractual problems and the film falling behind schedule. Filming instead occurred at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, designed by Jean-Philippe Carp, who had previously worked on the French black comedy Delicatessen. Carp gave the hotel a futuristic look with aquarium table lamps and neon video screens. Shooting lasted fifteen days, with seventy camera setups each day. Executive producer Jonathan Wiedeman noted that multiple branching paths could cause continuity issues, so actors toned down extreme emotional performances to address this. The game was the first to use the Cineactive interactive movie engine, created by Evolutionary Publishing and licensed by Sony. Christopher Gartin, who had appeared on Melrose Place, played Johnny Mnemonic. Other cast members included Isaac Hayes, former Lakers player Kurt Rambis, Doug Llewelyn from The People's Court, and 1993 Penthouse Pet of the Year Julie Strain.
Release
The game debuted at a New Media Expo pre-launch event on March 15, 1995, at the Writers Guild booth, and was later featured at the first E3 that May. To promote it, author William Gibson appeared online via CompuServe and ZiffNet on May 18, 1995. The game shipped on May 26, 1995. Shortly after, Douglas Gayeton left Propaganda Films, and the developer Propaganda Code shut down, leaving Johnny Mnemonic as its sole title. In July 1995, Sony Imagesoft was absorbed into Sony Computer Entertainment of America. Although planned as a launch title for the PlayStation, the game never saw release there, and a Sega CD version was also announced but never produced.
Reception
Critics were sharply divided on Johnny Mnemonic. Allgame's Christopher Allen called it a painful demonstration of why full-motion video often fails as interactive gameplay. In contrast, the Los Angeles Times found it made the typically dull interactive movie genre exciting. The Seattle Times hailed it as a breakthrough, the first electronic game to meet Hollywood standards as a true interactive movie. Andy Grieser of the Chicago Tribune became so hooked he shouted during fight scenes. Charles Ardai of Computer Gaming World identified a "Dragon's Lair syndrome," where one wrong click ends the game. Hardcore Gamer ranked it among Sony Imagesoft's lowest points.
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