10 Best Shows Based On Video Games

Lately, there have been a lot of TV shows based on video games, and this trend shows no signs of slowing down. There’s good reason: just as comic books and novels provide a great opportunity to translate a story and characters in live-action form on-screen, video games have compelling stories with fabulous backdrops and interesting characters. Some of the latest video games look so convincing, they’re almost like movies or shows in and of themselves.

Some of the latest, and even older, TV show interpretations of popular video games and video game franchises, however, are incredibly impressive. The best, not including the long list of anime options, combine both live-action and animation; one show even has a combination of both.

10 Fallout Is Eerily Just Like The Game

Fallout

In a future, post-apocalyptic Los Angeles brought about by nuclear decimation, citizens must live in underground bunkers to protect themselves from radiation, mutants and bandits.

Release Date

April 10, 2024

Cast

Moises Arias , Johnny Pemberton , Walton Goggins , Kyle MacLachlan , Xelia Mendes-Jones , Aaron Moten , Ella Purnell

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Seasons

1

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Prime Video’s Fallout, brought to life by Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy, offers plenty of nods to franchise fans and never takes itself too seriously.

From the storyline to the backdrops and scenery, Fallout is mesmerizingly just like the action role-playing video game on which the series is based. The post-apocalyptic show tells the story of a future world whereby a catastrophic event annihilated the Earth as we know it. Survivors live in underground bunkers known as Vaults where they have thriving communities. Those who grew up there, like the protagonist Lucy (Ella Purnell), know nothing about what the world above is like. Meanwhile, above the surface of the Vaults, various wars are brewing.

Todd Howard, who directed many of the video games in the series, serves as an executive producer, which lends to the authenticity of the story, characters, and depictions. The story itself in Fallout is entirely original, but the world in which it is set will be eerily familiar to fans of the video games.

9 The Last of Us Is Led By The Perfect Pairing

The Last Of Us

After a global pandemic destroys civilization, a hardened survivor takes charge of a 14-year-old girl who may be humanity’s last hope.

Release Date

January 15, 2023

Cast

Pedro Pascal , Bella Ramsey , Anna Torv , lamar johnson

Seasons

2

Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are a perfect pairing in The Last of Us, a live-action interpretation of the wildly popular video game franchise. The post-apocalyptic story is set 20 years after a pandemic involving a fungal infection that causes people to turn into zombie-esque creatures. Joel is going through the survival motions, still grieving from the death of his daughter. But he finds purpose, albeit reluctantly when tasked with transporting a young girl to a location. She is suspected to not only be immune but potentially holds a key to a cure.

The Last of Us is largely faithful to the video game through its episodes. But some stories are unique to the show and have been met with praise, like the emotionally charged episode centered around the unlikely love story between two survivors, Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett). Already renewed for a second season that is expected to follow the story in the 2020 sequel of the game, The Last of Us earned two dozen Primetime Emmy Award nominations and won eight. It is considered one of the best television adaptations of a video game.

Twisted Metal

Follows a motor-mouthed outsider offered a chance at a better life, but only if he can successfully deliver a mysterious package across a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Release Date

July 27, 2023

Cast

Anthony Mackie , Stephanie Beatriz , Chelle Ramos , Jared Bankens

Main Genre

Action

Seasons

1

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An irreverent series that combines action with comedy, Twisted Metal is a pleasure to watch, even for those who know nothing about the video game franchise on which it’s based. In another post-apocalyptic story, the world has become a wasteland. Several areas are taken over by dangerous groups, making travel from city to city, town to town, a difficult task. John Doe (Anthony Mackie) has amnesia and doesn’t remember much about his life before. But he has made a career for himself as a lone milkman who does deliveries in his tricked-out car. When he is given the chance to be welcomed into a thriving community if he can complete one seemingly important delivery, he jumps at the chance.

