Insert Coin To Continue: Ready Player One?

Spielberg is back… and he’s delivered another classic for the big screen.

Ready Player One is a film based on a 2011 novel by Ernest Cline (who also had a hand in writing for the film adaptation). It’s set in Columbus, OH in the year 2045, where the real world has become so dire that the world escapes reality by using Virtual Reality to engage with others, as well as work and play.

The creator of the VR system (OASIS) is James Halliday, who recently passed away. Before he did, he programmed a new game in to OASIS which – whoever could complete it – would become the new owner of OASIS (and in effect, rule the world). Players would have to find three keys, hidden away in the OASIS world, in order to get the treasure (which was an “Easter Egg” – a term for an interesting secret in a game) – however, Halliday hid them away so well that players struggled to even figure out where they were… unless they could work out his incredibly difficult riddles, based on key moments in his life.

Wade Watts (played by Tye Sheridan) is a massive fan of Halliday, and thus over time – and with a little help from his friends – work to figure out the clues and find the keys. Lurking over everyone however is Innovative Online Industries (IOI), a company set up specifically to take over the OASIS world by completing Halliday’s challenges. The company uses “Sixers” – players who became bankrupt and in debt that the company makes them pay it off by working for them – to try and figure out where these secrets are. When Watts discovers the secret to the first key, IOI does everything in their power to stop him – finding out his real life identity, where he lives and much more – in order to get to the treasure themselves first.

For this video game nerd, the film is a fun balance of retro video game references, with a nod to film classics such as The Shining and combined with a brilliant 80’s soundtrack – all encompassed within a Sci-Fi film that was bound to keep me enthralled throughout.

It’s no wonder this has already reached #1 in the UK Box Office – and we’re keeping the video game love going with a fantastic range of exclusive gaming designs in store – all certain to bring a smile. So why not grab a t-shirt, then pop down to the cinema and watch this brilliant new release?

Ashley Redman
Always needing an Extra Life