4 Intellectual Properties that Deserve a Proper Video Game Adaptation

Plenty of intellectual properties have been adapted into successful video games or even their own game series. From comic book superheroes such as Batman and Spider-Man, to the fantasy novels of The Witcher, to toy lines such as LEGO and Transformers. But what are some notable properties that have aspects that lend themselves very well to a video game format, but have yet to receive a truly proper adaptation?

Be they comics, movies, manga, anime, books, or famous toylines, what are some famous properties that would lend themselves very well to receive a proper video game adaptation, but they just haven't really gotten that chance yet. That's what we decided to approach with this discussion.

This Slack discussion by JeffreyHarris-HackerNoon, Nicolas Ng and Limarc Ambalina occurred in slogging's official #gaming channel, and has been edited for readability.

JeffreyHarris-HackerNoonMar 18, 2021, 9:08 AM

Is there a specific property (IE movie, book, game, comic, manga, anime, TV show, et al) you think lends itself to a video game, but has yet to receive a proper console game adaptation yet? Also, let's limit answers to console game releases and not mobile apps or games for this.

JeffreyHarris-HackerNoonMar 18, 2021, 9:10 AM

My answer would be the light novel/manga/anime Goblin Slayer. It seems there's a lot of potential here to turn this franchise into an action-RPG or a hack and slash type of title. The game is set in a world heavily inspired by Dungeons & Dragons and tabletop gaming. Stats and character classes are already built into the fabric of the narrative, along with unlocking new abilities, party breakdowns, and more. These elements would translate very well into a video game, much like Sword Art Online, which has received multiple game adaptations.

Nicolas NgMar 18, 2021, 10:20 PM

The one thing I would want more than anything would be a proper, triple-A Bionicle game. There was Bionicle Heroes on the 360 but that didn't really keep to the lore and spirit of the series. There's so much to explore in that universe that the toys and books can only hint at but a game would excel at

Nicolas NgMar 18, 2021, 10:21 PM

Also, I love the idea of a Goblin Slayer game. It's such a shame that it hasn't had an adaptation but the dark atmosphere of the series would probably do great considering the popularity of Dark Souls

JeffreyHarris-HackerNoonMar 18, 2021, 10:51 PM

Bionicle, good choice.

Limarc AmbalinaMar 19, 2021, 7:10 PM

100% Agree with your answer Jeffrey. Goblin Slayer is almost more video game than anime.

My answer would be Lord of the Rings. Why there hasn't been a good game adaption of this is anyone's guess. I played the PS2/xbox game and it sucked.

A good starting place would be for TellTale Games to come back in full stride and create an LOTR telltale game. They proved themselves with Game of Thrones that they can take an incredibly popular and complicated established series and turn it into a video game without interfering with what's already happened in the world of the show. They can do the same with LOTR

JeffreyHarris-HackerNoonMar 22, 2021, 6:18 PM

I would like a new Lord of the Rings games that could maybe expand on or do things differently from Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War. I wonder what the chances are of those Telltale type games making a comeback or another company doing them.

Limarc AmbalinaMar 23, 2021, 2:51 AM

Nicolas Ng Bionicle is like a super random answer haha. I never got into the Binoicle TV show. Is it worth watching now? I thought it was for kids.

JeffreyHarris-HackerNoon TBH I haven't played Shadow of Mordor or Shadow of War, do they stay true to the source material and follow the main story of the books or are they completely separate from that?

JeffreyHarris-HackerNoonMar 23, 2021, 8:54 PM

I would say no. They take some pretty big leaps in terms of continuity. For example, Shelob can shapeshift and take human form now.

JeffreyHarris-HackerNoonMar 24, 2021, 9:52 PM

Star Wars games aren't really a new thing, but I would love basically a bounty hunter type of Star Wars action game where you can basically play as Boba Fett or The Mandalorian (Din Djarin). I know there was a Jango Fett Bounty Hunter Game a while back. But i'd like something on a bigger scale with like a big open world sandbox on like Tattooine, Coruscant, or other famous planets. Like a huge modern-gen Star Wars game where you're a Mandalorian bounty hunter tracking bounties and such.

Limarc AmbalinaMar 24, 2021, 11:03 PM

Got it JeffreyHarris-HackerNoon in that case I stand by my answer.

In terms of anime, I'd also like to add The Twelve Kingdoms as an option for a JRPG. It is an older anime, that almost no one knows about. I only know about it because it is my wife's favorite anime, and I'm glad she showed it to me because the story is epic. We don't see many strong female leads in action/fantasy anime or games and this show is an exception to that.

The story is epic, spanning multiple dimensions and timelines. At the same time it is political. I think it'd make fore a great JRPG.

EDIT: I just checked and the anime HAS received a video game but only in Japan. We need it in English, please!

JeffreyHarris-HackerNoonMar 26, 2021, 4:01 AM

Definitely looks like it would make a great open world RPG.