Summary
Having video game adaptations move from just films to also include television has led to an overall increase in their quality. Since films are typically around two hours, they can hardly be expected to capture the story of a modern game, which can run well over the 20 or 30 hour mark.
Television has a lot more freedom in this regard. They can either go for short and sweet episodes or expand further with hour-long segments. However, more time to tell the story doesn’t necessarily mean that it will be any more faithful to the source material. Television shows are just as inconsistent as movies when it comes to being a faithful adaption. A point proven by these titles, which have been adapted for TV.
2014
Number of Episodes
104
Few gaming series have more quality extremes thanSonic The Hedgehog. Games like Sonic Mania, Sonic Colors, and the original Sonic trilogy have won the hearts of many players over the years. But Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric is remembered a lot less fondly, making it all the more strange that this iteration of the characters would have their series.
The oddities don’t end there. Rather than Sonic’s normal humor, the show is filled with extremely modern, bordering on the self-aware jokes that make it difficult to tell who it was intended for. One thing is clear though. Aside from the new designs borrowed from the game as well as the new character Sticks the Badger, the show has nothing else in common with the Sonic series.
2023
10
After lying dormant for years, theTwisted Metalseries was resurrected as a TV show on Peacock. Fans of the series will know thatTwisted Metal’s canon is an extremely confusing affair, with the main focus of each game being intense demolition derbies rather than telling a comprehensive story. Still, throughout the games, there is at least a semi-consistent foundation.
The demonic Calpyso holds a contest that sees contestants compete to the death with vehicles of their choosing to have a wish of their choosing granted. The TV show, however, carries forth almost none of this. Instead, it centers around a driver battling familiar cars from the game in a quest to traverse a post-apocalyptic America.
2022
8
TheResident Evilseries has had little luck when it comes to faithful adaptions. Between themovies directed by Paul W. S. Anderson and Resident Evil: Welcome To Raccoon City, the adaptions always seem to want to take their fair share of creative liberties with the source material. The series continued this trend by telling its very own story centered on Albert Wesker and his family, with storylines centered before and after a zombie apocalypse.
An apocalypse that is vital to the show but never occurs in the games. Likewise, many of the characters were created for the show as well, with more from the games having been allegedly planned for future seasons. Still, even if there were some more familiar faces, the central storyline, apart from the evil Umbrella Corporation, is so far removed from the games it may as well be a stand-alone narrative.
36
The beloved indie darlingCupheadcaptured the hearts of gamers with its retro art style and tough-as-nails gameplay. In the story department, the game ran with a rather simple premise. The two characters, Cuphead and Mugman, after falling in debt to the Devil himself, set out on a quest to pay back their dues by collecting the souls of others who owe the Devil. This is all conveyed through an opening cinematic, since after that, the gameplay takes center stage.
This didn’t leave much for the cartoon to take inspiration, which it hardly tries to. Instead, it expands on the setting and characters in a way that’s both fun and feels in line with the cartoon world they inhabit. Still, outside of keeping the same art style as well as a few general character beats, the Cuphead Show feels like a separate part of the series.
2017
32
TheCastlevaniaseries has been incredibly influential to gaming, with the titles even lending its rear text to theever-so-popular Metroidvania genre. The gothic art and timeless tale of defeating the vampire king Dracula has proved to be a strong success throughout the years. The early days of Castlevania went light on the story, simply having you explore the mansions and their grounds to prepare yourself for your battle with evil.
The Netflix anime adaptation brings its fair share of twists and turns to the setting. Following the likes of Trevor Belmont, Sypha, and Alucard, as they battle monsters to hunt Dracula. The show breathes new life into the series while still paying homage to what came before it, manifesting itself in the designs of various weapons, locations, and character designs.
1997
1269
ThePokemonfranchise has expanded far beyond its roots in gaming, becoming a cultural phenomenon the world over. But before all the films, manga, app store games, and stuffed animals, there was the original Pokemon Red and Green. Two titles that would go on to be some of the biggest Nintendo exclusive titles along with Mario and The Legend of Zelda.
Following this breakout success of these games, the much beloved anime was created in order to capitalize. The show, of course, strived to depict the titular Pokemon in exciting ways that the games couldn’t at the time. While this overarching storyline made for entertaining viewing, it was much more than we saw in the games.
15
Up there with the likes of Wolfenstein 3D and the original Doom,Halochanged not only shooters but the gaming landscape as a whole. Through its engaging combat, multiplayer options, and expansive lore, Halo has built itself into one of the most recognizable series to date. Before 2022, a few animated series were created to build off the story in the games, but it wasn’t until Paramount that fans were given a proper live-action adaptation of the games.
The show was not without controversy, namely for its handling of Master Chief’s iconic helmet, as well as some of the new characters introduced solely for the show. However, the second season served as a refreshing return to form that covered some of the most important lore moments from the series.
Cyberpunk 2077 is one of the most talked about games of the last decade and with good reason. An RPG set in a futuristic city overrun with crime where you play as a mercenary doing whatever it takes to stay alive and move up is an extremely engaging premise. Cyberpunk 2077 lives up to this hype with its gripping story, proactive characters, and gameplay that encourages you to take on situations your way.
Edgerunners acts a prequel to the main game with it’s own plot that has some overlap with V’s quest for survival. More importantly, Edgerunners captures the vibe of the game wonderfully. Weapons, locations, and even some characters are beautifully recreated all the while telling a story that fits right at home with the rest of Night City’s wild tales.
9
The Last Of Usseries is a strong contender for containing some of the most cinematic games on the market. Playing through them is like taking part in an epic tale of survival, establishing an even more direct bond with leads Joel and Ellie than even a movie could accomplish. As time marches on the discourse around the games has never completely gone away, establishing just how impactful these games were.
And it terms of adaptations, there are no other shows that handle their source material quite like HBO’s The Last Of Us. Many scenes from the first installment are taken straight from the games and brought to life perfectly by actors like Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey. So many details from the game are captured by the show, making it a remarkable achievement not only for video game adaptions, but adaptions as a whole.
