August 7, 2008 - Videogames are big business. So big, in fact, that they're spilling over into other media. We've all suffered through numerous bad movie adaptations, but comic adaptations have found actual success now and again.

Right now, gaming fans/comic aficionados can pick up adaptations of Halo, Silent Hill, World of Warcraft, Brothers in Arms, and a bunch of others we don't feel like listing. With as many projects on the market, the overall results have been mixed at best. Sometimes the problem lies in the execution, while in other cases it was simply a bad idea from the start. An Army of Two comic? Seriously?

To help combat future duds, we've assembled a list of videogame franchises we feel are well-suited to the world of comics. For the most part, we're excluding series that have seen adaptations in the past, though in one or two cases we couldn't help ourselves.



Shadow of the Colossus

Shadow of the Colossus is one of the true underrated masterpieces in the PS2's library. This gorgeous game presented gamers with a world that was unlike anything before it. It had a haunting art style that would translate wonderfully to the printed page. Heck, without the low-res textures and slowdown of the PS2, a comic may be just what this series needs to truly come alive.

We envision Shadow of the Colossus as a "silent" comic, one devoid of any dialogue. Done properly, the art should be capable of telling the story. The game left players feeling a complex series of emotions. There was a sense of accomplishment as another of the hulking creatures was taken down, and yet the utter feeling of sadness at each kill haunts us to this day. That's the same feeling we want out of the comic.


Bioshock

Is a reader not entitled to quality videogame-based comics? "No" says the man in the publishing department. "You deserve a quick and dirty cash-in." We reject this notion. We choose something different. We choose Bioshock.

Rarely has a game left us craving more of a digital world than Bioshock. The would-be underwater utopia known as Rapture was a compelling background to set a first-person-shooter against, and we can't help but feel that the game only gave us the barest glimpse into this world. We want more, and we want an artist that can properly capture the twisted 1950's art deco style of the game. We'd love to see a writer chronicle the saga of Rapture from its early inception to its horrific downfall.

Prince of Persia

Since The Sands of Time, Prince of Persia has far exceeded its simplistic roots and crafted a compelling universe worthy of the series top-notch gameplay. Hollywood has taken notice. They're hard at work on a movie adaptation of Sands of Time, starring Donnie Darko of all people as the Prince. Blegh.

A comic, however, has plenty of potential to entertain. And, as the newest entry in the series is proving, there's no need to strictly adhere to the series continuity. The new game is making a fresh break, and so should the comic. As long as the sense of adventure and danger is still there, we're happy. We're also loving the art style in the new game, so that's one area we wouldn't mind seeing make a close transition.


Guilty Gear

The cast of Guilty Gear may not be superheroes, exactly, but they certainly dress like it. We love this loopy franchise because of the zany characters and bombastic anime art style. It's pretty much singlehandedly keeping 2-D fighting games alive at the moment.

That said, we rarely know what's going on as far as the plot goes. Something about a bad guy, who cleverly refers to himself as Sol Bad Guy, trying to take over the world or some nonsense. Then a giant guy with a paper bag on his head and a schoolboy who dresses like a schoolgirl swoop in to save the day. A comic might actually be able to make sense of this, and look very slick in the process.


Panzer Dragoon

Here's another series that immediately springs to mind simply because of the unique, memorable world it created. Playing Panzer Dragoon is a unique experience. Sure, the gameplay is an on-rails shooter barely more complicated than Rez, but the atmosphere and and storyline have far more to offer.

Panzer Dragoon is the tale of a girl (or boy) and her faithful dragon. Together, dragon and rider wage war on an evil empire. Panzer Dragoon Saga on the Sega Saturn took things several steps further, showing us just how deep and evocative the world of Panzer Dragoon could be. Since we'll probably never get a proper follow-up to Saga at this point, a good comic series is our only recourse.