Summary

license television games have been a fixture of the medium since its origin , but there have been some truly bizarre version released forPC , consoles , and Mobile River chopine , particularly the game free-base on Prestige TV series that fail to survive up to their inspirations . Like Elevated Horror , the exact definition of what make believe a Prestige TV serial is a thing of disputation , but there are for certain show that have aspired to enjoin meaningful stories and bear on a high standard of quality . The video games based on these licenses do not always have the same standards as their source stuff , regrettably .

A few fortunate Prestige TV shows have had a relatively smooth transition to the play medium , like Telltale’sGame of Thronesadaptation . Many well - regarded TV serial deal with subject area matter that might be unmanageable to adapt to most conventional picture game formats . It seems obvious that arushed , cash - grab product might harm a show ’s good reputation , but that has not prevented some unusual missteps . Prestige TV serial often fuel water ice chest conversation at the metre of their release , but many of their biz adaptation were mostly forget , which in some typeface is for the best , afford their poor production values .

Developer Orange Comet harbinger jaw : Infested Water , a multiplayer survival biz that pits the iconic shark against a group of unlucky hunting watch .

Martin Brody from Jaws with Bruce from the Jaws cover behind him and the dark ocean in the background.

5The Sopranos: Road To Respect (2006)

Platforms: PlayStation 2

One of the first shows recognized as Prestige TV was HBO’sThe Sopranos , a dear serial publication that eschewed the glamourous enactment of the Mafia in films likeThe Godfatherfor a gamy look at New Jersey mobster and a trenchant focus on the psychological science of its character . While many still debate the accurate meaning of the series’infamously precipitous ending , or its allusion to supernatural force at work , scarcely anyone bringsThe Sopranos : route to Respectinto a discourse of the show . Road to Respectwas a 2006 game , release only on the PlayStation 2 , telling a non - canonic side story .

The Sopranos’prequel film , TheMany Saints of Newark , would have extend an easier route to a game adaptation , but that film did not unfreeze until many twelvemonth afterRoad to Respect .

Where the same year’sScarfacegame capture the movie ’s tincture , Road to Respectwas for the most part dissatisfactory . The game has a 42Metacriticscore , mostly impute to its miserable graphics and unpolished gameplay . Though many actors from the show supply their alikeness and articulation acting for the game , SopranoscreatorDavid Chase distanced the show from the game in interview . The story survey Tony Soprano offer Salvatore ’s Logos a place in the Mafia and tried to emulate the panache ofThe SopranosTV series , with escalating conflicts and conversations with the dead , but it lack the psychological profundity of the show .

Arthur Morgan, V, and Link over a blurred Elden Ring Background

4Dexter: The Game (2010)

Platforms: PC, Mobile

The in series killer showDexterwas adapt asDexter : the Game . This iPhone biz was port to PC but was released as a physical disk only , so it is not currently usable on platform like Steam . Dexter ’s typical episode formula does declare oneself more suggestion of gameplay structure than many shows , and the video game attempted to follow it . The titular fictitious character straw target who may also be killers , gather grounds to confirm their misdeed , and then whisks them aside to a pre - prepared killing room . Dexter : the Gameloyally followed the show ’s statute title butforgot to make it play or interesting .

Some critic gave theDextergame leeway in judging it by mobile plot standards , but it is a far cry from being among the effective stealth video games . The vile character models might have looked satisfactory on a roving machine , but played on a PC cover , the timbre was unacceptable for a release tight to 2010 . The pattern of shadowing targets and covertly slaying them was broken up with simulation of Dexter ’s job as a police force forensic scientist or his domesticated life with Rita . Dexter : New Bloodbrought the character back onto the small screen , but gaming success circumvent Harry ’s trained monster .

3The Shield: The Game (2007)

Platforms: PlayStation 2, PC

The Shieldwas an former 2000s hit for the FX web , centre on a fell team of corrupt law officers in Los Angeles . LikeThe Sopranos , it carried a stark feel and reveled in moral equivocalness , butThe cuticle : The Gamewas unambiguously terrible . The adaptation was relinquish on PC and PS2 and ask the same plan of attack asThe Sopranos’licensed game with a storyline read spot between seasons 3 and 4 . Even diehard fans found little to revel , as it combine blocky graphics with stiff third - person activeness gameplay and inept , ill designed mini - games , bring in its scathing 34Metacriticscore .

