Was Cognition inspired by The Crow?

[Jack Stryker]

I've found several similarities between the game Cognition and the movie The Crow.

(Spoilers to both the game and the movie below.)

Spoiler (mouse over to reveal):

- Firstly, there's only a one-letter difference between the two main characters' first names: Erica and Eric.

- Erica and Eric each seek justice for the murder of someone close to them: Erica's brother, Scott and Eric's Fiancee, Shelly (plus himself).

- Erica has her regression ability; which she uses by touching someone and seeing their memories, something Eric does at one point in the movie.  (And then later uses that memory to kill the gang boss.)

- Both Cognition and The Crow have an African American Police officer as a supporting character.  (Though Albrecht has both a higher rank and a bigger role than Duffer.)

- Like the end of Cognition episode 1, The Crow also features a gun fight that takes place in a church.

- Like the Hangman and Wise Monkey, the thugs who murdered Eric and Shelly in the movie are done in with their own killing methods.

- Like Joey, Myca has her eyes gouged (by the crow's beak) and falls to her death.

- Also like Joey, Skank is thrown to his death (by Eric) and lands on a Police cruiser.  (Though Skank just dies on it and doesn't smash it with his corpse.)

- Both Erica and Albrecht are suspended near the end, and yet still keep up the fight.  (Though Erica quits her job in the end, while Albrecht just quits smoking.  It's never specified whether or not he stays on the force.)

So were these all intentional or just purely coincidental?

[KatieHal]

Definitely coincidence! I've actually never seen The Crow. Cez may have, but it never came up as a reference or source of inspiration for the game while we were designing it.

[Jack Stryker]

Well, not to be a spammer or anything, but I'd heartily recommend the movie.  It's some of Brandon Lee's finest work.  And tragically, his last, due to negligence on the prop crew's part. 

[Cez]

I have never watched the movie either. Always wanted to.