5 Best & Worst Video Game Adaptations

Once a video game reaches a certain threshold of success, adaptations for the big and small screens usually follow soon after. However, there’s a running joke that video game adaptations are cursed. The majority of them are considered subpar, often due to a boring plot or poor animation. Something terrible almost always carries over to the film side.

But that was before. Now, the storytelling in gaming adaptations is undoubtedly better. Adaptations like Arcane have been met with critical acclaim, and the list of good adaptations is only getting bigger. Having said that, this list brings to you some of the best and worst examples of video game adaptations. Movies and shows that you should and shouldn’t watch. So, if you’re a video game super fan, this list is something you’re going to love.

Best: Cyberpunk Edgerunners – Cyberpunk 2077

One thing the Cyberpunk universe excels in is telling dark, emotional stories. The video game told its tale in pieces that were spread thin by gameplay segments. But in the Cyberpunk: Edgerunners anime adaptation, it’s a nonstop animation rollercoaster. Edgerunners follows the story of David, an ordinary high schooler who ends up becoming a mercenary after his mother is killed.

Uncanny supporting characters like a skilled hacker Lucy, the big mercenary leader Maine, and the unpredictable cyberware genius Rebecca are introduced. Menacing villains and the neon streets of Night City are also looming in the backdrop. A series of fortunate and unfortunate events play out in David’s life. He wins some battles and loses some, and we’re in the front seat throughout all ten episodes. 

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is gritty, and that’s how you are meant to adapt a Cyberpunk universe story. It’s an adaptation that perfectly recreates Cyberpunk 2077’s vibe with totally original characters. Not many studios manage to do that, so indeed, Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is truly special.

Worst: Assassin’s Creed Movie – Assassin’s Creed

Now, going to the complete opposite, Assassin’s Creed is how not to adapt a video game 101. The Assassin’s Creed movie was set in the same universe as the games, but made the bold move of telling an original story. Callum is captured by Abstergo and is forced to relive the memories of his ancestor in hopes of finding the Apple of Eden. A classic Assassin’s Creed storyline that should’ve worked, but it didn’t.

The reason for that lies in the poor pacing and overall plot. The characters were undeveloped and one-dimensional. There was nothing unique about them, nor were there any terrific sequences that you’d remember after finishing the movie. Everything felt half-baked, and the reception was bad. 

The movie just didn’t have enough substance to replace the fun that would be felt from parkouring or fighting enemies in the video games. It was an Assassin’s Creed movie devoid of the hearty characters and intense action that made the games so special. Ultimately, two planned sequels were cancelled, and hardly anybody talks about the Assassin’s Creed movie today.

Best: Arcane – League of Legends

Not only is Arcane one of the best video game adaptations, it’s one of the best TV shows ever made. Arcane took League of Legends and extracted its lore. Then it created a cast of original and existing characters, put them in a lifelike world, and touched upon their backstories and goals.

Arcane represented video game characters in a way that was previously thought impossible to pull off. Each of its episodes consistently had emotional depth. Character relations were ever-changing, and they affected the world around them. You’d clearly be able to differentiate between how the world was in the first and last episodes. Arcane represents the peak of storytelling. 

It shows you how characters in video games, whether it’s a single-player adventure or a multiplayer strategy game, have more to them than meets the eye. What Arcane has done for the gaming industry is truly special. It introduced the world to an amazing story based on a video game, and that, in turn, has opened up so many paths for future works of the sort.

Worst: Persona 5: The Animation – Persona 5

The only impressive thing about Persona 5: The Animation is how it consistently manages to maintain the same level of mediocrity throughout. Like the game, the plot is exactly the same, with Joker and the Phantom Thieves of Hearts fighting against corrupted adults in Shibuya. However, the anime falls flat in comparison.

The Persona 5 game didn’t rely solely on its plot. It had mini-games, dialogue, cutscenes, amazing gameplay, and so much more. Of course, you can’t recreate these in an anime, but without something to replace them, watching the show is incredibly boring. Because of the lack of material in the adaptation, it’s simply just a 26-episode run where high schoolers fight a series of enemies one after the other. The result is a predictable storyline that never really takes off. One that can be argued to be the worst video game adaptation in recent memory.

Best: Castlevania, Castlevania: Nocturne – Castlevania Series

Castlevania: Season 1 came out in 2017, a time when there weren’t a lot of good video game adaptations around. As you can imagine, nobody expected much from it. However, Castlevania turned out to be a banger. The visuals, character designs, story, and intense action sequences were all masterfully made.

Dracula, Alucard, and Trevor were written with personality. One was grumpy, another witty, and the other immature. The supporting characters were written just as well. But what stole the show was the world design. The aesthetic was gloomy, and you’d know by looking at it that it’s inhabited by monsters and vampires. 

