Greatly enjoying the new Making of Karateka docugame by Digital Eclipse for a whole host of reasons (Deathbounce Rebounded feels like it was made specifically for me), including finally giving me an Original Sin I can pin all the blame on for all of the game trends I don't like.
Kind of a pity they couldn't squeeze the Game Boy version of the game in, though. It was my first contact with Karateka (via a pirate multicart from Hong Kong!) and it had some interesting unique bits, like stat customization. Was published by Bandai so maybe there's some rights issues there? ☹
Oh do they talk about this: I remember following Jordan Mechner sharing his journals from the time of Prince of Persia and it was clear that he was maybe one of the first game designer guys who really wanted to be making movies- but would settle for making games more cinematic. Kind of surprised me that the games still turned out as gamey as they are but also really explains Last Express.
the thing about "games trying to be movies" is that there were several radically divergent visions of that, and the ones that won out in the mid to late 90s (and are still kinda knocking around today, in various forms, despite the short life of trends like FMV) were unfortunately not much like the fairly insightful, respectful, craft-focused approach that defined Mechner's career - a careful synthesis with interactive design at its center.
under capitalism it was never not going to be a corrosive, ill-considered, embarrassing money pit, but that doesn't mean some creators didn't wade in with noble intentions and a lot of talent.