Nothing draws you in quite like an adventure game. Over the years, video games have evolved into a story-telling medium in their own right. They have become increasingly more cinematic and can feel reminiscent of watching a film; only it places its audience members at the helm. This evocative technique often leaves behind a wealth of storytelling potential and sometimes leads to video games being carried over from the screen and onto the page. Here are some epic videogames that we think are perfect candidates for the comic book medium.
Since its release earlier this year, Elden Ring has frequently been cited as causing an astronomical rise in procrastination and all-nighters among the gaming community! Hardly surprising, as Elden Ring is a universe brimming with unique and intriguing lore, with a gripping storyline to boot. Developed with various mythological inspirations, Elden Ring draws primarily from Greek, Norse and Celtic folklore; seamlessly blended to create a hybrid fantasy culture. Furthermore, Elden Ring being RPG based, opens up a world of endless possibilities when it comes to characters. With its exceptional worldbuilding and unique character voices, Elden Ring is a treasure trove of great material that’s ripe for the picking. The story possibilities for this one are infinite!
An action-packed video game, the plot-driven format of Asura’s Wrath is sure to keep you glued to the screen. So much more than just a typical fantasy-laced shoot-out, Asura’s Wrath is a cinematic experience that blends epic sci-fi with ancient Asian mythology. With the amount of care put into the carefully crafted storyline, it’s a wonder that we’ve yet to see any Asura’s Wrath related content outside of the video game medium. A world rich in lore, populated by a wealth of compelling characters, possible comic book content is more or less pre-written, with a multitude of alternate possibilities alongside. Not to mention the general aesthetic of Asura’s Wrath has the potential for some utterly stunning artwork. While a supplementary artbook is available, this game is more than deserving of some official in-verse content. Prequels, sequels, spinoffs? There’s so much potential here!
At the time of its initial release in 2004, Fable was a cutting edge addition to the world of RPG gaming. As such, the creators went all out with crafting a convincing world, a detailed storyline and a variety of unique, compelling characters. Taking place in the Arthurian inspired land of Albion, the Fable universe was already pretty huge after its first release. And now, with two sequels under its belt, it's become pretty damn vast. Naturally, a world this big leaves behind a lot of unexplored territories. Furthermore, the flexibility of the Fable universe opens it up to the vast creative potential of exploring pre-established characters as well as creating new ones. A game that holds a special place in the hearts of many, it would be awesome to see the story explored in greater detail via the comic book medium. And again, the artwork for this one could be stunning!
The majority of entries on our list are pretty well known in their right. However, Kameo comes under the category of underrated. A whimsical scape populated by fairies, elves and elementals; this would make a perfect page-turner for all the fantasy fans out there. Despite being well-received by both fans and critics upon its release in 2005, Kameo failed to meet its expected sales quota. Due to the disappointing sales figures, the planned sequel to Kameo: Elements Of Power was cancelled, and the game faded away into obscurity. It's a shame as both the story and worldbuilding laid the foundations for some really great things. While its current lack of publicity makes it unlikely that Kameo will ever see the light of day in comic format, that doesn’t change the fact that it absolutely should. But who knows? Reboots of old titles aren’t unheard of. Never say never!
No, I’m not talking about the rabbits. I’m talking comics based on the golden age of Rayman - anyone remember Captain Razorbeard and the Hoodlums? That was where it was at - we want to see Rayman going off on clanky bot-pirates and a bunch of histrionic gunslingers! There’s little gamers wouldn’t give to see a video game revival of Rayman’s retro era, and what better way to reignite the mainstream appeal than some really good comic content? A world filled with quirky characters animated in an already comic-Esque aesthetic, the Rayman universe is brimming with bright colours and distinctive lore that hits different from anything else out there. In 2000, a one-off Rayman comic was published in Disney Adventures, titled Rayman In Hands Down!. It was great fun but, alas, only a meagre four pages long. What an adventure it would be to delve deeper into the weird and wonderful world of Rayman with a more substantial graphic novel or comic book publication.
Going out with a gunslinging Western, Red Dead Redemption was a big name back in its heyday and has maintained a sizable cult following to this day. A fictionalised version of Western America, the game is set in 1911 during the decline of the American frontier. It follows the story of John Marston, a former outlaw whose family has been taken hostage by the government as blackmail for Marston’s services as a bounty hunter and hired gun. A thrilling Western adventure with several unexpected twists, a Red Dead Redemption comic is more or less guaranteed to draw a crowd.
What do you think of our list? Are there any games we missed that you think would make an epic comic? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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