Castlevania eventually became considered by many as the best video game adaptation to date. So much so that a sequel series titled Castlevania: Nocturne was released recently. It continues the saga by adapting the story of Richter Belmont. So, judging from that, you can imagine how amazing the Castlevania adaptation is.

Worst: Tekken: Bloodline – Tekken

There have been a number of Tekken adaptations over the years. None have yet managed to hit the mark, and especially not the recent Tekken: Bloodline adaptation on Netflix. Tekken: Bloodline follows a somewhat original story where Jin Kazama enters the King of Iron Fist tournament to defeat the creature that killed his mother. However, both the story and animation are such a huge miss that they set a new low for bad video game adaptations.

There are innumerable problems with the show. Tekken: Bloodline is too rushed and only has a runtime of six episodes. The tournament is hardly three or four fights long. There are barely any supporting characters in the entire anime. Fights, the actual bloodline of the Tekken universe, are few. And what little of them there are, they are poorly choreographed. The cherry on top is the cel-shaded, 3D animation that neither looks pretty nor works, given the anime’s nature. All in all, Tekken: Bloodline just stands as another botched attempt at adapting the classic Tekken video game series. 

Best: The Super Mario Bros. Movie – Mario

What makes The Super Mario Bros. Movie so great is its faithfulness to the source material. For example, there’s a long racing scene in the movie. That’s a direct reference to the Rainbow Road race from the Mario Kart series. There’s also a duel between Mario and Donkey Kong, and that’s hinting towards Super Smash Bros. The Super Mario Bros. Movie adapts the video games, but also innovatively nods at them, making you feel nostalgic.

However, more than that, The Super Mario Bros. Movie is also just entertaining at face value. Its color palette is vibrant, and the world appears pleasing. The cast has funny dialogue and interactions with each other. Some character designs look hilarious. There are a ton of action-packed moments involving Mario, Luigi, and many other fan-favorite characters from the game. 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is made in a way that appeals to both children and adults, long-time fans of the games and new ones. It’s the perfect movie for a family night, and that’s exactly what one of the best video game adaptations has to be.

Worst: Bayonetta: Bloody Fate – Bayonetta

Bayonetta: Bloody Fate is a movie adaptation of the famous Bayonetta video game series. Unfortunately, the only remarkable thing about it is how it makes you want to quit watching halfway through. To break its problems down for you, foremost, the script is all over the place. There are pacing issues, and important details from the game are either omitted or altered for the worse. The plot doesn’t make sense at times, and without some prior knowledge about Bayonetta, you’d be feeling lost in a jungle.

The events of the movie are also totally non-canonical, and they aren’t an accurate representation of the video games. Besides the poorly written narrative, the voice acting has always been critiqued as subpar compared to the Bayonetta video game. Having said that, there are some good things about the Bayonetta film, such as the visuals. But because the story is a disaster, no matter how good the animation is, the overall result still remains a terrible adaptation.

Best: Netflix’s Devil May Cry (2025) – Devil May Cry

Netflix’s Devil May Cry is how you’re supposed to make a high-octane adaptation. The Devil May Cry series is an original story, inspired by the games, but separate. However, while it’s different, it’s fully true to the source material. The characters in the show are written as if they were in the game.

Dante has a devil-may-care attitude. He laughs in the face of danger, is overpowered, and never misses the opportunity for a witty one-liner. Other characters like Lady and Vergil are true to their video game counterparts as well. But more than that, the world-building and storytelling are a one-to-one copy of the games. Demons lurk everywhere, Earth is almost always under attack, intense action scenes, and amazing abilities are all in every episode. Devil May Cry 2025 is hands down one of the best video game adaptations of all time. Unfortunately, you can’t say the same for the 2007 adaptation.

Worst: Devil May Cry: The Animated Series (2007) – Devil May Cry Series

There just aren’t any good things about the 2007 Devil May Cry adaptation. By 2007, three Devil May Cry games were out. Devil May Cry 1 and 3 portrayed Dante as a cocky, immature, and witty hero. On the other hand, Devil May Cry 2 showed him as cold and distant. Devil May Cry 2 is canon. That said, it’s regarded as the worst Devil May Cry game, and its events are just about never referenced further. And from Devil May Cry 3 and onwards, Dante returns to being the cool demon hunter that he is.

Now, here’s the problem with the 2007 Devil May Cry show: it’s a bad representation of the series. For starters, there’s no solid overarching plot, and the show feels directionless. The cast is written badly, too. Dante is made cold and distant like he was in Devil May Cry 2. Other pivotal characters barely appear in the show. After finishing the anime, you’ll feel the story is incomplete, almost like there never was one to begin with. It’s as if Devil May Cry 2007 took all the wrong inspirations from the video games. Having said that, at least now there’s a good Devil May Cry adaptation, even if it was eighteen years later.