Battlefield Hardlinefeatured a write up about police corruption and offers a good video plot experience that is thematically similar toThe Shield . It also have Benito Martinez , who represent Captain Aceveda inThe Shield .

While fans look to see ifGTA 6will improve on mechanicslike the Star System dictating police pursuit , those who playedThe buckler : The Gameexperienced a much bad take on the construct . Vic Mackey could acquire Heat Levels for openly unethical activity , like brazen murder , which result in a Game Over if the layer went too high-pitched and let on Vic ’s corruption . player could lower Heat by clear sound arrests , creating a horrible gameplay loop wheretheplayer could get away with needlessly killing several people if they apprehend one alive , adding up to a vile law ferociousness sim .

Miyamoto with the Switch 2 and a sad-looking Mario tipping his cap.

2Breaking Bad: Criminal Elements (2019)

Platforms: Mobile

Among the ranks of Prestige TV serial , Breaking Badstands near the top by many metrics , but its transition to a TV game was less successful than its surprisingly affecting prequel , Better Call Saul . In 2019 , six twelvemonth after the show ’s conclusion , Breaking Bad : Criminal Elementsreleasedon mobile platform . Compared to other flawed adaptation of beloved shows , Criminal Elementsis less egregious , offering a fairly standard free - to - play base construction biz supported by microtransactions . Its stylized art , reminiscent of recentSimsgames , also hold up well , but it did nothing to set itself aside from other mobile cash grabs .

Criminal Elementsclosed the year after it was released . It could be seen as another harmless mobile time - waster title , but a turning point serial publication likeBreaking Baddeserved better . ReducingBreaking Badto an practice session in the mechanics of building a drug empire does not do justice to the impeccable eccentric arc of Walter White . see pivotal moment from the series recreated in a stark animatic style add little to the experience . Perhaps the developersdepended on gambling fans bask the absurdityofBreaking Badbeing gift as a cooky - cutter peregrine plot , but dry use did not keepCriminal Elementsafloat .

1The Walking Dead: Survival Instinct (20130

Platforms: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii U, PC

Several games have been released free-base onThe Walking Deadfranchise , including some adaptation of the original comic book series instead of the AMC video series . The Walking Dead : Survival Instinctwas a prequel to the show , concentrate on the Dixon buddy . The secret plan have Norman Reedus and Michael Rooker reprize their roles of Daryl and Merle , fight through the early days of the series ’ automaton outbreak . Some harsh critics might think ill of certain time of year of the show , or the over - saturation of its twisting - offs , butSurvival Instinctis still the low point for the full franchise .

ThoughThe Walking Dead : Destiniesalso released to electronegative review , it at least try something unequalled , by allowing players to experience issue from the serial publication with the option to alter their outcome . Survival Instinct ’s non - canonical prequel for seventh gen cabinet andPCattracted lilliputian involvement from lover , and its poorly executed shooter gameplay did nothing to make up for its weak premise , resulting in an abyssmal 32 onMetacritic . die the itinerary ofDestiniesmight have at least allowed histrion to place the bigoted Merle to his demise earlier in the story . Some might argue whetherThe walk Deaddeserves to be considered Prestige TV , but at its bad it outdidSurvival Instinct .

Source : Metacritic ( 1,2,3 )

Tony Soprano from The Sopranos and Walter White from Breaking Bad

Custom Image by Katarina Cimbaljevic.

5 Bizarre Video Games That Were Adapted From TV Shows - An image from Dexter the Game

5 Bizarre Video Games That Were Adapted From TV Shows - An image from The Shield The Game

5 Bizarre Video Games That Were Adapted From TV Shows - An image from the mobile game adaptation of Breaking Bad

5 Bizarre Video Games That Were Adapted From TV Shows - An image from The Walking Dead Survival Instinct