Video games moar mature/darker/deeper than source material

[oddech_wymarlych_swiatow]

Video games adaptation are mostly consider as banal, shit, boring and it's mostly true but how about the glorious exceptions? I mean, when vidya became superior to source material by being more mature, dark, deeper ect?

I vote for:

KOTOR2 - nuff said
Dragon Ball Z: Hyper Dimension - DB is being known for poor, barebones, repetitive arstyle but this gaem gives it additional layer of depth, just look at these artworks:

 

[KörangarTheMighty]

Witcher 1, but I haven't read all the novels. Stopped after the two collections of short stories and the first two in the mainline series.

 

[blessed king of longing]

Witcher 1, but I haven't read all the novels. Stopped after the two collections of short stories and the first two in the mainline series.

i haven't read the witcher books but there's something to be said for what you experience first in a franchise, it's often difficult for whatever comes after that to match up

 

[NecroLord]

Witcher 1 maybe? Have not read the books though.
Kotor 2,yeah,you got it right. Much darker in tone and atmosphere than the usual Star Wars material.
Neverwinter Nights 2: Mask of the Betrayer is also pretty grim...

 

[AndyS]

The Witcher games are absolutely better than the source material, mostly because Sapkowski is a talky writer and not much of a plotter. The games are all action, at least.

 

[Nifft Batuff]

The Alice games.

 

[TC Jr]

I'd say The Warriors, the film was a lot more campy and while the game did keep that, there was a more darker tone and the gameplay/fighting was a lot more brutal. (Killing civilians/hobos for money as opposed to running away from gangs and police)

 

[Sexy Beast]

I find offense at the thought that darker = moar mature/deeper. only edgy teens find solace in darkness and grimness

nothing wrong if you're a teen however

 

[Corbin Dallas Multipass]

I'd say The Warriors, the film was a lot more campy and while the game did keep that, there was a more darker tone and the gameplay/fighting was a lot more brutal. (Killing civilians/hobos for money as opposed to running away from gangs and police)

I came here to bring up the warriors as well. That game did a lot of things well.

 

[Morpheus Kitami]

Parasite Eve, by all accounts, the novel it was loosely based on is lame and rather underwhelming. Supposedly drawing deep from the author's understanding of microbiology. In contrast, the game is of interest to people who aren't scientists and added considerable depth to the story beyond a somewhat mundane setup with one crazy idea.
Sweet Home, depending on who you ask. The game is generally considered scarier, but they're both about the same maturity/ediginess-wise. Both center around a woman who burns babies after burning her own by mistake.

 

[rusty_shackleford]

a lot of star wars video games

 

[Nifft Batuff]

the film was a lot more campy

I didn't play the game, but I don't remember the movie being so campy. I remember it being set in a kind of near future violent urban dystopia.

 

[manifest]

the film was a lot more campy

I didn't play the game, but I don't remember the movie being so campy. I remember it being set in a kind of near future violent urban dystopia.

It's actually a real place, they call it New York City. People pay a fortune to hide in 8x12 concrete cells high above the street, sort of like a shark cage.

 

[TC Jr]

the film was a lot more campy

I didn't play the game, but I don't remember the movie being so campy. I remember it being set in a kind of near future violent urban dystopia.

Campy might be the wrong term, the dystopian new york ran by gangs isn't really depicted in a realistic way(intentional obviously), all the flashy outfits, cheesy dialogue and fight choreography is very over the top whereas the violence in the game is depicted a lot more realistically/brutally.

Spoiler

Unrelated but I would have loved a Wanderers game too.

 

[Gilius Thunderhead]

Fallout, if you consider Road Warrior and A Boy and His Dog as its sources.

 

[AW8]

Star Wars: Republic Commando takes Attack of the Clones (the worst movie in the Lucas trilogies), specifically the pointless CGI battle in the last 15 minutes of the movie, and turns it into a game with a fantastic, dark atmosphere that vastly outshines the title's mediocre gameplay.

The clones have different personalities (even though they cheat by using different voice actors), enemy droids are cold automatons of war instead of wacky slapstick characters, and the Ghost Ship levels are downright creepy.

 

[Valestein]

the film was a lot more campy

I didn't play the game, but I don't remember the movie being so campy. I remember it being set in a kind of near future violent urban dystopia.