The series, like the video game, follows John’s travels as he meets a potential ally in another survivor named Quiet (Stephanie Beatriz). Together, they face formidable foes, namely a troubled and violent clown named Sweet Tooth (portrayed by Joe Seanoa and voiced by Will Arnett) and a power-hungry, self-professed lawman and former mall security guard Agent Stone (Thomas Haden Church). With fabulous car chase scenes, tons of action, gruesome violence, and inappropriate humor, Twisted Metal truly brings the vehicular combat video game to life. With some stories left unresolved after season one, fans are excited for the confirmed season 2.

7 The Witcher Forges Its Own Path

The Witcher

Geralt of Rivia, a solitary monster hunter, struggles to find his place in a world where people often prove more wicked than beasts.

Release Date

December 20, 2019

Cast

Henry Cavill , Freya Allan , Anya Chalotra , Mimi Ndiweni , Eamon Farren

Seasons

4

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Technically, the main source material for The Witcher is the books, but the games are arguably more popular. The setting is a medieval-inspired land known as the Continent and the story follows Geralt of Rivia (Henry Cavill, Liam Hemsworth in season 4), Crown Princess Cirilla (Freya Allan), and Yennefer of Vengerberg (Anya Chalotra) at different periods on their journey before finally coming together. The former pair are somehow linked by destiny, and when they meet in person, Geralt becomes her fierce protector.

The Witcher has been met with mixed reviews though many critics say the story improves over time with each season, suggesting it’s worth a second look. Keep in mind that the show follows its own path, so it isn’t identical to the games. But the story, world, and characters are all inspired by the original ones written in pages by Andrzej Sapkowski and adapted into the iconic action role-playing video game.

6 Pokémon is a Pop Culture Phenomenon

Pokemon

Ash Ketchum, his yellow pet Pikachu, and his human friends explore a world of powerful creatures.

Release Date

September 8, 1998

Cast

Veronica Taylor , Eric Stuart , Rachael Lillis , Sarah Natochenny , Bill Rogers , Rica Matsumoto , Ikue Ootani

Seasons

25

The massive Pokémon franchise is known for this animated series and movies as well as the trading card game, but it started as a pair of role-playing games for the Game Boy handheld console way back in 1996. Between 1998 and 2000 were defined by the phenomenon known as Pokémania, solidifying the franchise’s place in pop culture history. In 2016, there was a resurgence of interest thanks to the augmented reality game Pokémon Go.

The manga series was the first property to follow the game, with eight series across 26 seasons that each follow a different installment in the video game collection. At the heart of the story is Ash Ketchum, a young trainer searching for fictional creatures known as Pokémon alongside his partner Pokémon friend Pikachu. His goal is to become a master but to achieve that, he must participate in various battle tournaments. While the video game started it all, the Pokémon series, which continues to air to this day, is widely considered to be one of the most successful video game adaptations on television.

5 Halo is a Visual Marvel With Stunning Action Scenes

Halo

Set in the 26th century, humanity is locked in a brutal war against the Covenant, a theocratic alien alliance determined to eradicate humankind. Master Chief John-117, a genetically enhanced Spartan supersoldier, emerges as humanity’s last hope. Partnering with the AI Cortana and facing internal conflicts within the UNSC, Master Chief embarks on a thrilling journey to uncover the secrets behind the Covenant’s motives and find a way to end the war. The series delves deeper into the mythology of the Halo universe, introducing new characters, exploring the origins of the Spartans, and unraveling ancient mysteries surrounding the Forerunners and the titular Halo rings.

Release Date

March 24, 2022

Cast

Pablo Schreiber , Shabana Azmi , Natasha Culzac , Olive Gray

Main Genre

Sci-Fi

Seasons

2

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The Halo video game franchise launched way back in 2001 and several games have been released over the last more than two decades, including the latest, Halo Infinite, which came out in 2021. The military sci-fi series based on the video game franchise premiered in 2022 and was immediately renewed for a second season. Halo counts 343 Industries, which developed the video game, among its production companies while Steven Spielberg is one of the producers.

