Warning: There’s been spoilers for The Last of Us Episode 3. Lately, there’s been a lot of talk about the deadly curse of video game adaptations, and there are seven movies and shows that prove it. there. For decades, video games were plagued by eventual adaptations that were not well received due to poor writing and poor visuals unlike the original game. super mario brothers And street fighter is a prime example of this, but there have even been shows and movies over the last few years that have reinforced this idea, such as Halonetflix evil residentand to a lesser extent, Sony Pictures’ unexplored seas.
Adapting video games often presents particular difficulties, perhaps because some aspects of the medium are difficult to translate to another, but this is not always the case. While there are still plenty of lousy movie adaptations to be released, there are also many that have been a real hit that didn’t resonate the first time around. Adaptations like these make it clear that the curse of video game adaptation is much less severe than it used to be, and here are seven that best exemplify that idea.
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Detective Pikachu
The first movie to prove that the curse adapted from a video game is dead was Detective Pikachu Movie.As the title suggests, 2019 Detective Pikachu is a fun, kid-friendly detective story that tries to tell a good mystery without ever taking it too seriously. In addition, the effects used for Pokémon are all very realistic and very attractive. Helping with this is the extent to which the film has enhanced the appearance of various Pokémon, such as creating scaly textures for reptilian Pokémon and depicting Pikachu with a furry body. Detective Pikachu A visual aesthetic that surpassed many of its contemporaries.
Biggest reason Detective Pikachu Of course, it works because it’s not limited by its source material. rather than major adaptations Pokémon games, even Pokémon cartoon series, Detective Pikachu Adapted from a small spin-off story that many people probably haven’t heard of. That means the film is free to tell its own story without struggling to stay true to it or being criticized for straying from the original material, allowing the story to really develop.
Sonic Hedgehog & Sonic Hedgehog 2
Two other video game movies worth mentioning are Sonic Hedgehog and its sequel, Sonic Hedgehog 2. Sonic Hedgehog It was initially criticized for being a film that focused on people rather than fantastical creatures, and was known for Sonic’s initial design as disturbing. Fortunately, Sonic’s design was changed to better suit the game, and the film was able to balance Sonic’s story with a human cast that has both charm and heart. All this leads up to 2020 Sonic Hedgehog More interesting than expected and a hit in its own right.
success Sonic Hedgehog arouse a lot of expectations Sonic Hedgehog 2, and the movie does much more in that respect. In addition to maintaining the same charm as the first movie, Sonic Hedgehog 2 Managed to effectively incorporate more characters and elements from the game, resulting in a movie that closely resembles the complete adaptation sound And still manages to be a good story. Generally speaking, sound The movie did a great job adapting the source material, and the fact that it didn’t seem like it was going to make things better at first didn’t make it any better.
secret
While the idea of a curse-breaking show or movie adapted from a video game is mostly associated with live-action, animation is also important, one example being Riot Games. secret. Although framed as a prequel League of Legends, secretThe story does not require any knowledge of the game, so it is completely understandable for someone who has never played. The quality of the story also helps, from beginning to end, secret It manages to tell a dramatic story in a highly developed world, keeping the audience focused on each character and the struggles they face.
what helps to sell secret One step further is, of course, art and animation. secret Using highly stylized 3D art and animation forms, it bears many similarities to 2018 Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, so apart from every shot being beautiful, the action sequences are always executed with incredible fluidity and creativity, which is further accentuated by the film’s high score. netflix secret This show is a great example of just how far animation can go in terms of visuals, and combined with its story, it has sold as a great adaptation, claiming it to be the show. The best animated show in recent history and one of the best video game adaptations.
Castlevania
Another animated series that broke the video game adaptation curse is by Netflix Castlevania. While not an exact adaptation of the original game, Castlevania Still captures the gothic horror side of the game well, while effectively enhancing the gore from season to season. Of course, this fits very well with the visual aesthetic of the series, as Frederator Studios Castlevania Notably, it always has great visuals and animations, making every fight scene feel like a breathtaking spectacle, perfect for the genre.
