The lights are on
The industry has seen an influx of games based on comic properties the past few years – usually coinciding with a big-screen movie debut. Game Informer plays home to more than one comic book aficionado, and as such, we decided to play make-believe with a few unlikely comic properties that could – with the right team and a bit of magic – be translated into stellar games. Superheroes in capes are overdone. Check out our list of improbable comic-to-game candidates below.
PreacherCreator: Garth EnnisArtist: Steve Dillon Publisher: Vertigo Publication Date: 1995-2000
The Pitch: The way we see it, there are dozens of reasons Preacher would translate into an action-packed game. A nominee and recipient of several Eisner Awards for best writer, Garth Ennis fleshed out a story like nothing we’ve read before. The cast of colorful characters (the understatement of the century) includes Jesse Custer – a reverend who makes it his personal mission to extract revenge on God, Tulip O’Hare – Custer’s longtime love interest and gun fanatic, and Cassidy – the pair’s shady drug addict friend who happens to be a vampire. But, that only addresses the three main protagonists. The supporting cast includes the Saint of Killers, Arseface, Herr Starr, the Duke, and even God himself, all of whom would provide diverse gameplay and fascinating dialogue.
Key Features: The most difficult task would be maintaining Ennis’ superb storytelling and carefully crafted narrative with unapologetically violent action. Gunplay would be the bulk of combat, pitting Custer and his companions against The Grail. Custer could also use the Word of God to manipulate people to his advantage. We’d be remiss not to include a Saint of Killers segment – blasting away foes with his Walker Colt revolvers would be a thrill. The fairly linear narrative would be punctuated with flashbacks to flesh out character history and their subsequent motivations – a large part of what made Ennis’ characters so remarkable. The game would unfold through heaven, hell, and the earthly plain, all tied together by stylized Western movie influences. Sound good, Pilgrim?
Developer: Rockstar North has proven their willingness to take on controversial topics and their ability to tie together sprawling worlds with a surprisingly personal narrative. Considering the violent, sexually gratuitous, and at times disturbing nature of Preacher, we’d be hard pressed to find anyone else capable of pulling it off.
The Umbrellla Academy appeals most to me, but to be honest, they all seem like they could be interesting games. I'd even be interested in Girls... and that's the type of content in games I try to avoid. I guess the game itself just seems too intriguing. I've never actually read any of these, but I'm thinking about heading over to my local comicbook store and seeing if I can dig up the first couple issues of Umbrella Academy now... If they're not there, I know they can find them for me =)
An Umbrella Academy game would be fantastic. As would a knew Bone endeavor.
I can't get behind Girls and the Luna Brothers, however.
@Sam
Definitely give Umbrella Academy a read. I was leery because it was Gerard Way, and I'm not a fan of his music, but once I got past that, he was a fantastic comic writer and the entire concept is refreshing.
The art is dead sexy, too.
As for a game I'd like to see done justice: Dead@17. Josh Howard deserves it, and it'd be an awesome game ala Hunter: The Reckoning.
I've seen the akira movie pretty wierd
Girls sounds a bit like the Species movies,with a bit of Resident Evil thrown into the mix...
I read bone. It was pretty good. Don't know about game, but it would be cool to see how it could turn out.
thats pretty cool but i doubt it will happen before movies are made for these... take the losers for example.. comic turned to movie that could be turned to a crappy action game... but hollywood has to accept the comic before gaming does i think
I must have a video game adaptation of Girls.
(Full Disclosure: Shatterhand is a pervert)
Bone, Akira, and Umbrella academy would rock.
The Goon.... Come on, its got an awesome Noir theme, the main character is a hulk of a man who fights zombies and mutants, and the writing is HILARIOUS. I'm somewhat surprised it wasn't on here. Also, Ennis is a genius and a Precher game would be DOPE. The Punisher game (PS2 and Xbox) is based off the Marvel Knights series, which he penned. I have a hardcover collection of the whole series, its my favorite book
I'm down for Akira. I have yet to read the comic/manga but the movie was amazing. And a open-world game, riding the bikes, and exploring Neo-Tokyo would be sick.
Good call on Bone, (being one of the only comics I read :)
I do remember playing the demo of the bone game, but I don't think it was very good. I've never actually heard of any of these comics, but they all seem like they could make pretty good games.
Filed under girls.
Battle Royale. It was technically a novel first, but whatever. For starters i think it would have a very interesting online, considering that every person would start with a different weapon. On the other hand, it could also be an extremely hardcore RPG survival game, focused on relationships between characters.
BONE!!!! I would buy the heck out of that. Anyone think Sandman Chronicles would make a good game? It'd have to be more along the lines of Heavy Rain style playing.
Girls seems like it would be something very easily fit into the Japanese market, lol.
I say that Preacher being turned into a game would be cool.
Respawn Entertainment should make a video game for that comic about Ghost. They probably know the character better than any other studio!
A real Watchmen game. It won't be crappy like the last one. It would be open world and will tell the story from Rorschach. Combat will be smooth and the game will have stealth sections. The game would be developed by the Rocksteady, the masterminds behind arkham aslyum. And if possible Alan Moore would write if he is not to stubborn.