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HBO's The Last of Us took the world by storm this winter, captivating new viewers and fans of the original PlayStation game alike. Though it's not the first video game to get the TV treatment, The Last of Us proved it's possible to combine action with complicated, lovable characters, without compromising style or story. Needless to say, we can't wait for Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey to reunite for the show's second season.
Whether or not you're a gamer, a wealth of stories can be found in the gaming world. Following the success of The Last of Us, it's likely that many more games will make the transition to television, but there are already several adaptations out there that also require your attention. Here, we round up 12 of the best TV shows based on video games.
The Last of Us
The Last of Us follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) who is tasked with transporting Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the country in the middle of a zombie apocalypse. Twenty years after a parasitic fungal infection overtook most of the population, survivors fight to rebuild their lives within the very limited remit of what's left. Ultimately, The Last of Us remains largely faithful to the game it's based upon, and drew a huge viewership as a result.
Arcane
Netflix's Arcane is an animated series based on the multiplayer online battle arena video game League of Legends. Arcane follows sisters Vi (voiced by Hailee Steinfeld) and Jinx (Ella Purnell) who find themselves at odds when conflict erupts in their city. The series has been widely praised for its “masterful animation.”
The Witcher
Technically, The Witcher started out as a book series, and was subsequently adapted into a role-playing game. However, as both Andrzej Sapkowski's books and the video game adaptations came before Netflix's TV show, it's safe to say that both formats influenced the series in some way. Henry Cavill departed the popular series at the end of season 3, and has since been replaced by Liam Hemsworth, per Deadline.
Halo
Paramount+ adapted the hugely popular first-person shooter and strategy game into a television series starring Pablo Schreiber and Natascha McElhone. Halo: The Series is set in the future and follows a battle taking place between humankind and a group of aliens known as the Covenant. A second season is forthcoming, and promises to be filled with even more action.
Resident Evil
Resident Evil already spawned a successful movie series, and has since made the move to TV. Netflix's version straddles two timelines. In 2022, twins Billie and Jade, the children of Dr Albert Wesker, move to New Raccoon City, a community designed by the Umbrella Corporation. In 2036, Jade faces the apocalypse after a virus destroys the planet.
Maniac Mansion
Maniac Mansion is a '90s sitcom created by Eugene Levy, loosely based on Lucasfilm's 1987 video game of the same name. The show follows the Edisons, a seemingly normal family whose lives are infiltrated by extraterrestrial events. The series ran for three seasons, and is quirky a love letter to the retro game on which it's based.
Sonic Prime
Sonic the Hedgehog has always been a beloved video game character. Following several successful TV and movie adaptations, he is back in his latest venture, Sonic Prime. The animated Netflix show features a brand new cast, and introduces the famous blue hedgehog to a younger generation.
Pokémon Horizons
It's hard to believe that the first Pokémon game debuted in 1996, and that the franchise is still going strong. Having been adapted into multiple TV shows and movies, the series has recently reinvented itself as Pokémon Horizons, featuring new protagonists and adventures, which debuts in April 2023. It seems as though the Pokémon franchise will be around for a very long time to come.
Castlevania
Netflix's Castlevania adapts the gothic Japanese video game of the same name, and focuses on the fight to defend the nation of Wallachia from Dracula and his council of vampires. The show ran for four seasons, and a spin-off series set during the French Revolution is reportedly already in the works.
Carmen Sandiego
Carmen Sandiego is a household name, having started life as an educational game series that many of us played in school. Initially launched in 1985, the character has been featured in many adaptations over the years, most recently Netflix's animated series, in which Carmen is voiced by Gina Rodriguez.
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners
Cyberpunk: Edgerunners follows David, who decides to work as a black-market mercenary after losing everything. The anime series is set in a future dystopia in which corrupt corporations have control over entire cities. While Cyberpunk: Edgerunners was confirmed to be a limited series, it's rumored that a follow-up could explore new characters in the same universe, according to Hypebeast.
Horizon Zero Dawn
Fans will have to wait a little longer for the TV adaptation of Horizon Zero Dawn, which is currently in development at Netflix. The role-playing game of the same name follows a young hunter called Aloy. Set in the future in a devastated version of the United States, Aloy sets out to find out what really happened to the world, which is being ravaged by machines.
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