In modern-day media, brands are becoming more selective about the gaming titles they license. Consequently, we are now seeing something of a renaissance in the adaptation of video games. Arcane is pulling people into League of Legends, a game they probably would not have played otherwise, and by gosh, Fallout was fairly spectacular. Not forgetting, the TV version of The Last of Us that HBO is doing is receiving honors.
Nevertheless, you want to be reminded of the best gaming adaptions ever! So, put down the controller and put some popcorn in your hands, everyone. Let’s look at some of the most entertaining film and television adaptions based on video games.
Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)
In light of the whole pre-release controversy surrounding Sonic’s design and the generally disappointing status of the Sonic the Hedgehog series over the last several years, it is fair to say that expectations for this movie could not have been much lower. If you want to have a nice time with this one, you definitely shouldn’t raise your expectations too high, but a significant portion of the favorable buzz that you’ve heard about this movie is real. It’s not uncommon for the Sonic the Hedgehog movie to be really fantastic.
Sonic the Hedgehog is often just a little bit funnier, just a little bit more brilliant, and just a little bit more pleasant than anybody anticipated it to be. This is mostly due to Jim Carrey’s depiction of Dr. Eggman, who steals the show (and chews his own scene). In the end, the people who will benefit the most from this one are children and unashamed Sonic fans who have nothing left to lose. However, the whole experience hovers just above the “solid” level for a sufficient amount of time to at least earn a place at the table.
Not to mention, the second and recently released third Sonic movies position this trilogy as one of the most popular game-to-movie adaptations in cinema history.
Fallout (2023)
Following a handful of failed starts and years of fans exclaiming, “Wouldn’t Fallout make for a great television series?” in more frantic tones, Amazon has found a way to transform one of the most captivating science fiction worlds into something besides a video game. Unsurprisingly, it became one of the most popular online streaming titles.
All right, that’s not right. Even though it was based on source material with a great deal of promise, there were a million different ways this program might have failed. In its first season, this program wonderfully fulfills what many of those fans have always known: there are so many amazing tales to be told in the Fallout world.
Diehard Fallout fans would’ve liked to have seen intricate details and easter eggs. For example, gambling with the Maltese Falcon inside the hub at a roulette table was possible in earlier Fallout games, akin to the best real-money casino apps. While the TV show faltered in this regard and couldn’t give what every Fallout fan following the series for a long time desired, it is a revelation nevertheless. When it comes to this series, we can’t wait to see what happens next.
Mortal Kombat (1995)
Mortal Kombat may not have been the first video game movie, but it is the pinnacle of the fight tournament genre. This is because the idea of the film is almost hard to mess up if you go all in: a group of warriors gather in an otherworldly setting and fight for the planet’s destiny. There is no need for it to be that much more difficult than that.
It was a fantastic experience to see Scorpion and Sub-Zero come to life on screen, and it turns out that Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa was born to shout “Flawless victory.” If you grew up either kicking butt or simply button-smashing your way through MK on Sega on Super Nintendo, you felt the same way. In addition, our nostalgia receptors continue to activate whenever we watch that live-action Goro, which is completely absurd yet very practical!
Resident Evil (2002)
To ensure everything is completely open and honest, I am a truther about Resident Evil: Apocalypse. Milla Jovovich was shown in that film physically running down the side of a building in order to engage in a fight with a group of Umbrella warriors in a more expedient manner. Instead of taking the elevator down or rappelling down like a regular super soldier, she does this instead… Badass!. Even though it is curiously predictive about the series’ move to absurd action in subsequent titles, it is a decision that does not work for everyone, but it works for me and many others! It is representative of how far Paul W.S. Anderson pushed his Resident Evil movies away from the original material, that is. At the same time as it is still quite campy, the original film is far more calculated and actually brilliant.
Want to see a guy’s eye melt? Your needs are certainly taken care of by Resident Evil. What about the laser hall scene from Resident Evil 4 that everyone seems to be so obsessed with? That is something that you can most likely attribute to this movie. In addition, it has more similarities with the real games than most of the movies that come after it, such as Lickers, and it references the dogs that prowl about Spencer Mansion and the streets of Raccoon City.
There is no other video game that can be compared to Resident Evil; the video game adaptation defines an entire generation. The name Moises Taveras
The Last of Us (2023)
The Last of Us has been hailed as a great re-working of the award-winning video game for the small screen, and it has garnered universal praise from both fans and reviewers alike. This film represents a new frontier for live-action video game adaptations for the medium. The series is set in a post-apocalyptic future, where a fungus and zombie pandemic has wiped off the majority of mankind. Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey play the lead roles in the series. At a time when people are becoming more barbaric, a soldier who has seen it all is charged with the responsibility of protecting a little girl who is immune to the virus, which gives rise to fresh hope.
The fact that Neil Druckman, who was also the co-developer and creative director of the video game that was released in 2013, served as one of the show’s creators contributed to the many accolades that were bestowed upon the series for its commitment to being faithful to the original source material. As a consequence, the novel is a sparkling zombie horror thriller that also acts as a devastating drama that focuses on serious topics such as grief, family, sacrifice, and morality. Although it only lasted for one season, it has already become a contemporary television hit due to the fact that it successfully captured the spirit of the video game.