Just like the video game, the series is set in the 26th Century where there’s a war between the United Nations Space Command and a theocratic military alliance of alien races known as the Covenant. Jen Taylor, who voices the role of Cortana in the video game, plays the character in the series as well alongside Pablo Schreiber as Master Chief Petty Officer John-117. While Halo has received some criticism for deviating from the stories in the video game, the show is filled with exciting action sequences and visual effects that make viewers wish they could pick up a controller and participate.

4 Resident Evil Was One of Lance Reddick’s Last TV Roles

Resident Evil (2022)

Nearly three decades after the discovery of the T-virus, an outbreak reveals the Umbrella Corporation’s dark secrets.

Release Date

0000-00-00

Cast

Ella Balinska , Tamara Smart , Siena Agudong

Main Genre

Action

Seasons

1 Season

Resident Evil is only loosely based on the Japanese horror game that has the distinction of being the highest-grossing horror franchise in history. The original game launched for PlayStation way back in 1996. The action horror series interestingly combines the storylines, backstory, and basic premise of the video game with a unique universe. The story alternates between two different timelines as a brother and sister discover dark secrets about their lives and a corporation with which their father is involved. It fast-forwards to an apocalyptic future where Jade (Ella Balinska) must try and survive the end of humanity, and being hunted by her father’s organization.

The show was short-lived and received mixed reviews, but it was praised for staying relatively close to the game’s source material. While Resident Evil doesn’t rank as highly as the other TV show adaptations of video games, it’s one worth watching. A stand-out is the memorable performance by the late Lance Reddick as Jade’s father Dr. Albert “Al” Wesker, an operative who has cloned himself, and several other characters.

3 The Cuphead Show! Is Pure Silly Fun

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Kids of a certain age likely love The Cuphead Show!, which is based on the video game Cuphead. Every episode of the show is filled with silly, slapstick humor, it’s the type of show (and game) that fans can play and simply let loose. There’s little strategy and nothing educational about it. It’s just plain fun.

The animated slapstick comedy is much the same. It’s set in the Inkwell Isles style of the 1930s and follows the two main characters, Cuphead and his friend Mugman. These anthropomorphic otherwise inanimate objects get up to hijinks as they interact with other characters, many of which appear in the video game as well. Each episode features a compartmentalized story with one overarching theme of the Devil on the hunt for Cuphead’s soul. It’s a downright ridiculous show (and game), but The Cuphead Show! is ultimate escapism for any age.

2 Knuckles Combines Live Action and Animation

Knuckles

Knuckles the Echidna teaches deputy Wade Whipple the techniques of the Echidna warrior.

Release Date

April 26, 2024

Main Genre

Adventure

Seasons

1

A spin-off of Sonic the Hedgehog, which itself is based on the popular Sega video game series of the same name, Knuckles presents a unique format that combines both live-action and animation to bring the popular character of Knuckles, voiced by Idris Elba, to life in a way he has never been seen before. The anthropomorphic echidna is central to the plot, which takes place immediately following the events in the movie Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and before the events in Sonic the Hedgehog 3, set for release at the end of 2024. He is now living on Earth and struggling to fit in. But he has a mission: he must train the dimwitted deputy sheriff Wade Whipple (Adam Pally) to become a warrior.

Knuckles, which premieres in late April 2024, runs six episodes long and is a must-watch for fans of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Ben Schwartz guest stars as Sonic, but in this movie, it’s the hot-headed Knuckles who takes center stage and gets to put his super-strength on full display.

1 Gangs of London

A criminally underrated gangster show, some may not realize that the British action thriller crime series Gangs of London is based on a video game. Like the game, which was released in 2006, Gangs of London follows the lives of rival gangs and related criminal organizations as they navigate the tumultuous criminal underworld in London. Tensions rise when kingpin Finn Wallace (Colm Meaney) is killed and no one knows who ordered the hit on him. What’s more, a power struggle begins to decide who will take over Finn’s thriving criminal empire.

While the violence from the games is much more graphic in Gangs of London in live-action form, the series has received praise for its action sequences, narrative, and the performance of the cast. Gangs of London was renewed for a third season at the end of November 2022, but nothing has yet materialized.