CastlevaniaThe biggest selling point is its animation, but it also has a rich story. The four seasons of the show told one story, and while it focused heavily on action and gore, it also did a lot to develop a series of characters that play well with each other and are always likeable. That’s true whether they’re heroes or villains, but it works especially well for the heroes and contributes to making the series’ finale feel worthy. Castlevania Runs well and with luck the upcoming sequel series will have the same level of quality.
Persona 4: Animation
People often associate the idea of breaking the video game adaptation mold with more recent projects, but there are plenty of older projects that have contributed to the idea, a good example being Persona 4: Animation. Although the anime doesn’t include a lot of social elements and dungeon exploration character 4, its writing makes up for that. Not only are some of the storylines and character arcs in the anime significantly added, but there are more humorous moments than the game, besides always landing, which helps to make the anime feel distinctly different. with the game.
Persona 4: AnimationThe writing style is its biggest selling point, and this is fully reflected in the main character Ming Shangyu. The anime has turned out to be excellent, who shares the voice actor with bleachKurosaki Ichigo, from a taciturn protagonist to a good-natured idiot whose eccentric behavior is always a source of contempt. Not only that, the video game adaptation also gives Yuu a nice line-up of his growing separation anxiety, and the episodes that directly address that issue are among the best. The most dramatic and emotional in the series one episode. Yuu is definitely the one who directs the heart Persona 4: Animationplays a key role in its success and overall appeal.
Persona 3: Movie 1-4
The following Persona 4: Animation Correct Persona 3: The movie A quartet, it also manages to be a great adaptation. Although the film also had the problem of removing many game elements, direction was provided by Tomohisa Taguchi. God of Death: Thousand Years of Blood War Anime, definitely makes up for that. The art reflects the game well while using a unique color palette, the animation allows for a lot of creative fight scenes, and the soundtrack is a good mix of old and original tracks. The result is a video game series that feels completely unique enough to justify its existence.
the biggest part of why Persona 3: The movie The reason why the quartet is so successful is because of the main character Yuki Makoto.like Persona 4: AnimationThe film gives Makoto a unique personality, but Yuu is an eccentric geek with whom Makoto shares a voice actor. MissionaryKaworu, a stoic, depressed loner, is haunted by tragedy. Aside from the massive contrast to Yu, it allowed Makoto to find his emotions, and that paid off well in the finals, even if the ensuing match made it bittersweet. Even so, Makoto’s growth is still remarkable and it makes the film very watchable.
Cyberpunk: Siderunner
Another anime adaptation of a video game is Cyberpunk: Siderunner. Studio Trigger is known for animating with too much glare, and sure enough, side runner is an action-packed game with unique camera angles and animations never seen from other studios. netflix Cyberpunk: Siderunner‘ The story is good too, the way it throws a lovable cast of characters into a world that’s obviously dark, but always finds moments of humor and heartfelt lightness, with David and Lucy’s relationship being the main source of the following section. It all comes together to create an excellent performance, all the way to a tragic, bittersweet ending.
Netflix content special discount Cyberpunk: Siderunner As an adaptation, that’s how the source material was received when it was first premiered. Due to repeated delays, controversies surrounding the production process and a finished product with many problems, Electronic 2077 is one of the most notorious video games to come out in recent years, and even after many patches, the game is still divided between fans and critics. With this in mind, the fact that Studio Trigger Cyberpunk: Siderunner It’s all the more impressive to have been able to achieve this much and further emphasizes the intensity of its work from start to finish.
our last
The last and latest show to break the video game’s spell is HBO the last survivorThe original game won thanks to the heartbreaking human drama set in a zombie apocalypse, and this TV show captures that perfectly. Each episode recreates every detail of the game, and even if things have changed, the spirit of the source material remains. All of this makes it a rare adaptation that can give people a new version of the original game, and then several new versions, with a lot to offer people. old and new fans.
Currently, the only major source of divergence comes from the last survivor Episode 3, and even that plays into a lot of the show’s strengths. Episode 3 focuses entirely on Bill and Frank’s relationship in the game, and while many details have changed, this episode still retains the general spirit of the story and even enhances its tragedy significantly. . the last survivor Being able to do something like this in the first place, the rest of the show would certainly reinforce the idea that it would definitely kill off the video game adaptation curse.