It's actually a real place, they call it New York City. People pay a fortune to hide in 8x12 concrete cells high above the street, sort of like a shark cage.

I've seen other such pics of Late 70s/early 80s parts of NYC and they look worse than London during the blitz.

 

[octavius]

Betrayal at Krondor.
The books (EDIT: Riftwar Saga tatralogy) are juvenile (I loved Magician when I first read at about 19, though) and none of the good guys, except some minor character, die. The game has more mature writing, and you will lose at least one companion.

 

[mondblut]

none of the good guys, except some minor character, die.

Huh? The entire Krondor saga spans several generations, and pretty much everyone you know eventually dies, most of them violently.

Spoiler

Jimmy the Hand blows up the city of Krondor in "Rage of a Demon King", perishing in the explosion. Locklear is pathetically murdered offscreen in "Prince of the Blood". Pug, of course, is an immortal marty sue, but he's an exception. The OC DO NOT STEAL magicians do not show up in the books.

 

[octavius]

Well, I only read the first four books, the Riftwar Saga. I forgot there's lots more.

 

[HeatEXTEND]

Dragon Ball Z: Hyper Dimension

That game had great spritework and the best gameplay out of all the early DBZ games. Good stuff.
And obviously

Spoiler

 

[Ash]

Video games adaptation are mostly consider as banal, shit, boring and it's mostly true

whoops misread. I like two Marvel adaptations surprisingly. Wait! Dont go, hear me out.

Blade (2000) is an decent underrated action game, and The Punisher (2005) is one of the best third person shooters ever made. Hmm what else...nope that's it I think.

As for their maturity level, Blade doesn't have much a script but it is somewhat challenging and grim dark, but I would not say more mature than the movie (never read the comics) given that it doesn't have much a story and the gameplay is not that hardcore. But the Punisher does have quite an extensive script, it's good, and it also has many different brutal executions which goes beyond the movie. Pretty heavy atmosphere, some dark humor, good social commentary (everybody sucks and the punisher is gonna rightfully enact justice!). It definitely feels more complete, fulfilling and in some ways mature as a piece of media compared to the movies. Again no idea about the comics.

It's interesting of all the Marvel movies I only like Blade and Punisher, to a lesser extent X-men too, and it's the same case for the games. But of course, they were all shot and made before the decline era, which definitely is what it all boils down to. Well, and the fact that most other Marvel media is kinda gay. There's probably a reason those were among those chosen first from the huge untapped selection available.

 

[oddech_wymarlych_swiatow]

Dragon Ball Z: Hyper Dimen

That game had great spritework and the best gameplay out of all the early DBZ games.

It's realy the ONLY playable DB fighting game released before PS2 era.

Video games adaptation are mostly consider as banal, shit, boring and it's mostly true

But the Punisher does have quite an extensive script, it's good, and it also has many different brutal executions which goes beyond the movie. Pretty heavy atmosphere, some dark humor, good social commentary (everybody sucks and the punisher is gonna rightfully enact justice!). It definitely feels more complete, fulfilling and in some ways mature as a piece of media compared to the movies. Again no idea about the comics.

Love this game (of course best Punisher title goes for 1993 Arcade) but comics is worth reading, at least the ones made by Garth Ennis.

 

[Ash]

I find offense at the thought that darker = moar mature/deeper. only edgy teens find solace in darkness and grimness

nothing wrong if you're a teen however

The world and Universe is a dark, chaotic place and our brains subconsciously ignore the fact to protect out sanity on a daily basis. Facing reality head-on with no sugar-coating bullshit IS mature. But nonetheless, execution still matters. A lot of dark media does suck. Before anything, media should bring value (e.g provoke thought, engage, be original to some degree, entertain and/or be intelligent/make sense). If it doesn't do such things then we have to question its maturity level. But this applies to any form of media, not just dark, so I would say that Dark themes is in fact inherently more mature than certain others.

anyways, I wasn't aware the Parasite Eve games were based on a novel. So while I cannot say if it is better/deeper/darker/more mature than its source material I can second Morpheus Kitami 's recommendation of it, and throw in a recommendation for Parasite Eve 2 also. Quality little slice of the 90s. Not the best thing ever, but you'll have a good time that's for sure.