Videogames and Comics

I've always been a fan of video games and comics.  Unfortunately, when combining the two, the results have been pretty much lack-luster. Thankfully a new trend has begun with game companies taking time in making comics into games and there have been some good games that have been created.

The first comic adaptation into video games began with a few Sega Genesis and Super Nintendo games.  These games included "X-Men" and "Spider-Man: Maximum Carnage" and basically consisted of going from one point to the next beating up everything in the path.  Not truly a problem, but the games were very basic and didn't offer much to the player other than beat that, and throw that.

The real issue began with a  called Superman 64.  This game is possibly the worst game ever made.  It came out on the Nintendo 64 in 1999 and consisted of Superman flying through rings in a virtual reality to save his friends.  It had nothing to do with being Superman and even his powers like heat vision and cold breath were pointless and novelties at best.  The game was a let down and a step back for comic video games and it gave off a bad vibe for comics and video games. 


The problem with bad games coming out was that the game companies developing them didn't spend enough time producing the games.  The games were rushed out with bad stories and boring game-play.  With bad development, there of course is going to be a bad game as the result.  With the release of Superman 64, no decent game came out representing comics.



Thankfully, improvement began with the game Spider-man 2, which was released with the movie of the same name, in 2004.  Most Spider-Man games before this game were not good at all.  They were limited in the scope of the game-play and there was very little story.  However, in Spider-Man 2, the story was pretty much the same story of the movie.  What really made the game better was the game-play.  Players could swing around Manhattan freely like Spider-Man does in the movie and comics.  This is the main fact that made the game good.




Now, there are comic video games out that are great.  The main examples are Spider-Man Shattered Dimensions and the Batman Arkham games: Arkham Asylum and Arkham City.  What made these games great is that they have their own original story and that the game-play is fresh and exciting.  In Shattered Dimensions, one plays as four different Spider-Mans from the different universes Marvel has created.  Each Spider-Man plays different which creates a fun gaming experience.

In the Arkham games for Batman, the game-play is varied. However, the main attraction is the amazing story that comes with the game.  Completely original, the story is engrossing and full of twists that keep the player wanting more.

So why are comic games starting to get better?  The answer is simple, time is being taken to make sure the game is great.  Both Arkham games were in development for about 3 years.  These gave Rocksteady , the developer of the games, plenty of time to get a great story and to fine tune the game-play.  Too many games are rushed out and many problems arise.

It's been shown that games are good because time was put into them.  Take games like Mass Effect, or Elder Scrolls, or even Gears of War.  These games were in development for many years and all that time was put to amazing detail.  Taking a look at Mass Effect, each player had their own individual dialogue for any situation the player took.  If you wanted to be an outlaw, the in game characters reacted to this and treated you accordingly.  One character would be scared to work with you or law abiding characters would react negatively.  This would not be possible unless BioWare, the company who developed Mass Effect, has taken the time to put that detail in.  

Companies seem to think that they have to come out with a game every year and a half, and it hurts the game and the company.  One, the game stinks and no one wants it, and two the company will lose money because no one wants it.

The other way to fix bad comic video games is that they need to stop coming out with a game for a movie.  The game is always rushed and it always is bad.  I don't think I have ever seen a good comic video-game based off a movie save for the one Spider-Man 2.  This hurts the stalk of comic video games and doesn't help at all.  Looking at the recently released Thor and Captain America games, these two were horrible additions.  Not only did they barely follow the plot of the movies, but the game play was limited to beat that, go to that area to find a missing artifact, or find and talk to this person.  In retrospect, I think the earlier games like X-Men were better.

Hopefully, companies will realize that there is great potential for comic video games.  Tons of story lines can be touched and different aspects can be used.  There just needs to be time put in to the game to make it worth while for not only the companies, but for the players.